The Goodbye Girl

by Angela Verdenius

  As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could make out more of his face, but she still couldn’t quite read his expression.

  “Sometimes decisions depend on a lot of things,” he murmured. “There are other things that affect life, other considerations. Other people.”

  “Leaving the Army solely because of another person isn’t exactly the answer. Relationships work, many military men and women are married to civilians. Some couples can’t take the separation, others can. Look at Harly and Alex, she’s happy to wait for him. They have their separate lives, and the life when they’re together. They make it work.”

  She might not be able to read his expression, but she could feel his gaze sweep over her face.

  “And you, Bree?” he asked softly. “Would you be willing to do that? To wait for your military husband to come home on leave, then go back after a certain time?”

  She didn’t have to think twice. “I would never ask a man to change for me. If military life is what he wanted, yes, I’d wait.”

  “It’s not easy. I know that from my married mates and those in relationships.”

  She gave a small laugh. “Hey, I never chose an easy road, why would I start now?”

  His arm around her shoulders squeezed her gently. “You’re a special woman, Bree Ford.”

  “Why, thank you, General.”

  A comfortable silence fell between them, though now Bree was thinking that in another month Nick would go back to the Army base and she didn’t know when she’d see him again. Would he even want to see her again? Suppose he met some nice girl - bitch! - and sent Bree a goodbye letter? A Dear John letter in reverse.

  That hurt. Right down deep that pinched, the pain spreading out a little, making her feel just a touch nauseous.

  God, girl, get a grip! Your imagination’s all over the place! You’ve only known Nick for three weeks, and yes, before that through letters for nine months, but get a grip!

  “Keep writing to me,” Nick said.

  “Huh?”

  “I know I got your goodbye letter, but I don’t want it to be the last.”

  She’d never actually thought about it, how dumb was that? She’d just been living in the moment. “Okay.” A rush of pleasure flooded her. “I’d like that.”

  “Email. Skype me.”

  Bree grinned. “What if the government tracks me?”

  “I’ll save you.”

  “From the men in black glasses and cars?”

  “Yep.”

  “My hero.”

  “Yep.”

  “Just for that I will risk secret government scrutiny to email and Skype you.”

  “I look forward to it.” Another press of his lips to the top of her head.

  Snuggled against his side, Bree sighed in pleasure. She had no control over the future but right now she had Nick. She’d had him for nine months previously, in reality now, and for the foreseeable future. She’d be content with that and try to push down her stupid fears. No one knew what the future held, that much she’d learned from her childhood. She’d never have dreamed in a million years that she’d settle in a small town in a farming community, have two Siamese who were the delight of her life, and a lovely house, but look at her. And to top it off, she had a hot, protective boyfriend. She wasn’t going to let idiotic jealousy and uncertainty, both emotions of which she didn’t usually have, destroy her happiness.

  Which reminded her…”Guess what?”

  “Hmmm?”

  “I’m buying my house.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. Mr Tinsdale decided on a price and gave me first option. Isn’t that awesome?”

  “It’s a beautiful old house. Congratulations, honey.”

  “Yeah.” Happily, she leaned into Nick and stared out at the darkness.

  Suddenly remembering why they were there, she straightened abruptly, lifting the camcorder to view the sky. “Crap Almost forgot about the lights.”

  Nick was with her every step of the way, never far off as she moved around the van and bushes, keeping her gaze on the skies. Nothing. No probs, there was still time.

  Moving back to the van, she opened the sliding door and got in. “Hot tea, Nick?”

  “Thanks.”

  “Here.” She handed it to him. “I’m going to sit on the bonnet so I can keep an eye on the sky. If you’re getting too cold, you can wait in here.”

  “Yeah,” he said dryly. “Like that’s going to happen.”

  Within minutes they were sitting side-by-side on the edge of the van bonnet, her sneakered and his booted feet propped up on the ‘roo bar. Passing him an apple, she took a sip of tea and a bite of apple.

