“I’d worry, sir. You know as well as I do that our work requires total focus. How can you give it that focus if a part of you…” Nathaniel winced, realizing he was treading dangerously close to sappy greeting-card territory here.
But he still wanted the answer. “How do you do your job right if your thoughts are back home, worrying about the people who are worrying about you?”
“You do it because they expect you to. Because they believe you’re damn good and trust your training is the best.” The admiral shrugged, then poked a beefy finger at the framed photo of his wife sitting on the corner of his desk. “You make sure they understand your reasons for being a soldier, that they are strong enough to support you. And you let them blubber when they have to. Give them some pats on the back, a li
