October 11, 2023 – 7:18 AM
The smell of bacon filled the farmhouse.
Lin walked into the kitchen to find the table already crowded with food.
Eggs.
Bacon.
Sausage.
Buttermilk pancakes.
Fresh fruit.
Toast.
A large bowl of scrambled eggs sat in the center beside a stack of pancakes that looked suspiciously unstable.
Jake was standing on his chair, holding a piece of bacon like a trophy.
"Daddy's coming home today!"
Lin smiled.
"I heard you the first three times."
Jake grinned.
"Daddy's coming home!"
Richard lowered his newspaper.
"We've heard it at least twelve times."
Jake looked at him seriously.
"Daddy's coming home."
Richard nodded.
"Thirteen."
Helen laughed from the stove.
"Let him be excited."
Jake dropped back into his chair.
"Is he coming before breakfast?"
Lin sat beside him.
"Probably not."
Jake's face fell slightly.
"After breakfast?"
"Maybe."
"Before lunch?"
Lin smiled.
"You really want him here."
Jake nodded immediately.
"Yes."
He picked up his fork.
"Daddy said he was coming home."
There was something so certain about the way he said it that Lin didn't tease him.
She reached over and straightened his napkin.
"Then we'll be ready when he gets here."
Jake smiled.
Richard poured himself another cup of coffee.
"How long has he been gone?"
Helen glanced at him.
"Long enough for Jake to wear a path through the front porch."
Jake looked offended.
"I did not."
Richard pointed toward the window.
"You have checked the driveway six times this morning."
"Seven."
Richard raised an eyebrow.
Jake grinned.
"Maybe eight."
Everyone laughed.
Lin watched him for a moment.
The little boy was practically vibrating with excitement.
She understood why.
Lucas had been away long enough that his absence had become noticeable throughout the house.
Even without Jake saying anything, Lin had noticed the difference.
The farmhouse felt quieter.
Less guarded.
There was something about Lucas's presence that changed the atmosphere.
Not loudly.
He simply occupied space with a kind of calm certainty.
Lin caught herself thinking about it.
She immediately concentrated on her pancakes.
Helen placed another plate on the table.
"Eat."
Lin looked at the mountain of food.
"Mom, how many people are you feeding?"
"All of you."
Richard looked at the table.
"You cooked enough for a football team."
Helen shrugged.
"Your son is coming home."
Richard smiled.
"Ah."
Jake raised his hand.
"Can I have more bacon?"
Helen pointed toward his plate.
"You haven't finished what you have."
Jake looked at the bacon.
Then at his eggs.
Then back at the bacon.
He sighed dramatically.
"This is difficult."
Richard laughed.
"You'll survive."
Lin smiled.
"Careful, Grandpa. That's a dangerous word around here."
Richard gave her a look.
"I'm aware."
Lin took a sip of coffee.
Her mother looked across the table.
"Did you sleep better?"
Lin paused.
"A little."
Helen nodded.
She didn't ask anything else.
Lin appreciated that.
Instead, Helen passed her the fruit.
"Eat something healthy."
Lin took a strawberry.
"Happy?"
"Very."
Jake suddenly looked toward the window.
Everyone followed his gaze.
A vehicle was passing on the county road.
Jake stood halfway out of his chair.
"Daddy?"
Richard glanced outside.
"Nope."
Jake slowly sat down.
"Oh."
Lin smiled.
"He'll be here."
Jake looked at her.
"You promise?"
Lin hesitated for only a second.
Then nodded.
"I promise we'll be here waiting."
Jake smiled.
That seemed to be enough.
He picked up his fork again.
"I'm going to show Daddy the new cameras."
General Fang, sitting quietly at the end of the table, raised an eyebrow.
"All fifty-nine?"
Jake nodded enthusiastically.
"All of them."
Richard chuckled.
"Your father is going to regret teaching you numbers."
Jake grinned.
"I know all the cameras."
Lin laughed.
"Apparently you do."
Jake took another bite of pancake.
Then, with complete seriousness, announced:
"Daddy's coming home."
This time nobody corrected him.
Lin looked around the table.
Her parents.
Jake.
General Fang.
The farmhouse.
The breakfast spread.
The ordinary morning.
For a few minutes, there was nothing to plan.
Nothing to investigate.
Nothing to fear.
Just a family waiting for someone they loved to come home.
And Lin found herself smiling before she even realized she was doing it.
October 11, 2023 – 9:06 AM
The sound of tires on gravel came from beyond the front gate.
Jake dropped his fork.
"Daddy!"
He jumped off his chair before anyone could stop him.
Lin barely had time to put down her coffee before Jake was already running toward the front door.
Richard laughed.
"There he goes."
Helen followed more slowly.
Lin stood from the table.
She told herself she was simply happy Lucas was coming home.
That was all.
She walked onto the porch.
The vehicle appeared at the end of the driveway.
Lucas's truck.
Lin recognized it immediately.
Jake flew down the steps.
"Daddy!"
The truck slowed.
Then stopped.
The driver's door opened.
Lucas stepped out.
Jake ran straight into him.
Lucas caught his son and lifted him off the ground.
"Hey, buddy."
Jake wrapped both arms around his neck.
"You came home!"
Lin smiled.
She hadn't realized how much she had missed seeing that particular smile on Lucas's face.
Then the passenger door opened.
A woman stepped out.
Lin's smile disappeared.
The woman was tall.
Dark hair.
Attractive.
Well dressed.
