by Emily Snow
“There she is,” Keith said, giving her a tight hug. “How was your flight doll?”
“It was good dad,” Addie smiled. “Glad I’m here though.”
“Didja get stuck next to one of those chatty people that want to tell you about their life story?” Jeff, her brother in law, asked.
Addie laughed, nodding her head. “Yes. And he smelled...so bad.” Addie scrunched her nose.
Keith and Jeff laughed. They grabbed her bags and caught up on all the things they were going to do while she was here. Parking the car in the back of the row house, they walked in through the kitchen and got Addie up to the room that she and Conrad had stayed in before they got married, on the second floor.
“Kerry and Roger won’t be here for a few hours. So, take your time honey. The bathroom is down the hall if you need it. Or if you just want to take a nap...” Keith started.
Addie turned around, setting her purse on the bed, she walked up to her father in law and gave him a hug. “Thanks dad.”
“I miss him too,” he said, hugging her back. “Why don’t you lay down and I’ll come up and get you when dinner’s ready.” Keith smiled at her and wiped a tear that had slipped down her cheek.
Closing the door, Addie sat on the edge of the bed. She was surrounded by Conrad here just from the pictures up on the walls from when he was younger. Looking around, she saw that someone had put a five by seven of her and Conrad at their wedding on one of the night tables. She walked over and picked it up smiling as her tears fell. She pushed her shoes off her feet and lay down on the bed, clutching the picture to her chest and cried herself to sleep.
_____
Conrad was looking around his makeshift shelter that was made of plywood and sandbags. He was sitting on his bunk getting for another busy night in the TOC, making sure that the patrols that were out came back in safely. They had been engaged several times. So far everyone was in one piece, albeit a little worn for wear though. It was a little dicey out lately and the commander had told them to take extra care and if they found something not quite right, make the right decision and take longer walking back, instead of being careless.
They’d been mortared a few times too, which put into perspective that even though they were up in an overlook position, they weren’t far from harm. He opened his laptop to check his email. Coms out had been touch and go lately, so he took advantage when he could. The winter was a bit milder than expected and he wasn’t complaining.
Saturday, 3:28p.m.
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
RE: She’s here...
Hi son. Just wanted to let you know that Addie made it here. She is missing you something fierce. Hope to hear from you when you are on your way home. I just hope that she hangs in there long enough for you to surprise her in the next couple of days. We’ll keep her good and distracted. Be safe son.
Dad
Saturday, 4:12
To: [email protected]
From [email protected]
RE: She’s here...
Am hoping to get out of here tomorrow morning. I’ll call you as soon as I get to Bagram to let you know when I’ll be in. Always safe.
Conrad
A commotion from out in the courtyard, had Conrad putting his computer down to see one of the Soldiers from the TOC run up to him. He looked down at his watch, wasn’t due to take over TOC duties for another half hour. What in the actual fuck was going on?
“Sergeant Renner! Warlock platoon is pinned down,” the soldier stated. “They are calling for you in the TOC early.”
Conrad grabbed his weapon and ran to the TOC, where a few people were standing around a map up on the wall. He could hear the frantic radio chatter, it was turned up so loud. The officers were trying to make the best decisions on how best to turn the tide. Nathan was Warlock’s Platoon Sergeant. He wasn’t a candy ass by any means, and if he was asking for help...it was bad.
“What’ve you got sir?’ Conrad asked, looking at the plexi-glass covered map of the area they were responsible for.
“There’re just down about five clicks away, but it’ll take too long to get to them from here even if we deploy the QRF. The way they are positioned, I don’t know if it’s feasible. The crossfire will suck,” the captain said.
“They are calling for airstrikes,” the lieutenant said.
Conrad looked at the board. From where they were here at the FOB and where Nathan was down in the valley, they could make it there before airstrikes if they left in the next few minutes. He couldn’t believe that he was in here with two cherry officers who didn't know what to do. So, he suggested that Nathan and Warlock platoon fall back to where they could fortify themselves for the duration until close air support could get there.
“Kamenski,” Conrad pointed to one of the commo guys. “Get a drone up over there.” He turned back around, facing the board.
“Have Warlock collapse here,” he pointed to an area on the map talking to the young Lieutenant and the Captain that were both on their first deployment.
“Once they get fortified there, air can come in and strike. Which direction is the majority of the fire coming from?” Conrad stepped back.
“I’m not sure,” the lieutenant replied.
“Holy fuck,” Conrad mumbled, running a hand over his face.
“Coming up from the south-east along the tree line,” one of the commo guys replied a moment later.
“That helps,” Conrad answered, looking at the map
“We’ll have a Shadow with eyes coming on line in less than a minute,” someone else said.
“Alright. Let’s get air up and over that way. What are our options?” Conrad asked.
“A-10 hot line. We have two in the friendly skies currently,” Kamenski answered, smiling.
“Alright, let’s call it. I’ll have Sergeant Cale collapse back to this grid point here, and we’ll go from there.”
As Conrad grabbed the radio to talk to Nathan, another Soldier was calling in air support. “Warlock, Headhunter, over.” Headhunter was the name for the TOC.
