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A knock at the door sends Bruiser into a frenzy, and I don’t have tis open and I recognize the fatigues bent over rolling on the ground with the dog Barking and swirls of camo maneuver in the entryway until Bruiser takes off to find his extra-large dino bone You

“Honeybee” He stands up, blocking out the light fro cry, I launch myself in his arms I can’t help the flood of e toback so I can inspect that he’s coo and I back away to take in thisin this world His face looks tired and travel weary, while the muscles of his body, built before his absence, seem to have multiplied tenfold

“Da and look like an unuard

His foot kicks the door shut behind us as I’ainst the wall His hand brushes back ers brush the fresh tears off my cheeks

“Hey, I’ve alondered what it would be like to co andis for her to tell ain, hiking up s around his waist

“You jerk I’et a ride as his abdohter

“I should hope not, little lady You’d have so to do” He swatsme into the kitchen I’s to my hips under my dress

“You’re ho all dolled up toreet him This is a million times better

“Youoaf What does he think I’ll say?

I jerk my head over his shoulder to Bruiser, who co it off proudly “I missed you about as much as Bruiser likes his daddy-bone”

“Cute, Honeybee” He chuckles, resting his head against mine His hands don’t stop their exploration of h, content to feel his touch all over me

“How’d you get back early?”

He grunts “Classified”

I pout, wondering if he’ll relent and tell s like that I don’t pry further and instead I run ers over his shoulders and scratch his fuzzy, shorn head

“TellHe doesn’t want to hear about how I hate doing data entry eight hours a day, five days a week, but it’s givingon ways to find ot his passion and I need to find mine I don’t feel the same level of despondency as I did early on I’ve connected with irlfriends Kate and Hope from back ho pretty pictures of the books we love