She stood beside the truck and looked toward the farmhouse.
Lin didn't move.
Her first thought was simple.
Who the hell is that?
Lucas said something to Jake.
The little boy immediately looked toward the woman.
Then back at his father.
Then toward Lin.
Lin caught the expression.
That tiny hesitation was enough to make her stomach tighten.
Helen stepped beside her.
"Who's the woman?"
Lin kept her eyes on the driveway.
"I have absolutely no idea."
Richard came onto the porch behind them.
He looked at the woman.
Then at Lucas.
Then at Lin.
He wisely said nothing.
Lucas finally lowered Jake.
Jake grabbed his father's hand.
"Come meet everybody."
Lucas smiled.
"I'm coming."
He looked toward Lin.
Their eyes met.
For one brief second, Lin forgot about the woman.
Lucas looked tired.
Dust marked the shoulders of his jacket.
His hair was slightly disheveled.
But he was home.
Lin smiled politely.
"Welcome back."
Lucas returned the smile.
"Good to be back."
Then he turned.
"Lin, this is—"
The woman stepped forward.
She smiled.
"I'm Claire."
Lin looked at her.
Claire extended her hand.
Lin shook it.
"Lin."
Claire's smile widened.
"I know."
Lin paused.
"You know me?"
Claire laughed softly.
"Lucas has mentioned you."
Lin glanced at Lucas.
He suddenly looked very interested in Jake's backpack.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Helen stepped forward.
"Come inside. Breakfast is still warm."
Claire smiled.
"That's very kind."
Jake tugged on Lucas's sleeve.
"Daddy, I saved you pancakes."
Lucas looked down at him.
"You did?"
Jake nodded proudly.
"Three."
Richard laughed.
"He ate one of them while waiting."
Jake immediately corrected him.
"Two."
Lucas smiled.
"Two pancakes?"
Jake nodded.
"I saved the other two."
Lin laughed despite herself.
"Your math is impressive."
Jake grinned.
Everyone started toward the farmhouse.
Lin remained on the porch for half a second.
She watched Lucas walk beside Claire.
They weren't holding hands.
They weren't acting like a couple.
But that didn't explain why Claire was here.
Lin followed.
Inside, Claire sat at the kitchen table.
Lucas settled Jake into his chair.
Helen immediately put another plate on the table.
"Eat."
Lucas looked at the food.
"You made all this?"
Helen smiled.
"Jake has been announcing your arrival since seven this morning."
Jake nodded.
"Daddy's home."
Lucas laughed.
"I heard."
Lin sat across from him.
Claire sat beside Lucas.
Lin picked up her coffee.
She took a sip.
It suddenly tasted much stronger than it had five minutes ago.
Helen noticed everything.
Of course she did.
She looked at Lin.
Then at Claire.
Then back at Lin.
Lin gave her mother the smallest possible warning look.
Don't.
Helen smiled innocently.
She absolutely understood.
Lucas finally looked at Lin.
"How was everything while I was gone?"
Lin shrugged.
"Quiet."
Richard coughed.
Helen looked down at her plate.
Lin continued.
"Except for the bank robbery."
Lucas stopped eating.
"The what?"
Lin smiled.
"Long story."
Lucas stared at her.
"You had a bank robbery while I was gone?"
"Technically, they robbed the bank before arriving."
Claire looked confused.
"Arriving where?"
Lin took another sip of coffee.
"My driveway."
Lucas slowly put down his fork.
"My driveway?"
Lin nodded.
"They used it as an escape route."
Lucas stared at her for several seconds.
Then looked toward Richard.
Richard nodded.
"She's telling the truth."
Lucas looked back at Lin.
"I leave for a few days..."
Lin smiled.
"...and you attract criminals."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Apparently."
Claire laughed.
Lin looked at her.
She seemed genuinely amused.
Not threatened.
Not awkward.
Just amused.
Somehow that bothered Lin more.
Lucas turned back toward Lin.
"We'll talk about it later."
"Sure."
His eyes remained on her for another moment.
Then Claire touched his arm lightly.
"You should eat before everything gets cold."
Lucas looked at her.
"Right."
Lin lowered her eyes to her plate.
She suddenly became very interested in her eggs.
She wasn't jealous.
Obviously.
She barely knew Lucas.
He wasn't hers.
He could have a girlfriend.
He could have three girlfriends.
He could apparently bring an entire marching band home if he wanted.
None of that had anything to do with her.
Lin took another bite.
The eggs tasted like cardboard.
She swallowed.
Across the table, Jake was happily telling Claire about the fifty-nine cameras.
Lin listened to the child's excited voice.
Then she looked at Lucas.
He was smiling at his son.
For some reason, that smile irritated her.
Lin took another sip of coffee.
This was fine.
Completely fine.
She had a farm.
A hotel.
A warehouse.
A business plan.
Three photographers.
A marketing contract.
Two hundred thousand dollars in emergency savings.
And an apocalypse that might not even happen.
She absolutely did not need to worry about one handsome man arriving home with a beautiful woman.
Absolutely not.
Lin reached for the bacon.
Then Claire said quietly,
"Lucas has told me quite a lot about this place."
Lin looked up.
Claire smiled.
"I was curious to finally see it."
Lin held her gaze.
Something about the wording caught her attention.
"Finally?"
Claire nodded.
"Yes."
Lin glanced at Lucas.
He had stopped smiling.
And suddenly, Lin wanted to know exactly who Claire was.