Page 115 of Missing Marcus

Turning on the hot water, she pulled out what she needed for the morning and packed the rest of her items. She stepped into the shower, squirted the body wash onto a washcloth, and scrubbed off the scent of Marcus still clinging to her. Something in her gut clenched as if warning her, and she shook it away. They said their peace and their goodbyes.

Tears threatened at the memory of last night and his words echoed in her head. An integral part of the puzzle felt missing. Why didn’t he tell her about the black op mission? When did he start changing? It didn’t matter. Knowing she may never know what led Marcus down the path of destruction, she accepted it. The moment she became his wife she agreed to live the same life as other military spouses, not knowing if their loved one stayed safe somewhere in the world or what they did. Marcus sacrificed for his country and so did she. Then why did it feel like she got nothing in return?

“Gabby?”

“I’m finishing up. I’ll be out in a moment,” she called through the shower curtain.

“Caroline and Alabama came to see you before we leave. Do you have a minute to say hello before they leave for work?” Marcus asked as he cracked the bathroom door.

“Sure. Tell them to give me ten minutes. Can they come to my side? I can finish dressing while we chat.”

“I’ll send them over,” his voice sounded strange as he closed the door, giving her privacy.

Shutting off the water, she dried and slipped into her clothes. She added product to her hair and styled it into long waves over her shoulder. She heard the women enter her room and she opened the bathroom door.

Squealing at the sight of her friends, she hugged them simultaneously.

“Oh, Gabrielle, you’re beautiful. We’re planning a trip up to Serenity after the baby arrives. Melody called and told us all about Kassie and the women there,” Caroline gushed. “She mentioned your sister-in-law owned a bakery there, too.”

“Yes. Bryanna runs a successful business. It’s a small town and I’ve fallen in love with it. You’ll love the women. They held a shower for me. I swear this kid won’t need anything until it turns three.” She laughed.

“We brought you presents, too. Knight packed them in his bag.” Alabama informed her. “I’m sorry, Gabby. I hoped the two of you might’ve worked it out by now. He seemed sad when he came to close on the house.”

“You saw him?” she asked as she paused to put on her makeup.

“He spent the night with Wolf and me. They spoke with him in the living room and when he entered the kitchen he appeared lost. He apologized to us,” Caroline admitted.

“Apologized? For what?” Gabby walked to the bathroom’s entrance, waiting for her answer.

“Because he told our husbands you cheated on him. He set the record straight. He even spoke with his old team and made amends with them before leaving,” Alabama said as she sat on the bed’s edge.

“He didn’t tell me.” She rubbed her stomach. “We’ve gotten a bit distracted lately.”

“Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?” Caroline asked as she smiled at Gabby.

She shook her head. “No. We agreed to let it be a surprise.”

Alabama laughed. “Wow, he has changed. The Knight we saw in the bar after you left seemed angry and appeared as if he carried a chip on his shoulder. I never would’ve guessed he’d agree to wait.”

Gabby smiled. “He left it up to me. We went to an ultrasound before we left for here. He insisted they turn the monitor to keep us from seeing the sex.”

“Awww. I know it must be hard, but I’m happy you two remained amicable for the baby’s sake,” Alabama replied.

Gabby smiled and yet her heart sank.

“We wanted to say hello and warn you of our visit. We need to get to work. Call us if you need anything and let us know when you deliver,” Caroline demanded as she hugged her. Alabama joined in.

“Thank you for coming.” Gabby watched as her friends left. Glancing at her watch, she needed to leave in fifteen minutes.

She returned to the bathroom to check her appearance, sprayed Marcus’ favorite perfume, and stared at her image. Her friends’ information rang in her head. Why did Marcus apologize and set the record straight?

She picked up the phone as someone knocked. Wolf stuck his head inside the door. “Gabrielle, we’ll leave in ten minutes. Come into Knight’s room when you’re ready.”

Things started falling into place. Marcus, her knight, defended her honor by accepting the blame. What else did he do?

Gabby stared at Claire’s name and pressed the call button.

“Hi, Gabby. How are you?” she asked, concerned for her new friend.

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