Chapter 183

Still, he puts up a good front, smiling as if he’s not torn up inside. “You’re in the military?” he asks, just to fill the silence around us.

With a nod, Dan confirms, “Army.”

Memories like an incoming tide surge over me, drowning me in the past. “Stephen used to want to join the military,” I offer. He gives me a shy smile and I prod his foot gently with the tip of my shoe. “Remember? You always said you wanted to sign up with the Air Force. Whatever became of that?”

“That was just dreaming out loud,” he laughs. I grin at the sound, so carefree, so sudden, so much the old Stephen that I feel the years disappear and the discomfort between us fade. “I did talk to a recruiter once. You know, those college day things they make you do in high school?” When I nod, he sighs. “He told me sure, sign up, even gave me a pen and a huge packet of stuff to read through, said he’d have his officer call me later on to schedule a physical and all that.”