Chapter 9
The following day, Catherine walked into the closet and pulled one of Leo’s shirts from the hanger.
She slipped it on and laughed when it didn’t cover her belly.
Derrick and Grace napped in the next room while Melody attended school.
The house seemed unusually quiet as she walked into the living room and stared at the mountain.
When did they stop appreciating its beauty?
She glanced back at the kitchen and imagined one of their Sunday breakfasts during her pregnancy with little Derrick.
“Melody, do you want chocolate chips?” Leo called as he flipped a small pancake for Grace.
“Yes, and don’t forget the strawberries, blueberries, and bananas for the top,” she yelled from her room.
“Then you’ll need to come wash them. I’m not a grocery store,” he replied as he set Grace’s plate in front of her. “What about you, baby girl? Do you need anything on yours?”
Grace pointed to the fruit bowl, indicating she wanted bananas.
“Of course, you do,” he grumbled.
“I can help,” Catherine offered from the living room.
“Nooo thanks. We don’t need you yakking at the smell of food. Do you think it means we’re having a boy?” he asked excitedly. “The grans say when you get sick, it tells the sex of the baby. Damn it, I can’t remember what they said.”
“Add five dollars to the swear jar,” she reminded him. “You have little ears listening.”
“Shit, I forgot,” he said, pouring more mix into the pan.
“Make it ten,” she said, adjusting the pillow.
“Well fuck, now I don’t have anything for lunch tomorrow,” he grumbled as he pulled out his wallet.
“Leo,” she giggled. “You owe the jar another five.”
“This damn thing will be the death of me,” he said, exasperated.
Catherine giggled harder. Leo’s laughter echoed through the house.
“Remind me of why we need this?” he said, approaching her with a spatula in his hand.
“We have kids now. You can’t be treating this place like the facility. You don’t want our girls swearing,” she informed him.
Leo pulled her close and kissed her. “I don’t know,” he murmured softly. “Their mama whispered a few trashy words in my ear last night, and I kinda liked them.”
Blushing, Catherine glanced at Grace eating her pancake. “Maybe if you’re lucky, you can hear them again tonight. It’s Kassie’s turn to watch the kids. How do you feel about dinner at home?”
“Ah, Kit Kat,” he boyishly grinned. “You’re speaking my love language.”
“Put the money in the jar. Mama needs money for the nursery,” she reminded him as he kissed her. “Your pancakes are burning.”
“Crap,” he exclaimed as he released her. “That’s not a swear word,” he said as he removed the pan from the hot stove.
“Cwap,” Grace said, stuffing her face.
Leo glanced at Catherine, clearly harassed, as he grinned and tussled Grace’s red curls.
She inhaled the scent of his shirt and focused on the memory. The baby kicked as if reminding her she needed to eat lunch while the others slept.
“Sorry, baby. Mama will feed you,” she said, rubbing her tummy.
“When your big sister gets home, we’ll watch a video with your Daddy.
We want you to know his voice. He wanted you more than anything.
I wish you could have met him.” Walking to the fridge, she pulled out grilled chicken with roasted veggies.
“Tomorrow, we’re picking up a carton of bunny tracks.
Who can argue about nutrition then? It’s ice cream made of dairy, and it has peanut butter cups. The chocolate ribbon calms our nerves.”
The baby moved as if agreeing with her suggestion.
“I’m adding it to my list. We’ll need it after tonight,” she said, rubbing her tummy as she warmed the food. “The team won’t be happy with us, but Leo wants us to keep moving forward. I don’t know how we’ll do it, but your dad entrusted me with raising you.”
Taking the plate from the microwave, she placed it on a tray in the living room.
She gazed at the mountain, remembering the shock when she found out she was pregnant with their fourth child.
Peering down at her belly, she recalled the endless arguments over Leo’s forgetfulness.
None of it mattered now. She wanted this child more than ever.
She ate, enjoying the peace for a few more minutes. “You got your wish, Leo. I’m moving on without you. As usual, you didn’t give me a say, and I’m pissed as hell about it. I’d rather have you here.”
“Daddy,” Grace called, coming out of her bedroom and rubbing her eyes.
“He’s not here, sweetheart,” Catherine said, rising and taking Grace’s hand. When she bent over, or tried to pick up her daughter, a sharp pain ripped through her belly. Playing it safe, she refrained from doing either.
“Where Daddy?” Grace asked sleepily.
“He’s gone, baby,” she said, her breath hitching. “Daddy can’t come see you right now.”
“He wook?” her daughter asked hopefully. “Me go swim. I be a sewl.”
