My father-in-law and his eight sons b/ea/t my pregnant wife until she lost our baby… then laughed outside her ICU door, mocking me as a “worthless, broke soldier.” They had no idea I wasn’t just any soldier-I was the commander of a black-ops hit squad. As my phone buzzed with a message reading “Target confirmed,” I looked at them and whispered…

to anyone who knew what to look for that I was still very much on active duty.

The sliding glass door hummed open. Clara stepped out onto the porch, the soft, woven fabric of her sweater brushing gently against me. She wrapped her arms securely around my waist from behind, resting her cheek warmly against the broad expanse of my back. She was healing continue reading …