Chapter 18 - Touchdown
Two weeks later, the twin-engine military transport touched down on domestic soil with a solid, reassuring thud.
Stepping off the ramp into the crisp, clean air of the Virginia airfield, I took a deep, grounding breath. The deployment was officially complete. My unit had executed their mission flawlessly, and my service record added another unblemished chapter of leadership under pressure.
A sleek black government sedan was waiting to drive me straight back to my sanctuary.
As the car rolled past the familiar country roads, the dense canopy of oak trees and the rolling hills welcomed me home.
When we turned down my private drive, the lake house stood exactly as I had left it: sturdy, quiet, and bathed in the warm, golden light of late afternoon.
There were no trucks blocking the asphalt. There were no oil stains on the pavement. There was only the gentle rustle of leaves and the calm, shimmering expanse of water reflecting the evening sky.
I unlocked the front door, stepped inside, and breathed in the scent of lemon polish and pine.
May you like
I was home.
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