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“Besides, if I had to hire a builder – and I would have – this would have taken a month to complete and cost a fortune, more than what dinner was with our friends and family. So yeah, I was more than happy to pay for dinner.”
“So, I shouldn’t be panicking about taking time off when the baby comes?” she whispered openly, realizing this was the first time they had truly discussed finances in depth.
“No,” Killian said softly, watching her. “Do not panic and don’t feel rushed to go back. Take all the time you need, do what you want, and if you want to stay home and take care of our little one… do it. I’ve got your back and you are never alone. Ever.”
“You don’t mind?”
“Hmm,” he said playfully, tapping his chin. “Let me think. Do I mind my wife taking care of my home, my daughter, and being full of energy or love when I get to drag my lazy bum back home?”
Destiny laughed, moving to hug him.
“You aren’t a lazy bum…”
“I don’t mind you staying home at all – and glad that I can provide,” he said softly, kissing her quickly, before looking in her eyes all serious. “On that note, can we talk for a second – about money?”
“Uh oh…”
“No,” he chuckled. “No ‘uh-ohs’– I promise.”
“Okay,” she nodded and glanced at the tub. “You have until that fills because once we get in? We aren’t discussing money but relaxing together.”
“Deal,” he grinned… and then it faded. “I want to take care of you, us, our family – and I don’t have a lot of time left in the Air Force, if you are looking at the grand scheme of things? I can get out – or I can get my bonus, renew my contract, and we keep doing this for another few years or so.”
Destiny didn’t say anything, because she knew he was bringing this up because he’d already made his decision – and knew what she would do, if she was in his shoes.
“Then we would have a small steady pension coming in… and I could pay off the house right now, before building up our savings once again. Then in a few years, I could buy a plane, come home, and work at Flyboys – or get my commercial license to fly,” he said softly, touching her cheek, and was waiting for her to say something.
“As someone who struggled for so long and knows what it took to finally establish myself, building a nest, and knowing you had your own ‘home base’ liquidated out from under you when you were going overseas? I would think a pension could be a relief to you – wouldn’t it?” she said sagely, touching his cheek tenderly and seeing the relief in his eyes.
“Yeah, it would,” Killian said softly. “I don’t want to sound like I’m choosing money over my family, but rather I’m choosing my family’s financial security for a minor inconvenience. Does that make sense?”
“It makes perfect sense to me – and I understand.”
“Are you mad?”
“Would you still come home every few months?”
“Absolutely.”
“And you’ll try to come home when the baby arrives?”
“With bells on,” he affirmed, not looking away from her. “I’m not missing our child’s arrival. The moment you start getting close, I’ll be on a plane.”
“So, nothing would be different… for a few more years?”
“No – well, I do intend on paying off this house, so we never have to worry about a mortgage again. My parents gave me a chunk of money when they liquidated everything, and this is the perfect way to use it. If we don’t have a house payment, build up a savings once more, then we can buy a plane outright in a few years,plushave a nest egg…? We’ll never worry about money again - and our little girl will never want for anything.”
“Sounds like we have a plan,” she smiled, trying to hide the fact that she would miss him terribly, but it was truly the best option for all of them. Yes, she could ask him to come home, but she didn’t want him to ever worry or resent the opportunities they could have taken advantage of.
“Let me turn off the water,” he said quickly, glancing at the tub… and laughing. “I wouldn’t want to flood the room before we ever get a chance to use the darn thing.”
Destiny moved to light the candles that her romantic husband had put on the glass shelves on the wall, before turning down the dimmer switch. Killian unwrapped a sponge and the cellophane wrapper was noisy, making them both smile.
“You,” he said softly, watching her as she lit the last candle. “Are my every dream come true… and I’m so happy to have met you.”
“And you,” she smiled tenderly, looking over her shoulder at him. “You are wearing way too many clothes, dear husband… and it’s bath time.”
* * *
