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“Yep.” She slaps my back, harder than she probably should, and I wince. “Now, let’s get this party started. Your parents are walking in now.”
Hurrying to wipe away my tears before Mom sees and yells at me for being a baby, I pull out of Parker’s hug.
“Hey,” Emma Hayes says by way of greeting as she walks in with her parents. “This isn’t too bad at all.”
I turn to see Linc’s little sister wearing a bright-pink onesie pajama set with purple spots everywhere and her hair done in pigtails, which would have been adorable if she wasn’t the same age I am. Instead, it comes across hysterical and I snort before I can stop myself. She elbows her mom, who looks as though she’s been crying. Not that any of us can blame her. In less than five years, she’s lost one son and almost lost another.
“Seriously…” Emma glances around at the banner and then waves to me with a huge smile. “Last time we were here we had to get Danny’s body for the funeral.” She motions down at her outfit. “Now I feel like an idiot for dressing like this. I only wanted to make sure that everyone had a ridiculous thing to smile about.”
“You nailed it,” I tell her. “Seeing you dressed like that does take away the stress, at least for a minute.”
“Plus,” Kennedy adds from my side. “It’s gonna have the added effect of pissing off Linc. Your ass looks amazing in that thing.”
Emma smooths her hand over her outfit. “I know. I bought it because it makes me look great.”
She speaks with the confidence of a woman who doesn’t give a damn what anyone thinks about her, and I have to admire her for that.
We all stand together for a few more minutes, then people start to come down the escalator into the baggage claim area. Bangor is a small enough city that we don’t have more than one plane landing at a time, so I know it is time.
“They’re home,” Mom whispers from right behind me. I hadn’t even heard her coming up.
When I look over my shoulder at her, I see the unshed tears in her eyes and the way she is clutching Linc’s mom’s hand, too. Dad and Mr. Hayes are standing off to the side, doing their best not to get too choked up.
Me, on the other hand? I lose it completely when I see the combat boots appear. Two sets of beaten-up, tan, and perfectly tied combat boots, attached to legs that I know belong to my brother. Before I ever see his face, I am racing the short distance to meet them. I am not alone, either. Both Kennedy and Emma are right at my side. Parker, however, stays in the background like she wants to disappear.
“Told you,” Remy says with a laugh. “Emma looks like a crazy person, and no doubt the banner was all Casper.”
“Shut up, doofus.” Kennedy smacks him on the shoulder and pulls our brother into a hug.
Meanwhile, I see Emma throw herself at Linc out of the corner of my eye. He catches his little sister effortlessly, but his eyes are glued to Kennedy the entire time. I don’t have time to give him shit, though, because Remy is letting go of Kennedy and pulling me into his arms in the next moment.
“You’re home.” I breathe in his unique scent and break down completely.
Everything around us sort of melts away, and I take all the comfort that my brother offers. He lifts me into his arms, squeezing gently as he walks away from the crowd. Not that I can see anything with my face buried in his uniform’s collar while I cry. But I hear the murmurs of the crowd fade into the distance.
“I’m sorry,” I murmur. “It’s my fault. I distracted you and I shouldn’t have.”
“Hey.” Remy sets me down and holds my face in his hands, waiting until I open my eyes to look at him. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Casp. I needed to know what happened with Cassie. That shit was important. And our convoy was attacked. That didn’t happen because I had that information in the back of my mind. It happened because someone decided it was a good day to kill some Marines.”
He laughs bitterly when he sees the shocked look on my face. “You know what I mean.”
I sniffle again and then try to push it all down. I’ve been way too emotional about everything since his injury. Speaking of which…
“Are you okay? Should you have lifted me up?” I put a hand on his stomach, and he grimaces, but wipes his expression blank in the next moment.
“I’m fine,” Remy reassures. He looks over my shoulder, no doubt at where Mom is standing. She wouldn’t have given us much space, not when her firstborn child is alive and home safe. “We lost three men, though. They were good Marines.” His expression shutters immediately, and I feel terrible.
“Those poor families,” Mom says as she practically pushes me out of the way to get to Remy. “We should do something for them.” She pulls him into her arms, and he smiles through the pain he is undoubtedly feeling as she presses herself right where he was injured.
Remy’s eyes are locked on me, though.
“We need to talk, Casper. After we get home and get settled.”
Nodding, I step back. He is right. We have so much to discuss and to figure out about what happened with Cassie.
“Well, let’s get you boys home.” Mom finally lets Remy go. “I made lots of food, and you’re not leaving the couch for a week unless it’s to shower or go to the bathroom.”
The moms usher Remy and Linc out, and Dad stays behind with Mr. Hayes to get the bags. We are all left behind, and I can’t help but notice that Parker and Kennedy look a little dazed.
