by Kris Jacen
“It was a marvelous day. Your sister and her family are delightful. Soon those little ones will be running her in circles.” Rose paused for a minute. “Nah, she’ll be fine but your brother in law? He’s in trouble.”
“Did Sandy tell you about when she met Briar? Tom had told Sandy that he would take a day off work and spend it with the triplets so Sandy could relax since it seemed to tire her out. So Sandy came to my house to chill and Briar answered the door. Put her into protective sister mode in nothing flat. They bonded over I still don’t know what and Tom barely survived the day. We had a good laugh over his stupidity. Briar and I should have taken that hint but yeah, we were just as stupid. The babies ran us ragged one night while he was staying here.” Jack could still remember that night. What the hell had he been thinking wishing they were mobile, he wasn’t sure. He’d slept good that night.
Rose was just sitting there rocking gently, watching him. Jack was trying hard to not squirm. “You done rambling now? You’re sounding like Siah.”
“Umm, maybe?” Jack wasn’t sure what was coming next.
“So you and my son?” Rose cocked an eyebrow at him.
“Yes, ma’am. We’ve been friends for a few years and it seems there’s more for us to discover about each other.” Jack figured the truth was the best option here.
“I’m glad. You’ve shown me that you’re a thoughtful and loving man. The way your nieces just snuggled into you, like they knew you’d protect them with everything proved that. Babies and animals know instinctively. I’d like to ask one thing from you,” Rose said.
“If I can, I will. I’m not going to blanketly say ‘anything’ because that could be a lie if I can’t make it happen. I always hate when people blindly agree to crap.” Okay, maybe Jack had been burned by that before and was still holding some resentment.
“Be careful with Richard’s heart. Losing his daddy as he did left a bruise that I don’t think has ever healed.” Rose took a sip of her coffee and stared into the cup. Jack thought for a minute and didn’t think he’d ever heard Tank talk about his father or if he ever knew about him, Jack had forgotten. It seemed like it was something that hurt Rose, too.
“I’m sorry, Rose. I don’t think I know what happened to your husband,” Jack said softly.
“My Ruben died in the line of duty when Richard was five.”
“He was in the Army, too? That explains why Tank joined.” Jack watched as Rose kept rocking; she seemed to have gone back in time in her mind.
“Oh, no, Ruben wasn’t in the service. Well, not that service. Ruben was a police officer and had stopped a car for speeding. From what they told me at the time, the driver was drunk and when Ruben got near the car, the driver gunned the car and ran Ruben over. The car kept going and it was about an hour before they found him. He had internal bleeding and bled out there on the street. It was before they had all the checks on officers that they do now.”
That explained why Tank didn’t drink much, if ever. “Did they catch him?”
“Her. They caught her when she showed up at the Emergency Room with her daughter. It was hard to be completely mad at the woman. She’d been drinking to forget that her husband had beaten her and her daughter. Got in the car to take the girl to the ER when she noticed that her arm didn’t look right. Didn’t think she was drunk. Didn’t remember being stopped.”
“Holy hell. What a mess.”
Rose nodded with a sad smile on her face. “It was. The husband was convicted for child abuse and domestic violence. Anna spent some time in jail for vehicular homicide while under the influence and Miley went to live with her grandparents. Richard had a hard time for a long while but Ruben’s friends from the force would drop by from time to time and do things with Richard. It kept him from going down the wrong path. Hard to act up when you don’t know if a police officer will show up behind you at any moment.”
“How did you deal with it? Sounds like Tank had lots of guiding hands but who helped you?” Jack didn’t want to pry but it sounded like there was something else there.
“Did Richard tell you what I did before I retired?”
Well, there was a change in subject if Jack ever heard one. “I don’t think so. He told me that you’d worked hard to be ready for retirement but not what you did.” Jack went to take a sip of his coffee and realized his cup was empty. He put it to the side, not wanting to interrupt their conversation for caffeine.
