“Worked then, works now.”
“You need new material.”
“All I know is this…was great.” He gazed at her. “Way better than stealing a few minutes in the backseat of your car when we were seventeen.” He stroked the hair softly framing her face.
“It is nice not to feel the seat divider pressing into my back. But I kind of miss the thrill of maybe getting caught.”
“We still get that here. We’re just lucky your mom’s out of town tonight.”
Cam tensed.
Feeling suddenly chilled despite the late-July heat, Jason pulled the sheet up and rested on his elbows. “You and your mom close on the new house soon. Why don’t you help her move, then we’ll get a place together?”
“Oh, not this again.” Cam looked up at him. “Can’t we just enjoy this moment?”
“You start teaching in a month, and like you said, your first year will be insane. With my night class, I’ll be busy too. If we don’t live together, we’ll never see each other.”
“Jase, we’ve been over this. My dad would’ve freaked if I lived with a guy before I’m engaged. My mom wouldn’t be too psyched about it either.”
“I’m not some guy. Besides, we’re only twenty-two. That’s way too young to get married.”
“We’re almost twenty-three. That’s about how old our parents were when they married.”
“Yeah, and look how great that turned out.”
“Well, my parents had a wonderful marriage,” Cam said.
“Didn’t you say they were fighting that last year?” She sighed. “Yeah. I don’t know what happened, but my mom seemed angry with him all the time. I know she feels awful for some things she said before he died — things she can’t take back now.” Silence hung between them.
“We’d be happier together than your parents are,” she added.
He scowled. “How do you know, Cam? I love you, and you love me. But how do you know it would last?”
“I don’t have my crystal ball with me, but you gotta have some faith! You need some faith in us. If anything happened, I’d fight for you…I don’t want you to leave.”
“Who said I’m leaving?” he said, more harshly than he meant.
Cam looked down. “I just spent the day shopping with Audrey.
She should be all excited to go to school, but instead she’s a mess.
She misses Leo something awful, and barely gets to hear from him.
I couldn’t take that, Jase.”
“Hey.” He smoothed his thumb across her chin. “I’m not going anywhere. You saw that box at Marcus’s apartment — that’s my stuff from Seattle. I’m staying in Florida, okay? We don’t need some silly ring to prove it.”
Hurt crept across Cameron’s face. “An engagement ring wouldn’t be silly to me.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way.” Jason pushed himself off of the bed. “I’m getting something to drink.” He slid on his shorts.
He padded down the stairs, headed to the refrigerator, and grabbed a soda. He cringed thinking about his lame protests. Jason wanted nothing more than to marry Cam. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. But he didn’t have nearly enough money to buy an engagement ring. Though he loved his job at Child Protective Services, the pay wasn’t great, and he’d already taken out student loans for community college.
Noticing a photograph stuck to the refrigerator with a magnet, Jason studied a close-up of Mr. Walsh at the marina. His brown eyes gazed intently at the camera as he stood in his khaki uniform, arms wrapped around his wife and daughter. Their faces filled the frame, their bright smiles now locked forever in the past.
Would you approve of me as a son-in-law? Jason already knew the answer.
Who was he kidding? Lack of funds wasn’t the only thing preventing him from popping the question. He wasn’t worthy of Cam’s love.
“At ease, gentlemen.”
Roland Drake and James Scott obeyed Captain Payson’s order.
Roland sensed lingering tension between Scott and Payson, and wondered what his captain had in mind today. He took a deep breath, hoping to calm himself. For the last fourteen months, anytime a superior ordered him to report, anxiety immediately consumed him, and he prayed all over again that nobody had discovered his secret.
He believed the only person who knew had been taken care of, but there was always a shadow of doubt.
Last June Roland had stood in his supervisor’s office, just like he did today. At first he’d been excited that Lt. Commander Walsh wanted to see him. Perhaps a promotion? But as soon as he’d entered the office, he’d known Walsh was displeased.
