True Valor (23 page)

“You’ll just have to show up and see.”

“A mystery.”

“The best kind of weekends. Get some sleep, Bruce. You’ll need it.”

“Thanks for the warning. Dream about me, or your plane, tonight.”

“Probably the plane.”

“Probably. Night, Grace.”

She hung up the phone, feeling lighthearted, happy. It was nice having him a phone call away. Bruce was an easy man to talk to. He’d let her into his world; she was looking forward to this weekend and a chance to pull him into hers.

SEPTEMBER 30

N
ORFOLK
, V
IRGINIA

Bruce pushed open Jill’s door. “You said casual. I see you meant it.” Grace was wearing a very old sweatshirt with cutoff sleeves, traces of white paint, and jeans that were white at the pockets and knees from wear.

“I did. You weren’t so sure, I see.”

“Casual but being broken in. I didn’t think you’d appreciate the jeans that Emily tried to bury.”

“That bad?”

“Pretty much.” He leaned against the doorframe. “You can come in, Grace. I think you’ve been here a few times and Jill is up now that it’s 1100. You’re prompt by the way.”

“Since I woke Jill up with the phone call at 1000 I figured she might finally be moving. Why don’t we just head out and come back later today to bug her? Bring Emily.”

“Where are we going?”

“A surprise until you’re at least in the car and have no choice but to come along.”

Bruce laughed and snapped his fingers. “Emily, come on, honey. She’s a duchess. One with her own sense of time.”

“I’m learning that.”

The dog paused at the door, lingered at the top of the stairs to smell the air, considered for several moments the stairs before taking the first one and then bounding down them in a rush.

Grace opened the car door. “She’s welcome to join us in front.”

“Got a towel? She can take the backseat and sleep. She’s not much for putting her head out the window. She’d do it once or twice until she starts to sneeze, and then her ears go back in annoyance at the wind.”

“Better yet, I have a couple blankets.” She got one from the trunk.

With a laugh, Bruce picked up Emily to assist her into the car. “I don’t know about this.”

“Trust me; she’s an essential part of the day’s plans.”

Grace tugged a sheet of paper out of her pocket. She handed it to him as she pulled out of the drive. “Welcome to a day in the life of Grace.”

* * *

“Where do the tomatoes go?”

Grace sank facedown on her couch, kicked off her shoes, and groaned. “I don’t care. Anywhere. I’m too tired to think.”

Bruce appeared in the doorway. “I’ve worn you out.”

“I think I died somewhere between picking out Wolf’s birthday present and the dry cleaner. That visit to the gym about toasted me.”

“We’ve still got the library, the bank, a stop at the greenhouse, and a visit to your dad’s. I’m intrigued with that last one.”

“Scratch that one. Dad went up to Washington, D.C., to annoy our state senator over the defense appropriations bill. He didn’t call, which means his flight was delayed, again. He’s getting a reputation for the scathing editorials on airline service.”

“Maybe another time. I’d like to meet him.”

“I’m sure he’d like to meet you too.”

“Don’t fall asleep. We’re due at Jill’s new office at 1600 to help her move file cabinets.”

“Okay.”

“You’re falling asleep.”

“Catnap. It was a very late night getting ready for today.”

He joined her in the living room, then lifted her feet to sit on the far end of the couch. He rubbed the sole of her foot. “Want to tell me what happened last night? The answering machine message was cryptic, but even I figured out you were somewhere at 0200.”

“Wolf needed some help with a friend. That feels good.” She’d been emergency babysitting until about 0400. Wolf was helpless with kids.

“I thought it was something like that. Everything okay?”

She shrugged.

“Deployments are stressful on families.”

“Yeah. He’ll call if he needs me.”

“Why didn’t he call Jill?”

Grace smiled. Jill was lousy with crying kids.

“Oh.”

“Twenty minutes of sleep. Then we’ll go again. And add a stop to get gas to that list of errands.”

He tugged down the throw on the back of the couch. “Sure.”

“Now I know I really like you. Beach tonight. I’ll make up for today.”

“Don’t apologize. I’ve been enjoying a day in the life of Grace.”

* * *

The moonlight on the water was dancing atop the waves. They had the beach pretty much to themselves. Bruce stirred the fire in the small public fire ring. It was the kind of peaceful night perfect for sitting around, talking. The stars were bright, the wind gentle, the moon a perfect bright circle.

“You like to rescue things, don’t you?”

Bruce glanced over to where Grace was brushing Emily’s coat with a dog brush she had brought down with them. If he had wanted to script a weekend with her, he couldn’t have come up with something better than these last hours. The firelight played over Gracie’s hair, adding golden highlights, deepening her blue eyes. “What?”

“You rescued Emily.”

“I suppose so.”

“When did you decide I needed to be rescued?”

Her question caught him off guard. “Grace.”

“When?”

“You looked a little lost last Christmas,” he allowed slowly. Was she mad? “I decided it made sense to do something about it.”

“You thought this relationship out before you sent that first letter during the deployment.”

He was relieved at the mild tone. “You credit me with more than I could accomplish, but yes, I thought about that first letter a great deal. It surprises you that it would matter that much to me?”

“Yes.”

Bruce set down the stick he was using to prod the fire to life and stood up. He dusted off his jeans. She tipped her head to look up at him, curious. “Come here.” He held out his hands.

