The Comments Said My Dead Officer Husband Had Returned Chapter 07

The Comments Said My Dead Officer Husband Had Returned Chapter 07

Celeste left, too.

Not transferred. Disciplined.

Someone reported her to the political department. Said she knew about the fake letter three years ago and not only didn’t report it but helped Brenda pass along the lie.

The day Celeste left, I went to watch.

She stood outside the base gates with an old suitcase, waiting for a ride. No one saw her off.

She wore plain clothes. Her hair was down. She didn’t have that sharp energy she had in uniform.

Her eyes were red. Like she’d been crying.

I didn’t walk over. I stood by the side of the road and watched her.

She saw me. Froze for a second. Then looked down.

The car came. She got in and didn’t look back. The windows were rolled up. I couldn’t see her face.

[Celeste is gone. The base will be peaceful now.]

I turned and walked back. When I got to the base entrance, I saw Elias standing by the tailoring stand, holding Ava in his arms. Jayden was sitting on his shoulders.

The three of them were waiting for me.

Ava saw me and reached out her little hand. “Mommy! Daddy said we’re having braised brisket tonight!”

[Ava called him daddy! What’s Elias’s reaction?]

Elias’s ears turned red.

[Elias’s ears are red hahaha!]

I walked over and looked at him. “Since when are you daddy?”

He didn’t say anything.

Ava wrapped her arms around his neck and answered for me in her tiny voice, “Just now! Daddy said it! He

said he’s my daddy!”

Jayden leaned over from Elias’s shoulder and looked at me. “Mommy, when he said he was our daddy, his

voice was really quiet. But I heard him.”

[Elias’s voice was really quiet, but he finally said it. Jayden heard. Ava heard. Did Celeste hear?]

I looked at Elias.

He turned his face away, not looking at me. His ears were still red.

“Let’s go,” I said. “Let’s go home and make braised brisket.”

[Madeline said “go home”! She said “go home”!]

Elias followed behind me, holding Ava, Jayden riding on his shoulders.

The setting sun stretched our shadows long, four silhouettes blending into one.

[They’re finally together.]

That night, the brisket got a little burnt.

Ava said it was good. Jayden said it was okay. Elias ate a lot.

I watched him with his head down, shoveling food into his mouth, and thought about three years ago.

Three years ago, he was like this too. Every time he ate my cooking, he didn’t say anything. But he always ate

many.

[Elias ate so much! Quiet as he is, he shows how delicious the food is with actions.]

After dinner, Elias did the dishes.

I leaned against the kitchen doorway and watched him. The faucet ran loudly. He kept his head down, washing each bowl, stacking them neatly.

His back was broader than before. But his movements were still clumsy.

“Elias.”

“Yeah.”

“My stepmother got sentenced and Celeste left.”

“Yeah.”

“What about you?”

He turned off the faucet and turned around to look at me. “I’m right here.”

[Elias’s words… so simple, but so reassuring. He’s here. He’s not going anywhere.]

I looked straight into his eyes.

They were lined with red bloodshot veins, filled with unspoken words and all the debts he owed over these

three years.

“Fine,” I said softly. “Then take your time to make it all right.”

[She told him to take his time-she’s giving him a second chance!]

Ava ran out of the bedroom and wrapped herself around Elias’s leg. “Daddy, tell a story!”

Jayden came out behind her, holding a picture book. He handed it to Elias. “Sir, read this one.”

[Jayden still calls him “sir”? When will he change it?]

Elias took the picture book and crouched down. He opened to the first page.

“Once upon a time…”

His voice was really low, like he was afraid of scaring the kids.

Ava lay across his knee. Jayden leaned against his arm. Both of them listened quietly.

After a while, Jayden closed his eyes.

Elias closed the book, carried Jayden to the bed, and pulled up the blanket.

Then he picked Ava up from his knee, laid her down, and tucked her in.

He stood by the bed and looked at them for a long time.

[The way Elias looks at the kids… so soft. He wasn’t like this before.]

I stood in the doorway and watched him. “Didn’t you use to dislike kids?”

He didn’t turn around. “It’s not that I didn’t like them. I was scared.”

[Scared? Scared they wouldn’t accept him? Or scared he wouldn’t be a good father?]

I didn’t ask anymore.

Late at night, he left.

Outside the window, footsteps came down the hallway again. Very light. Walking over. Stopping for a while.

Then walking away.

[Elias’s back? I thought he went to the barracks?]

[He never left. He’s been outside the door the whole time.]

I looked at the light coming through the crack under the door for a long time.

The light didn’t go out.