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Swinging his feet to the floor, he sat on the edge of the o he didn’t want to leave the bed and now he couldn’t haul ass out fast enough What the hell rong with hi in from his six o’clock

He’d fallen in love with his wife all over again

His head fell into his hands Hadn’t he always loved her? He’d told her so Sure as hell thought so But so eh him

And that scared the crap out of hiht about de more over the years--and about the ways he’d hurt her through a distance he hadn’t even known he’d put between the to accoher At least he had his feelings lined up He would just tell her when they talked and make damn sure she listened

Except he couldn’t help but wish he had more to carry into this confrontation than three little words he’d used before without realizing their full i to his feet and away from the temptation to wake his wife up with sex, a reliable connection, he headed for the bathroom and a lonely shower Maybe the showerhead would beat soht suit, he loped down the stairs, his socksno sound on hardwood He wasn’t sure he wanted to face the garage and all the hot ht bench and he would be right back in a world of hurt But he needed to snag his boots and swap out the Velcro patches off his dirty flight suit onto his clean one

JT paused at the base of the stairs Maybe he could bring Rena breakfast in bed first That would start the day on a nicer note

As long as he didn’t pick so that would make her hurl on his socks

Around the corner, into the kitchen, he stopped short at the sight of his son "Gooda bowl of Frosted Flakes into his "

"You sleep all right?"

"Yeah, how about you, uh, I mean--" Red-faced, he looked down and stuffed his one unnoticed Hell, the door to Nikki’s old roos low-key for his son had been the last thing on his ht before

Still, Chris kept quiet Shoveled cereal Didn’t ask if his parents were back together, which stung worse than facing the question, because silence

Breakfast in bed with Rena would have to go on hold for a few lass of ainst the counter beside Chris, crossing his feet at the ankles "You okay?"

He stirred soggy flakes "I’ up with the stuff at the restaurant"

Not the subject JT had been thinking of, but then Chris obviously wanted to ignore the other topic "I’ to lie to you, son It would have been better if you’d coht away"

"Because of Mout burned JT tipped back half a glass of ood news for him when theythe authorities believe your side of the story"

Nodding, Chris shoveled another spoonful of soupy cereal into hisby seconds over the door

Pivoting on the heels of his athletic socks, Chris dumped the rest of his cereal down the disposal andthe bowl "When you were over there, in Rubistan, I et scared?"

Water running, he eyed his dad sideways

"Yeah" JT nodded, the understateed one corner of his ht I’d piss in my pants"

Chris stared back Shock sent his jaw slack He dropped the spoon and shifted to face his dad full on "Really?"

"Really" He’d always thought children needed to feel parents were invincible Maybe finding out parents were huht not be so bad, after all Sure would have helped prepare the kid for the breakup "Only a fool wouldn’t have been scared Anyone can be brave when the odds are in your favor It’s what you do when you’re scared that’s the true e"

"Is that from Shakespeare?"

He hadn’t even realized Chris knew he read the Bard’s works "Nope Actually, it’s from my old ht after he’d found out Rena was pregnant Strange how he’d forgotten about going to his father at that time until just now

Other talks with his dad shifted around in JT’s head Short exchanges, sure His parents were just as closemouthed as he was, but they made their words count

Had he done the sao to school today"

"Yeah, I think I do have to go"

His son was beco a man "Okay, then" The kid was probably safer there than at home, anyway "But remember, you can call me if you have any problems I’ll be there in minutes"

"Thanks, but I’m okay" He pushed away from the counter and started toward the door

Make the words count "Son?"

Chris turned "Yeah?"

"Love ya" JT hooked his ar

His son hugged back Thuhed over the fact that uys understood the lingo