  They sat in contented silence for several minutes.

  Nick broke it first. “Heard about Ted’s cow?”

  “What about Ted’s cow?”

  “Found it dead beside the road.”

  “Mutilated?” She couldn’t help it.

  His elbow nudged her. “No. But I think you might be able to finish the story, alien hunter.”

  “Huh. Funny story, that.”

  “I’m sure.”

  “You’ve obviously heard something.”

  “I suspect a lot. Give me a try at the real deal.”

  “Cute.” Bree took another bite of apple. “Well, see, I heard that Ted’s cow was found dead on the road, too. Had a chat to Ted, a chat to the vet. Apparently, the cow got out one stormy night not long ago-”

  “Three weeks, to be exact.”

  “Well, look who’s aiming for top of the class.”

  “I try.”

  “You’re trying all right.” She elbowed him back lightly. “So anyway, we kind of put a few things together. The cow got out, for some weird reason freaked, and it just so happened that my little van was nearby and the cow rammed my driver’s door. Ergo, it wasn’t an alien that did it.”

  “You don’t say.”

  She pointed a finger at him. “An alien very likely scared the cow.”

  “Really.”

  “Or something spooky did, because there’s no explanation for why the cow went nuts and rammed my door.” She paused. “Poor thing.”

  “Your door?”

  “No. The cow. Poor thing.” She really did feel sorry for it.

  “Is Ted making you pay for the cow?”

  “No. Claiming it on insurance or something.”

  “Good. It wasn’t your fault.”

  “It was my door.”

  “It was his cow that was running around loose.”

  “Ah well.”

  “And hitting your van door wouldn’t kill it.”

  “True. I never did ask him what killed it.”

  Silence descended again for a short time.

  Nick tossed his apple core into the bushes. “So, your letters.”

  “Mmmm?”

  “Why did you never put your last name on them?”

  “Oh, well, when I first wrote to my secret crush, poor sod, I was under the paranoid influence of my mother who didn’t want anyone to know I was writing to a military man, in case the military got wind of it and tracked us down for hunting the aliens.”

  “But you don’t believe that now.”

  “Nah, I grew up. I do believe there are things happening that are kept secret from us, I do believe in aliens and other unexplained things, but Mum and I are pretty small peanuts, too small for anyone to worry about. Plus, a lot of people have taken photos or video of UFOs, and not one of them has vanished.” Thoughtfully, she paused. “That I know of, anyway.”

  “But you still only put your first name on the envelopes.”

  “Habit, I guess. Never really thought about it.”

  “And no Skype, no photos.”

  “I’d get tongue-tied if I Skyped a man I never met.”

  Nick looked down at her. “You?”

  “Yeah.”

  “But you’ll Skype me, right?”

  “Yeah, but I know you.” Bree tossed her apple core in the op
posite direction to where he’d had thrown his. “That’s different.”

  “What about the photo of Angelina Jolie you sent me in lieu of your photo?”

  Grinning, she folded her arms on her partially bent knees. “I thought you’d be thrilled.”

  “I had this nagging feeling the whole time that it wasn’t you.”

  Bree laughed outright.

  “What’s with the photo bit?” Nick persisted.

  “I don’t know my soldier boys forever, just a short time. Sending a photo seems kind of personal.”

  “I’d have liked a photo.”

  “Oh, sweetie.” She patted his arm. “Did Alex have to comfort you when your mean old pen pal wouldn’t send you her photo?”

  Nick picked up her hand. “I’ll be taking a photo back with me this time.”

  “I might allow that. Unless there’s some other movie star in the magazines you’d prefer me to cut out and frame instead?”

  “You’re the only star I want.”

  “For that, I might give you two kisses when we get home.”

  “We can get a head start.” He turned to face her. “Give me one now.”

  “I’m on a hunt,” she said severely.

  “So am I.” He leaned closer.

