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After the two of them cleaned up their lunch, they followed through with their plan. Katie popped the popcorn while Ayla picked out the movie and set up blankets. She’d picked out a bouncy kid’s movie, but Katie was grateful for that. It was completely unrealistic, which was exactly what she needed right now.
Except there was a corny romantic subplot that, for some reason, always seemed to make its way into kid’s movies. It, too, was completely unrealistic and a bit melodramatic, but it still made her heart ache.
She missed the way Axur held her. His fiery kiss and his electric touch. The way those beautiful eyes of his would glow. And that toned body she would trace with her fingertips.
But most of all, she missed talking to him. To sit and have late-night conversations after Ayla had gone to bed. She even missed being able to argue with him.
It was torture to wait. To wonder what was happening to him. And what would happen when he did get back? What was this? What were they?
She could pretend all day long that this was her little family she’d help make, and they were going to be happy together forever. But the truth was that sooner or later, they were going to have to start putting names to things.
What was she to him, really? A distraction? A lover? More? Did he want what she wanted?
They remained in a limbo of putting off answers until tomorrow. She wanted this family, this life. But did he? Would he be willing to give up everything for this?
If he got back,whenhe got back, they were going to talk. She’d made up her mind on what she wanted. Now, the ball was in his court.
She sighed. Maybe a movie was a bad idea. It meant she was stuck in one place for over an hour. All week, she’d kept moving, doing odd jobs around the house to keep her mind off Axur. So far, she dusted everything in the house twice and scrubbed all the floorboards.
Katie wondered if he thought even half as much about her as she did him. It comforted her sometimes to think he was. It made her feel like there was still a part of him here. She’d rather havehimhere, though.
If only she could know how long his deployment was supposed to last. From childhood experience, she knew it could last months if the situation was dire enough. Her heart plummeted at the thought. She didn’t know if she could take him being away that long, she or Ayla.
Maybe things would be better if they were allowed to call the base camp. Just getting to hear his voice even once a day would settle her nerves a bit. But if he wasn’t even allowed to tell them where he was going, she knew he certainly couldn’t have contact with them.
Still, she wished she just knew something.
Suddenly, her communicator rang, and it made Katie jump. Ayla made a shushing noise.
“You’re supposed to silence your device in a movie theater.”
Katie chuckled. “Sorry.”
She lifted it to turn it off but froze when she saw the caller ID. It was from Axur’s base. He’d given her the number in case there was an emergency and she needed to contact him.
“I’ll be right back. Keep watching the movie,” she told Ayla and then went off into the next room and took the call.
“Hello?”
“Is this Katie, the household nanny?” a stern voice asked on the other end.
“This is she.”
“Ma’am, I’m afraid I have some news for you.”
Katie felt her heart stop at the words. Oh no. No, no, no, no.
Memories came to her suddenly. It all flashed through her mind, images of kids on the base being pulled out of class because they had an important call. Friends being called away because something had gone terribly wrong. Neighbors moving off base, not because they were being relocated, but because their family members were never coming home.
Please no.She begged silently.Please don’t say he’s dead. Please let him be all right. He has to come home.
“While defusing a skirmish, the general was caught in an explosion and suffered multiple injuries,” the officer continued.
Katie swallowed thickly. “Is he … is he going to make it?”
She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer.
“According to the medics, it was touch and go through surgery. But they seem to think he’s going to be stable now. But they’re still keeping him under observation.”