“Go for Warlock.”
Conrad gave the grid coordinates for Warlock Platoon to fall back to. “Close air support is in route, over.”
“Headhunter, how long until air comes in over? We’re in one hell of a shit storm right now.”
Conrad looked at one of his guys who held up four fingers. “Warlock, four minutes. Over.”
“Roger, four minutes.”
Conrad didn’t have to wait long for the drone to get eyes on them on another screen. Once it popped up, someone started screaming over the radio.
“Headhunter, Warlock! The LT is down! Request air support immediately! LT is down over! Shit is raining down on us!” The voice didn’t belong to Nathan. Conrad ran a hand over his face as he held the receiver.
Fuck!
“Roger Warlock,” Conrad answered. “Get those fucking A10’s there now,” he said looking at the commo guys.
“Roger sergeant.”
Conrad watched on the screen as the drone feed came on line. Tracer rounds from Warlock platoon were hitting the tree line from Nathan’s position as they were pulling back into a better tactical position. There were a few RPGs that hit in front of the Soldiers, but they were still moving back without further injury. He could make out someone dragging what he supposed was the LT’s body back behind a boulder and another Soldier ran over with a large bag. The medic. They were badly outnumbered.
He radioed Nathan to give him the location for where it looked like the heaviest fire was coming from. “Warlock, concentrate your heavy weapons to your southeast, over.”
“Roger Headhunter, Warlock out,” came Nathan’s reply.
Watching the screen, he watched the Soldiers of Warlock platoon adjust fire, as they suppressed the largest part of the enemy from on the screen.
“Headhunter, this is Santa Clause. You requested close air support, over.”
Th
e call from in from one of the two A-10s answering the call for close air support came in. And it was about time.
“Roger Santa Clause.” Conrad replied back where units on the ground were and grid coordinates for fire.
“Headhunter, we’ll fly by once to assess then engage, over.”
“Roger Santa Clause, assess then engage,” Conrad confirmed.
“Warlock, Headhunter over.”
“Go for Warlock.”
“Warlock, you’ve got two A-10s that are going to flyby to asses, then engage, over.”
“Thank fucking Christ for the friendly skies!” The voice on the other end spoke. “Roger Headhunter. Warlock out.”
Conrad couldn’t help but chuckle a little at the relief in the Soldier’s voice that responded back. He’d been in ass clenching situations like that before, so he knew the relief of some backup. Right now, he had to be the one to keep a level head on his shoulders as everyone around him was riding this rush with him.
Conrad watched on the screen as the two A-10s flew by on one pass and then a few moments later on the second pass they fired on the enemy, taking down trees and bushes as well. A Few secondary explosions went off too, starting a bit of a brush fire. The only movement came in from Warlock Platoon as they assessed the situation.
“Warlock, Headhunter. Over,” Nathan’s voice came over the radio.
“Go for Headhunter,” one of the commo Soldiers answered.
“Objective cleared. We’re going to finish up down here and head up. Possible Medevac for the LT as well. Over.”
“Roger, good copy. Headhunter Out.”
“Tell that shadow to keep eyes on them until they get up here. That fucking valley is a hotspot,” Conrad said.
“Roger, sergeant.”
Conrad watched Warlock platoon make it up the mountain side and in the FOB. Fifteen minutes after Warlock platoon was safely on the FOB, Nathan came in the TOC and walked up to Conrad with his hand out.
“Thanks man,” Nathan said.
Conrad took his hand in a tight grip, “You’d do the same for me. How’s the LT?”
“They are going to evac him. His shoulder is fucked.”
“Damn, that sucks,” Conrad said, then looked over at one of his Soldiers sitting in front of the radio stacks. “Call in the Medevac.”
Nathan handed the Soldier a piece of paper, “That’s the information they’ll need.”
The two friends spoke about the incident until the radio went off announcing the arrival of the Medevac for the LT.
“Headhunter, this is Witchdoctor, over.”
“Go for Headhunter.”
“We are ten minutes out for pick-up, over.”
“I’d better let them know the medevac is on the way. I’ll see you when you are done here,” Nathan said, shaking Conrad’s hand again, and then left.
The rest of Conrad’s night was pretty quiet, considering. His battalion commander came in to say how he’d heard that Conrad had kept his cool during the incident with Warlock platoon. Conrad just nodded his head. He remembered that he’d been in a similar situation and knew that only cool heads prevailed. Now that he was a Sergeant First Class with several deployments and missions under his belt, the chain of command felt he was best served as a Battle NCO in the TOC. His expertise could provide valuable. Tonight, with a cherry Captain and Lieutenant, it certainly did.
After a twelve-hour shift, Conrad made it back to his bunk where he picked up his laptop to send an email to Addie, but although luck was with the missions that he helped run in the TOC, the internet was down. Putting his laptop in its bag, Conrad grabbed his towel and shave kit, then walked over to the shower trailer to get a shower.
