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Two heard the familiar sound and felt the whoosh in the air. The Raza was back. It had been months since she saw her old home, but she had a new, stable one that did not jump through space and dock on strange planets. She had one on the ground on a quiet planet where there was peace. So, when she heard the Raza, Two sighed, because that sound was synonymous with trouble, and she preferred to stay away from that.
She walked out of her house, pulled her thick, black, wool sweater tighter around her body, and tentatively walked over to the large, sleek starship that did not at all fit in with its green, grassy surroundings. Her ears heard familiar footsteps before the body making the sounds came into view.
“Long time no see,” Three said.
“I told you not to come back,” Two replied sternly and crossed her arms.
There was something incredibly surreal about seeing one of the fiercest leather-clad warriors always carrying knives and an attitude completely transform into someone who wore soft, comfortable clothing including practical shoes and traded in the cold metal and screen-covered home of the Raza for a simple, quaint brick cottage in the middle of a field. However, Three knew why Two made such a drastic change.
Katie.
A curious, happy, sweet little five-year-old girl named Katie ran out of the house and darted right into Three’s arms for a big hug.
“THREE! YOU’RE BACK!” Katie said.
Three usually shied away from any and all children, but Katie was an exception.
“MOMMY! You said Three wouldn’t come back, but he’s here!” Katie was practically bouncing up and down thanks to the arrival of one of her favorite people.
“He shouldn’t be here,” Two replied, but her once stern voice was softer. “Go back inside so I can talk to him alone, okay?”
“But, MOM!” Katie objected and wrapped both of her small hands around one of Three’s.
Three tousled Katie’s dirty blonde hair and admired her big, brown eyes and heart-shaped face; she was a perfect mix of Two and Irena. The long lost daughter Two had fought so hard to find. “Go on, kiddo. Listen to your mom,” he said to her kindly. Though he had known about Two and Irena’s child for a while and even helped rescue her when she had been abducted, there was something quite odd about Two being a mom, and yet, she suited the role perfectly just as she was the perfect leader of the Raza. “I came by to celebrate Katie’s birthday. We all did.”
“Who else is on that ship?” Two flicked her gaze to the sleek lines of the Raza then back at Three.
“Five and Android. Six’s kid is sick, and Four didn’t want to come to a kid’s birthday party,” Three explained.
“I’m not having a birthday party for Katie.”
“Oh, I just thought my invite got lost in transmission,” Three shot back, sarcasm clear in his tone.
“Leave my daughter and I alone. I asked you nicely last time.”
“We’re gonna keep coming back.”
“You’re not welcome here. I guess Android and Five can see Katie for a couple hours, but then all of you need to get out of here.”
“I can’t believe you turned your back on us. We’re your family! We’ve been through so much together, and now you hate us?” Three stayed up every night with a hole in his life that Two left behind. He wished there was a way to scrub the loathing out of her eyes. Out of all the changes they had endured, becoming someone Two detested was something that made his stomach churn.
“You’re the only one I hate. Five, Android, I know you can hear us. You can come out now, but Three, you stay the hell away from my daughter,” Two ordered coolly and spun on him.
It was a glimpse of the Two that Three used to know. That intensity in her gaze, her firm jaw, her dangerous tone that left no room for objection, and that confident stride seemed to remain even as she evolved into a different woman that was otherwise unrecognizable. He sidled up next to a window of Two’s cottage and watched as Five and Android entered the house; they were greeted with hugs and Two’s rare, quiet, low chuckles.
Five scooped Katie up into her arms and tickled her until they both laughed loud and sweet.
Three watched the reunion and thought it was nice, but he could not stop staring at Two; her new life was drastically different than before, yet Three could not be angry with her for the path she chose. Since settling into a quaint life, Two smiled more, and there was more warmth on her face as though motherhood changed her on a cellular level. Three was never welcome to visit, but he still went to her as often as he could, and he was most certainly never allowed inside Two’s home, but from what he could see from the windows, he observed Two’s easy smiles as she looked at her daughter and could tell she found the closest thing to peace that anyone in their line of work ever managed to attain.
Katie was excited to play the new video game that Five brought her, but she saw Three in the window and abandoned her gift to run up to the window and call, “THREE! COME PLAY WITH ME!”
He first sought permission from Two who slightly, stubbornly, and unhappily nodded at him, and Three silently thanked her as he entered the house. It was...surprisingly cozy compared to her quarters on the Raza that she used to occupy. The cottage was cluttered with toys, Katie's artwork, plush furniture, and something intangible that could only be characterized as a "homey" essence that Three never pictured that Two could capture; he liked it, though. It was welcoming, and comfortable, and safe in direct contrast to the Raza.
