AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The tiniest bit of relief settled within her. He was alive.
“When can he come home?” Katie almost winced at how small her voice sounded.
“He’ll be moved back to a hospital here in the next few days. Then, once the doctors clear him to be released, he’ll be allowed to return.”
“Thank you for calling,” Katie said, and then the line went dead. She slumped against the wall. It felt like she’d been run over by a truck.
He’s alive. He's alive, he’s alive, he’s alive,she reminded herself.
He had better be because if he had left her and Ayla …
Ayla.
She was going to have to tell Ayla what had happened to her uncle. Katie went back into the living room, where Ayla was watching the movie, blissfully unaware. She hated herself for being the one to break that bliss. But Ayla needed to know. And she needed to know sooner rather than later.
Ayla smiled wide at her. “Do you want me to rewind the movie?”
Katie shook her head. “No, thank you, though. Actually, Ayla, sweetie, could you pause it for a second?”
Ayla furrowed her brow but did as she was told. Katie sat beside her and smoothed her hair. Ayla’s look was worried now.
“What’s wrong?”
Children weren’t stupid. They could read adults’ emotions better than people gave them credit for. Katie realized then that this wasn’t the first conversation like this Ayla had had. The last time, she’d lost both her parents.
A bit of anger flared in her. It wasn’t fair to put Ayla through this kind of pain again. Axur might have lived this time, but there was no telling about next time. Ayla didn’t deserve to live in fear that she was going to lose another parent.
“Ayla, I told you that you would be the first to know if I heard anything about your uncle. And I want to say first that he’s going to be okay.”
The military rules had been right, she realized sharply. He was going to have to make a choice. He couldn’t serve and be a parent to Ayla. She couldn’t marry him and go through all this. He was going to have to choose between the military and his new family.
The rules hadn’t been as silly as she wanted to believe. That rule was what prevented situations like the one they nearly faced, which would have left Ayla an orphan again.
Her heart flooded with a sudden realization. This, surely, would be what changed his mind, wouldn’t it? Though she obviously wasn’t happy he had been injured in the line of duty, there was now a very strong chance he would be dismissed as no longer healthy enough for service.
Even if he wasn’t, he’d have to see that it was a sign. A sign that he belonged here with her and Ayla so they could finally be the family they were always meant to be. Everything about the three of them together felt fated, and this also felt like perhaps the powers that be had intervened to make sure everything worked out the way it was always intended.
Maybe it would take a little urging to convince him of the fact, but he would have to see it her way. Wouldn’t he?
FIFTEEN
AXUR
Aconcussion, three broken ribs, four bruised ones, and lots of stitches. The blast from the grenade hit him hard, but it could have been much worse … like the soldier he tried to drag away who didn’t make it.
But here he was, alive, and now he was back home. That was the best part of all. The hospital stay had been nearly intolerable after surgery. He was restricted from leaving the bed, and the disgusting hospital food made battle rations taste decent.
Worst of all, when he’d been transferred to the hospital near home, Katie and Ayla looked so worried. He hated seeing the tears in their eyes and knowing it was because they were worried about him.
But finally, he had been cleared to leave the hospital and go home to finish his recovery. Katie was an absolute angel in helping him. Whatever he needed, she was there in an instant. And her food was much better than the hospital’s.
“Look what I made for you, Uncle!” Ayla exclaimed as she came running to him.
His lips twitched into a smile. “What have you got for me there, little one?”
She pulled out some paper flowers from behind her back and showed them proudly to him.
“These are for you! Katie showed me how to make them.”
