"But what about Linden?" I asked.
"He'll be fine. He'll be with your mother. and she will take good care of him."
He stared hard at me a moment. "You knew I was coming for you one day. Sailor Girl, didn't you? You expected it.'
"Yes. Daddy. It's just sooner than I had imagined."
"I was surprised myself." he said. "but we don't question orders, Sailor Girl. We act on them. That's what makes us successful."
"Do I need to bring anything?" I asked. He shook his head and stood.
I threw off my blanket and stepped off my bed. Can I at least say goodbye to Linden?" I asked.
"Sure." he said. "We'll both do that."
Moving as if we were made of air, we slipped into Mommy's roam. She was fast asleep, her back to us. Linden was in his small bed beside hers. turned on his side. little lips moving ever so slightly with his breathing.
"I should kiss him," I said.
"Don't wake him." Daddy warned,
"I won't."
Ever so slowly I knelt down beside him and brought my lips to his cheek. I just held them there a second or two and then stood up again. His eyelids barely fluttered.
"Perfect," Daddy said.
I smiled, looked at Mommy, and started out of the room behind Daddy. I looked back once more before following him down the hallway to the door that opened onto the rear loggia. It was a windy evening, and the breakers were high and bone white. The sky was starless. overcast.
"Rough seas ahead." Daddy warned.
The wind rattled the shades and the blinds behind me until I closed the door. Then I followed him down the steps, and we both walked toward the dock.
"I'm a little frightened. Daddy," I said.
He stopped and nodded
. "Sure you are. Why shouldn't you be?
I was. Here." he said, reaching for my hand. "I'll be right beside you the whole time."
"Thank you. Daddy."
We continued toward the dock.
"You probably don't remember." he said. "but when you were very little, not much older than Linden is now, I took you down to the dock to see an aircraft carrier arriving. You thought it was going to come right on shore, and you were very frightened for a few moments. I picked you up and reassured you, and you calmed down, and then your eyes grew so big with amazement I couldn't stop laughing. There was a band there, and they were playing the Navy anthem."
"I think I remember. Daddy."
"Anchors aweigh, my boy," he sang. "You used to sing that. Sailor Girl."
"I know."
"It broke my heart to leave you behind. I know it's selfish of me, but when the order came down to get you I was happy about it. Forgive me."
"I can never blame you for anything. Daddy. Never." I said.
He smiled, and we stepped onto the dock. "Can you see the ship there. Sailor Girl?"