Three did not have much time to really take in the space before Katie's little hand gripped his and dragged him towards her bedroom.
“I drew you a picture!” Katie said happily, then she went into her disorganized room, but she navigated the chaos effortlessly to locate and present a drawing to him. “It's you, and me, and Mommy,” she pointed to the figures as she showed off her work.
“Wow, I love it. I'll hang it up with all your other ones. Thanks, kid,” Three grinned. His otherwise plain quarters had Katie's drawings adorning the walls; with every one of his visits came another creation by Katie. Where Two was quite inhospitable each time he arrived, her daughter was enthusiastic about his visits.
“Did you know today is my birthday?”
“Yes, I did, and I've got a present for you.”
“Is it on the ship? Can I go get it with you?”
“No, your mom says you can't go on the Raza. You know that, but don’t worry, l've got it right here.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small brown leather box.
“What is it?”
Two had the same inquisitive glint in her eye when faced with a problem she had yet to solve; Three loved seeing how Katie was so similar to one of her mothers in small ways. “It won't be a surprise if I tell you.”
“But, you'll tell me anyways.”
“What makes you think that?” Three felt his smile grow by the second.
“We're friends. Mom says friends don't keep secrets or lie.”
“Your mom's right. Keep listening to her, okay?”
Katie nodded in response.
Three opened the box to reveal a piece of jewelry, “This is a special bracelet. See that black thing? It looks like a gem, but it's really a button. If you're ever in trouble or you need me, you press on that, and I'll be right there.” He fastened the bangle to her wrist and let out an exhale that he seemed to have been holding in for a while. “Do me a favor and never take it off, alright?”
“Okay,” Katie smiled. “I love it,” she said gleefully and jumped into his arms.
After a far too sentimental moment than he could manage, Three let her go and said, “Enough of that. I'm sure Five's looking to play that new game with you.”
“This is way more entertaining,” Five said smugly in the doorway.
Three looked up to find Five, Android, and Two standing in the corridor. Android, as usual, was wearing her default neutral expression; Five had an overwhelmingly pleased grin on her face. But, Two surprised him. She did not seem to be looking at him with anger and hostility as per their new normal after she left the Raza. No, Two was…happy with one of those uncharacteristically fond and adoring smiles on her face that had been a rarity as long as he had known her; it was unexpected but most certainly not unpleasant. As if she could read his mind, Two's face screwed back into a scowl almost immediately like she had been caught being happy and needed to snap out of it.
“Katie, go play with Five,” Two addressed her daughter sweetly yet there was an edge to her voice. It was Three's fault; his presence brought on an onset of fury that was not easily contained.
Obediently, Katie skipped out of her room and went with Five into the living room where their one TV was.
Two could not take her eyes off of Three even as she addressed Android at her side. “I need a minute alone with Three.”
“A true sixty seconds, or would you like me to make myself scarce?” Android asked.
“I thought you were getting better with figures of speech. I mean the second option,” Two responded.
“Understood,” Android replied evenly and left.
Two barreled into Katie's room and shut the door behind her. She backed Three against the wall with no other weapon aside from the daggers in her stare. “What the hell kind of present is that?”
“What do you mean?” Three had not expected Two's inquiry.
“You want to send some sort of message that my daughter can rely on you? She can't,” she sneered.
“What are you talking about? Of course Katie can rely on me always. I would go to the end of every galaxy for her.”
“That's bull, and we both know it,” Two huffed before continuing, “You know, this is why I don't want you around here. I don't want Katie to love you and think you're friends, and the worst thing she could do is TRUST you.”
“And, what's so wrong with her trusting me?”
“Everything. I don't care how many times you show up and try to patch things up between us. You're not a part of my life anymore, and you sure as hell don't belong in Katie's.”
“When exactly are you going to tell me why you're cool with Five, Six, Android, and even FOUR, but not ME?”
“YOU KNOW WHY!” Two growled, her eyes haunted.
Three had always prided himself on understanding her so well he never needed her to say much or anything at all to read her mind, but he had absolutely no idea what soured their once close relationship.