  “I think we’re hunting different things.”

  “Your point?”

  Fully intending to kiss him, Bree leaned towards him. “My point is - holy crap! Look at that!”

  Nick spun forward.

  Heart pounding, Bree raised the camcorder to her eye. “Look up, Nick! To the right!”

  High in the sky two lights moved fast, dipping down, one shooting off to the left before wheeling back to fly beside the other light. They dived low suddenly, crossing the road to disappear behind bushes further out.

  Bree slid off the bonnet and retrieved the torch from her backpack before swinging the backpack onto her shoulders.

  A big hand landed on her shoulder. “Where are you going?”

  “To those bushes to see if the lights landed.” Excitement thrummed through her, the familiar anticipation filling her. “Come on!”

  “You have no idea what’s on the other side.” Disapproval evident in every line of his body, not to mention a definite edge to his alertness, Nick blocked her way.

  “This is what we’re here for, Nick. This is it.”

  “Bree-”

  “Look, you saw the lights.” Impatiently, she bounced on her toes. “You saw them.”

  “I saw something,” he began cautiously.

  “Oh, come on, Nick!” Bree looked around him to the bushes. “You came on a hunt with me, you’re my partner in this. Come on.”

  Nick swore beneath his breath before reaching in to grab his backpack, retrieving a much larger torch from it and sliding something into his pocket before swinging the backpack onto his shoulders.

  Bree took off, only to have Nick haul her to a stop by simply grabbing her arm. “What now? What what what?”

  “If we’re doing this dumb thing you’re staying right beside me.”

  “We have to hurry!”

  “Bree.” There was a sharpness she’d not heard before in his tone. “You either stay beside me or I’m dragging you back to the van and taking you home.”

  Every second wasted arguing was a second lost on getting a possible close-up of the UFOs. “Fine. Fine. But come on.”

  Chapter 9

  Nick kept pace with Bree every step of the way, insisting on going ahead of her through the bushes though she kept right on his heels.

  The lights had disappeared behind bushes a fair distance away, and they had to go over a wire fence to get into the field before it.

  Normally Bree would be watching out for everything herself, but Nick was a silent and efficient partner. He pushed the wire fence down a lot further than she could so that she could get over it, and he never let her get more than a foot or two from him at any time. Not once did he let her get ahead of him.

  She’d be taking that up later with him, but right now there was too much at stake.

  How awesome it would be to get a close-up of the lights! Granted, it was dark on the other side of the bushes, no sign of lights, but you never knew. You just never knew what could be there!

  Nick took the lead once they got to the bushes, pushing her behind him with a hard glint in his eyes when she started to protest. It was just easier to give in to him, so she let him go first.

  The man moved with stealth. She would have moved with hast, getting a goodly number of scratches while at it and probably fallen over at least once in her impatience. Nick held branches back, moving with cautious and deliberate efficiency.

  He was actually a really good hunt partner. Definitely made her feel a lot safer.

  As they neared the edge of the bushes, he made her turn her torch off, as he did, and he knelt down, pulling her with him. Placing his mouth to her ear, he ordered quietly, “You stay right here.”

  “What? Nick-”

  “I’ll be back. You stay put until then.” Without waiting for her to argue, he vanished into the darkness.

  How could the man simply disappear? Annoyed, Bree peered in the direction he’d gone but there wasn’t a sound, not even a teeny rustle to indicate that he was anywhere nearby. If she didn’t know better, she could almost believe she was alone.

  Several drops of rain plopped down but for now it was holding off. Just a little longer, that’s all she asked, just a wee bit longer.

  Impatiently, she peered around. If soldier boy didn’t hurry, she was heading through the last of the bushes to spot the UFOs. She bit her lip. What if Nick had stumbled upon them, what if they’d gotten him? Oh shit, she might have caused Nick to become the next alien abductee!

