She sighed with what sounded like a bit of regret. “Okay, then. I’m sorry about tonight. I wish we had more time. If your flight didn’t come in so late . . .”
He gave her a reassuring smile. “It’s okay. We’ll have more time tomorrow.”
“Yes, definitely. I will set aside the whole day for us to spend together.”
One entire, uninterrupted day with Abby? It was Sterling’s turn to smile.
A salt and pepper haired man with silver colored, rectangular framed glasses shouted at Sterling as he walked over the threshold and into a spacious living room. “There’s my boy!” Sterling threw his duffle onto a nearby chair and walked into the warm hug awaiting him. “I’ve missed you, son.” Taking a step back, he caught his dad’s gaze sweep over him accompanied by an appreciative smile. “Look at you. By God, you’re a man now.” Marvin patted Sterling on the back. “Where does the time go?”
“I’ve missed you too, Dad. I’m glad to be back home.”
“Go put your stuff away and make yourself comfortable. Your room is waiting for you. If you’re hungry, there’s some food in the refrigerator. I’ll be right here in front of the TV. You can come join me later if you’d like.”
Sterling grinned. “Sure, Dad.” He climbed the stairs to the second floor and heaved a long sigh of relief as he nestled into the familiar hallway off a small loft that led to two bedrooms. His room, on the left, connected with the other bedroom through an adjoining bathroom. He recalled fond memories when Abby spent the night in the adjacent bedroom. He also remembered a few rare but glorious instances she spent the night in his bed. Of course, sharing the bed with his best friend only happened as they grew older.
His parents trusted her and rightly so. He never got anywhere with Abby. A hug at the most and a peck on the cheek was all he snuck out of his golden girl, yet he never tried for anything else. What treasured gifts she gave to him were solely up to her. They were, after all, only best friends.
He slipped his phone out of a front pocket of his duffle when he found a text message from Abby. Staring at the screen, he unlocked it using the face recognition software and quickly replied to Abby’s query, asking if he was okay. A few seconds later, he found her request for a FaceTime conversation. His heart jumped into his throat as he eagerly pressed the button to accept.
He smiled as he greeted her. “Hey you. I just texted you. I’m okay.”
“Are you sure? I know you’re home, in familiar territory but it’s been years and I just wanted to make sure you’ll be okay tonight—your first night home.”
“I’ll be okay.”
“Do you need Gunner? I can bring him over, if you want.” Abby turned to her right and beckoned at something out of his sight. “Come here, Gunner. Say hi to your dad.” A large, furry German shepherd appeared in the screen followed shortly by a nose wiping over part of the screen. They shared a laugh as Abby pulled the dog back. “You silly thing. I said say hi not nose your dad.”
The image of his beautiful tan and black colored dog tugged at his heart. Tears sprung to the corners of his eyes. “Hey, Gunner, I’ve missed you, boy.” During his time away, Abby did all she could to have Gunner trained for what Sterling needed. Still, there was only so much she was able to do, on her own. The rest was now up to Sterling. He cooed at and complimented Gunner while the dog whined and pawed at the phone.
“Aww, Gunner misses you. You sure you don’t want me to bring him over? I can leave after I drop him off.” Abby ran her slim fingers through Gunner’s thick fur. “I worry about you, that’s all. I think you need Gunner.”
Sterling chuckled. “If you brought Gunner over, I’d want you to stay too but you’re with Phil. I don’t care to have him here too. Hopefully he’s not with you and listening to our conversation but if he is . . . well, now he knows my thoughts.”
“Sterling . . .” she chided. “He’s in the other room and no, he won’t bite.”
“Yeah, but I might.”
She laughed. “You don’t like him, do you? Why? You don’t know him yet. Wait till you get to know him. We should have dinner, with him, tomorrow night.”
Sterling shook his head. “No, tomorrow is just for you and me. That’s what I want.”
She gave him a winning smile. “Okay, Mr. Military Man, you get what you want since you’re back in town. But listen, I am really worried about you and your nightmares. Do you want me to come over with Gunner?”
