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8
Tessa
The mattress creaked as Moose stood up and shook the sleep from his bones. Tessa bolted upright in a panic. The warm sunlight coming through the window temporarily blinded her and she squinted as she glanced around the room. Mason and Emily were buried beneath the pillows beside her, oblivious to the pounding of their mother’s heart. She cursed as she untangled herself from the blankets. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep.
Moose jumped off the bed and brushed himself against her legs. Tessa glared at him. “I’ll get you breakfast in a minute, but you have to swear you’ll be a great alarm system from here on out if you want to keep earning your meals.”
He grunted, lowering his heavy jaw to his paws with his back end and tail wagging playfully in the air. She tried to hide her smile with a stern look, but those big brown eyes broke her resolve.
“Alright. Let’s go.”
Moose bounded down the stairs in front of her, his steps so loud she wondered how the kids weren’t waking up. Then again, they could sleep through gunshots. She gripped the banister in her hand and inhaled a steadying breath. What’s done is done. No use crying over spilled milk.
Morning dew settled on every surface as the sun’s warming rays continued to climb over the mountains. Tessa watched the sun as one might eye a deadly snake. A few days ago, this would be a comforting sight, the light chasing away the dark, but now she found herself consciously aware of each position it took in the sky. It was a silent reminder that the earth was nothing without the guiding star and they were all at her mercy. Supernovas, star’s expansions, all the science lessons she’d ignored because the experts assured it wouldn’t happen in their lifetimes. If the sun acted like this now, who’s to say it wouldn’t be worse next year. Or in fifty years. Would her unborn grandchildren be okay?
The kettle screamed as the water boiled on the grill. She turned the burners off. She deserved a hot pot of coffee today and Landon would probably want some when he got home.
Three gallons of water to wash Emily’s and then Tessa’s hair. Mason had a quick head dunk and shampoo scrub in the bucket. A wet rag to wipe the grime from their bodies and another gallon to rinse them both off quickly in the shower.
Tessa stood in the bathroom alone while Mason and Emily ran off to get clean clothes and she eyed the water in the deep soaking tub wistfully. She wanted to shave her body, scrub every pore of her skin, and feel like a woman again instead of just a mom. She settled for a dry razor and a splash of perfume. At least her hair was drying nice with the relaxing spray she’d worked through it.
“Emily, come here,” Tessa called after she’d put on the green silk top and buttoned up her jeans. Emily poked her head around the corner to the bathroom where Tessa stood putting on lip balm and a little bit of mascara.
“How do I look?” Emily spun and curtsied in her chiffon white Christmas dress with lace shawl and bright pink plastic dress up heels.
“You look perfect. Let’s fix up those curls.” Tessa leaned down to kiss her cheek, letting go of every stubborn thought about telling her to change. Who knew what kind of heart break today would bring? It’s better to have hope. Plastic pink shoes and all.
“Arthur!” Mason ran through the open garage door down the driveway. Tessa barely had time to clip on the leash before Moose chased after him. Emily’s plastic shoes slapped against the concrete and she hurried to not get left behind.
“Slow down, Moose.” Tessa tugged on the leash. His tail wagged and he stopped to look at her.
“We’re going to pick up my dad,” Mason said as he led Arthur up the driveway.
“So I heard.” Arthur smiled at Moose who took that as a new best friend introduction and flopped to his back for a belly rub. Arthur kneeled and scratched his fur. “You must not get any love, you old dog.”
“He does too,” Emily exclaimed. “And he is not old.”
Arthur chuckled. “My apologies. He sure puts on a good act.”
“I’ll say.” Tessa sighed. “Here, Mason. Take the leash. You and Emily get him into the truck.” Moose’s sad brown eyes focused on Tessa and Arthur until the kids coaxed him toward Old Blue. Truck rides stump belly rubs any day.
“You guys okay?” Tessa hugged her arms over her chest as she turned back to Arthur.
He nodded, lowering his face to hide his smile out of respect. “I’m going to need you to stop worrying about us. No matter what happens, we’ll be fine. But Sally sent me over to let you know that the offer still stands if you need someone to watch the kids today and I agree with her. We don’t know how bad Oceanside is and it might be easier for you to hightail it out of there without the little ones in tow.”
“Did Sally really send you over here? Because I think she of all people would understand.” Tessa narrowed her eyes.
Arthur looked up to meet her gaze. “No. She told me not to come after she made the offer last night. But I’m worried you aren’t thinking clearly and wanted to give you a final chance to see reason. There’s a possibility he won’t be there.”
Tessa turned to look through the windshield of Old Blue. Emily was buckled into her booster seat, Mason sat grinning with his missing tooth smile, and Moose was behind the steering wheel panting with his pink tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth.
“You don’t know what my kids have been through. I know it was harder for you being the service member who deployed and left your family behind, but kids suffer too. They know nothing except this life of disappointment and profound joy when it comes to their dad’s career. If there is a chance that they will have happiness today, then I am going to take it. And if I’m wrong, which I feel in my heart I’m not because Landon is coming home, but if I’m wrong then I’ll make another plan.”
A deep sadness filled his eyes. “We’ll be praying for all of you.”
“Thank you.” Tessa blinked away her tears so her mascara didn’t run.
Arthur looked over his shoulder to his house and his gruff voice returned. “I’m curious to see how the base is handling all this anyhow. Come back and let me know.”
