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"What's a coward?" Katie asked

The question caught Tess colanced down at Katie "Why do you ask?"

"You always say Daddy's a coward, and that's why Johnny's dead"

Tess gasped at the cruelty of the reh to answer She curled her arht tre of their bodies "Your daddy's not a coward"

"How do you know?" Savannah asked

Tess srimly "Because he stayed with me all these years And froe of the purest kind"

Katie sain

Absently Tess sain they lapsed into silence It was a few seconds before Katie's innocent question hit home

Johnny

You always say Daddy's a coward, and that's why Johnny's dead

Tess straightened "Savannah, who's Johnny?"

"Daddy's brother He died in the war You know that"

The war The word landed in Tess's lap like a gift from God Excitement made her heart race She knew better than to jump to conclusions, but she couldn't help herself Her next question caerly "Was your daddy in the war, too?"

"Yeah"

Tess sagged with relief The puzzle pieces fell into place Gunshots, firecrackers, loud noises; they were all triggers