"That look," she insists, pointing between us. "The one that means you're up to something. Spill it."
I exchange a glance with Matthew, who nods slightly. This is it, the moment we've been planning for months.
"We're home, Morgan," I say simply. "For good."
She stares at us, uncomprehending. "What do you mean, for good? Your redeployment is in three weeks. You said?—"
"We're out," Matthew interrupts gently. "Honorable discharges, paperwork finalized last week. We're civilians now."
Morgan's legs seem to give out. She sinks onto a nearby chair, her gaze shifting from my face to his with stunned disbelief. "You're… you're done? Both of you? No more deployments? No more—" Her voice catches. "—no more wondering if you're coming home?"
I kneel in front of her, taking her hands in mine. "No more wondering. We're home, and we're staying."
"But why? How? You never said anything about leaving the service…"
Matthew sits beside her, his shoulder pressed against hers. "Kandahar…" He doesn't need to say more. I can still taste the dust, hear the ringing in my ears. "We were lying there, after… and I just looked at Trent. We both knew. We were done. Six years and neither of us could name one thing we'd actually won. What we want is here. With you."
"We've missed too much already," I add, squeezing her hands. "Birthdays, holidays, ordinary Tuesdays. We don't want to miss any more."
"It's all I've ever wanted," she whispers fiercely. "All three of us, building a life together. No more goodbyes, no more counting days, no more being afraid to check the news."
Matthew kisses her temple, his eyes meeting mine over her head. The relief and joy I see there mirror my own. "We're home, Morgan. For real this time."
A knock at the door interrupts our moment. Ms. Davis pokes her head in, looking apologetic. "Sorry to intrude, but we've got a bit of a finger paint situation developing. Normally I'd handle it, but the parents are arriving soon for pickup, and I need to be at the front desk."
Morgan straightens, wiping her eyes and attempting to compose herself. "Of course, I'll be right there." She turns to us with clear reluctance. "I'm off at four. Can you?—"
"We'll be waiting," I promise, brushing a last kiss against her lips. "We've got nowhere else to be."
"Nowhere but home," Matthew adds, kissing her forehead.
chapter two
Morgan
I get through the last hour on autopilot. I help zip a tiny jacket, my fingers clumsy. I admire a finger painting of a blue dog, my mind miles away. Each tick of the clock is a drumbeat counting down to my real life waiting just outside the door. "They're staying," I say to myself, tying Sophia's shoe. "They're really staying."
By three forty-five, the parents begin arriving for pickup. I hand out daily reports, exchange pleasantries, and accept compliments about the children's artwork, all the while my heart beats triple time in my chest.
"Ms. Morgan!" Mrs. Fran waves as she approaches with her husband. "Kiran hasn't stopped talking about your ocean lesson all week."
I crouch down to Kiran's level. "Did you show your parents the sea creature you made?"
He nods enthusiastically, pulling a somewhat abstract clay creation from his cubby. "It's an octopus with nine legs!"
"Very creative," I tell him, ruffling his hair before standing to address his parents. "He's been very focused this week. Really enjoys the science activities."
I chat with several more families, my professional smile firmly in place despite the growing anticipation building inside me. Just fifteen more minutes. Then I can?—
"Morgan."
The voice makes my shoulders tense. I turn to find Evan Harris standing in the doorway, his four-year-old daughter Charlie clinging to his hand. Despite his welcoming smile, his eyes stay fixed on me a half second too long, the way someone watches a door they're not sure they locked.
"Mr. Harris," I reply, keeping my tone pleasant. "Charlie had a great day today."
"I'm sure she did," he says, his gaze lingering on me a moment too long before dropping to his daughter. "Tell me what you learned today."
Charlie beams up at me then back to her dad. "We learned about sharing. I shared my blocks with Tommy."
