Page 6 of Valor
“I’ve always wanted to go,” Faith says, barely able to contain herself. “I wanted sushi for the reception, but my mom shot that down. Don’t tell her, but Scott snuck me some in before the wedding.”
“I thought the groom wasn’t supposed to see the bride before the ceremony?” I tease.
Scott merely laughs. “As if tradition could keep me away.” He jerks a thumb at Faith. “She made me give it to her with the door between us, so I wouldn’t ruin the first look anyway.”
The DJ announces the first dances and I shoo the two of them away, then watch as they step out on the dance floor for the first time as Mr. and Mrs.
Scott and Ben had served together on Ben’s last tour in Afghanistan. They’d both been grievously injured. Ben suffered from a traumatic brain injury and lost some of his hearing, and Scott lost a leg. For a while, Ben had been worried Scott would join the many thousands who returned home from war only to succumb to the mental anguish that plagued them afterward. Only with Faith’s help did he manage to pull out of that dark place.
It’s a wonder to witness, really. I felt the same way when Jack and Sofie got together, then Logan and Piper. All of the men I’ve known who served and then found happiness. Including Ben and me, even though for a while after he came home I didn’t think it was possible.
Watching Faith and Scott dance and hearing about their future only reminds me of what Ben and I had been like when we were newlyweds. Certainly not planning an extended jaunt halfway across the world.
Sofie sidles up to where I’m watching the dance floor and wraps an arm around my waist. She leans her head against mine and sighs. “If it weren’t so beautiful it’d make me sick,” she says.
“Cynic,” I answer.
“Jack said the same thing. You’re clearly related,” she says with an eye roll.
“Speaking of, where is he?”
She nods to the buffet. Jack and her brothers are swarming around the pretzel bar like bees to honey. “Surprise, surprise,” Sofie says. “I swear, they’ll eat me out of house and home before I know it.”
“Growing boys. Cole isn’t even a teenager and I swear he’s constantly in the fridge.”
We both share a giggle when Cole appears out of the corner of our vision, with Ben and Phoebe in tow to raid the buffet.
“How’s he been?” she asks in an undertone.
I smile. Because he’s alive and for that, every day, I’ll be grateful. The heart defect he was born with could have taken him before we ever got to know him. However, with the life-saving efforts of his surgical team and the world-class care he’s received since then, he’s a happy, healthy little boy. If we’re lucky he’ll continue to be so.
“Frustrated he gets winded when he’s playing soccer, but he’s learning his limits, such as they are. What about the boys?”
“Trying to kill me, but what else is new? Have you seen Chloe? Wasn’t she supposed to come, too?”
I shake my head. “She wanted to, but morning sickness.”
“She’s pregnant! I can’t believe she didn’t tell me!”
Slapping a hand on my mouth, I say, “I wasn’t supposed to say anything. It’s still early. I’m an idiot, please don’t mention it. Ugh, she’s going to kill me.”
Sofie makes a zipping motion over her lips. “I won’t say a word, but I’m so happy. I love babies.”
“You know, I could have sworn that wasn’t your attitude a couple years ago.”
She gives me a wicked grin. “Your brother, man. Wouldn’t you want to see a little Jack running around?” She says it in a falsetto voice, imitating something I assume Jack must have said.
“Get out. Am I going to be an auntie again?”
With a blush, she says, “We may talk to a fertility specialist soon to see what our options are.”
“Oh, honey, that’s great.”
I don’t know why this news makes that anxiety rumble in my stomach. I love Jack and Sofie. I may be adopted, but Jack is closer to me than my own blood and Sofie and I have been through everything together. She takes the tears in my eyes as happiness and gives me a spontaneous hug. If I hold her too tightly or for too long, she doesn’t notice or doesn’t comment.
“Well, we won’t know for sure for a while, so I’m not getting my hopes up. And if things don’t work out naturally, which there’s a very low chance they will, then there are other options.”
“Whatever you decide, I’m so happy for you both.”