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Her soft, dark eyes clung to his as she stepped up and put her hand on his face “Good to have you home,” she said siht hiave hi and he felt old beyond his years They both knehat the others didn’t They knehat it was to lose a spouse To mourn without a body

“It’s good to be home”

“Liar,” she said quietly, set easier”

“Will it?”

“Yes, it will It just takes time Everyone means well, Josh Just remember that when you’re tempted to blow up at someone, okay?”

He looked down at her “Me? Blow up?”

“You’ve got your father’s temper”

“And my mother’s stubbornness”

She grinned “Sorry ’bout that Now, I hope you’re hungry The food’s out and the meat’s on the barbecue”

He helped hier and potato salad and a few scallops wrapped in bacon It wasn’t so bad Sarah’s sloping backyard looked over the water and when he started to feel closed in he would watch the way the sun played over the surface as it got lower in the sky The water always see else could He evenup with his cousin Bryce without a whole lot of aardness, hter

And if he felt a pang watching the three of theed

He leaned back in his Adirondack chair when a voice sounded in his ear “Jesus, wouldja look what the cat dragged in”

The grin on his face was genuine as he tipped back his head and stared up at Rick Sullivan “Well, goddaone way down if they let in the likes of you”

“You’re tellin’ me Good to see you, soldier”

“Se his bottle in salute “Pull up a chair, Marine”