Sterling glanced off to one side and considered her request. Did he want her to come over? Hell yeah. Once she set foot in his bedroom, he’d ask her to stay, forever. Yet, she was with Phil, possibly spending the night with the man . . . The idea had Sterling’s stomach cringing and his tongue ready to shout out words, syllables, noise, anything to get her to stop from making the same mistake she had four months ago before she took Phil back. Why in the world she did was beyond him. Yet, Abby was just like that. Always willing to give someone a second chance, even if they didn’t deserve it.
The only exception, now, was that Sterling was back in town and Abby wanted to spend time with him too. He wanted his best friend back the way he knew her and grew up with her, including her covetous attention which he took for granted in the past but had learned to cherish over the last several years while he was away.
Beyond the phone calls, she’d sent him cards and care packages almost monthly. She even mailed care packages to those soldiers he became close with, some who didn’t have family or friends waiting for them back home. In his book, the woman was uniquely a saint. She said it was the least she could do, to thank him and the others serving their country for her to live freely. From the day the Army claimed her best friend, she wanted to do what little she could—a feat that flooded through and warmed his heart with impossible amounts of gratitude and appreciation each time he pondered the generosity and concern of the one woman he admired most in the world.
For Abby, he’d do anything.
He couldn’t ask her to abandon her date for him . . . or could he?
A long, reluctant sigh eased out of his mouth as he freed her for the night. “No, you have fun . . . with Phil.”
Her smile shined brightly. “I love you, you know.”
He knew. Unfortunately her love for him didn’t extend beyond friendship.
“Love you too.”
He stayed on the call until she ended it. Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.
Chapter Two
Abby yawned and stretched her arms in the air, careful not to bump Gunner in the process. Yet, a quick glance at her right side and at the foot of the bed alerted her that Gunner was nowhere in sight.
Her voice croaked as she called out to him, “Gunner, where are you?” Abby swung her legs over the bed and gently lifted off the mattress. Slipping her feet into plush bedroom slippers, she padded out the door and toward the kitchen, her brain juggling between concentrating on moving her legs in a straight pattern and desperately screaming for Abby to feed her body the proper amount of caffeine in order to function.
“There you are,” she called out as she spotted him by the edge of the sofa. She swiveled toward her coffeemaker and pushed the button to start the process that would gain her clarity and a more functional library of words to choose from for future conversations that wouldn’t include her dog. Gunner never cared if she slurred over her words but Sterling might. She chuckled at the thought as she fingered the red bow on the package of ground coffee she purchased for him.
She had waited too long for Sterling’s return. During their last conversation she urged him to think of the future despite her silent desire to have him home. His returning after only four years was selfish of her to request. Sterling needed to do what was best for him. Still, when the Army gave him an opportunity to exit upon completion of his contract, a small part of her heart jumped with joy at the prospect of greeting him, with open arms, at the airport.
Sterling was a major part of her life. If he renewed his contract and then, later, p
assed away while in service . . . The graphic images invading her mind, brought immediate tears to her eyes. She didn’t know what she’d do without him. She didn’t know how she’d handle his funeral. She’d likely collapse on the dirt, unable to bear the idea of never seeing her best friend’s smile again. Every day without him would be painful, like a knife endlessly stabbing tender , raw sections of her heart, running it through till there was no more life force left in her. Visiting their old haunts would never be the same. She placed a hand over her mouth as an inhuman noise screeched from her lips. Swiping at the tears streaming down her face, she batted her eyelashes to clear her view as she bent down to pet Gunner’s head. The poor dog ran over to her as soon as she cried out.
“It’s okay, sweetie. Thank you for worrying about me.” She bent lower to kiss him on the top of his head before he slumped at her feet with a long, drawn-out groan. She laughed at the comical pup’s antics, poured the coffee into a to go container, grabbed the gift for Sterling, and headed toward her bedroom with the dog at her heels.
She was going to see Sterling today. It was going to be a great day.
Hours later, she rang the doorbell while shifting Gunner’s leash in her hand, at the same time. The door swung open, startling her for a second, when she found a familiar face staring back at her. Sterling opened his long, corded arms. She sighed into his embrace. Shortly afterward, he stooped down and, enthusiastically, greeted his fluffball son.
Abby presented the wrapped package of ground coffee to Sterling. “This is for you. A happy homecoming present.”
He snorted and then shook his head. “You never cease to amaze me. Another gift? And my favorite. Kona coffee. Abs, you are too much, you know that? I think I won the jackpot with you.”
Abby, playfully, pretended to pinch his arm. “Yeah you did. Don’t forget that.”
He laughed. “Come on in. My dad’s out right now grocery shopping but he’ll be back soon. Let me put this away.” Abby led Gunner through the doorway and closed the door behind her.
Sterling pointed to the sofa to their left as he walked past them. “Please, have a seat.”
Abby unclipped the leash from Gunner’s collar. The dog trotted over to Sterling, already in the kitchen.
“Sit,” he commanded. “Good boy.” He rubbed the fur on the top of Gunner’s head with a smile plastered across his face and then he returned to Abby. Sitting beside her, he grabbed ahold of her hand and asked, “So, what should we do today?”
“I thought we’d go to the dog park, watch some movies, and pop some popcorn later on and then, maybe tomorrow night, we can go out with Phil. Beyond that, the rest is up to you.”
Sterling’s hand slipped out of hers. She caught his frown. “What’s wrong?”
“Why are you back with Phil?”
“I wanted to give him a second chance.”
“Why?”
“Are we going to talk about Phil this entire time?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “You’re the one who brought him up.”
“Why don’t you like him?”
“He’s not right for you.”
“And you know this, how? From my conversations with you? You don’t know him, Sterling. Only what I told you about him.”
“That’s all I need to know about him.”
Gunner pawed at her leg in an attempt to assuage her distress. She glanced over at him and ran her fingers through his fur. “Please, just give Phil a chance.”
Abby waited for a response but none came. In the extended silence, she reviewed snippets of their conversation in her mind, monitoring her intensifying heartbeats as she stared into Sterling’s gorgeous irises. Sterling was stellar. He could have anyone…
After what seemed a mini-eternity, Sterling finally spoke. “Okay, I will, for you, Abs. But I still don’t think he’s good enough. Especially from the way he treated you, in the past. You deserve better.”
Her heart lifted with his consent. She wrapped her hands around his solid, firm arm and squeezed it gently, as she placed her head against his shoulder.
“Thank you.” She attempted to find stronger words to express the deep gratitude warming through her heart but came up with nothing. Sterling meant everything to her. If he didn’t accept Phil, she didn’t know what she’d do.
She looked up at him and smiled, the corners of her eyes crinkling with her merriment. “I love you, you know.”
He gazed at her, fondly, and strummed the back of his fingers across her cheek. “I know. I love you too.” He squeezed her shoulders and then grinned, his gaze focusing on Gunner before returning to her. “So, what do you say? Let’s go to the park.”
She gave him a big hug before lifting from the couch. Squatting in front of Gunner, she shouted enthusiastically, “Wanna go for a car ride?”
Gunner whined his agreement and spun in a circle. They merrily laughed at his whimsy and then led the eager pup out the door.
Three months later, things were better than ever. Sterling interviewed for several positions and was, eventually, hired as a baggage screener for the Transportation and Security Administration at the local airport. It was a good job with excellent pay and after two months of working for them, he had accumulated enough stories worthy of a novel, if he ever decided to write one. The best story, yet, was the day a poor, unclaimed pup sat in his container on the airport floor. Boy, did that one rile up a bunch of emotions within him.
The thought of leaving Gunner in a situation like that had him curling his hands into fists. Still, after more than six hours of waiting, the owner finally showed up and took the poor dog home. He wasn’t sure if the dog was better off with the owner or in another house. What he did know was, if the owner hadn’t claimed the dog, Gunner might’ve had a brother. There was no way he’d leave the poor animal behind.