“I was the director for a women’s shelter. I’d been a stay-at-home mother for Richard before it all happened, but I needed to find some kind of closure. Ruben’s life insurance and pension made sure that we were both cared for, so I didn’t need to worry about money or health insurance, but I needed to understand. I needed to understand what Anna had gone through to put her behind the wheel that day. So I started volunteering at a shelter and it just went from there. Ended up running the place. Saw a lot of women and children come through the doors, and I finally understood.”
Jack heard shuffling from behind him and then felt Tank’s hand on his shoulder. “Morning, Mama. Jack.”
Rose got up and grabbed Jack’s mug before placing a kiss on his cheek. “I think I can assume, I’ve got your promise.”
“Absolutely,” Jack said as he stood up and gave her a hug. “That is one promise I can give you.”
“Promise? Mama what are you doing now?” Tank’s eyes narrowed as he looked at his mother.
“Now Richard, why would you think I’m up to something?” Rose asked as she headed out of the room.
“Jack?” Tank sounded suspicious as he walked around the couch and stopped in front of Jack.
“Now Tank, why would you think I’m up to something?” Jack echoed before dropping a kiss on Tank’s mouth and leaving the room.
Jack didn’t hear anything for a minute then heard Tank call out, “I have no idea why I would think such a thing.”
Chapter Fourteen
January
When Tank got to the classroom for the adolescent nutrition class, he was surprised. The chairs were comfortable. Not attached to the desk. The room actually looked more like a study session room; there were a few couches along the walls and the chairs were padded and in groupings. Oh, this was going to be a good class… well, he’d scheduled this class specifically for the professor and now it was going to be comfortable, too.
“Okay, let’s pull a few chairs together and form a circle of a sort. I’m Debbie Luna, your instructor for the next sixteen weeks,” Debbie said as she entered the room. She stopped short as she looked up and saw Tank. Tank mouthed “surprise” and smiled. Debbie shook her head and smiled. “I see a few of you are back for more torture from me. Everyone take a seat.”
After they were all settled, including Debbie, she formally began the class. She grabbed a stack of papers from her bag, separated the stack and started them around the group. “Everyone take one and pass them on. That is the formal expectations of the course. Those that have had me before know, I’m more based in discussion and hands-on learning. Now that is a bit harder to do with this subject but I’ve found some great opportunities for you to participate in.”
Tank saw a few hands go up and waited to see what Debbie was going to do.
“Wait, put your hands down. I am completely and totally aware that you have lives and other courses outside of this one. I’m not going to be requiring tons of extra work for this one and the opportunities are suggestions that if you are serious in the area of childhood nutrition they will give you a good foundation. Any questions? When looking at the topic…”
Tank was even more impressed with Debbie this course. He’d known that she was intelligent before, the lecture tonight cemented this for him. Her ideas on how to begin the process of reversing childhood obesity seemed simple until you thought about them. He wondered how that could be put into practice in a school setting. How could that change what an overweight child was going through.
“Tank? Class is over. Did I put you to slee
p?” Debbie asked as she was gathering her papers.
“I’m sorry, Mrs— Debbie. See I can learn,” Tank teased. “I was actually thinking about how some of your ideas could be put into use in schools without lecturing the students.”
“Thinking of teaching now?” Debbie threw the strap of her bag over her shoulder. “You ready to leave? I need to lock this room when we’re done. It’s not regularly used for classes but there was a water pipe accident over break and the room we would have been in was flooded. They’ve got to do a lot of repairs in that building.”
He reached for his backpack and dug out his keys. “Let me walk you to your car.”
“You know Luny has made quite sure that I can defend myself, right? And if not him? The heptad would have gotten me all trained and then taken it out on his ass for not doing his duty.”