“What?”

“I’ve got a question for you, best asked on more level ground.”

She let him pull her to her feet. He slid his hands up to cup her face. “You’re beautiful, you know that?”

“You said a question.”

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I know, but it’s time you heard a few compliments in words, not just on paper. Miss Grace, would you care to be my girl?”

She leaned her head against his chest. “You do have a way with words, Striker.”

He wrapped his arms loosely around her. “I would like nothing better than to share many more weekends like this one with you.”

She didn’t say anything for a long time, then rubbed her cheek against his shirt. “I’d love to know how to make this work.”

He tipped up her chin with his thumb. “You let me figure that out.” He leaned forward and gently kissed her.

Bruce ~

You asked about dreams for the future. You ask fascinating questions.

I’ve got a job I love and I’ve got peace with my God. Life as it is now is good. What I want most is to have a relationship that can be part of my life but doesn’t so strain it that I lose what I have. Does that make sense? It sounds so self-centered. I know you must feel a constant sense of hesitation with me, wondering is she committed to this relationship? I really like you, I enjoy your company, I trust you, and talking to you brightens my day. I will step out as far as you want to with this relationship because I trust you. But it’s a friendship that may need to stay a friendship for a few years.

I’m not saying I couldn’t walk away from my career if something huge came up that meant it was the best decision to make. I’m more saying I really don’t want to step into something that makes those kinds of radical changes necessary. Oh, I’m floundering here. I fear the reality of two military jobs will make this unworkable. Simple geography will kill us. Let me end this letter before I get things more muddled.

Yours, Grace

* * *

Grace ~

Relax. We’ll figure it out by listening to each other and a lot of honesty. You’re worried about geography; I’m worried about more simple things like how to overcome it. We’ve seen marriages with both in the military that thrived. It’s not impossible. Think about a day in the distant future that looks something like this:

Letters, e-mails, and phone calls can shrink the distance so we can keep in touch. Two military careers mean two home bases wherever we happen to be stationed—so our commuting back and forth is the next problem. Getting stationed on the same coast should be possible even with the way the Navy and Air Force like to schedule us.

Two home bases, so double everything. You should be able to walk into the place and feel at home regardless of which city it is. Remember those days in training when home was somewhere other than the base in which you were living? There were benefits in those days. I see more opportunities than I do insurmountable obstacles. We just have to get creative.

What I want is simple. Ecuador decided a lot of things for me, because I finally understood that life will probably be shorter than what I’d like regardless of if it’s another year or fifty. I want to fill it with the things I treasure. Remodeling a house because I love to build something that as long as it survives will reflect part of my time and effort; a dog because it’s the one dream of a childhood unfulfilled; and making people more of a priority because this life was meant to be shared.

I like sharing it with you. How many people can understand my job? You understand it in the best way. To a pilot, PJs are the knights in shining armor coming to the rescue, and I have to admit, it’s nice to be with someone who sees my job that way. You understand my priorities, and I understand yours. God, the military, family. They can coexist.

Do I miss you? Horribly. Do I think of you all the time? Absolutely. Do I wish you were here? More than I can put into words. But still I am content. Nothing thrills me more than knowing I’ll get to come up and watch you fly some weekend soon.

Thinking about you, Bruce

Matthew 7:7–11

Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Twenty-Four

* * *

OCTOBER 21

N
ORFOLK
, V
IRGINIA

“How’s the weather there?”

“Windy, just beginning to rain,” Grace told Bruce, pushing back the window drapes to watch it coming down. “The planes have been tucked down for the night, and flight ops to the USS
Harry Truman
have been cancelled while the storm front moves through. Are you going out?”

She was falling in love. It was scary and wonderful and overwhelming. She worried about Bruce on nights like this. The storm that was just touching them had been buffeting the Florida panhandle for hours. It was wonderful just to hear his voice.

“If the storm stays this intense, I wouldn’t be surprised. I’m going back to the office to wait it out there. No use sitting at home and trying to drive later into the brunt of the frontline winds. The worst is still to come ashore.”

“Is Wolf still there?”

“The storm delayed their flight out; he’s still at the base housing.” Grace heard thunder behind him. “Shh, it’s okay, girl. Emily is afraid of the thunder.”

“Poor girl.”

“She’s quivering under the table at the moment, not wanting to leave the room I’m in even as she tries to hide. I haven’t left yet, just because of how she’s acting.”

“What about taking her downstairs to the basement workroom, turning on that old stereo, and giving her a bone and a small place where she’s comfortable?”

“I’ll try it. I need to figure out something.”

“Would you call me occasionally if you get a chance?”

“I will,” Bruce promised. “Hang tough, Grace. I’ll be careful.”

She appreciated the reassurance he offered without her asking. She knew he meant it. But weather could be vicious, and it was easier to confront a man than it was to confront nature’s fury.

Grace hung up the phone and rested her head against the kitchen wall. There was always a surprise waiting around the corner. Bruce had been planning to be here this weekend; instead he was standing watch for trouble, ready to go out if called upon.

Ready to go out and possibly not come back.

I should have sent Bruce the card. I’m a coward at times, Lord. It’s a perfect card that comes close to finding words for what I feel. Remind me of tonight next time I have a chance to do something nice and wimp out at the last moment.
It was an opportunity lost.