................. Most of the next day was a blur of Dad on the phone on and off and Mom cleaning and re cleaning the house trying to keep busy. I stole out of the house while Dad and Flynn were talking on the back deck; I pulled down the tail gate on the truck and sat down letting the warm breeze whip my hair across my face the sweet salty smell of the ocean wafting over me. My phone started to ring.
Me * hey Kenny
Kenny * how’s it going?
Me * they leave tonight
Kenny * I’m sorry B
Me * I don’t think I’ve ever known him leave this soon after getting orders.
Kenny * if you want I can take you to the movies… you know as friends
Me * thanks but I’ll call you later… I don’t’ know what I want right now
Kenny * okay… tell Flynn I said hi and tell your Dad good luck.
Me * I will
I hung up and ran my fingers through my hair.
“You look like you could do with one of these” Mom said handing me a coffee and sitting next to me “We’ll be fine”
“I know… we always are” I traced the edge of the cup with my finger.
“So who’s J.J.?” Mom grinned
“Some guy we met last night at the beach” I shrugged “Him and his friends wanted to wipe the floor with Flynn for tackling me to hard” Mom nodded and smiled to herself about the way he tackles me.
“Marine?”
“You know I never asked” I took a drink and thought about it.
“Gee I’d love to hear the crap your Dad and Brother would give you for bringing home a guy who wasn’t a Marine” she chuckled I looked at her.
“Mom it was a random guy on the beach… probably a late tourist” I groaned “I’ll never bump into him again”
“Who was just a guy at the beach” Dad asked walking round dressed in his Camo with his bag on his shoulder
“Is it time?” I asked feeling the sinking sensation as Dad nodded Flynn took his bag and put it in the bed of the truck.
“You going with your Brother or coming with us?” Mom asked as Dad stood between her legs and bent his head to kiss her neck.
“Er… I don’t want to be in the way” I jumped off the tail gate “I’ll go with Flynn”
“Hey Baby girl” I looked round at Dad “You’ll understand when you find your Marine”
“Maybe but I don’t need graphic images of my horny parents” I teased as Flynn handed me the keys to my truck “We’ll meet you down at the parade ground” I got in and started the engine.
“Nice brave face sis” Flynn commented as I headed down the familiar roads to where we had to leave Dad.
“Got to do it” I sighed “When’s he going stop going?”
“Never... have you known that he tried the desk job when he got injured and it nearly killed him not being in the middle of it all” Flynn smiled “And he’s been offered both Parris Island and San Diego to be a drill instructor and he won’t do it” I nodded “Come on Gramps was being deployed till Grandma put her foot down”
“Now look at him” I pointed to where Grandpa was standing talking to Marines and their families “We have to share him on a day like this and I wish we didn’t have to”
“I know” I pulled into the parking lot and Flynn and I got out and made our way over to Grandma who was standing with Aunt Patty and Tom.
“Where’s Riley?” I asked hugging her
‘Talking to her Dad” Aunt Patty sniffed. “I don’t need to ask where your parents are” she smiled and sly grin
“Don’t” Flynn moaned as I covered Tom’s ears “we left they’ll probably get arrested again”
“Now Flynn that happened once” Grandma scolded “and it was on the way home from him up”
“Ew… please it’s bad enough I have to think of my parents having sex” I shook my head “but we don’t need to broadcast they actually got arrested doing it” Flynn made retching sounds as Gramps walked over.
“How you two holding up?” he asked putting an arm round each of us.
“We’re okay at the moment” Flynn nodded “But ask me again in 20 minutes” he nodded as Mom and Dad walked over as the busses pulled in to wait to take our Marines away from us. Riley and her Dad walked over Dad spoke to Uncle Kaden for a minute before turning to me and Flynn.
“I guess…” he didn’t get chance to say anything else as we both almost crushed him I was sandwiched in between the two of them the tears getting both of them wet. “Be good both of you” Dad said quietly so only we could here “Always treat your Mom with respect and love each other okay”
“Yes sir” we both nodded like little kids
“I love both of you so much” he kissed Flynn on the fore head “you’ll never be too big for that” he chuckled as tears trickled down his cheeks he took my face in his hands and kissed my cheeks “And you’ll always be my baby girl” he pulled us both into his arms again “Flynn look after your sister and don’t let her bring home a navy guy” I groaned as he let go of us to turn to Mom. I held on to Flynn as we watched him whisper things to her making her cry harder before he pulled back and kissed her like there was no one else around. He walked away and got on the buses with Kaden I felt fingers link with mine and knew it was Riley. I gave her hand a squeeze they we’re gone and the seven months couldn’t go fast enough so we could be here again bringing them home safe and sound……………………..
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