A Proposal for the Officer

by Christy Jeffries

  “What’s a glucose meter?” Hunter asked. “Is that one of those new virtual-reality headsets for the PlayStations?”

  “Speaking of virtual reality,” Kaleb said a bit too loudly as he put his arm around the boy’s shoulder. “I had an idea for a new game and you’re just the person I needed to brainstorm with.”

  Molly was left standing there with Cooper as Kaleb lead the boy to the hallway and distracted him with talk of high-tech gadgets. Her brother-in-law studied her without making a sound, as though he had a target lock on her and was deciding how and when to launch the missile.

  Instead, she launched her own counterattack. “So what are you guys doing at Shadowview today?”

  “Drew asked me to speak at one of his PTSD support groups,” Cooper responded. “Hunter was out of school today and likes to come hang out in this lounge and play video games with the patients who are recovering from their surgeries.”

  “How fun. I mean, for Hunter. I’m sure your group isn’t, um...” She glanced at the clock above the doorway. “Well, Kaleb and I better get to the store before it closes.”

  “It’s not even noon,” Cooper said, unwilling to back down. “You want to tell me what’s going on, Molly?”

  “Not really.” She wiped a trickle of sweat off the back of her neck. Someone needed to work on the air-conditioning in here.

  “You don’t have to,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “Just keep in mind that I was in the Marine Corps once and the only time I ever got an indefinite leave of absence was when I was being medically discharged.”

  She squeezed her eyes shut and rubbed her temples. “Nothing’s official. That’s why I haven’t said anything to my sister yet. But I will.”

  “In that case, I’m not going to ask you for details because I don’t want to keep anything from my wife. A word of advice, though,” he said before using his chin to gesture toward his stepson. “You should probably tell Maxine before Hunter figures out that he doesn’t actually want to include a glucose meter on his Christmas wish list.”

  Molly exhaled. “Right. I’ll definitely tell her before Christmas.”

  Cooper just shook his head. That was still seven months away.

  Whatever Kaleb had discussed with Hunter was sufficiently exciting enough to make the kid forget about why his aunt was at the hospital in the first place. She promised him a trip to Noodie’s Ice Cream Shoppe later in the week and they made their goodbyes. Kaleb waited until they were in the parking lot before he brought it up.

  “So did you swear Cooper to secrecy?”

  “Not really. He purposely didn’t ask me anything. But he clearly knows that something is up and that whatever is going on could result in a medical discharge.”

  “Molly.” Kaleb let out a ragged breath. “You’re going to need to tell her.”

  She swallowed down a lump of guilt. “I know. I’m going to.”

  “When?”

  “Maybe when I know something more definite,” she said as he held open the truck door for her. When he narrowed his eyes, she added, “Fine. I’ll tell her after the baby shower this weekend. I don’t want to make her big day all about me.”

  He nodded and she climbed into the cab, settling herself deep into the expensive leather seat. As he walked around to the driver’s side, she let out a sigh of relief at dodging another bullet, as well as getting one annoying errand crossed off her list of things to do.

  Kaleb started the engine, and as he navigated out the lot, it was obvious to see the tension finally easing out of his body. She’d noticed how fidgety and nervous he’d been earlier and regretted making him come with her. When he pulled onto the highway, Molly apologized. “I would never have expected you to go inside if I’d known how uncomfortable you would be.”

  “I don’t know why hospitals bother me so much. You’d think that after all my surgeries, it’d be like a second home.”

  “How many surgeries did you have?”

  “Three.”

  “That sounds pretty intense.” She’d noticed the scar down his back when he’d taken off his life jacket out at the lake. Molly had been curious, but hadn’t asked him about it at the time because she didn’t particularly enjoy discussing her own medical history. She knew Kaleb wouldn’t be any different. Besides, after hearing the way the Chatterson brothers all teased each other, she’d figured it would only be a matter of time before one of them regaled them all with some story involving teenage boy shenanigans. Yet, interestingly enough, nobody mentioned it. And that family mentioned everything.

  Then, when she’d seen it last night in the shower, there’d been steam and soap bubbles and too many other body parts that required her attention. Yet, now he’d openly brought it up, so she cleared her throat and asked, “Does your back still bother you?”

  He chuckled, then said, “Only when I’m being whipped around on the back of a Sea-Doo.”

  Shame burned her cheeks. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Probably because of the same reason you don’t go around telling people you’re diabetic. I don’t want people thinking that I’m limited.”

  “Hmm,” she murmured. No, their situations weren’t exactly alike, but something about Kaleb’s experience resonated with her and suddenly she didn’t feel like the only person who’d ever had to give up their dreams. Maybe that’s why she’d connected with him initially. Either that or the way he’d filled out his jeans. Looking at the expensive denim covering his muscular thighs, she wondered if it was a lot easier to move on from what you’d lost when your fallback career involved becoming a billionaire.

  Her cell phone rang and Molly was surprised to see her mother’s name on the screen.

  “Are you going to answer that?” Kaleb asked as he exited the freeway.

  “I should. But don’t say anything in the background. I don’t want her asking me any questions about who I’m with.”

