Page 138 of We Drank the Dawn

Stunned, I froze momentarily, then hugged her back, a fierce lump rising in my throat. “I love you too, Nora.”

With that, she bounded back to her siblings.

A few beats of quiet fell over the four of us as I offloaded the candies onto the wicker table near my feet. Then Hollie broke the silence. “So, Peter, how does it feel to be a hero?”

I shook my head. “I’m not a hero.”

“Well, considering I’d probably be in a children’s hospital if you weren’t with us today, you’re a hero to me,” Bea said.

“I did what anyone else would’ve done.”

Cooper snorted. “That’s kind of the point though, isn’t it?”

“What do you mean?”

“You did what anyone else would’ve done.”

Hollie and Bea hummed in agreement, but I didn’t get it. The confusion on my face must’ve communicated because Cooper explained, “For a guy who thinks he’s worthless, the words ‘I did what anyone else would’ve done’ should be encouraging, right?”

I didn’t know what to say to that.

Bea added, “He is right. You said you couldn’t help care for a child.”

I did say that. But did I still believe it?

At that exact moment, sleepy footsteps dragged toward the porch swing.

A slow, familiar thap-thap-thap.

I expected Wren to go to Bea, but she didn’t. She crawled onto the porch swing and plopped down in my lap. Instantly, my arms curled around her, holding her steady as my feet launched the swing into a gentle motion. Wren laid her head on my chest and shoved a finger in her mouth.

After a few quiet back-and-forths on the swing, Bea softly sniffled, turning her face up to look into mine. She whispered, “You’ve proven you can, Peter.”

I nodded as that truth wound around my heart.

For the first time, I considered all the things I could do for a family, not the things I couldn’t.

Blinking against the sting in my eyes, my brain flew to Sarah.

Like it always did.

As much as I loved the crew at Meadowbrook Ranch, I needed a debrief with my wife.

Eventually, our party broke up and Cooper and Hollie whisked off to the kitchen to wash up our dishes. As I passed Wren to Bea, I opened my mouth to make a request, but the words lodged in my throat.

Bea paused. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just—I have a weird question. It’s been a long night so it might not be the right time.”

“What is it?”

“Can you show me how you put her to bed?”

Bea’s breath wooshed out, and her voice was tight. “I think that is a wonderful idea.” Then she reached out her hand and grabbed mine.

FORTY-SIX

Cooper