But this?
Logan was old enough to fully understand what it meant that his dad was injured. Abby, too. And if he was killed?
If he never came back home to them?
“Oh God,” she whispered. Her hand went to her forehead as her breath caught.
She sucked in a huge gulp of air, feeling dizzy. The room began to spin, and she clutched Patrick’s sheets in one fist.
Nothing would ever be the same again. Nothing. Either he’d be injured—gravely wounded, recovering in a hospital in Germany or stateside. Spending months in recovery and rehab. Or he’d succumb to his injuries. Come home in a casket.
But no, she couldn’t even let herself think about that horrible option.
She wouldn’t.
She sniffed, hot tears rolling down her cheeks, and she heard a soft knock at the bedroom door. She gasped for a breath and hastily wiped her eyes. She might as well join Sarah, and they could sit and wait for news together. Clearly, she wasn’t getting any sleep either tonight.
“Any word?” Sarah asked, an anxious look on her face as Rebecca opened the door.
“No. Nothing.” She swatted at the stray tear rolling down her cheek.
“I heard you in here,” Sarah said, giving her a quick hug. “I couldn’t sleep either.” She stepped back and rearranged her hair in a messy bun, the three small earrings in her ear glinting in the dim light.
“Let’s go make some tea and sit and wait. I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep at all until I hear an update from Ryan.”
“Me either. Come on, let’s go sit in the kitchen.”
“Thanks again for coming over to watch the kids while I checked on Alison earlier. I don’t know what I would’ve done without anyone here after I got the news about Patrick.”
“I cannot believe that Ryan called and told you that over the phone,” Sarah huffed. “I specifically told him to leave and go find you so he could tell you in person. I even threatened to go find you myself.”
Rebecca blew out a breath, sinking into a chair at the kitchen table. “He tried to find me,” she said with a shrug. “He said he came to the house, then to the hospital. I’m not sure what else he could’ve done aside from driving around all night. I know he wanted to tell me in person, but he had to get back to base. The rest of the team is still over there running whatever mission they’re on.”
“I guess,” Sarah muttered, grabbing two boxes of tea from the cupboard. “My brother hates this green tea. Naturally it’s my absolute favorite.”
Rebecca let out a small laugh. “Yeah, I think he mentioned that actually.”
“Figures,” Sarah said, filling two mugs with water and then sticking them into the microwave to warm up. “We’re about as opposite as can be.”
Rebecca’s gaze slid to the clock on the wall. “The kids will be up early. God, to have to tell Logan that his dad was hurt? It’s going to be horrible.”
“Do they have camp today?”
“Yeah, actually they do. Maybe I should just send them and tell them later when I know more. I mean, saying that his dad is injured but will be home is a hell of a lot better than the alternative. And I barely have any information myself at the moment.”
“Let’s wait and tell the kids. And if you don’t hear from Ryan, I’ll drive over to base myself and raise hell.”
“God, I’d love to see that,” Rebecca said.
Sarah smirked. “Ryan’s used to bossing everyone around. I swear dealing with that man is a nightmare sometimes.”
Rebecca sighed, gratefully taking the mug of tea that Sarah brought over. “Patrick told you I’m pregnant, right?”
Sarah nearly dropped her own mug. “No he did not. Are you serious?” she asked, her face lighting up. “What am I saying—of course you’re serious. Holy crap. And congratulations!”
“It was a surprise,” Rebecca said. “A happy one, but absolutely a complete surprise.”
“That’s why you’re moving in together.”