True Valor (38 page)

Authors: Dee Henderson

Tags: #FICTION / Religious, #General Fiction

BOOK: True Valor

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If she didn’t fly, the part of Grace he loved the most would slowly wither and die. She would be willing and content to make the decision if he asked her, would do it and would probably never look back.

He didn’t want to ask it of her. Life was good. God was gracious. It had been a long journey since Ecuador, and he could feel decisions he had made then being tested.

One day at a time, Lord. I will enjoy every day I have, for life will never be long enough. Please, I’d really like to go home.

Grace ~

It’s RAINING here. A nice, heavy, wonderful rain. I’m coming home. I hope this is the toughest separation we ever endure. God is gracious. I love you.

Bruce

Forty-Three

* * *

JULY 19

P
ENSACOLA
, F
LORIDA

“Where are they?” Grace stepped up on the bottom row of the bleachers, looking down the flight line. So many planes coming in, huge cargo planes, some of them hauling helicopters inside. Men coming off carrying gear. Bruce and Wolf’s arrival information had been frustratingly vague.

“Try these.” Jill handed her binoculars.

“Thanks.”

Grace couldn’t wait to see Bruce, to offer him that long hug. Five men returned stateside in flag-draped caskets. Pensacola and Norfolk had both spent their weeks in grief; the desire to replace it with a homecoming of joy was incredible.

She was so proud of Bushman. The more information that came out about the accident, the more it became clear Bushman had shown he had indeed stepped up to the excellence needed in a fighter pilot.

She’d been flying, working daily in the gym, and praying for this day. “There they are!” She waved frantically and fell off the bench. Jill caught her, laughing. Grace stepped back, landed on Emily’s tail, and the animal yelped. “Sorry, Emily. The C-141B Starlifter.”

“Which?”

“The gray giant five planes down. They came out of the back carrying their gear.”

“Can we go out there?”

“Watch me. Come on, Emily,” Grace led the way to the break in the fence that went out to the flight line. “There’s Rich.”

“Wolf! Over here,” Jill hollered, jumping up to wave. “Left, Grace, they’re to the left.”

Grace felt like her emotions would burst when she saw Bruce. He picked her up. Picked her up and swung her around and hugged her tight. “I love you,” he whispered. “I love you bunches.”

She was laughing and crying, holding on tight. “I love you too.”

“And I am so sorry I missed the last three months of your life. Shoulder okay?” he asked, worried.

“Fine.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, in no hurry to be put down. His eyes were incredibly blue. She held his gaze and leaned forward to kiss him. “Welcome home.”

“The best words I’ve heard in ages.”

“I think Wolf missed Jill.” Grace smiled at her friend who was similarly defying gravity at the moment.

“We’ve got a bet on who carries his girl the longest,” Bruce said.

Grace laughed and rested her head against his shoulder. It was a bit awkward talking to him with her feet still off the ground, but it was rather special too. She kissed his ear because it was close. “Are you going to ask me?” She held up her left hand and rubbed the very bare third finger.

He kissed her so long it took away her breath. “Thought I might.”

“You’re forgiven for being gone. Bleachers.” She pointed. “That way.”

He swung her fully up in his arms to her delight. “Grab my bag.”

He leaned down and she tried, finally snagging the duffel bag. “It’s heavy.”

“Laundry,” he confessed.

She giggled over that.

“Did I mention I like the shirt?” Bruce asked.

“You said Hawaiian.”

“That I did. Where’s your dog tags?”

“You’re determined to get them.”

“Yep.”

“They’re in my pocket. I may hand them over later.”

“I’ll remind you of that.”

“I’m glad you’re home.”

He smiled down at her. “I think you said that already.”

“I’m really, really glad you’re home.”

“What did you do? Wreck your car? Burn down your apartment?”

She laughed. He lowered her to stand on the bottom step of the bleachers and leisurely kissed her again. “What?”

“I got you a cat.”

He blinked. She laughed so hard she had to wrap her arms around his neck to remain standing on the bleachers. “Oh, if you could see your expression.” She smoothed down the collar of his cammies. “Emily brought her home from the park. Carrying her by the scruff of the neck, the kitten just opening her eyes. We found the mom; it must have been hit by a car.” She risked a look at his face. “I couldn’t just give away Emily’s kitten.”

“Of course not.”

“Jill and I have been feeding her every hour.” She pointed to the box under the bleachers where their stuff was still sitting. Emily had wandered back under there to stand guard over the box.

Bruce sighed, kissed her nose, and stepped over to rescue the box.

He sat down on the bleachers with the box in his lap, and Grace settled beside him. “The milk bottle is in the cooler.”

