Page 116 of Ripple Effect

Twice.

Yarborough picks up on the third ring. “Cal? What is it?”

“I found Libby.” My eyes go back to her mutinous face. “I need you to talk to your contact at DoD and get her clearance paperwork expedited so we can read her on.”

I barely hear, “It’s about fucking time,” in my ear because I’m already hanging up the phone. I slip it back into my pocket.

“Even if I can tell you most of what we do, there will be times I still can’t get into detail,” I warn her.

“I’ve lived through what you do, Cal. I think I’m in a good position to set up a scoring system now for how bad things are going to be,” she drawls.

“That mouth.” I just shake my head. “From the moment I first saw you, you made me want to smile, you taught me to laugh. I never knew until I almost lost you that you could make me cry, Libby.”

“Same goes.”

“So.” I hold my hands out to my side. “Where do we go from here?” I hold my breath, afraid of the answer.

“I get over missing the man I thought you were while learning the man you are. And somehow, we find a way because the kind of love we have is worth fighting for.” Bashfully, she looks away. “You taught me that.”

“I did?” I’m incredulous.

“Yes.” Libby comes into my space. “The entire time I was on theSea Force, I kept remembering you trying to get through to me, and I realized if you didn’t love me, you would have just walked away. So, I know there’s a reason to fight. It’s right here.” Libby lays her hand on my chest.

“Christ, I love you.” I pull her tight against my body.

Then, I hear words I never thought I’d hear again whispered in my ear. “I love you too, Cal. Always.”

80

Present Day

Calhoun

Dr. Powell puts the file in front of him on the coffee table and sits back. “Is there any difference when you look back on it now?” Dr. Powell asks Libby.

“Every year that passes, I feel more blessed to have the life I do. There were so many things before I used to be worried about—everyday stressors—that are meaningless now.”

“Can you give me an example?”

“Who’s coming home late, who’s making dinner? Did my dry cleaning come back with any stains? Did a client pay me on time? Hold on. Can you edit out the last comment? I really need my clients to pay me on time,” Libby says cheekily.

All of us laugh. Dr. Powell leans forward and makes a note on his pad. “I’m surprised you haven’t asked for much else to be edited out before now,” he admits.

“Probably because I remember your integrity from the first time you interviewed Cal and me. I truly suspect, Dr. Powell, you wanted to know how we were doing as much for your own comfort as you wanted footage for the anniversary special.”

The network interviewer, a renowned psychiatrist, twists his head toward me. “You married a smart woman, Cal.”

“I’m well aware. I’m blessed, but not because of that,” I respond.

“Why?” Dr. Powell asks.

I brush my lips across the top of Libby’s head. “Somehow, I managed to get her to fall in love with me twice.”

“It wasn’t that hard,” Libby murmurs.

“After everything?” Dr. Powell’s voice is incredulous, echoing the sentiment in my heart.

“Not really. Because at his core, it wasn’t superficial things that made me fall in love with Cal. It was the knowledge that I knew from the beginning he was the missing piece to my heart. Once I knew our marriage was his first priority and the communication issues between us were resolved, I was still in love with the same man.”