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"This afternoon"

He explained how he’d been on a bit of a wild goose chase trying to figure out where she was--all in a taxi Then finally soone straight there He stopped talking to hug her again with a groan, and she hugged him back just as hard

"I told you he’d be back, Rose" She heard Lorenzo say, but she didn’t want to pull away from Vincent’s arms, so she just nodded

The tears continued to come, but they were the best tears ever Vincent had come home to her He was really here, and she could hardly believe it Then reality hit She’d just got hi She pulled back to look in his eyes again "How long are you back for?"

He s her hand to his lips and kissed it "I’ain, looking around not understanding All the other wo, too, and the men looked pretty broken up themselves as they held their wives in their arainst Sal’s shoulder, and Rose knehy She’d been so worried about Rose

"I’ve beenhis eyes "I’ain, and she leaned into hi to God this wasn’t a dreaainst her ear

She looked up at him "You did?"

He nodded with a smile so tender it reminded her of the very first tio"

He filled her in briefly on his injury and when he’d been discharged then explained why he hadn’t called to tell her about it when he found out he’d be home soon But he said he’d tell her more, later when they were alone

Apparently he’d been there long enough to watch the end of her gaame to notice, but he’d already been reunited with everyone else

Lorenzo’s eyes were still red and puffy, but he played it off now, s just as content as Rose felt Unable to help herself after finally giving Vincent roo Lorenzo

"I believed really hard today," she said and felt hihter

When she pulled away she sa teary-eyed he’d beco her own tears away "Okay, we gotta stop"

Vincent’s arm came around her waist, and he pulled her to him "Yeah, this has to stop," he said playfully

He kissed Rose on the head and mussed Lorenzo’s hair "Mom and dad still don’t know"