the staircase, “anyone up for a game of dominoes?”
“Be right down,” Carmen shouted and then turned to Joanie. “You comin’?”
Before she could answer, her phone rang, and she nodded. “It’s Brett. He lately only has a few minutes, so don’t start without me.”
“Hello, darlin’,” she answered the phone.
“Hello, I’ve got maybe five minutes at the most,” Brett said. “So how’s living in the backwoods?”
“It really is great except when there’s no electricity. We’re without power here for the second day now. I’m just glad it’s not winter,” she answered. “What’s goin’ on in whatever neck of the woods you’re in?”
“Classified, for the most part. It seems like I’ve been keeping secrets forever,” he said.
Joanie held her breath, fear gripping her heart. He was about to tell her that he wanted a divorce, too.
“Are you still there?” Brett asked.
“Yes, I’m here,” she whispered. “Go on.”
“I’ll have my twenty years in about the same time as Zoe gets out of basic training. I’m thinking about retiring,” he said. “I didn’t want to mention it until I’d thought it over.”
Tears welled up in her eyes. He and Eli were both leaving the military, and his next words would be that he had a new woman, too.
Stop it! That niggling voice in the back of her head screamed at her. He’s never given you any reason to doubt his fidelity.
“Joanie, I know this is a lot to spring on you, but I had to think it through first. The team is splitting up since Eli and Kate are both leaving anyway,” he said.
“Okay . . . ,” she stammered.
“You sound like you’re about to cry. Are you disappointed?” he asked. “It’s just that I’ve been offered a civilian job. It’s a nine-to-five teaching job at a private security firm, and it pays very well. Our plan was to stay until I had thirty years in, but . . .” He paused.
Joanie was speechless. She opened her mouth to talk, but words wouldn’t come out. She’d dreamed about the day that Brett would retire from the service, but she’d never let herself think about that day coming sooner than another decade. There was no other woman. He’d been distant because he was trying to figure things out.
“If you don’t like the idea, I can turn down the offer, but it’s a good one and seems like a sign coming right now,” Brett said.
“I love it,” she spit out in a hurry. “I’m teary eyed, and, God, I wish you were here so I could show you how much I want you to do this. Where’s the civilian job located?”
“That’s the kicker, darlin’. We’d have to move away from Texas. I’d be working out of Washington, DC. I’ve been looking at apartments in Arlington, Virginia. That’s only about three miles from one place to the other. You’d have to leave Carmen and Diana,” he said.
“You are serious about this?” She pinched her leg to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. “Have you told Gerald and Eli?”
“Yes, I’m very serious, and no, I haven’t told them. Don’t intend to until I get your thoughts on it. I was approached last year, but I had another year to put in before retirement. A couple of days ago, I got called again, and . . .” He paused and then went on. “And something you said about family affairs with Gerald and Eli and their new women stuck in my mind. I asked myself which was more important to me—my family or my friends? You came out at the top of the list.”
“When do we put our house up for sale, and when do I start packing?” she asked.
His laughter was like honey to her soul. “I won’t start the job until March first, but I have to give them an answer in the next two weeks.”
“Do you need to think about it?” Joanie felt as if she were floating on air.
“Not since I’ve talked to you, but to be on the safe side, let’s both do some serious thinking about it for one week anyway,” he suggested. “And now, after laying that bomb in your lap, I really have to go. I’ll call when I can, and I hope the power comes back on real soon.”
“Love you so much, Brett.” She wanted to kick herself for doubting his faithfulness, even for a minute.
“Love you,” he said.
She held the phone to her chest for a long time. Just the idea of Brett being home every evening would be the best