Two is one of the people he treasures most, and it broke his heart that she abhorred him. It hurt when she told the crew of the Raza that she was leaving them and their life behind, but Three could respect her decision to give up traveling from battle to battle in favor of a simpler life that was more favorable for raising a young Katie. What he could not fathom was how Two hated him for some mysterious reason that he searched and searched her eyes for clues about and came up empty. Three could live with missing her and regretting whatever he had done, but the not knowing left him more unsettled than he could bear. “NO, I REALLY DON'T!” He shouted back in his frustration.
Two had experienced her fair share of troubling, nightmare-filled nights, but after she rescued Katie, she only had one singular bad dream that woke her in a panic. After finding out that when she was Rebecca, she had a daughter with Irena, Two started searching for the child in late evenings and early mornings in favor of sleeping. Then, a memory of Katie was unlocked, and Two had restored hope that she could reunite with her daughter. Unfortunately, what she hoped would be a simple recovery operation turned into something far worse. Katie had been kidnapped and used as a pawn in a battle the innocent child was not part of. Held captive by Sarah just to torture Irena, since they had conflicting stances on the android insurrection, Katie was without her mothers or the safety of her secret home that Rebecca had taken her to before joining the Raza. Two had never been so sick in her life than when she knew her daughter was held somewhere where she was unloved, and more than that, Katie’s life was in constant danger. It took an incredibly long time to reach Sarah and put an end to her to save Katie. But in that final showdown with Sarah, Two remembered one detail so vividly. It was the star of her every nightmare. It was Three. “YOU CAN’T HONESTLY TELL ME YOU DON’T REMEMBER WHAT YOU DID?” She shouted him.
“PRETEND I’M AN IDIOT AND EXPLAIN IT TO ME!”
“YOU ARE AN IDIOT!”
“SO TELL ME!” Three yelled. Though a quite loud and spirited conversation, it was the longest they had spoken in years.
“YOU HESITATED!” Two’s voice broke even as she projected.
Taken aback by Two's words, Three paused and lowered his voice, "I have no clue what you're talking about.”
She let out a dry laugh and finally took a step back from him to give herself some space where his back was against one of the light green walls of Katie’s bedroom, and they were standing close together. Two tightened the hair tie securing her ponytail to bide time as she pieced together the right words for her explanation. “After everything we've been through, after all the times we fought alongside each other, I never thought you would betray me like you did,” she started with, her eyes downcast. “The day I got Katie back...I can't stop thinking about it. I've never come so close to losing everything. I saved my daughter, but I lost you.” She refused to let the pain show even if it was devastating to relive the memory.
“You didn't lose me,” he whispered and bent his face low to meet her eyes while she was stubbornly averting his gaze. “Two...”
“I did, because you hesitated,” she insisted tightly.
The final face off against Sarah and her loyal allies was mostly hazy, but Three recalled unflinchingly following Two's lead to locate Katie; unsurprisingly, Sarah was unwilling to give up her leverage even if it was a child. He found himself face to face with Sarah; someone who had been so important to him had become someone he could not recognize. It was up to Three to end Sarah and rescue Katie...and he HAD hesitated in that final showdown. That was what Two was referring to. “I did hesitate,” he confirmed quietly, and she finally looked up at him with vulnerability coloring her dark brown eyes. “I hesitated, because I didn't hesitate.” She furrowed her brow in confusion. Under any other circumstances, Three would have drawn out the moment to keep inspecting the lines that formed on her face and the downturn of her lips, but he refused to leave her in suspense when his explanation was too important. “Sarah used to be the person I loved most, and then i looked at her, and all I wanted to do was kill her, because she took your daughter. In an instant, it was like I realized that I didn't just fall out of love with her, I hated her, because she hurt you, and I wouldn't let that stand. I didn't care about the damn war or androids or whatever. All I could think about was Katie and you, so yeah, I hesitated, but I didn't do it because I don't care about your little girl. It was only because you and that kid became more important to me than anything else.”
His words crashed over Two like large, endless waves that upended everything she thought she knew.
She left the Raza to give Katie stability, but Two knew that she also left her crew, because she feared she could no longer trust her second in command to protect what mattered most to her: not her own life but Katie's. She punched Three in the shoulder.
“OW! What was that for?” He asked and covered what would bloom into a bruise in a matter of time.
“Why didn't you tell me that before?” Two inquired.
“When was I supposed to do that between repairing the ship and you packing up your stuff and leaving?” Three searched her eyes and found doubt. “Would you have stayed if-if I told you what happened?” Knowing he could have spent years with Two and Katie down the hall instead of a galaxy away filled him with regret.