  Shooting upright, fully intending to run through those bushes to save Nick come hell or high water - friendly aliens or dangerous, she didn’t care, no one was messing with her soldier boy - Bree took one step forward.

  Something grabbed her from behind, one arm around her waist, a big hand closing over her mouth to smother her scream before it could escape. She was hauled back against a tall, strong body, the combining aroma of soap and Nick’s unique clean, masculine scent making her sag in relief.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” He removed his hand from her mouth.

  “I thought you’d been taken.”

  He kept his arm around her waist as he moved up beside her. “I’m hard to take.”

  “Yeah, but I didn’t know.”

  “When I tell you to stay put, you stay put.”

  “Okay.” Not even listening to him, she gripped the torch. “What’s there? Did you see anything?”

  “There’s nothing there.”

  “Nothing?” Disappointment seeped through her. “Really?”

  He flicked on his torch. “Come on, I’ll show you.” Taking her hand, he led her through the last of the bushes.

  They came out on the edge of a creek. Across the creek was a clear field. It was dark, no spaceships, no lights, no eerie tall, thin figures. A thumping sounded, but when Bree swung her torch that way it was to see a kangaroo, the eyes shining in the torchlight before it hopped off into the bushes.

  No animal, mammal, reptile or bird would be in the area if an extraterrestrial had been present.

  Disappointed, she lowered the torch. “Bugger.”

  Nick gave her hand a small squeeze. “On the bright side, you did capture footage of lights.”

  “Yeah.” Heartened, she smiled. “Yeah, we did, didn’t we?”

  “We did.”

  “You can’t deny it now.” When he just looked steadily at her, she added, “You saw the UFOs.”

  “I saw lights in the sky.”

  “When no planes were scheduled to pass over.”

  “Apparently.”

  Bree slipped the backpack from her shoulders to the ground, giving her shoulders a roll. “You saw how the lights moved. No aircraft that we know of can move like that.”
<
br />   “None that we know of,” he agreed calmly. “But we don’t know what designs the military and other organisations are trialling.”

  “Oh, come on! Nick, really? You’re going in that direction?”

  “I’m saying I saw lights I can’t explain. Whether they were alien, I have no idea.”

  “But you don’t believe they are.”

  “I believe what I see.’

  “Just because there are no grey men running around pointing lasers at us doesn’t mean they’re not there. There is a lot of reported evidence of alien abductions, you know.”

  “You don’t say.”

  “Tiny pieces of metal have been found in abductees’ bodies.”

  “One of my mates had some metal. Shrapnel.”

  “Nick!”

  “Honey, let’s just agree to disagree, okay?”

  Exasperated, she flung out her arms. “Fine. Cripes, you are hard-headed.”

  Laughing, he moved forward, reaching for her. “Let’s go home.”

  Evading his hands, she stepped back. “Oh, don’t think I’m that easy to appease, Nick. You have to grovel a lot, a bloody lot, to get back in my good books.”

  “I can grovel. I’m good at grovelling.”

  Feeling good about the recording she’d gotten of the lights, and not really surprised at his disbelief still, Bree grinned. “You can start - ahhhh!” The heavens let loose, rain pounding down. Startled, she stumbled back.

  “Bree! Watch out!” Nick lunged at her.

  Too late. The side of the creek crumbled, her sneakers sliding in the mud, throwing Bree off-balance. She went backwards.

  Nick grabbed her wrist, but the rest of the muddy section gave way and he toppled down the slope after her, both of them landing in the water.

  The water closed over her head, the shock of the cold a slap in the face. Surfacing, Bree gasped at the frigid water soaking her clothes, the cold rain pounding down.

  Holy crap! It was bloody freezing!

  Not concerned for herself, she turned frantically in the water. “Nick! Nick, where are you? Nick!” Could he even hear her above the rain?

  She couldn’t see properly, her torch at the bottom of the creek somewhere, his torch lying on its side at the top of the embankment. It was angled off to the side, casting only a glimmer her way.