  “Am I another one of your secrets?” Kaleb’s forehead creased above the frames of his glasses.

  Instead of reminding him that he hadn’t been all that excited when his own family had tracked him down to Maxine’s apartment the evening they’d met, Molly answered the phone. “Hi, Mom.”

  “I’m just calling for a status update,” her mother replied. Every month or so, their parents would take turns calling all their offspring to make sure everyone was safe and accounted for—like a mama duck counting her ducklings as they crossed a bridge before using her bill to nudge them off into the water to swim on their own. These were usually short conversations. After all, they had half a dozen of them to make at a time.

  “I’m in Sugar Falls visiting Maxine,” Molly said. Then, before her mom could ask for more details, she added, “Well, technically, I’m about to walk into a department store in Boise to buy her a baby shower present.”

  “Oh, that’s right. I mailed her a gift card last week and could’ve signed your name to it like I usually do,” her mom said, making Molly feel about as responsible as a five-year-old. “What are you getting her?”

  “I have no idea,” Molly replied, feeling about as clueless as a five-year-old, as well. She looked at Kaleb, hoping he knew what they were supposed to be picking up. But he was stoically facing the road, staying as silent as she’d asked him to. “What does she need?”

  “Probably nothing. This is her second kid. Back in my day, we had a baby shower for the firstborn and then you were on your own with all the others and had to make do with whatever hand-me-downs lasted long enough.”

  Considering the fact that Colonel Cynthia Markham had six children and Molly was number five, a sympathy pang shot through Molly’s heart. Being so close to the caboose on the secondhand train was its own challenge and she decided to get her upcoming niece or nephew the biggest, most special gift of all.

  “Anyway, have fun with your sister and give me a call when you get
assigned to your next duty station,” her mom said in her no-nonsense tone, then disconnected abruptly without saying goodbye. It was one of the Markham family habits that Trevor’s socialite mother complained about back when they were planning rehearsal dinners and seating charts. No point in using an excess of words.

  “Roger that,” Molly said to nobody. She tossed the cell phone back in her purse, telling herself it was a relief that her mother hadn’t asked her for more details. The weird thing was that her relief felt surprisingly similar to the seed of disappointment sitting in the bottom of her stomach.

  A steady beep echoed inside the cab of the truck and Molly realized that the digital map on the dash had turned into a backup camera. Her eyes squinted in confusion and she asked, “Are you seriously using the parking assist feature?”

  Kaleb didn’t bother to check his rearview mirror before reversing into a spot with no other cars nearby. “Why wouldn’t I? It works and the manufacturer clearly installed it for a reason.”

  “They install it so that people like you will pay extra for a feature that you don’t need.”

  “People like me,” he repeated, his voice soft. “Right.”

  He exited the truck and didn’t say another word as they walked inside together. It wasn’t the silence that bothered Molly as much as the fact that she wasn’t accustomed to Kaleb being off his smart devices and still not bombarding her with a million questions. Something wasn’t right. While this shopping trip didn’t fall under a routine mission for her, it wouldn’t serve any purpose to have her wingman pissed off at her. “Did I insult you or something back there?”

  “Nope.” Instead of looking at her, he pulled out his cell phone and tapped on an app that gave the layout of the store. “The baby section is toward the back.”

  “Do you know what we’re supposed to get her?”

  “Kylie sent me a list of things to buy. But I think we’re supposed to pick out our own gifts.”

  Right. As Maxine’s sister, of course she should pick out something special. Her mother’s words about signing her name to a gift card ricocheted in her head. Surely, she could decide on something as simple as a baby shower gift. It was a baby. All it could do was eat, sleep and poop.

  Yet when they walked into the baby department, the sheer volume of choices overwhelmed her. How was she supposed to narrow all of this down to just one item? They passed something called a BOB jogging stroller and Molly paused. Maxine was an avid runner, so maybe something like this would work. Then she spotted the price tag and had to do a double take to make sure the thing didn’t come with a four-cylinder engine and a kidney off the black market.

  “Maybe we should focus on the stuff on the list first,” Molly suggested.

  “Right.” Kaleb blew out a long puff of air. “What in the hell is a onesie?”

  “Beats me. With all the kids in your family, I thought you’d be an expert at this stuff.”

  “Your family is bigger than mine and you don’t seem to know either,” he pointed out.

  “Touché.”

  “Well, they come in a pack,” he said, staring blankly at the electronic notepad on his phone. He tapped his watch and spoke into it like some secret agent. “Angela, send me a picture of a package of onesies.”

  “Did you seriously just tell your assistant to figure out what one of the things was on your list?”

  He studied her for a moment before speaking at his wrist again. “Also, send me a picture of a diaper genie, a boppy pillow, a swaddle sack—”

  Molly reached out and wrapped her hand around the face of his watch. “Why don’t we just find someone who works here and ask them?”

  “Because I trust Angela.”

  “Doesn’t she have more important things to do than research baby gear?”

  “Don’t we all?” He dropped a light kiss on Molly’s mouth and she was reminded of how they’d spent their time last night.

  He pulled her closer and her heart quickened. “Good point.”

