by Leila Haven
Time ticked by until the roar of the helicopter drowned out everything else. The dust of the desert kicked up into a whirlwind around me. I doubted I would ever get rid of the taste of the desert, even after going home and repeatedly showering.
The co-pilot jumped out of the vehicle and helped stow my luggage away for the flight. He strapped me into the seat as they prepared to take off again.
So this was it.
Going home.
Without a goodbye.
I focused ahead so that I wouldn’t start crying. These soldiers didn’t appreciate a blubbering woman as a passenger and I would never cry in front of them out of principle.
“Can I hitch a ride?”
The voice stopped me dead as I tried not to look. Surely I was just imagining things? It couldn’t really be him.
Could it?
Shaun jumped into the seat beside me, strapping himself in with no need for assistance. He beamed with a smile that was as bright as the sun.
“What are you doing?” I asked, holding my breath for the answer.
“Going home,” Shaun replied. He seemed happier than I’d ever seen him.
I was so happy I could burst. I tried not to let it show. “Where have you been the last few days? I tried to find you.” My gaze went to my lap, watching my fingers knot together.
“Atoll had me accompany the one Taliban member we caught to another base for interrogation. He thought it would be good to get me out of the way for a day, lest I start to poison the minds of the other soldiers.”
“So you’re going home?”
“Yep.”
I hesitated, not sure that I would be brave enough to ask the questions I really wanted to. Maybe the things he’d said in battle to me, the declarations of love, were just muttered in the heat of the moment.
Maybe he didn’t really love me at all.
We hardly knew each other, really. Perhaps he was glad to be getting rid of me. I was some fun when he needed it and now he could go home to start his new life with no attachments.
It was better sticking to conversation that wasn’t so horribly personal.
“So the major gave you a discharge?” I asked, figuring it was far safer than any other topic. Although, we could still talk about the weather, but that was my backup topic.
Shaun still smiled like a fool. “He did. I had a psych evaluation and deemed to be suffering with mild depression and a touch of post-traumatic stress disorder. It was cause enough for a medical discharge.”
I guessed if he was suffering those conditions, even mildly, they might have influenced his decision to leave the military.
At the end of the day, it was his decision. Maybe something better was waiting for him back home. I was a big believer in everything happening for a reason. Although, I thought Shaun and I must have been meant to find one another being stuck at the airport together and then both being on base.
Maybe my theory was flawed.
“So what are you going to do when you get home?” Next safe question, the weather still remained up my sleeve.
Thank God for the weather.
It had got me out of a lot of awkward silences.
Shaun stretch, like it wasn’t a big deal. “First, I’m going to IHOP because I haven’t had a decent breakfast in months. Second, I thought I would visit you.”
My eyes snapped to him. “You want to visit me?”
“Of course I do. Our adventure doesn’t stop here, dumpling.” He put his arm around my shoulder. If we weren’t strapped to our seats, I would have leaned in for a real hug.
I’d never have let him go again.
“I don’t want it to stop here either,” I confessed.
Shaun grinned and it was enough to start my heart fluttering all over again. “Well, let’s get this baby home and start a new chapter.”
I couldn’t agree more.
The helicopter took off and we headed for the sun. Maybe my theory about the way things worked out how they were meant to wasn’t so far off the mark after all.
Shaun was right.
Our adventure was only just beginning.
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Special Thanks
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First off, I'd like to thank you for reading! I truly hope you enjoyed this story and I look forward to hearing any feedback you have on it by way of review, email, or on my website.
Special thanks goes out to everyone who has been in contact with me about my previous stories. I wouldn't have continued writing if it wasn't for the awesome feedback/reviews from you! :)
About The Author
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If you’re interested in short erotica, check out Leila’s other pen name, Kenzie Haven!
