I wiped at the corner of my eye. I was not going to cry I told myself. He's okay. That's all that matters.
He looks tired I realized, soul weary tired. He'd filled out, getting his man size, especially across the shoulders. His hands, always big, were scuffed and torn. His helmet had been pushed back exposing his deep chocolate brown eyes. Eyes that used to crinkled with laughter when I teased him. They'd lost that happy, care free look I remembered in my dreams. It was as if he didn't trust things now.
"Who is it from?" My mother asked as she came in from the kitchen.
"Nathan, Nathan Johnson, he sent me a silk scarf from China," I answered absently, unable to tear my eyes away from his picture as my fingers stroked the soft fabric around my neck.
"Hm, that's nice. It's very pretty. I'll never understand why he volunteered to go. You know, wars wouldn't happen if no one showed up. Ann Johnson must be beside herself with worry."
"He went because he wanted to do something bigger than himself. Something with meaning and purpose. I think it was wonderful. I think he's wonderful."
The words left my mouth before I realized what I was saying. No one, absolutely no one knew how I felt about Nathan Johnson. If he ever found out I would die on the spot.
Glancing at my mother I prayed she'd missed the passion in my voice.
She was looking at the picture in my hand. "He has grown into a handsome man. There were times I didn't think he'd make it to sixteen let alone old enough to join the Marines. I must say, he does have good taste in silk scarves though." Her hand gently reached up and caressed the fabric. She looked into my eyes and I knew that she knew about how I felt. What's more I think she'd known for years.
There was a lot more to my mother than I realized. Shaking my head to move past that thought I gathered up the package and letter to race upstairs and write Nathan a thank you letter. Chrissy could wait, I had more important things to do.
Chapter Three
Nathan
Home, safety, warmth, the ability to rest without worrying about what came next. The chance to just be. I'd made it, really, I was home. My heart soared and I couldn't stop smiling.
The house and yard looked the same. Somebody had left a Big Wheel on the driveway. Dad would pop a cork if it was still there when he got home. Walking up to the door I wondered if I should ring the doorbell, knock, or just go in. I'd raced through that door a million times, slammed it more than once. Yet, now I stood before it unsure. Did I still belong here?
They weren't expecting me, not yet. I'd driven straight through. Originally I'd planned to stop and see Jimmy's parents. It was the least I could do.
However his dad asked me not to come when I called. It'd be too hard on Jimmy's mother he’d said. I told him I understood and gave him my number. Telling him that If they ever needed anything to call me. I didn't think he would though. They'd spend the rest of their lives trying to understand. I knew exactly how they felt.
The pain still ate at my stomach. I was pretty sure the gut wrenching loss would be there every day for the rest of my life. Maybe not as bad, but still sitting there in the bottom of my stomach.
Sighing to myself and squaring my shoulders I opened the door.
"Hey, anyone home?" I yelled as I walked in, dropping my Sea Bag at the bottom of the stairs.
A deathly silence filled the house for a moment then a shriek erupted from the kitchen. Chrissy darted into view and screamed again, "Nathan!" She ran and threw herself at me wrapping me in a bear hug.
She'd changed, a lot. I was surprised at how much she'd grown. In my mind's eye she was still that twelve year old bugging me to help her with her homework or that coltish sixteen year old always on the phone. Now, this was a grown woman. I had problems wrapping my mind around the fact.
Hugging her back I held on for dear life. Drinking in her strength and love.
She was followed quickly by three more. Elizabeth and Johnny joined her in a group hug. Even little Marla, wrapped herself around my leg. How did she even remember me I wondered?
Over Chrissy's shoulder I saw my mother come into view. Standing in the kitchen drying her hands on a dish towel. Her lower lip trembling, a large tear flowing down her cheek. At only forty she was still a beautiful woman. I could understand why my dad had fallen in love with her. Nothing in this world has ever looked as good as my mom at that moment.
I broke away from the kids and made my way to her. She held out her arms and I fell into them. We held each other, I let her cry as I squeezed.