Once he was done, he’d made his way back to his bunk, put his stuff away and lay on his bunk, tired as all hell. Just a few more days and he’d be on his way home to Addie. He started twisting his wedding ring on his finger for a few minutes, as he was apt to do when he thought of his wife. Then, pulled his blanket that Addie had sent to him and rolled over.
_____
Most nights his dreams were of Addie. Tonight was no different. It was the night of the Winter Ball that his unit was doing last year, at a casino and resort in Lake Charles, south of Fort Polk. Conrad was already downstairs in the bar area waiting for Addie who was running late from work. Nathan said that he’d pick her up from the apartment and bring her down with him so that Conrad could go ahead and help out with getting the ‘grog’ bowl set up.
Conrad had closed the doors to the dining area and looked around. Looking down at his watch, it was thirty minutes before the receiving line started for everyone to move from the bar area into the dining room. He still didn’t see Addie and hadn’t heard from Nathan. He decided to pull out his phone and text either one of them, when he heard Nathan behind him.
“She’s upstairs getting ready,” Nathan said, offering Conrad the drink in his other hand.
“Thanks man,” Conrad said, taking the glass. “For this and for getting Addie.”
“No problem. She was nervous.”
“What, why?” Conrad asked.
“She wants to make a great first impression as your wife,” Nathan answered.
Conrad shook his head and took a sip of the amber liquid, letting the rum warm his throat. He looked around taking in the general atmosphere. It was decorated with light blue and silver fabric and decorations to make it look like a winter wonderland. Some of the Christmas trees were up as they had requested, and decorated with white lights and icicles. It was all very festive.
The stairs that were leading down into the waiting area, next to the bar was perfectly planned. You came down the stairs, there was a bar to your right, and the entranceway to the rest of the hotel to your immediate left. At the other end of the room that was made up by partitions, were the doors into the dining room. The waiting area that everyone was mingling in was dotted here and there with bar height tables.
With a rum and coke in hand, Conrad was in the perfect position to watch his wife come down the stairs as he stood in front of a table toward the front of the room. He chatted with Nathan and a few of the other guys that were there in his platoon while he watched couples come down the stairs, hand in hand or arm in arm. After the last couple came down, it was several minutes until he saw her descending the stairs.
She was a vision. Her hair was swept over her right shoulder. She’d smoothed it out in big curls so that it wasn’t just a riot of what Addie called ‘Pretty Woman hair’ off the street. She was wearing a long black velvet gown that stuck to her curves and flared out at her hips down to the floor, to create a fuller skirt when she walked. It was a spaghetti strap that came down into a sweetheart neckline. Her jewelry was the aqua marine drop earrings and necklace that Conrad had gotten her in Italy when she went to visit. It was simple, yet elegant. Her makeup was light, and he noticed that she only put on lip gloss so that it was easier to kiss her. She started buying flavored gloss so that he could kiss it off of her and also, so that she didn’t have colored lipstick all over her mouth or Conrad’s.
As she came to the bottom step, she looked around for Conrad, yet didn’t see him. Before he could step away from the table, he noticed that someone else was walking up to her. Fucking Captain Crisman. That guy and his relentless crush on Addie. Conrad drained his glass before he stepped away from the table with Nathan on his heels. Luckily Conrad and Nathan got there before Jim Crisman did.
“Babe you look gorgeous,” Conrad whispered in her ear, then kissed her below it, knowing it was one of her erogenous zones.
Addie winked at her husband and smiled. “You clean up pretty well yourself big boy.”
“Big in more ways than one.” Conrad wiggled his eyebrows.
“Do we have time for you to show me?”
Conrad stepped closer to Addie, his hands on her hips. He kissed her lightly on the lips, then stood to his full height and looked around the room. He spotted a clock behind the makeshift bar. They had twenty
minutes before the receiving line started. He looked at Nathan.
“I’ll text you.” Nathan smiled at his friends knowingly.
Grabbing Addie’s hand, Conrad moved his way through the crowd at a leisurely pace, not wanting to draw attention to themselves. He knew just where to take her. They reached the doors that led out to the main hotel, from there, he took a quick left and pushed open a door that lead to the expansive atrium.
“Renner.” Someone called. Conrad turned around briefly. “Dinner’s this way man.” He saw his buddy from Able Company.
“Addie needs fresh air. We’ll be right there.” Conrad stated. “Give us a few minutes.”
He pushed through the doors and walked her down the main path, then turned right halfway in on a path that was darker. The footpaths of the atrium were lit with little flower looking copper lights at regular intervals. He went for another ten feet or so and looked to his left where he saw the little bench through the willow trees that were hanging low.
The arborist hadn’t been down this little wooden path in a while. The lights were out along the path. The only light was from the waning light from the sun that shone on the glass roof some ten stories up. In a sense, it was much darker and secluded. The only sound was the soft instrumental music that was piped in through speakers.
“Conrad…” Addie began.
“Nobody will see.”
“You saw this place,” She answered.
“I was looking for it. And trust me, for as many people that were walking around here, you can’t see anyone from here and they can’t see us. So, if anyone is lingering, you need to keep your sweet little noises to yourself.” Conrad smiled at her as he held the tree branches back for her to walk up the little wooden path.