How She Came Home

Chapter Seventy-Seven

They only stayed until Sunday in L.A. and the following week passed by too fast for Becca to broach the topic of her eavesdropping. That weekend, Heng and Hera were in town from L.A. to visit Nam and reunite with Freen again, and Billy was freshly back from his deployment.

Becca suggested a game night at the house, more than enough room for everyone to fit in, and they extended invitations to Abi, Kyle and Irin as well.

It was the first time Freen had been around so many familiar faces since being back, and while Becca was a little bit anxious about how she'd cope with it, it was worth it to see the joy on Freen's face when she opened the door to Hera.

There was a bond between those that had served overseas together that those that hadn't were on the outside of, but it made Becca's heart soar to see the understanding between them.

Freen hugged them just a little bit longer and Becca was filled with the quiet hope that it would make things easier for her, even just for one night.

"I've missed you," Freen said as she pulled back from Hera and wrapped Heng in a tight hug.

"Us?" Heng echoed with a loud laugh, "the last time we saw you, it was an empty box being lowered into the ground. You have some explaining to do."

Rolling her eyes, her smile a little strained, Freen ushered them inside and Becca stepped forward from where she was hovering in the doorway to the living room. Greetings were exchanged, friendly hugs and offers to take coats and fetch drinks.

"It's a long story," Freen wearily replied.

Heng clapped a hand on her shoulder, squeezing reassuringly. "Yeah, even Non wouldn't talk about it when I gave him a call. And you know how much he loved the sound of his own voice."

Freen snorted, shaking her head as she suppressed a laugh. She fetched two beers and handed them over, while Becca refilled her wine glass.

"You heard from him much?" Heng continued.

"No, not at all," Freen murmured. "I'm not really keen to, to be honest."

Hera nodded with understanding, rubbing Freen's back before changing the subject. Looping her arm through Hera's, Freen exhaled and then drew herself up, taller and perked up.

"Come on, I'll introduce you to everyone else."

Taking a seat in between Nam and Irin on one of the sofas, Becca took a sip of her wine and watched Freen make introductions, feeling content to sit there and nurse her drink as music played in the background and multiple conversations overlapped with laughter as everyone mingled.

Some of these people she didn't know too well and others were family, her best friends, and it was a nice mixture as Becca studied the life they'd created together.

Pizza was soon delivered for dinner, boxes passed around and slices held as the ten of them split up into random pairs and they raced through round after round of Pictionary, taking it in turns to draw on the board while guesses were shouted out and the artists were heckled.

Becca couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed so much, her eyes always straying to Freen to check if she was laughing too.

When Mind suggested Cards Against Humanity, Becca went to fetch new drinks and refills for people, Nam tagging along to lend a hand as they stood in the considerably cooler kitchen, pouring wine, vodka and soda, opening beer bottles and rinsing glasses.

"How're you doing?"Looking up at Nam, Becca's mild look of surprise melted into exasperation as she smiled, "just fine. You don't have to keep checking up on me, you know."