“I don't regret leaving,” she said confidently. “It was the right thing for my daughter…but, things would've been different if I had known.”
“Different?”
“Different,” Two assured but was unwilling to elaborate; he gleaned that and did not press her about the definition of “different”. The implications, however, would keep Three up at night as he hoped he interpreted her meaning correctly. Different was heavy. Different was remorseful. Different was a dangerous word that gave him hope for a future with Two and Katie in it.
“That's good to know, because we're not just here for Katie's birthday.”
“Seriously?”
“Katie was the main reason,” he said.
Two could practically read his mind and knew what he was thinking. “No. HELL no. Don't you dare even say it.”
“We need you.”
“I already said no.”
“Just hear me out.”
“Screw you, Three!” She spat out and turned on him to leave Katie's room.
“This is your fight, too,” he said to stop her, and when Two halted, he knew he had a small window of opportunity to convince her. “I went back to the Raza because Five told me an alien invasion is coming.”
“You’re back on the Raza again?”
“Five said she needs us. All of us. Especially you.”
“Why isn’t Five telling me about this then?”
“I volunteered to be the one to talk to you. I figured we couldn’t go to war together again if we couldn’t clear the air between us.”
“And, now that we have, you’re asking me to leave my daughter and my new life behind for another war?” Two’s anger flared especially as she said “another”.
“This invasion is coming to your new home planet and every other one in this galaxy. If you don’t fight with us, I don’t know what’ll happen to you.”
“How could you ask me to leave my daughter?”
“You’re not leaving her. She’s coming with.”
“A kid has no place in a war.”
“She’s already been in the middle of one before. Besides, there’s nowhere safer for Katie than with us. We’d all die for her…and you.” Three took a half step closer to her.
“Haven’t I done my part? Haven’t I done enough for the universe? Haven’t I suffered enough that I earned myself some peace?” Two replied with anguish.
“I’m not saying you haven’t.”
“Then, don’t ask me to come with you. Don’t ask me to fight in another war. Let me be.”
“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t know we need you.”
“Maybe I’m just selfish enough not to care anymore if a whole damn planet needs me.”
Three tilted his head and softly said, “But, you’re not. You’ll never be that selfish. You help people. You save the day.”
She smiled bitterly, “That was the old me.”
“Liar,” he accused her.
“I can’t help you. Not now. Not with this. I’m done.”
“You can’t be DONE!”
“Mommy, you have to do it,” Katie said from the corridor where she had been eavesdropping, then she made her way into her room to gather her favorite art supplies.
“Do what?” Two asked with her hands on her hips.
“You have to save the world again, and I’ll help, but I have to finish packing first,” Katie responded and rooted around for more paper.
She got down onto her knees to make eye contact with her daughter once she realized that Katie was trying to pack her belongings to leave. “We’re not going anywhere. Put your art stuff down.”
Katie scowled. “Three always tells me stories about how you’re a hero, and you used to save people before you found me again. You said friends don’t lie. Three is a my friend, so he wouldn’t lie to me, which means the stories are true, right?”
Two glanced at Three’s smug grin. “So, that’s what you talk to my daughter about when you come around? That’s why she loves you so much?”
“Someone’s gotta tell her who you are,” Three explained.
She caught herself when she was about to swear, because she tried not to be foul-mouthed in front of her daughter, then she sighed. “Look, my love, my life was different before you, but I’ve put all that behind me. No more battles, and wars, and saving the galaxy. All that matters to me now is you.”
Katie shook her head. “No, mommy, we have to go.”
“Yeah, mommy, we have to go,” Three echoed.
Two swallowed hard. It was challenging to resist the call of her old life, but her daughter was her priority.
“Last time. This will be the last war. I promise,” Three guaranteed.
“You can’t make that kind of promise,” she responded unhappily.
“I can try, can’t I?”
Two’s gaze flicked between Three and Katie’s pleading eyes, and she acquiesced. “Tomorrow. We’re leaving tomorrow. Today is Katie’s birthday. This last war can wait a day.”
Katie threw her arms up in celebration and started cheering as she scurried out of her room to tell Android and Five the exciting news that she would be joining her mom in an epic adventure like the ones Three had told her about.
Crossing her arms, Two whispered, “I need you to make me a promise.” Three slightly nodded to indicate he was listening. “Promise me you’ll do everything you can to make sure Katie survives this war.”
“Of course.” His allegiance to Katie had already been forged; he did not need Two to make such a request when he was always willing to lay down everything including his own life for her.
