“No. But it does mean that God’s grace, his love, will be enough, whatever happens. For both of you. You just can’t imagine it right now because you haven’t needed it yet.”

She gave him a look.

“Okay, maybe you have.”

“I nearly came apart when you died.”

“But you didn’t. You kept going. You’re stronger than you think, and when you’ve come to the end of your strength, God is there.”

“I don’t think— I’m not as strong as you think.”

He put his hands on her shoulders. “Your mother was the strongest person I knew. She left her family to pursue her education. She fought the language barrier, the cultural barrier, and she married a man who dragged her around the world. She was strong enough to stick around so I had someone to come home to. I might have been the tip of the spear, but she was my home base.”

Noemi looked away, her eyes burning.

“With everything in me, I believe God brought you and Ranger together. You need him. And he needs you. His encroaching blindness has shaken him to his core. But at that core is a fighter, a man who knows what he’s doing. I saw it out there when he made a decision to save my life, and then toughed it out to drag me to safety. Ranger is a born SEAL. He’s born to run into danger. And you, honey, are born to be his wife. To give him a safe place to land. It’s not a job for every woman. But it is a job for you. Because, Noemi, you’re just like your mother.”

She stared at him, her jaw tight. Don’t cry. Don’t— “Daddy . . . just . . .” Aw. “Just don’t die on me again. I don’t want to lose you . . . I can’t— I’m sorry I was so angry.”

“Aw, honey. I don’t get off the hook that easily.” But he smiled and pulled her to himself.

As he held her, those strong arms around her, the embrace was so terribly familiar, an ache that at once burst to life, then soothed as healing crested over her.

“You might think that when Ranger deploys, you’re left here alone, but you’re not. God is with you. Keep clinging to him and pray your husband home. Your fear is an opportunity to draw nearer to God. And when he’s home, make it worth it. You do that, and you’ll be doing your part to save the world.”

“She giving you any trouble, Master Chief?” a voice said from behind them.

Her father let her go, grinned down at her, then over her shoulder. “Always.”

She laughed, then turned, swiping her cheeks.