Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Lily
Lily sat on the porch, her arms wrapped gently around her daughter, who hadn’t moved in the last ten minutes.
Anna’s face was pale, eyes dry but vacant, as if her mind hadn’t quite caught up with her body.
Lily could feel the weight of the silence pressing down on them, the echo of the soldier’s words still bouncing around the corners of her heart.
The screen door creaked, and Max barked once before the familiar sound of boots on grass pulled Lily’s attention to the yard. Tom was walking toward them, his shoulders squared, his expression soft. He paused just short of the porch, his eyes scanning the quiet scene before settling on Max.
“Hey, buddy,” he said gently, whistling for the dog. Max’s ears perked. “You ready to come hang out with me for a bit?”
Max looked to Lily, and she gave him a small nod. The dog trotted down the steps, brushing past Anna’s legs, and moved toward Tom. He nudged Tom’s hand with his head before circling right back to Anna.
“He’s okay,” Lily said, her eyes meeting Tom’s.
Tom nodded. “Are you sure?” Lily nodded. “He’s really good at sensing emotions. He’s pretty helpful with that.”
He glanced at the twins, who were huddled close to Margot near the steps. Their small faces were still etched with confusion and unease, the kind only a child feels when something is wrong but no one can quite explain it.
“Is there anything I can do?” Tom asked.
Lily was all but lost as she held her daughter. The twins didn’t need to see their mother fall apart. It was too much to explain at once and she didn’t know the extent of what happened, just that when a soldier shows up, it’s not good.
Her eyes flitted to the twins, and then to the house.
Tom nodded. “I’ll call Cody and help with the twins,” he offered.
Neither Lily nor Anna replied.
He nodded once again before he crouched down. “Hey, you two,” he said, his voice warm and easy. “I’ve got a very serious situation going on at my place.”
Nora blinked. “What kind of situation?”
“An ice cream emergency,” he said, looking between them with a wink. “I need expert taste testers. Think you’re up for the job?”
Blaze’s eyes lit up, and Nora’s lips twitched in the hint of a smile.
“Can we, Grandma?” Nora asked, looking up at Margot.
Margot gave Lily a questioning glance, and Lily nodded. “Of course.”
“Perfect,” Margot said, herding the kids toward Tom. “Come on, let’s help save the day.”
Tom stood up and gave Lily a look of quiet support before leading the small group across the yard. Max stayed right next to Anna, his giant head in her lap, as the door to Tom’s place opened and shut behind them.
And then it was quiet again.
Lily turned her attention back to Anna, who still hadn’t moved. She reached over, gently brushing a strand of hair behind her daughter’s ear. It was like a switch had flipped inside her, some deep maternal instinct roaring back to life as she gathered Anna close.
“Breathe, sweetheart,” Lily said softly, pulling Anna’s head onto her shoulder. “Just breathe with me.”
Anna’s body trembled slightly, but she let herself be held.
They sat there like that for a while. The creak of the porch swing was the only sound around them.
“I keep thinking I’m dreaming,” Anna whispered. “Like if I close my eyes and open them again, he’ll be walking up the path.”
Lily nodded, her hand smoothing down her daughter’s back. “I know. I’ve had that dream before.”
Anna’s voice cracked. “What if—”
Lily stopped her gently, her fingers curling around Anna’s. “Don’t go to the what-ifs. Not yet. They’ll steal every piece of hope you have.”
Anna closed her eyes, tears finally slipping down her cheeks. Lily kissed the top of her head, breathing deeply through her own ache.
“When your father deployed the first time, I couldn’t sleep for weeks,” Lily said softly. “Every creak in the house made my heart stop. But I learned something.”
Anna sniffed. “What?”
“That strength isn’t being fearless. It’s choosing to love through the fear. Choosing to hope, even when it’s hard.”
Anna looked up at her mother. Lily’s face was older now, softer in ways she hadn’t noticed before. But there was a fire in her eyes. Steady. Fierce.
“How did you do it?” Anna asked.
Lily smiled, brushing her thumb over Anna’s cheek. “Because I had you. And now you have them. Your babies. They need your love. Your faith. That’s what he’d want, too.”
Anna nodded slowly, the edges of her grief softening just enough to let those words in.
Lily squeezed her hand. “You don’t have to be okay right now. But you’re not doing this alone.”