He recalled telling Abby the story and the look of shock spread across her gorgeous face. Abby would’ve happily taken in the poor pooch if Sterling hadn’t. Speaking of Abby . . .
Much to his chagrin, she remained dating Phil. After a few nights out with him, Sterling figured out why she liked him. Phil had a good sense of humor and seemed to genuinely care for Abby. He was a charmer, at best. His worst part? Sterling hadn’t figured that one out yet.
Still, there had to be a flaw. No one was perfect.
The happy smiles she gave to Sterling or the merry laughter that rolled off her tongue each time she informed him she was getting ready for yet another date with Mr. Wonderful, tied Sterling’s insides into knots. It should be her loyal best friend Sterling’s company she cheered for, not gloriously unaware Phil’s.
Sterling attempted to talk to her, at several times, during the past several months. Their discussions regarding the “virtues” of Phil often became over-heated, ending with her sudden departure to cool down. There was nothing Phil could do to change Sterling’s mind. Phil could’ve turned into Superman and Sterling, still, wouldn’t like him.
Yet, Abby wouldn’t hear him out. She paid no attention to his real concerns. Phil let her down once and he’d do it again, Sterling warned. Abby responded by picking up her purse and walking away.
Ten minutes later, Sterling attempted to call her, when she didn’t return to their table, yet he only received a texted reply.
Had to go. See you later. Don’t want to talk about Phil anymore.
When he summoned the server over, to pay the bill, he was informed Abby had already taken care of it. The server offered for him to stay as long as he liked yet Sterling was more than done with the evening. His only regret was he couldn’t get out of the restaurant fast enough.
Abby’s payment of the bill was a sweet gesture. Staying the rest of the night by his side would’ve been better. Sterling could’ve taken care of their expenses.
He pictured Abby contacting Phil and running straight into his arms for solace and comfort. It should be Sterling’s arms she turned to, instead. She always had, in the past.
Reflecting on Abby had
his heart slowly slumping into his stomach. His shoulders rounded and his smile turned quickly to a frown. His muscles weakened and his former positivity changed into weary melancholy. If Phil was what she wanted, Abby could have him. Sterling was done fighting.
Several hours later, Sterling found himself at a nightclub. He had no idea how he got there but he knew he needed a distraction. His fingers cradled his phone as an image of contacting Abby flashed across his mind. There was no way in hell he’d do that. She was likely with Mr. Amazingly stellar, wonderful man tonight, anyway.
He made his way toward the entrance and nodded at the man who opened the door for him. The man gave him a puzzled look, probably wondering why a good-looking guy like him was at one of these establishments. Granted, beautiful people everywhere attended nightclubs. Yet, Sterling hadn’t been in a club in . . . He figured it was at some time, four years ago, when he and Abby remained friends. He sighed as he retracted his last few words. Of course, he remained friends with Abby but with his current mood and the outcome of their night out, he wasn’t feeling too friendly at the moment.
The last time he ventured into a nightclub had been with her. Sterling had made sure he spent most of the time dancing with her best bud. Tonight she was probably dancing with good ol’ Phil, in and out of the sheets.
Bile forced its way up the back of Sterling’s throat. The urge to flee toward a restroom and lose his dinner in one of the club’s toilets, threatened to move his feet, yet he stood his ground. He was at the club for a reason and it wasn’t because of Abby. She made her decision and so did he.
He strolled over to the bar and leaned over a chair, inhaling mouthfuls of air to tamp down the urge to run back to his car. He was here for a reason. If he was lucky, he’d lose himself in one of the women tonight.
“You okay?”
He jerked his head up to spot a leggy blonde in a shiny, short dress perched on the bar stool next to him. Had she been there the entire time? If so, he hadn’t noticed, his thoughts, instead, centered on a certain frustrating yet fabulously beautiful former best friend.
No Man Left Behind: A Veteran Inspired Charity Anthology Page 22