“I would be stupid to think that the sergeant major hadn’t taught you how to protect not only yourself but the boys before he deployed anywhere for any length of time. But since I’m walking that way myself, and my mama taught me to be a gentleman and escort a lady safely to her car… besides, if I didn’t? I don’t know how but somehow, she would know and then I’d get a lecture. Since I’m on her really good side after her visit, I’d like to stay there, please?”
“Get on with yourself, but let’s walk. How did you do over the holidays? Any issues figuring out how to stay on track?” Debbie flipped off the lights and pulled the door closed, turning the knob to make sure it locked.
“The holidays were good. The crews were together for a big Christmas celebration with Jack’s sister and her family. It seemed the triplets were in someone’s arms the entire day.”
“Wait, triplets? God bless the woman. My two were enough for me and Luny. I can’t imagine three in diapers at once, though Trish and Holly were close with their youngest.”
“Ethan, Faith and Grace. Jack has us all calling them “the bugs” since he said that Ethan is his jitterbug, Ethan loves to be moving and dancing around in your arms. The girls are his ladybugs.”
“Seems he learned that from the… what do you call it? I remember, the mil crew? With all the nicknames?” Debbie slipped a bit and Tank reached out to steady her. “Thanks, so don’t want to have to call Luny and tell him I fell. He’d never let me hear the end of it. All I can think these days is I hope he didn’t worry like this the whole time he was deployed because then he’d be useless to the unit. When I’ve pointed out to him how long it was just me and the boys he blushes and then distracts me.”
The thought of the scary command sergeant major blushing had Tank chuckling. “Blushing? For some reason I can’t see that but I’m glad that he’s one of the lucky ones that found someone to make a home for him and give him the balance needed. Not too many these days do. Every time I turn around, I hear about another military couple calling it quits.”
“That pisses me off to no end. It’s not like the civilian didn’t know what the soldier did before they got married. What? Have they missed the news talking about how much time soldiers deploy these days? Christ, I blame society, really. It’s the era of something new or upgraded every two to three years. Why work on something when you can get something to replace it? Marriage is work. It’s a give and take. Yes, military spouses are asked to give a bit more sometimes but so do the soldiers being away from home.” Debbie stopped walking and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Tank. Seems you happened on one of my hot buttons. Luny was just counseling a soldier about his wife the other day when I stopped by his office. Took him a bit to calm me down after I heard the whole story. Women like her give military wives a bad name.”
Tank had never given a lot of thought about the families left behind. He’d hoped no one had to notify his mama that he’d been injured, but that really wasn’t the same thing. He was grown and out of the house, not that it wouldn’t hurt her if something happened to him, but it was totally different for a spouse or child.
“Thank you,” Tank said as Debbie stopped next to a Kia Sedona and pulled out her keys.
“You’re welcome, but for what?” she asked as she put her bag on the floor behind the driver’s seat. Tank could see all the different sports bags in the back.
“For all that you and the boys have given up while your husband has served. I’ve been seeing in the past few years what sacrifices are made and… we thank the veterans on Veteran’s Day. We remember those that have given the ultimate sacrifice on Memorial Day but military families never get thanked.” Tank shrugged as he finished. He wasn’t quite sure where that came from but it felt right for him.
“Luny was quite up front with me all those years ago about his goals. He was so passionate and focused. The Army was what he was going to do. Help protect. It was part of what attracted me to him. Taking that away from him would have changed the man to the core. It’s hard enough watching what him and the heptad are going through as they’re retiring. The military is all they’ve known and been their adult lives.” Debbie patted Tank’s shoulder before climbing into the van. “Thanks. I’ll see you next class.”
“See you next class.” Tank waved as she pulled out and headed to his car, thinking. Was he Army down to the core? If you’d asked him a year ago, the answer would have been ‘hell yes’. These days? He wasn’t sure anymore.
Chapter Fifteen
February
“You ready to head home?” Jack asked as he stacked his plate on the corner of the table. Waitresses worked hard; if he felt that if he stacked his plate he was helping a bit. Easier for them to just grab and keep going.