The wind picked up, rustling the leaves in the trees, and somewhere in the distance, the twins’ laughter rang out, a sweet, unsteady melody of resilience.
Anna exhaled a long, trembling breath that left her body slumped but lighter. Lily stayed with her, arms still wrapped around the girl who used to be small enough to carry.
And she would carry her now, in whatever way she needed. For as long as it took.
Hope wasn’t always loud. Sometimes it was quiet and heavy and wrapped in tears on a front porch, but it was still hope.
And Lily would help her daughter find her way through it, one step at a time.
“I’m not the first wife to get that visit. There are so many stories of soldiers being found immediately and…I’m holding on to that.”
“What is it that Luke always says? Keep sight of the shore?” Lily asked.
Anna nodded. “It sounds silly now, but…”
“It’s not silly, it’s something for you to hold onto. Faith is super important right now, Anna. Keeping sight of the shore—that’s faith.”
“It doesn’t feel like it.”
“I get that,” Lily replied softly. “Let’s go inside; I’ll make you some tea.”
Anna nodded, and Lily stood. She reached back and took her daughter’s hand in hers.
They were barely inside when the front door swung open with a sharp creak, heavy boots thudding against the hardwood as Cody stepped inside.
“Anna?” he called, his voice clipped and tight.
Anna rounded the corner from the kitchen, her eyes already red, her expression both startled and relieved. Cody closed the distance between them in three quick strides.
“Tom called me,” he said, his voice rough from the drive, his jaw tight with urgency. “He didn’t know exactly what happened. He just said a soldier came by, and you were upset. He thought I needed to be here. I came as soon as I heard.”
Anna swallowed hard and nodded, tears welling again as she tried to find the words. “Luke’s jet went down. They’re… they’re searching for him now. That’s all I know.”
Cody let out a hard, breathless sigh and pulled her into his arms without hesitation.
His embrace was strong and grounding, his chin resting lightly against her hair as she sagged against him.
He held her like he’d done a thousand times when they were kids, when the world felt too big and scary to take on alone.
“Hey,” he murmured, steady and sure, “Luke’s one of the best. If anyone can survive something like this, it’s him. You know that. He’s smart, strong. He’s coming home, Anna.”
She gave a shaky nod against his chest, and Cody didn’t let go.
Lily stood in the doorway, watching them, her heart full of both sorrow and pride.
Cody had always carried the weight of being the big brother with quiet strength, but something about this moment, his instinct to drop everything and be there for his sister, brought tears to her eyes.
He hadn’t asked questions, hadn’t demanded details. He had simply shown up.
“I don’t know what to do,” Anna whispered, pulling back slightly, looking up at him. “I don’t know how to wait. I feel like I’m going to come apart.”
“You don’t have to do anything right now,” Cody said softly. “You’ve got people here. Me. Mom. The kids. You just breathe, okay? That’s all you’ve got to do today.”
Anna gave a tearful nod, and Cody reached up to brush a strand of hair from her face with the same gentle care their father used to show.
Lily stepped forward then, placing a hand on Cody’s shoulder. He glanced at her and gave a quiet, tired smile.
“Now,” he said, voice a little stronger, “why don’t I make some coffee or tea or… something to keep our hands busy while we wait?”
Anna exhaled, not quite a laugh, but close. “Mom already did. I guess we all picked up on that trait.”
“I guess so,” Cody chuckled.
“And I got it from my mom and grandma.” Lily smiled. “It’s good to keep your hands and mind busy in moments like these.”
There was quiet as they let Anna process the news, while they silently supported her. Lily thought of all the things she could start doing to help her daughter, but all of that could wait. Right now, she just needed to be here.
A little while later, the front door creaked open, and Margot stepped inside with the twins trailing behind her. Their hair was tousled, cheeks sticky with the last remnants of ice cream, their expressions guarded.
“Thought I’d bring them back over,” Margot said gently. “I can help get them bathed and ready for bed if you want.”
Anna stood, brushing her palms on her jeans as she moved toward them. She hesitated just a second, then gave Margot a grateful smile.
“Thanks. I appreciate it. But I think… I need to keep the rhythm tonight. Just… keep it familiar for them.”
Margot nodded in understanding and squeezed Anna’s shoulder before turning to Lily. “I’ll help clean up the kitchen, then head home. Call me if you need anything.”