For a moment, I was a little boy again, home, safe, and warm.
Everyone gave us a minute but it couldn't last and soon the kitchen erupted into a thousand questions and comments, burying me in the sound of home.
I mentioned the Big Wheel in the drive way. Marla's eyes grew as big as half-dollars. She immediately turned and ran for the front door. It was nice to see that some things never changed.
"I have to tell her every day," Mom said.
Trying to answer everyone's questions was almost impossible. It was like trying to juggle beach balls. A quick perusal had let me know that Ashley wasn't visiting Chrissy. A secret part of me had hoped she’d be there.
Fifteen minutes later Dad walked through the door. "Whose truck is that?" he demanded. Then froze when he saw me. He held there for a moment before pulling me into a tight hug that seemed to last half the night. We looked at each other and smiled. My Dad had to look up at me, we both realized it at the same time. I felt like I’d just been accepted into the most important club in the world.
Mom started crying again, the kids started yelling and once more I was reminded of what home felt like.
After things calmed down again I broke out the presents. Giving Johnny a Buck Knife with USMC on the blade. He looked at it in surprise and wonder. Dad gave me a crossed eyed look then relented and smiled. Johnny at fourteen was more than old enough for such a knife, besides what were brothers for if not to push the boundaries.
Each of the girls got a silk scarf, different colors. I kneeled down as I gave Marla hers and told her about it being packed on a camel across the mountains and that I thought she deserved a big girl present instead of another toy. Her eyes grew big with wonder as her smile made my heart melt.
Elizabeth at twelve tied it around her hips and gave a saucy wiggle. The girl was going to be a killer when she got older. Johnny and I were going to be kept busy beating the boys back.
"That's where Ashley got the scarf," Chrissy exclaimed. "She wouldn't tell me," She continued, giving me a strange look as she fingered the fine fabric.
"That's right. She sent me a care package, including cookies. It was the least I could do."
"She did? She didn't tell me that."
"Where is she anyway? I thought you guys were tied at the hip," I asked innocently. No way did I want Chrissy to know that I was interested in what Ashley was doing. There is some kind of code, brothers weren't allowed to be interested in their sister's best friend. It broke too many rules.
If it didn't work out the sister was put in a bad situation. Besides, that would mean the sister could date her brother's friend and there was no way that was happening.
"She's waitressing at Sam's Diner on Sixth Street," Chrissy said, her eyebrows narrowing.
I quickly diverted attention by giving Mom a Persian Cook book. She collected cook books and had something for almost every cuisine in the world but I was pretty sure she didn't have that one.
"And Mom," I said. "No Cooking Persian food until after I leave." She laughed as she started rifling through the pages.
Pulling out a white envelope I handed it to Dad.
"These are seeds from the sweetest watermelon I have ever tasted. They're small, about the size of a cantaloupe but man they are good. They should grow around here. The climates pretty much the same even if they are from a higher elevation."
He smiled and I knew that he was pleased. Vegetable gardening was his only hobby. He worked two jobs. Road
crew at night and a side business operating a back hoe. The man worked seventy hours a week but he never missed a football game or choir recital.
Home, there is no place better. I flashed back to where I’d been and what I’d done since leaving. I wasn't the same person, but this place, these people where a big reason why I was who I was.
We gathered in the living room and talked. They filled me in on what was going on, most of it revolving around school. Eventually the afternoon drifted into night and we moved the conversation into the dining room.
After diner the kids started doing their choirs without being told. Johnny asked if he could take my Sea Bag up to our room. I said yes and a smile three feet wide broke across his face.
Dad pulled me aside. "I know you probably want to take off for a little bit, see your friends. Go ahead, I'll handle your mother. She's going to get weepy every time you leave the house. But I understand."
"Thanks Dad, I appreciate it. I would like to go out for a walk."
"Sure, you go do that, this place can be a little overwhelming at times."