“Come sit on the couch with me,” she said, leading Grace to the plushy cushion.
Grace snuggled into her shoulder. “I know you’re too young to understand this, but Daddy’s gone.
You won’t see him for a very long time. He got an owie on a mission, and he didn’t make it.
I’m sorry, my love. Daddy loved teaching you about becoming a SEAL. ”
“Gace want Daddy. We be sewls,” her stubborn girl demanded.
“Do you want to read about tanks or fallout shelters?” Catherine asked gently, knowing her daughter didn’t understand.
Grace puckered her mouth and furrowed her brows as she gave it some thought.
“Me want tank,” she informed her.
Catherine pulled the book close and flipped to the first page.
“Me no like. Daddy say no wepins,” Grace said, pointing to the picture.
Grace didn’t understand. It might be a blessing. She’d never feel the pain of losing him. Her daughter would remember her father as the man who taught her how to become a SEAL. Leo might get his wish after all. She already noticed military weapons and the difference in tanks.
* * *
The men gathered wood while Ragu and Knight kept watch.
“What do you think they want tonight?” Sparky called from inside the cave, where she pulled out MRE’s from her pack.
“It can’t be another update. We talked to them two days ago,” Knight surmised. “I hope it’s not about Gabby or Claire. What if they went into labor?” he asked, panicked.
“I doubt they’d schedule a meeting to tell you such news,” Sparky debated. “Maybe they found a lead.”
“I doubt it. We’ve combed this freaking place several times,” Ragu said, frustrated. “I hate to say it. Whoever took him doesn’t want anyone to know.”
“Then why not leave him somewhere? If he’s dead, it’s not as if he’d tell on them,” Knight suggested.
“Maybe they can’t risk it,” Sparky guessed. “Let’s think about the villagers closest to the site. They have two enemies on either side. If they admitted to hiding an American, it might be the ammunition the other two villages use to attack, claiming they aligned with the Americans.”
“We spoke with everyone in the village. They barely have enough supplies to keep themselves fed, much less keep Leo alive,” Ragu said sadly.
“With the recent raids, don’t you think they’d hide their necessities? It’s not as if it’s too hard. We’re doing it,” Sparky argued. “If their enemies attacked, they’d want to ensure no one would find their food and medical supplies.”
“We’ve kept them under watch,” Ragu played devil’s advocate. “Don’t you think we’d notice someone returning with a large amount of items?”
“I’m thinking like a woman. Obviously, we’ve watched them. Leo got shot close to their village. I wouldn’t have one person get things. I’d send several people, making it seem casual. It won’t seem suspicious then,” she reasoned.
Knight rose as Saint approached with wood in his arms and a gun in his hand.
“Maybe Sparky has a new idea,” Knight said. “It’s worth checking out.”
“Oh, yeah?” Saint said, glancing inside the cave.
“It’s only a guess,” Sparky insisted. “We exhausted all other leads.”
“What’s up?” Shadow asked as he entered the cave. “I swear if I have to endure another night of sand fleas, I’ll bomb this entire place.”
“You ain’t kidding,” Taco grimaced. “The damn things ate up my arm.”
“Did you remember the bug spray?” Sparky asked. “I have more if you need it. I feel bad you go out at all hours and I’m stuck in here until we move again.”
“Shut it, Sparky. Stop apologizing. You’re worth more to us than any sand flea. We’re sorry we have to leave you here. It’s too dangerous to take you out without your dog,” Shadow said harshly.
“I’ve given it some thought. What if I have Cole train a field K-9 for me? Hopefully, we won’t ever return to this hell hole. I can’t bring Ice. If Cole trained an attack dog, then you won’t need anyone staying with me. It’s one more body searching for Leo,” she suggested.
“When we get home, Sparky,” Cole said. “We’ll sit and talk about what you might need. We’ll have to work with Ice and the other K-9. How will you handle them at the facility?”
“I don’t know,” she answered honestly. “Leo didn’t like me stuck in a box, and I’m about to crawl the walls. He was right. I didn’t know how much I needed all of you.”
“We feel the same way about you,” Saint replied, touching her shoulder. “I feel like shit for leaving you here.”
“Hey, don’t blame yourself. I returned on my own accord. You need my skills. It’s not fair for any of you to risk your life for me. I’ll do as I’m told because I want us all to leave here in one piece,” she said firmly.
“What’s your idea?” Saint asked, changing the subject.
“What if the villagers hid things in plain sight?” she asked. “If we saw them go one by one, maybe they each brought back something with them. If they have two enemy villages watching, it’ll seem like they’re going about their day.”