I turned away from the window to see the world’s saddest little girl staring at me. I hoisted her up and sat her on my forearm so that we were eye level. “You think I should take a blind turtle on deployment?”

She nodded solemnly.

“Maybe I should have asked why you think I should take him?” I tried to match her serious expression and failed.

“Cousteau is a fish. He can’t go. Barnaby would escape, so he can’t go. And Juno pees in your shoes.” She wrinkled her nose. “But Phillip would fit in your pocket.” She tapped the breast pocket of my button-down shirt. “Not that one, of course. It’s too small.”

“So I should take Phillip because he can breathe without water, he’s too slow to escape, and he won’t pee in my shoes?” I raised my eyebrows at her.

“Yep. Plus, he fits in your pocket.” Her big brown eyes were almost impossible to deny, but in this case, I was going to have to hold out.

“I won’t have a lot of time for pets, Fin. It’s mostly flying and paperwork. Is there some other reason Phillip needs to come?”

Her little lips pursed, and she stared long and hard at the floor.

“Finley?” I asked gently.

“So you don’t forget me.” There were no tears, thank God, but the misery in her eyes broke my heart, then trampled it.

My chest constricted, but I managed not to lose my shit in front of her. “Fin, sweetheart, there’s no chance I could forget you. Zero. I don’t need to carry Phillip around when I have you right here.” I took her hand and put it on top of my heart. “Will it make you feel better if you hear the plan again?”

She nodded.

“You have a brand-new phone!” I made a jazz hand with the one that wasn’t holding her and was rewarded by a tiny smile. “Now, what are the rules of this brand-new phone, Finley Montgomery?”

Her eyebrows furrowed with concentration. “Only use it at home or at Grandma’s.”

“Correct.”

“Keep it charged.”

“You got it.”

“Answer when you call for video chat.”

“Bingo. Every day at seven before school and every night before bed as promised. You’ll be so sick of my face you won’t want me to come home.”

She giggled. Oh, sweet victory.

“And what happens if I have to go rescue people and can’t make it to a call?”

“You’ll send a text or call earlier…or later!” There was a grin, too.

“And what happens to that phone when I get home?”

She twisted her puckered lips from side to side. “I have to give it back.”