“And another thing, promise me you won’t hesitate this time.”
“Never again.” Three had lost so much time with Two because of his last hesitation, and he knew he would never make that mistake again. He could tell that some of her trepidation remained. “Hey, we’ll get through this like we always have.”
She let out a mirthless laugh. “You don’t get it. There’s more to life than just surviving. It took me a while to stop sleeping with a knife in my sock after I left the Raza, but I figured out that I can spend my days doing more than surviving.”
“You still sleep with a knife under your pillow, though, don’t you?”
Two flashed him her annoyed “that is not the point” expression.
“I get what you’re saying,” Three said. “I guess I thought you actually liked life on the Raza.”
“I did.”
“Maybe it was just surviving to you, but I’ve never been happier than when we were all on that ship together. And then you left, and I didn’t blame you for that, but I didn’t like being on the Raza without you, so I left, too. I feel like all I’ve done the last few years is survive.”
“War makes you feel alive. I used to feel that way.”
“Not war,” Three shot back. “You.”
She felt like she might fall back if not for how his gaze held her in place. It was not the first time his eyes expressed where his mouth had failed, but he had never gotten so close to saying words that could not be taken back. A bell that could not be un-rung. It was a delicate boundary they dared not to cross, but the sureness in his voice and fierceness in his eyes made Two believe that Three felt just emboldened enough that he was about to step over. He merely stared for a few long moments so clearly studying her careful expression to read for something she schooled out of her features with such ease it was like a reflex, then, Three opened his mouth, so she said, “I should make sure Android doesn’t say anything inappropriate to my kid.” Two spun around as a rush of something she had not felt in years hit her; no, she would not let her mind dwell on the fact that the last time her chest tightened and her body was warm all over was the last time she spoke to Two over hot chocolate just before the battle with Sarah that had changed everything. She swept those thoughts away and went to the living room to watch Katie’s easy glee as she played and laughed with Five.
As the last of the daylight was snuffed out, Two tried to corral her daughter into her bedroom.
“I wanna go on the Raza,” Katie said.
“Tomorrow,” Two promised.
“Please, mommy. It’s my birthday.”
She had unyieldingly faced formidable enemies without batting an eyelash, but when her daughter asked for anything, she had trouble saying “no”. Two sighed. “You have ten minutes to pack.”
Katie hummed as she started stuffing all her favorite supplies into a bag. Clothes were a much lower priority.
Meanwhile, Two went into her room to pack all of the weaponry she had hidden away; she kept swords and knives stowed away where Katie would never see them, and she hoped she would never need to use them again, but the time had come. She rummaged in an old trunk for the clothes she used to wear that were black, tight, and leather. Two donned some tight leather pants, a midriff baring long sleeve black shirt, a thigh holster, straps to sheath some knives, and a long black leather overcoat.
Android and Five boarded the Raza as Three waited outside of the cottage. His jaw almost dropped when he watched Two emerge looking like the woman he used to know…except when a little girl in braids skipped out of the house behind her and took her hand. He loved the old Two, but the new one who had a daughter with a matching smile was an even better version.
“Three!” Katie squealed and outstretched her little hand. “I wanna see the ship! Show me everything!”
“Don’t you want your mommy to show you?” Three asked.
“No, you!” He silently asked if Two would permit that.
“Go ahead,” she replied. “But, no sugar. It’s close to her bedtime.”
Three nodded appreciatively then took Katie by the hand to introduce her to the Raza.
Two let them go a few paces ahead to take their tour while she went in the direction of her old quarters that seemed to have been left untouched since the day she left. She stood at the bulkhead and paused with her bags in her hands.
“No one stayed in your quarters while you were gone,” Five said when she came upon Two standing frozen.
“It looks different somehow,” Two admitted.
“Maybe you’re the one that’s different.”
“Since when did you get to be too smart for your own good?” Two chided.
“Oh, come on, that’s nothing new.”
“Smart ass,” she muttered.
Five laughed. “It’s really good to have you back. We need you, boss.”
“I’m not the boss. This is your ship now.”
“The Raza will always be yours to lead. I was just standing in for you,” Five responded.
“Don’t say that. Android has told me how you’ve done an incredible job. I’m really proud of you.”
“I learned from the best.”
Two smiled and drew her in for a hug.
“I’m so glad you’re back,” Five whispered.
“Not forever just one last war.”
“So, you’re not staying for good?”