The kitten was awake, making small noises, and Emily started whining and pacing. “Easy, Em. What’s her name?” Bruce carefully lifted the towel and the kitten from the box.

Grace rested her chin against his shoulder as she watched him. “Francis Emily Hogess Burnett.”

“Francis will do. Ten minutes home and I’m feeding a baby. Is this a harbinger of things to come?”

“What a nice visual.”

He leaned over and kissed her again. “You look good, Grace. Better than your picture.”

“I colored the gray hair.”

He smiled. “I noticed.”

“Wolf, he’s calling me old.”

Her cousin reached over and ruffled her hair. “You gave me plenty of gray this trip.”

Jill sat down on the other side of Bruce and wrapped her brother in a hug. Bruce returned it. “Welcome home.”

“What do you have planned for tonight?” Bruce asked Jill.

“Nothing elaborate. We’ve got dinner waiting at your place.”

“A nice start.”

“I thought I’d make Wolf take me to a movie.”

“Back row, popcorn, and some of those squishy rubber fish?” Wolf asked.

Jill leaned against his knee. “You’re never going to grow up.”

“Don’t plan to.”

Grace glanced at Bruce. “Do we dare join them?”

Bruce smiled. “We’ll stay home and take care of the baby.”

“Fine with me and Emily.”

“I was afraid the duchess was going to die of old age while I was gone.”

Grace looked down. Emily had stretched out across Bruce’s feet with a comfortable sigh. “She’s glad you’re home.”

“I can tell.”

“Really. That’s her content expression.”

“Come here.”

She leaned over and he kissed her softly. “I’ve got a few months to make up for,” he said, smiling. “Dog tags.”

With a laugh Grace tugged them from her pocket. “I put them on a longer chain since the one I wore would have strangled you. Duck.” She slipped the dog tags on him. “There you go.”

“They’re pink,” he said, shocked.

She giggled. “I would hate to be thought of as just one of the guys.”

He stared at them.

“Okay, I did have them specially made.”

Wolf started laughing.

“You think this is funny?” Bruce asked, doing his best to keep a straight face.

“Yes.”

Bruce carefully handed Grace the kitten. “Hold Francis for a minute.”

“He’s my cousin.”

“It’s a Navy and Air Force thing,” Bruce replied.

“Oh.”

Bruce stepped back, and with an abrupt move caught Wolf in a headlock. “Where’s the baby bottle?”

Grace laughed and reached for the camera instead.

“Come on, guys, let’s get out of here,” Jill said. “This deployment is over.”

* * *

Bruce took Grace to the beach after dinner. All the letters, phone calls, and pictures in the world would never make up for this. He’d missed her face, her smile, the sound of her laugh.

She tilted her head and smiled, aware of the inspection. “What?”

“Just enjoying the scenery.”

She dropped her eyes but her smile blossomed. He rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand. “This deployment was rough.”

“We survived it.”

“Can you handle more of them?”

Her hand tightened on his.

He’d been waiting months to ask her, and the timing would get no better than the present. He stopped and settled his arms around her. “Will you marry me?”

She didn’t answer. He rested his chin against her hair.

“Yes.” Her voice had choked.

“I love you, Grace. I’ve been thinking about you ever since Ecuador.”

“A dog, a house, a wife. It was a good list.”

“I wondered if those two words made the letter.”

She leaned back. “They did.”

“So what do you want to add to that list?”

“We’ll start with a kitten. And a long honeymoon.”

“I like that second suggestion.” Emily barked and Bruce smiled. “And the duchess approves of the plan. When?”

Grace laughed. “Soon.”

From the top of the steps to the beach someone whistled. Wolf stood there with Jill. He gave a salute.

“Grace, I was meaning to ask you,” Bruce commented as Wolf and Jill headed down the beach toward them. “Wolf had this suggestion of a double wedding. . . .”

Author’s Note

Dear Reader,

Thank you for reading this book. The military is a demanding world that forges wonderful heroes: friendships go deep, loyalties are strong, jobs are tough, families are close. I couldn’t ask for a better background for a love story. I hope I was able to take you into Bruce’s and Gracie’s lives to show what it is like to take on one of the toughest jobs in the world.

I wrote this book to remind us our God is sufficient no matter what the circumstances. Relationships matter—the military teaches it like no other profession. And in Bruce and Gracie I got to explore a love story unlike any other I have written.

There are real men like Bruce “Striker” Stanton wearing the uniform today. This is my tribute and thanks to them. They are indeed heroes.

As always, I love to hear from my readers. Feel free to write me at: