❝ –– perhaps it’s true that things can change in a day. and when they do, those few dozen hours, like the salvaged remains of a burned house—the charred clock, the singed photograph, the scorched furniture—must be resurrected from the ruins and examined. and suddenly, they become the bleached bones of a story.
❝ –– if only I could break the chain of DISAPPOINTMENTS weighing me down ; shake off the GHOSTS that whisper warnings whenever you’re not around. BUT IT’S THE FEAR AND NOT THE GHOSTS THAT KEEP ME HAUNTED.
lips turn up into a small smile as slender fingers maneuver his wife’s hair into elaborate braids. “you know that sister I told you about? well she’s got a daughter who loves her uncle henry– but the one thing uncle henry couldn’t do was braid hair… and my little monkey loved her hair braided, so I took the time to learn how to do almost any type of braid…” he admits as he finishes her hair. “it’s a hidden talent of mine.”
“You never told me you had a niece,” Teddy said softly, thoughtful but never accusing. “How come I’ve never had a chance to meet her?” In that moment, Teddy was struck by just how little she knew of Henry’s past—as if in all their haste to get married, they’d missed so many crucial pieces of their hearts. “I guess I haven’t had the chance to meet any of your family yet, either.”
“I’m not asking for anything from you. I just want my sister to be okay..” Owen murmurs back, his mind elsewhere. “I just need you to help her.” He doesn’t look at her, only glancing through the window of his sister’s room. Owen lets out a sigh and sits down on a nearby chair. Everything is hazy, the world blurred out from view. Megan’s alive..
“So do I. Truly, that’s all I want right now,” Teddy insisted, her vehemence directed far more at herself than at him. For if she were being honest—and she wasn’t—Owen was far more present in her mind than Megan was in that moment. And Teddy’s truth was this: every day they’d spent apart was another day she’d spent thinking of him. Quietly now, she tried to feign nonchalance as she spoke: “Owen… I did miss you, you know.”
‘ dinner. ever been to the TOP of the space needle? there’s a fancy restaurant there. help me with this surgery and i’ll treat you to a night of finedining and … that’s all i’ll say right now. help me to figure out the rest. ‘
“You’re really as shameless as they say you are, huh? Teddy grinned widely. “But hey, I’m definitely not saying no if good wine is involved. And as for the rest… well, feel free to surprise me.”
love has no place in war. it was true. logically, arizona knew that. but she couldn’t think logically right now. she just couldn’t. there were too many overwhelming emotions swirling through her veins for her to see clearly. “ you’re saying i’d just be a distraction. a useless distraction that can’t take care of herself. you think you’d have to look out for me over there the whole time but you’re wrong. i might not have the same training as you do but i grew up in a house full of marines. i know a thing or two about surviving. ” she replied, arms crossed over her chest protectively, fear masking itself as anger.
“And you can’t say that, teddy. you can’t tell me to hold on for you when there’s no guarantee whether you’ll come back to me or not. it’s not fair. you can’t make me any promises. you can’t say you’re coming back because you might not make it. and this just isn’t fair. we’re supposed to be starting a family together. ” frustration seeped into her voice as a single tear made its way down her cheek. “ i don’t know if i can be strong without you because you make me strong. you make me better. and i just. ” a small pause, arizona swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat. “ please don’t leave me. please, just stay here with me. stay for me. ”
“You know you’re asking the impossible of me, don’t
you?” Teddy said through gritted teeth, knowing she was moments away from
losing hold of her rational mind. “It’s my duty, Arizona! For god’s sake, you were raised by a colonel—you were even named after a warship! You of all people
should know that I have no choice in this!” Though her words were painted
black, Teddy knew her resentment wasn’t for Arizona. No, it was resentment at the system for making her choose; for bringing nothing but war to the only woman she had ever loved.
Now Arizona was crying and Teddy was lost without the words to make it right. As she searched those familiar blue eyes for a solution that wasn’t there, she found instead the future that was now denied to them: a future with the family she had always craved, and faultless love that would endure for ever. How could they survive this? Even if Teddy managed to ride out her service, would she still have a home to return to here?
Or would Arizona have long since left for someone who actually deserved her?