I smiled and headed for the door. "Tell mom I won't be late. Do you still keep the spare key in the same place?"
Dad nodded then looked at me for a moment. "I wanted to tell you son that I'm proud of the man you've become. I think that a man is judged by the children he raises. If that is true then I will be judged as being a huge success in this life.” His eyes grew a little misty and he turned away to adjust the pillows on the couch. I thanked him then got out of there before I hugged him and we embarrassed each other.
The hot August heat had tapered off into a pleasant night. I remembered sitting in a listening post on an Afghan mountain only a week ago and now I was walking through a small town on the eastern side of the cascades. It was almost surreal.
Without any forethought I began to walk. I didn't know where I was going, didn’t really care, just walking. Letting my mind wander and adjust to this world. Putting the last one behind me. The smell of fertilizer from the green yards, faint exhaust, and the smoke from a Bar B Q made me smile. So different.
Putting one foot in front of the other I continued to walk until I got to where I had unconsciously wanted to be all along. Sam's Diner.
My heart raced as I stood outside trying to get the courage to go in. What would I say? What would she say? We'd exchanged six letters each over the last three months. In Ashely's case they had been accompanied by care packages. All of them stuffed to the gills with cookies.
What did it mean? Was it my sister's best friend being nice? Even if she was interested in me. It couldn't really go anywhere. I was headed back to Southern California in thirty days. Even if that transfer to the Navy base over in Bremerton came through, it would still be a couple of hundred miles away. Plus it'd be at least another year before I got out.
Taking a deep breath I pulled the door open and stepped inside. The smell of French fries and coconut cream pie, and a faint hint of floor wax engulfed me.
Scouting out the joint I immediately saw Ashley at the far end, wiping down a table and pocketing her tip money. My stomach felt like it'd been punched as the air rushed out of me. She was cuter than a brand new kitten. No she wasn't just cute, she was beautiful. Heart stopping, knees weakening, mind blowing beautiful.
Her hair was up in a ponytail shaking back and forth as she moved the wet towel over the table. She wore a dark green waitress uniform. The same one the waitresses had been wearing here for years. But none of them had ever looked that good in one. Her long tan legs ended in pure white sneakers with ankle socks.
The picture hadn't been a lie. She was a full grown woman. Never again would I think of her as the snot nose punk trying to sneak into my tree house. This was a woman who put a much different thought into a guy's head.
Man oh man, I was in trouble. Somebody that good looking had to have a dozen guys chasing her. She hadn't mentioned anything about a boyfriend, but our letters had never crossed into that territory.
I stood there for a moment and watched her. Enjoying the view.
The restaurant wasn’t very busy. Two older men sat at the counter and a couple were in a booth in the far corner. An older guy, not Sam, there hadn't been a Sam for ten years, was manning the grill in the back. He was slightly bent over working on something. No one had seen me come in.
My eyes were drawn back to Ashley. She finished rearranging the salt and pepper shakers and setting out the silverware then turned and saw me. Her eyes narrowed in confusion for a moment before springing open in surprise.
"Nathan?" she asked quietly. "Nathan!" she yelled then ran across the diner and into my arms.
There are something's even better than home I realized as I held onto her. The sweet scent of Lilacs and Roses filling me with a comfortable peace.
Chapter Four
Ashley
It was him, really him. My mind couldn't get around it. He was here, safe, and so solid. Nathan Johnson was home. Without thinking, without a thought to where we were or who this was, I flew across the diner.
"Umff," he said as I threw myself at him.
My heart beat so hard that I knew he could feel it.
"Your home," I said into his chest, I pulled back for a second to confirm it was him. Afraid he might disappear, worried that my imagination had taken over. So many times I had thought of what it would be like to see him again. To hold him like this.
His big strong arms wrapped around my back pulling me into a heart stopping hug that made me feel as if I was safe, the one true place I belonged.
We stood there like that for several moments, just holding each other. Slowly I began to remember who this was. An awkward feeling started to build in the depths of my insides. It burbled up and I knew I was blushing. What must he think? Nathan had never liked being the center of attention. And here his little sister's friend was making a scene.
Stepping back I said. "Chrissy said you wouldn't be home for a couple of days."
"Yeah, well my plans fell through and I drove straight home. I was out walking and remembered you mentioning working here, I thought I'd stop in and say hi."
Before I could stop it, my hand reached out and touched his arm. I had to make sure he was really here. Smiling I said, "Come on, I'll buy you a cup of coffee."
He sat at the corner of the counter while I filled a mug for him. Both Joseph and Mr. Casper glanced at him then back at me. I could tell they were curious but they could keep their noses out of my business.
"Thanks," Nathan said as he took a sip. He drinks it black I thought. Something I didn't know about him. I thought I knew everything about him.
Realizing I was standing there gawking like a school girl. Holding a pot of coffee, unable to take my eyes off him I had to force myself to look away. I caught Joseph, the old goat, giving me a knowing smile. I shot him a frown to shut him up before he said anything dumb.
Mr. Casper held up his cup for a refill which I was more than happy to give him. Anything to try and break this spell.
"Order up," Carlos said from the kitchen as he slid two plates' across the shelf, tucking the ticket under the burger and fries.
Grabbing the plates I started towards the couple in the back. A sick feeling flashed through me making my stomach drop. What if he left while I was busy? I quickly spun around.
"I'll be right back, don't go anywhere," I said. He smiled and nodded allowing my stomach to rearrange itself back to normal.
Of course the couple in the back needed refills on their cokes. It seemed everything was conspiring to keep me away from Nathan. All I wanted to do was get back to him and look into those chocolate eyes of his and make sure he truly was all right.
After I delivered their drinks I turned, running my hands down my dress. God, why did he have to see me in this awful uniform? I'd spent the week planning what outfit to where when I visited the Johnsons. Finally deciding on jeans, fitted white shirt, Hair down. Casual but attractive. I couldn't decide whether to wear the
scarf or not.
Now it was all ruined because he saw me in this frumpy dress from the fifties.
"Listen Ashley, I didn't mean to interrupt you at work. I ..."
"No, you're not interrupting," I said. "I get off in fifteen minutes. Can you wait? Really it won't be long. Here, have some more coffee. Do you want something to eat?" Okay, even I knew I was babbling but I couldn't seem to stop.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Mr. Casper silently shook his head while he concentrated on his meal.
Nathan smiled. "Ashley, I've already been by my house. Do you seriously think my mother let me leave without feeding me enough food for a full platoon?"
I laughed. He was right, no way would Mrs. J ever do that.
"But sure," he continued. "If it's not a problem, I'll wait."
My heart soared and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. Smiling my appreciation I darted off to start making preparations for my relief. If Meagan was late tonight I would kill her.
Between counting out my drawer, shooting glances at Nathan to make sure he was still there, and watching the front door for Meagan I felt like I was on a runaway treadmill. Afraid that if I made a wrong step I would crash and be flung into a nightmare.
Meagan showed up five minutes before her clock in time, bless her little heart. She came out of the back tying her apron on when she caught sight of Nathan. I saw the immediate interest flash behind her eyes and had to stop myself from clawing at her face. How dare she?
"Who's that at the end?" she whispered, her eyes never leaving him.
Nathan was looking out the window and oblivious to the feminine perusal he was being subjected to.
"That Meagan, is Mr. Nathan Johnson, and he is so far off limits that you are not even allowed to talk to him."
She glanced at me, her eyebrows rising in surprise. She smiled and nodded. "Ok Ash, normally I'd fight you for him, but something tells me I wouldn't have a chance in hell."
"I mean it Megan, You see him walk in here, you walk out the back."
She laughed and shook her head. "Wow, you've got it bad. Like I said, OK, I know, off limits. But honey, I'd be careful a man like that is going to be caught by a dozen women before he's done."
My Sister's Best Friend (Best Friends 3) Page 2