His smile lit up his entire face, his eyes twinkling—with delight… or something more?
He got up to clear the plates and put food away and she noticed his limp again. “Carl, how did you get injured?”
He went still, keeping his back to her and for a moment, she thought he wouldn’t answer.
“I was positioned as gunner on the lead truck of an army convoy heading into enemy territory. We struck a land mine. The blast overturned the truck and threw me clear, but I landed wrong. Broke the leg in two places and busted my kneecap. The rest of the troops on the truck died. My lucky day,” he said, his voice devoid of all emotion. “End of story.”
“Very lucky! I’m so glad you survived.”
“Are you, Poppy? Are you really?”
“Yes, of course I am! How can you doubt that? You’ve been a great comfort to the kids and me, even though you could have easily stayed away after Peter died.”
“Maybe I should have.”
“Carl, why would you think that? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong, Poppy. I promised Peter I’d watch over you and the kids and I’ll do my best, but he’s proving a tough act to follow. Speaking of which, Nathan, Becky,” he called, “time to hit the road.”
“This isn’t over. We’ll talk later,” she said as the children came running.
He got up to clear the plates and put food away and she noticed his limp again. “Carl, how did you get injured?”
He went still, keeping his back to her and for a moment, she thought he wouldn’t answer.
“I was positioned as gunner on the lead truck of an army convoy heading into enemy territory. We struck a land mine. The blast overturned the truck and threw me clear, but I landed wrong. Broke the leg in two places and busted my kneecap. The rest of the troops on the truck died. My lucky day,” he said, his voice devoid of all emotion. “End of story.”
“Very lucky! I’m so glad you survived.”
“Are you, Poppy? Are you really?”
“Yes, of course I am! How can you doubt that? You’ve been a great comfort to the kids and me, even though you could have easily stayed away after Peter died.”
“Maybe I should have.”
“Carl, why would you think that? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong, Poppy. I promised Peter I’d watch over you and the kids and I’ll do my best, but he’s proving a tough act to follow. Speaking of which, Nathan, Becky,” he called, “time to hit the road.”
“This isn’t over. We’ll talk later,” she said as the children came running.