They’d met for a late dinner after Tank’s class. Six weeks into the semester for Tank and they’d fallen into a routine. Tank had been spending more nights at Jack’s than in the barracks these days. Jack had even come home the other night to dinner cooked and ready for him. They still hadn’t gone much beyond blow jobs but sleeping with Tank settled something in Jack. Did he want more? Fuck yes, but he could wait and let it develop. They’d really only been dating for three months or so.
“Jack? Where’d you go?” Tank was standing next to the table with the folio in his hands. “I’m going to pay. I’m parked next to you.”
It didn’t take long to pay the bill then they were walking out the door. They’d had a warm spell but the temps had dropped today. Something about a winter weather warning for the area until the weekend. Just as they were about at the cars, Jack heard something hit metal. He wasn’t sure what it was but the yell after told him that someone was hurt.
“Listen, bitch, don’t think I didn’t see you eyeing the waiter. I’ve told you that you’re mine,” some guy yelled and then Jack heard a sound that he knew quite well. Flesh hitting flesh. He looked at Tank and they both took off.
“Timmy, I swear—”
“You’re fucking opening your legs for him, aren’t you?” The guy was pulling his arm back to swing again when Jack grabbed his arm.
“Stop! What the fuck are you doing?” Jack spun the guy away from the woman and saw Tank go toward her but didn’t take his eyes off the guy.
“Let me fucking go! The bitch is mine, I can do what I want. Don’t touch her!” he yelled.
“I think we’ll call the police and let them decide what you can do,” Jack answered, moving between the woman and the guy.
“No, you’re fucking not,” the guy said as he swung at Jack, landing a hit to Jack’s ribs before Jack realized what he was doing.
“Fuck,” Jack muttered as he blocked the next hit. The guy must be on something with the power he had behind his hits. Shit. Looked like Jack was going to have to work for this. Jack heard other people around them and then the sound of sirens just as he pinned the guy to the ground.
“Break it up, break it up. Stand back, please.” Jack glanced up to see a police officer standing there. “Want to tell me what’s going on here?”
“This man attacked me out of nowhere. I was just getting in my car with my girl. He punched me and then wouldn’t stop,”
the guy on the ground said.
“Ma’am? Is that what happened?” the officer asked the woman.
A hesitant voice said, “Ye-yes.”
“Are you sure? It looked like something different to me,” a second officer said. The woman just nodded. “Dispatch, two-five-seven, please send an ambulance to this address and another cruiser. Two to transport to the station and one to the ER.”
“You’re going to believe that shit?” Tank exploded.
“Sir, don’t make me cuff you, too,” the officer cautioned as she walked closer to Tank. “It’s clear that’s not what happened. We’re just going to take everyone down to the station.” Then she whispered, “Going to get that woman checked out and hopefully to somewhere safe. Please go along with us.”
“Tank, breathe. It’ll get worked out. Call Barbie for me,” Jack said as the officer reached out and placed handcuffs on the guy on the ground before turning to him.
“Could you please stand up and place your hands together? I don’t want to have to charge you resisting arrest.”
“I’m not going to be charged with anything. Can I talk to my friend before you put me in the cruiser?” He could be polite since he knew there weren’t going to be charges against him. Of that Jack was certain. He could see now that he was standing that there were a few people with their phones out with the lights on. Yup, looked like there was film of the whole thing.
The officer nodded and took a few steps back but didn’t go far.
“Tank, call Barbie and meet me at the station. She’s not going to be a happy camper with all this. I kinda feel bad for them when she gets there.” Tonight was not going how Jack envisioned. He wanted to be home cuddling on the couch by now. This sucked but he couldn’t have let that woman be hurt. It just wasn’t in him.
“A Barbie that’s been woken up? For some trumped up charges from a jackass on something? Oh, yeah, it’s going to be fun. Want me to call the others?”
