Chapter 2 - One Night Before Morning
Daniel wanted to carry everything.
Anna refused.
“I can manage my bag.”
“You’re thirty-five weeks pregnant.”
“And I’ve been thirty-five weeks pregnant without you all week.”
Daniel stopped reaching for the handbag.
The sentence had done exactly what Anna intended.
He stood quietly while she pushed herself off the floor.
Her knees trembled.
Daniel’s hand moved instinctively toward her elbow.
Anna let him help.
Only because Caleb had started waking.
The boy opened his eyes slowly.
For several seconds, he stared at the green uniform beside him.
Then his face changed completely.
“Dad?”
Daniel dropped to one knee.
“Hey, buddy.”
Caleb launched himself forward.
Daniel caught him against his chest.
The force nearly knocked him backward.
Anna looked away.
She did not want Daniel to see how much the reunion hurt.
Caleb wrapped both arms around his father’s neck.
“You’re home.”
“I’m home.”
“You said next week.”
“I got lucky.”
Noah woke when Caleb started talking.
He looked around in confusion.
Then he saw Daniel.
Noah did not run.
He stared.
That bothered Anna more.
Daniel noticed too.
“Hey, Noah.”
The younger boy held the teddy bear close.
“You were gone.”
Daniel’s face tightened.
“I was.”
“Why?”
Anna watched her husband search for the right answer.
He had briefed generals.
He had commanded men.
He had delivered bad news to families.
But his five-year-old son had reduced him to silence with one word.
Daniel sat on the floor again.
“Because my job took me away.”
Noah frowned.
“Your job is mean.”
Anna almost smiled.
Daniel nodded.
“Sometimes it is.”
“Are you going again?”
The question landed between all four of them.
Anna turned away.
Daniel did not.
“Not tonight.”
Noah considered that answer.
It was not enough.
Anna knew it.
Daniel knew it too.
But at least he had not lied.
They collected their luggage.
Daniel found an airport hotel with one available room.
Anna protested the price.
Daniel booked it anyway.
The walk through the terminal took fifteen minutes.
It felt longer.
Daniel carried Noah.
Caleb dragged his small backpack.
Anna moved slowly beside them.
Nobody spoke about Denver.
Nobody spoke about the marriage.
Not yet.
The hotel room had two beds and one narrow chair.
It smelled faintly of laundry detergent and airport coffee.
The boys immediately climbed onto one bed.
Daniel removed his uniform jacket.
Anna noticed the movement.
He had lost weight.
There was a faint scar near his left wrist she had never seen.
She hated herself for noticing.
She hated him for making those details new.
Caleb bounced once on the mattress.
“Can Dad sleep here?”
Anna looked at Daniel.
Daniel looked at her.
“That’s up to your mom.”
Caleb turned to Anna.
“Please?”
Anna closed her eyes briefly.
“Everybody is sleeping here tonight.”
Caleb grinned.
Noah climbed beneath the blanket without speaking.
Within minutes, both boys were asleep again.
Anna stood beside the window.
Below them, airport traffic crawled through the darkness.
Daniel remained near the door.
The distance between them felt deliberate.
Anna removed her cardigan.
Daniel’s eyes dropped toward her stomach.
The baby moved.
He noticed.
“Was that him?”
Anna placed her hand over the movement.
“Yes.”
Daniel stepped closer.
Then stopped himself.
Anna knew what he wanted.
For months, he had missed almost every kick.
Every appointment.
Every small change.
She surprised herself by taking his hand.
Daniel looked at her.
Anna placed his palm against the side of her belly.
The baby kicked again.
Daniel inhaled sharply.
For one second, he looked nothing like an officer.
He looked like a father who had suddenly realized how much time he had lost.
“Strong.”
“He gets that from me.”
Daniel almost smiled.
“You always say that.”
“Because it’s true.”
The warmth lasted only a moment.
Anna released his hand.
Daniel moved back.
He sat in the chair.
Anna sat on the edge of the second bed.
“Now tell me.”
Daniel knew exactly what she meant.
He leaned forward.
“There was an attack on our communications system three weeks ago.”
Anna stared at him.
“We had restrictions after that.”
“You could have told me before.”
“I tried.”
“My phone worked.”
“Not from where I was.”
“You sent two emails.”
“I sent more than two.”
“I received two.”
Daniel frowned.
“What did they say?”
Anna’s chest tightened.
“You really don’t know?”
“No.”
She reached for her handbag.
From an inside pocket, she removed her phone.
She opened a saved screenshot.
Daniel watched her face carefully.
Anna handed him the phone.
The email was dated thirteen days earlier.
It came from Daniel’s personal account.
The subject line read, ABOUT WHAT COMES NEXT.
Daniel read silently.
His expression changed.
Anna watched every word hit him.
The message was short.
It said his unit had offered him an overseas command.
It said the opportunity could not be ignored.
It said Anna should consider staying with her sister until they “figured out what made sense.”
The last line had destroyed her.
Maybe some distance is what both of us need.
Daniel read it twice.
Then he looked up.
“I didn’t write this.”
Anna laughed once.
It was a broken sound.
“Daniel.”
“I didn’t.”
“It came from your account.”
“I know what it says.”
“Then explain it.”
His face hardened in a way Anna recognized from years ago.
This was not anger at her.
This was alarm.
“Did you reply?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“It bounced back two days later.”
Daniel stood.
He began pacing.
Anna felt cold.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m thinking.”
“I don’t need you to think.”
She stood too quickly.
Daniel immediately moved toward her.
Anna held up a hand.
“I need you to tell me whether you wanted us gone.”
“No.”
His answer came instantly.
She stared at him.
Daniel stepped closer.
“I was offered a command.”
Anna’s heart sank.
He continued.
“I turned it down.”
She blinked.
“When?”
“Three weeks ago.”
“Before that email?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I planned to tell you when I got home.”
Anna stared at him in disbelief.
“That was your plan?”
“I didn’t want another decision like that happening over a broken phone call.”
“You made the decision alone anyway.”
“I turned it down for us.”
“No.”
Her voice sharpened.
“You turned it down without talking to me.”
Daniel stopped.
Anna looked at the sleeping boys.
Then back at him.
“You still don’t understand.”
Daniel’s shoulders lowered.
“Help me understand.”
Anna’s eyes burned.
“You keep making decisions for this family while you’re nowhere near it.”
Daniel said nothing.
Anna pointed toward her phone.
“And now somebody else made one for you.”
That was when Daniel looked at the email again.
He zoomed in near the bottom.
His eyes narrowed.
“What?”
Anna asked.
Daniel did not answer immediately.
He stared at the signature.
Then at a phrase in the second paragraph.
Anna saw recognition in his face.
“What is it?”
Daniel looked at her.
“I know who uses those words.”
Anna’s stomach tightened.
“Who?”
Daniel glanced toward the boys.
May you like
Then lowered his voice.
“My mother.”