“Are you surprised? Come on, Five, this is no place for a kid. You were so young when you snuck onto the Raza. You of all people should understand.”
“You’re Katie’s mom. It’s your decision what you want to do, but I personally would love if you two stayed forever. You know I love that girl.”
“And, she adores you,” Two said, knowing how her daughter always brightened in Five’s presence.
“I can’t wait to stay up late playing video games with her.”
“Not too late. You don’t want to deal with her when she’s cranky.”
“You are such a mom,” Five jabbed with an eye roll. “Fine. I’ll let you get settled and see you in the morning.”
Two huffed as she plopped all her bags onto her bed. She did her best to unpack and organize her quarters with both her knives and Katie’s colored paper. Once she was truly tired and felt that she was moved in well enough, she began walking around the once familiar starship in search of her daughter. Katie’s laughter floated through the corridors like a siren song drawing Two to her. She found her daughter giggling with Three in the mess hall. She leaned in the doorway to watch for a few special moments as Three told a story that made Katie’s eyes crinkle as she laughed and laughed.
Then suddenly, Katie’s face turned serious. “Are we going to save the world?”
“I hope so, kid,” Three answered.
“Mommy said it’s the last time. She doesn’t want to be a hero anymore?”
“Your mom will always be a hero, but now she’s got the biggest most special mission to take care of you.”
“That doesn’t sound very special.”
“Sure it is. Everything you and your mom do is special.”
“Why?” Katie wondered with an inquisitive head tilt.
“Because Katie, you’re someone to go to war for, and so is your mom. That’s the definition of special.”
“I don’t know,” she frowned as she pondered. “Mommy!” Katie said when she caught sight of her mother.
“Hey, ready for bed?” Two asked then narrowed her eyes. “Wait a second, is that hot chocolate? Three, didn’t I say no sugar?”
“She was begging to try it, and I only gave her a little bit,” Three defended himself.
“You’re such a bad influence.”
“You’re just figuring this out now?” Three replied playfully.
“Come on, Katie, bed time.”
Instead of going over to her mom, she looked up at him and asked, “Can you sing me to sleep?”
“Your ears will bleed if you hear his bad excuse for a singing voice,” Two joked.
“That’s okay. Let’s go!” Katie tugged Three along even though she had no idea which direction to go once she left the mess hall, so she was appreciative that he took over navigating.
He stopped at Two’s quarters. So many nights, he had passed by the empty room half expecting to see or hear Two. Three was delighted to have her back with a new addition.
Two helped tuck Katie into their bed. There were empty quarters so her daughter could have a separate room, but she wanted to hold Katie close every night of the impeding wartime. She tried not to laugh when Three began to sing very off-key, but Katie seemed to be thoroughly entertained.
Six songs later, Three asked, “Aren’t you tired, kid? I’m running out of songs I know.”
“That’s what you get for giving her sugar before bed,” Two gloated.
“I don’t want to sleep. This has been the best day ever,” Katie replied.
“She’s going to be a while. I’ll take over. You can go to your quarters,” Two said.
“I’ll stay,” Three replied. He listened as Two sang soft, sweet melodies and watched as Katie’s eyelids grew heavier with each song. He imagined how Two’s singing voice lulled her daughter to sleep every single night, and he was pleased to know that he would get to listen, too. Finally, Katie fell asleep, and Three smiled at her. “You’ve got the best kid,” he whispered.
“You know like three kids. That’s not much of a compliment,” Two shot back in a quiet voice.
Three rolled his eyes.
“Hey,” she said softly. “You made my daughter really happy today, so thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Three gave Two a long look and then got on his feet. “Listen…”
Her heart leaped. Two had seen that expression in her daughter’s bedroom hours before, and she knew it meant that he was about to say something that could change everything. She was not being a coward; she was just not yet ready for him to speak aloud whatever was on the tip of his tongue that caused his face to be soft and serious. “This has been Katie’s best birthday. Let’s leave it at that.”
“Two,” he whispered firmly and took hold of her wrist.
She waited a moment before she spoke. She studied him carefully. Two had desperately missed him, and it was nice to be reunited with the one she used to know so well. “Not tonight,” she replied quietly, causing his expression to sadden. “I’m not saying never. I’m saying not tonight.” They both shared matching glints of hope in their eyes.
Not tonight. Three could accept that. He could wait beyond tonight. He was grateful that he would soon have the chance to unburden the jumble of feelings that had weighed his heart down. Until then, he would recall Katie’s fifth birthday as one of the best days of his life, too.