“Where’d you get that ring?” he’d asked immediately.
“My Academy ring, sir?”
“Yes, Lt. Drake, your Academy ring. I was doing some fact checking for your promotion paperwork.”
Roland’s stomach had twisted.
“Turns out you never actually graduated from the Academy!”
“I can explain, sir! I-I just couldn’t pass Engineering four sixty-two, but I made all the other requirements. I was so close!” Walsh had been incredulous. “You were close? You lied on your resume! How has no one noticed this before?” Roland’s heart had hammered. “I don’t know, sir. Nobody really checked it out, I guess. I didn’t find out I failed the class again till right before graduation. I didn’t know what to do, so I just showed up to my assignment at Norfolk and nobody said anything. I think they never filed the proper paperwork, sir.” Walsh had shaken his head, eyes flaring. “I return to my original question: Where did you get your Academy ring? They only give that to graduates.”
Roland had closed his eyes. “On Ebay, sir.” For a moment he’d thought Walsh was going to laugh, but when he’d spoken there was no humor in his voice. “This won’t turn out well for you, Lt. Drake. At best, you’re looking at discharge. At worst, a court martial.”
Roland had shook. “Please, sir, my wife’s pregnant. I-I can’t lose my job. We’re having a baby girl…You have a daughter, sir. You know what it’s like. Nobody discovered this for thirteen years. If you just deep six this information, I’m sure it’ll never surface.” That’s right, Roland reminded himself. It will never surface. Walsh hadn’t ratted him out before his death a month later, and nobody else had ever figured it out. He tried to focus on what Captain Payson was saying.
“Commander Scott, you’ve been called to serve on the USS
Ronald Reagan, which, as you know, is stationed in the Persian Gulf,” the captain said. “Your transport to the bird farm leaves in four days — August sixth.”
“Aye, sir,” Scott answered. Roland could sense him stiffen.
“You tour on the Reagan will be three months,” Payson added. “Lt. Commander Drake, you did an adequate job replacing Commander Scott during his suspension. V-Four’s safety ratings did take a dip, though, so I’d like to meet with you more frequently when you take over as air boss.”
Roland nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“You have four days to coordinate the transition of leadership, gentlemen. James, I want you to help Roland with the intricacies of running this unit. Nobody does it as well as you.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Dismissed.”
As Roland followed Scott into his office, he absentmindedly twisted the class ring. He’d had it engraved with his name. It might as well have been actually his. Scott’s impending absence was the perfect opportunity to keep moving up the ladder, and as he prepared to begin the transition, Roland put a smile on his face.
James sat in the parking lot of a coffee shop, waiting for Jason to drop off Mary. His wife had finally relented and agreed to a meeting once he’d told her about his deployment.
Desperation washed over him. He was basically rudderless, with no direction since losing his family. Drowning in a sea of self-pity, James clasped his hands in his lap.
He watched a rusted compact car enter the parking lot and felt a catch in his throat whe
n Mary got out, planting her canes and making her way toward the coffee shop with Jason trailing behind.
God, she was beautiful. She was five years older than him, almost fifty, yet she’d hardly changed at all. He, on the other hand, had aged ten years in recent months.
As James approached them, his son visibly tensed. “You look good, Jason. You been working out?” he asked.
“Uh, yes, sir.”
“And your mother tells me you have a new job.” Jason met his gaze.
“At Child Protective Services,” James muttered, mustering a small smile.
Jason seemed relieved. “I’ll be in the car, Mom.”
“Thank you, Jase.”
James held the door open, and Mary sank into the first big chair she encountered. He continued on to order lattes at the counter.
When he gave her the drink, Mary nodded her thanks. “You leave tomorrow?”
“Yes, at zero-six-hundred. How’ve you been, Mary?” She sighed and twirled her wedding ring.
Is the ring merely a symbol now? he wondered. Is there any love left?
Watching her struggle to answer, James turned to an easier question.
