Her Silent Revenge novel Chapter 106

I'm not sure he understands.

For the hundredth time, I'm dumbstruck by how close his eyes are to mine—and how stupid it is that I didn't notice before.

Then again, no one else here has mentioned it yet.

Or maybe they're afraid to contemplate a world where I'm insta-dad.

"What about you?" he asks. "Were you in the war?"

I chuckle and ruffle his hair.

"Nah, the great big world wars were before my time. I'm not that old. And not a soldier, kid. I had a brief stint in the Navy instead. I like to think it helped straighten me out and built a little character." I point at his ships a little farther away, mostly old battleships modeled on the type from the First World War.

As a kid, I thought all ships were still like that. I was disappointed when I enlisted and found out battleships were long obsolete, and the average aircraft carrier mainly serves as a floating airbase for distant missions in combat a sailor never sees firsthand.

"You were on ships?"

"Yeah. A destroyer escort. We sailed around with a big group of ships to help protect the carrier, where the jets take off."

"Wow, cool! You should be the ships." He waves me over to the toy ships. I pick up the battleship and smile, fond memories rushing back. "Was it fun?" he asks.

"The Navy? If you like waking up at six a.m. and busting your butt past sunset, it was a blast. Makes the rest of life seem easier, though."

"Did you go on sailing ships?"

"Not often, but I trained on them briefly." I try to hide the melancholy in my tone.

It was an odd time in my life, finishing growing up alone with no father.

My older brothers had already moved out.

Whether I knew it or not, I was quietly reeling from Dad's death. I thought sailing around the world might hold some answers, but the constant training and the isolation from family didn't help much with loneliness.

It just kept me out of trouble and molded me into the playboy idiot I became when I came home. But a playboy idiot with an ironclad work ethic.

"But you're not a sailor now," Arlo says curiously. "You're a boss.

Mommy told me."

"Your mommy knows a lot of things. Listen to her."

Compared to the beer I finished outside, it's fruity and sweet.

"Of course, of course. But anyone with eyes can see you both have real affection for each other. It's charming, just like with my dear Walt back in better times…" She sighs. Her eyes glisten as she shakes her head. "But that's enough of that. I hoped I could catch you alone, Patton."

I cock my head. "Sure, what's up?"

"I meant—oh, dear, I meant somewhere a tad more private, if it's not too much trouble? Do you have a minute?"

What now?

I glance back at Salem, who's listening to Mom talk about her recipe arsenal like they've known each other forever. I'm sure she can handle herself for a few more minutes.

"All right. Why don't we head into the office?"

"Perfect idea!" She leads the way, slipping away from the room so quietly it's entirely possible no one sees us leaving.

Arlo stays engrossed in his army men. I notice the ships started winning since I left the game and hold back a smile.

The office is a small room that's really more of a backup for any kind of work. Really, when there's any real work or reading to do, we always preferred the library with its overstuffed chairs, massive antique desk, and potent smell of old books. Mom sometimes uses this room to send a quick email, but besides that, the computer would be collecting dust if my mother wasn't such a clean freak.