As Margot stepped away, Anna knelt before the twins. Nora’s eyes were already starting to droop, and Blaze leaned his head against her shoulder.
“Come on, my loves,” Anna said softly. “Let’s get those sticky faces cleaned and into pajamas.”
“I think I’m going to go,” Cody said quietly. “I’m just a phone call away if you need anything or hear anything.”
Anna reached up and hugged her brother before she turned around to the kids. Cody hugged Lily and then slowly made his way out of the house. Lily could tell it was hard for him to leave.
Anna helped the twins gather their pajamas, Nora going first so that Blaze could shower while Anna combed through Nora’s hair gently, humming softly, her movements calm and steady. Her heart ached, but her hands knew the motions, and her voice carried a quiet strength.
When Blaze was finished, the room smelled faintly of lavender and detergent. She helped them climb into their twin beds, pulling the blankets up snug.
Blaze turned toward her, his voice small. “Mommy, why did they say Daddy was missing in action? What does that mean?”
Anna sat between their beds, her hands resting on each of their little legs. “Oh, sweetheart,” she said, her voice sure. “It means that…he’s out there, far away for a little while. And he’s doing something brave and important.”
“But why was that soldier here today?” Nora asked.
“He was telling us that your daddy’s jet went down and that they lost communication with him. They’re searching for him. It won’t be long until they find them.”
Nora’s lip quivered. “What does ‘went down’ mean?”
Anna swallowed hard, taking a deep breath as she chided herself for not thinking this conversation through a little better.
“Your daddy flies jets, remember? Well, he was on a mission up in the air. For whatever reason, his jet stopped flying. When that happens, sometimes all the radio communications with the military are lost because the electrical panel goes out. Your daddy is the smartest, strongest, bravest, and most stubborn man I know. He’s going to be just fine.
He’s been trained so well by the Air Force that he knows how to survive and thrive out in the wilderness until his team comes to find him. ”
“Daddy is strong and brave, but I miss him,” Nora murmured tearfully.
“Dad can fight bears, Nora. He’s going to be just fine,” Blaze told her as he puffed out his little chest.
Anna nodded, brushing hair back from her daughter’s forehead. “I miss him, too, baby. So, so much. But do you know what I do when I miss him really bad?”
Blaze shook his head. Nora leaned forward, listening.
“I close my eyes and I picture the beach,” Anna said, her voice soft and steady.
“I see the waves, and I find the shore, the edge of the sand where the water meets it. And I remind myself that even if the waves get big and scary, the shore doesn’t disappear.
It’s still there. Just like Daddy. He’s still there, and he’s coming back to us. ”
Nora sniffled. “How do you know?”
“Because he’s strong,” Anna said, pressing a kiss to each of their foreheads. “And because he loves us more than anything. That kind of love doesn’t get lost. It finds its way home.”
Blaze looked up at her before slinging his arm around his sister’s shoulders. “Will you tell us a story? The one about the lighthouse?”
Anna smiled. “Of course.”
She told it gently, the tale of a little lighthouse that never stopped shining, even through storms and darkness. When she was done, both twins were curled up, their breathing slow and even.
She kissed them each once more. “Goodnight, my sweet loves. Keep sight of the shore. Daddy will find his way back.”
She turned off the light, stepping out into the hallway and gently pulling the door closed behind her. As the latch clicked, she turned—and found her mother standing there.
Lily didn’t speak right away. She simply reached out, wrapping her arms around Anna without needing a reason or invitation. Anna didn’t resist. She leaned into her mother’s embrace, her forehead resting on Lily’s shoulder.
“I heard the story,” Lily whispered, rubbing Anna’s back. “You were perfect.”
Anna’s eyes welled, but she nodded. “I just want to do right by them, but I feel like I completely fumbled that.”
“You didn’t fumble it,” Lily said firmly. “You are doing right by them. You’re a good mom, Anna. There’s no manual for stuff like this and you’re doing great with it.”
They stood like that for a moment longer, then Lily eased back and tucked a strand of hair behind Anna’s ear.
“Go take your shower. I’ll wait out here. No rush.”
Anna smiled softly, the smallest flicker of relief in her expression. She nodded, disappearing into the bathroom.
Lily leaned against the wall, listening to the water run. She said a quiet prayer—not for answers, not even for certainty. Just for peace. For Anna. For the twins. And for the man they all loved.
Whatever storms came next, she would be here. Ready to carry them through.