“How are our sons?” Surely they could still connect as parents.
“Leo got in big trouble for punching his squad leader.” James’s eyes widened, and she added with a hint of sarcasm,
“Sound familiar?”
“Hey, I stuck to hitting plebes. I wasn’t stupid enough to punch a firstie.” Memories of their meeting at the Academy flooded him.
The Yard was where their romance began…their family began.
“And Jason wants to marry Cameron, but he can’t afford a ring,” she continued. “I think they make a lovely couple.”
“Sounds like you’re moving on without me.” Bitterness spiked his words.
“James — ”
“Mary, listen to me. I want you back in our home. Audrey will be leaving soon, and it’d be ridiculous for you to continue living at Denny and JoAnne’s. And I don’t want our house sitting idle for three months while I’m away.”
“This isn’t about a house, James. It’s about a marriage.” Her eyes welled up, and she turned away.
His heart thudded.
“I don’t know if I love you anymore,” she rasped.
She was throwing him overboard. “Don’t say that,” he pleaded. “I can’t lose you. You saved me, Mary…You’re the only reason I graduated from the Academy. You’re the only reason I get out of bed in the morning. Don’t take my will to live.” She sat for a moment. “You’re making this all about you.”
Her eyes flared, then softened with pity, and James felt disgusted with himself.
Mary sighed and touched her wedding ring again. “I haven’t made up my mind yet, and I can’t be rushed simply because you’re headed to the Gulf. There is one thing you can do for me, for our family, that’ll make me promise not to initiate divorce — in the next few months at least.”
“Tell me what it is, Mary. I’ll do it.” She explained what she wanted and seemed surprised when he readily agreed.
After another moment, she gathered herself out of the chair.
James also stood. He placed his hands in his pockets and looked down. “Can I…can I hug you?”
She froze. After an eternity she nodded.
He folded her into an embrace, and Mary began to sob. He touched her soft hair, contemplating their past and their future. He was going off to war, and they seemed at war as well.
“Be careful, James.” Tears distorted her voice.
58. Yes, Ma’am
Leo saw Audrey on T-court before she could see him, and she’d never looked prettier.
She’d pulled her thick auburn hair up high in a ponytail, and a sleeveless white shirt accentuated the soft curve of her breasts and hard definition of her arms. Eyelets and tiny sky blue flowers detailed the shirt, which she’d tucked into a navy blue miniskirt. Beaded sandals completed her cool summer ensemble. Already sweating in his whiteworks, Leo’s body temperature rose further just looking at her.
Ignoring his mother and her companion, he ran toward his unsuspecting girlfriend. At the last second Audrey noticed him and gave him a dazzling smile. He scooped her up, twirling her around.
In that moment, Leo finally released the tension he’d been holding throughout Plebe Summer. It was now Audrey Summer, and the hairs on his body stood at attention as he held her tight.
“I missed you so much,” Leo whispered into her ear, cradling the nape of her neck.
“I missed you even more than that!”
“Good to know you’re still competitive.” He smirked, holding her face next to his, cheek to cheek. Eventually Leo let go to greet his other visitors.
He grinned at his mother, but his smile faded as he noticed Mr. Shale standing next to her. Leo knew his father had been deployed to the Gulf, but he hadn’t anticipated Mr. Shale taking his place. He hugged his mother then reached out to shake his hand. “Thanks for coming, sir.”
“I hope it’s okay I’m here,” Mr. Shale said. “We didn’t want Audrey driving thirteen hours all by herself.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Leo, you must be the handsomest plebe ever to wear that uniform,” his mother said.
He dipped his head, then peeked at Audrey, studying her reaction.
“Do you, uh, do you think my uniform looks dorky?”
“Dorky?” Sneaking a glance at his mother, she stammered, “Ah, no, um, you look, um, just fine.”
He’d have to follow up on that when they were alone.
“This is a beautiful campus,” Mr. Shale said. “How do you like it here?”