  Something vibrated against the side of her waist and it took Molly a second to realize that his cell phone was still in his hand. He lifted it up to see the pictures, swiping through at least twenty of them as Molly looked on.

  “How much stuff does an eight-pound human being need?” he asked, echoing her earlier thought.

  She pursed her lips. “This coming from a guy who is using two electronic smart devices simultaneously?”

  “The voice-to-text feature works quicker on the watch, but the images come up clearer on the phone,” he defended.

  “You know what else comes up clearer? Asking someone who actually works here.” Molly walked toward the end of the aisle looking for anyone wearing the store uniform of a red shirt and khaki pants.

  After crossing over into the toy department, Molly finally honed in on a young woman restocking the board games. “Excuse me, could you help us find some stuff in the baby section?”

  “Sure.” The lady stood up and clipped a walkie-talkie onto her back pocket. “What are you looking for?”

  “Something called a bopsie and, um, hold on. We have a list over here.” She waved the clerk toward where she’d left Kaleb, who stood rooted in the center of the aisle, his eyes bouncing from his cell phone to the display racks, then back to his cell phone. Molly called out, “I brought reinforcements.”

  Kaleb quickly relinquished his phone over to the store employee, which was saying something since the only time she’d seen him without his phone was in the shower last night. Heat stole up Molly cheeks and she pretended to be very interested in a natural flow baby bottle that supposedly reduced colic.

  “It’s for a gift,” he clarified.

  The woman eyed Molly’s flat stomach before saying, “I’m guessing you two don’t have kids of your own yet?”

  “Not together,” Kaleb said swiftly. His eyes widened as he quickly amended, “Or separately.”

  Molly found herself wondering if she should’ve been offended by his initial instinct to clarify that they weren’t a couple—or at least a couple who might produce offspring. Kaleb’s tone suggested that their having babies together was ludicrous. Perhaps it was.

  Instead of allowing herself to dwell on it, Molly followed Kaleb and the store clerk as the woman pointed out where all the items on their list were located. Unfortunately, that only solved the first part of the shopping conundrum because now they needed to narrow things down by colors and patterns.

  After the employee left, Kaleb turned to Molly and asked, “Do you know if the baby is a boy or a girl?”

  Molly racked her brain for the answer. How could she not know the sex of her expected niece or nephew? As much as it’d stung to hear the kid say it out loud, Hunter had been correct when he’d announced that the Markhams weren’t the type of family who got bogged down in each other’s personal business. But surely, something as momentous as a new baby would’ve been discussed. At her blank expression, Kaleb said, “I’ll text Kylie and ask.”

  “Wait!” A light bulb went off in Molly’s brain. “I just remembered. They’re waiting to find out the gender.”

  She exhaled hard enough to blow a curl out of her face, relieved she was only forgetful, not completely oblivious to what was going on in her sister’s life. Granted, Hunter had been the one to clue her in on that little detail when he’d stayed with her last weekend, but still. She eventually would’ve asked.

  Needing to prove that she really did care about her family, Molly decidedly chose a pack of onesies with a neutral pattern. Once they’d selected everything off Kylie’s list, Kaleb leaned against the red shopping cart and asked, “So what are you going to get her?”

  Right. She still needed to come up with a gift. Something she could sign her name to. Something...sisterly. Her analytical mind told her that nursery furniture would be the most functional. Unfortunately, it was also the most exp
ensive. Molly kept scanning the shelves.

  “What about a crib mattress?” she asked Kaleb. It was half the cost of everything else she’d seen in the nursery section, but could still be considered a big-ticket item.

  He shrugged his shoulders and Molly held her breath, wishing he’d text his assistant and ask for Angela’s opinion. No such luck. Ugh. She could fly multi-million-dollar jets while firing short-range missiles with deadly accuracy. Decisiveness and confidence used to come a lot easier to her. Okay, she needed to regroup. If she were having a baby, what would she want?

  Her own parents, both career military officers, rarely stretched their budget for brand-new shoes, let alone bedroom furnishings. Molly recalled her first big-girl bed, which looked perfectly fine when it was covered with Maxine’s faded pink butterfly quilt. But underneath it’d had a big yellow circular stain on the mattress from when her oldest brother, Tommy, had been the first owner. She gave an involuntary shudder. Yep, that decided it. Her niece or nephew was getting their very own mattress and would be the first one to pee on it.

  Molly reached for one of the plastic wrapped rectangles lined up on the metal ledge above her head, then cursed her five-foot-four-inch frame.

  “Show me which one you want and I’ll grab it,” he said, stepping in front of her. Oh, sure. Now he was being helpful, after she’d had to do the decision making.

  “Oh. Uh, that one. I guess.” She pointed to the midpriced mattress and stood back as he easily slid the thing off the shelf and set it on the floor in front of her, balancing it between his long, smooth fingers. His hands were well-shaped and all she could think about was the way they’d brought her body to life last night. And again this morning. Molly’s knees gave another slight wobble and she commanded her brain not to bug out on her.

  She tilted her head to the side. To her, the mattress looked a bit thin, although Molly had slept on much worse on the last aircraft carrier she’d been aboard. “Do you think this is a good enough brand?”

  “How am I supposed to know?”