Seeing him reminded Leo again of the pain medication under Benito’s bed. No matter how busy he was with studying, drilling, PT, or trips to sea on patrol craft, part of Leo’s brain was constantly aware of the medication just sitting there, waiting. “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” he said. “I go to bed each night completely exhausted, physically and mentally, having no idea if I’ll make it through the next day. I love it.” His mother and Audrey looked at each other. “Yep, he’s definitely warped.” Audrey smirked.
“Hey! Are you guys ganging up on me?” Leo reached over to tickle Audrey, and she shrieked as his hands groped her midsection.
Pulling her close, Leo sobered. “I better not grow too attached to this place. I almost got kicked out of here already by my company officer.”
“Who’s Second Company’s officer?” his mother asked.
“Lt. Darnell Keaton, ma’am.”
“You’re kidding me. She used to serve under your father in V-Four.”
“She did?” Leo asked. “I didn’t know that. She doesn’t seem to like me much.”
“Darnell’s rather young,” his mother mused. “I think she’s only about twenty-six. I bet it’s difficult for her here as a young, pretty officer. She probably has to act like a tough witch.” Leo shook his head. “That’s no act, believe me.” They chuckled.
Glancing at her watch, his mother said, “There’s an informational session for parents soon, and after that I want to show Marcus my old engineering stomping grounds in Rickover Hall. Why don’t you take Audrey around the Yard, and we’ll meet for noon chow?” Leo loved that she was instantly at home at the Academy again.
“Sounds good, Mom.”
The group parted ways, and Leo draped his arm over Audrey’s shoulders as he led her down the sidewalk. When they approached an officer, Leo let go of her and executed a sharp salute. She shook with suppressed laughter.
“What’s so funny?”
“I’m loving Lieutenant Leo.” Her eyes gleamed.
“That’s Midshipman Scott to you, ma’am.” He grinned. “And you better get used to it. I probably salute officers like twenty times a day.
And there’ll be a lot more middies to harass me once the Brigade returns in full force next week.”
On their way to the chapel, Leo cursed unde
r his breath as saw Mr. Sour approaching. The detailer halted, and Leo braced to attention.
“Introduce me to your guest, Midshipman Scott,” Sour commanded.
“Yes, sir. Squad Leader Sour, I’d like to introduce you to Miss Audrey Rose.”
Whiskey shook Audrey’s hand. “You must be Mr. Scott’s girlfriend — the one he talks about constantly.”
“Yep, that’s me. He better not be talking about any other girlfriend.” Leo said nothing, not allowed to be part of the conversation as a lowly plebe. Nevertheless, watching Audrey and Whiskey smile at each other, Leo felt grateful he’d given him another chance.
Mr. Sour looked down the sidewalk. “Time to harass another plebe now. Enjoy your stay, Audrey.”
“Thanks.”
As Whiskey walked away, Leo exhaled. “He doesn’t like me very much.”
“He’ll come around. Everybody loves Leo.”
“You obviously haven’t met Lt. Keaton. C’mon, I’ll show you the crypt of John Paul Jones.”
“Oooh.” She batted her eyes in mock anticipation.
“You only wish you went to the Academy too,” he said, smirking.
“I do wish I could see you every day.” She snaked her hand around his lean waist. “Especially in this uniform. Yummy.” He slung his arm back over her shoulders. “I’m so happy you’re here.”
“Want to see Herndon Monument?” Leo asked after their tour of the ornate chapel.
“How about your dorm room?” she countered, ogling his uniform.
He sighed. “No visitors allowed in Bancroft Hall. Sorry.”
“Oh.”
“But I can introduce you to my roommate. He’s hanging out at our favorite spot by the water today.”
“Isn’t he with his family?”
Leo grasped her hand and they headed toward the Severn River.
“He’s restricted to the Yard with no visitors. He got fried.”
“Fried?”
“It means he got in big trouble. He’s in the system now, and they might kick him out if he keeps getting in trouble.”
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