The Grunt

by Nelson, Latrivia S.

  Courtney felt proud and depressed all at the same time. It was odd to her that her father’s life as a Marine never seemed real until now. This new realization let her know how sheltered she truly had been. Brett was right, she had no idea.

  “I have a new appreciation for Daddy, and I’m going to tell him when he gets home,” Courtney said with a smile. The timer went off on the oven and sounded throughout the house. “I better get those. I’ll be right back.”

  Cameron came around the corner with toy in his hand and walked up to Mrs. Lawless. Crawling up in her lap, he brushed his little hand over her delicate cheek. “Grandma Lawless, can I come home with you tonight?” he asked, digging in his nose.

  Mrs. Lawless removed his hand and reached into her purse for a napkin. “Would you like to come home with me?”

  “Yes,” he said as she cleaned his tiny little fingers.

  “Well, that sounds just lovely. After dinner, why don’t you pack a bag, and I’ll take you with me. You can swim out in the pool tonight, and we’ll watch movies and eat popcorn.”

  Mrs. Lawless didn’t have any grandchildren, but she wanted them. And Cameron filled a special need inside of her now that her own children were gone.

  “Is Mommy going to come too?” Cameron asked wide-eyed.

  “You’ll have to ask her,” Mrs. Lawless said in a whisper.

  Cameron had been calling Courtney mommy more and more. With the absence of his mother and the need for parental protection and love, the bond between the two had come naturally.

  A few weeks ago after school, Cameron had asked Courtney if she was his new mommy. It had left her flabbergasted. What did she tell a baby that needed love so badly? Courtney had called her mother straight away and asked her advice. But even Mrs. Lawless couldn’t answer as to what was best for her. “Follow your heart,” her mother had said. Needless to say that Courtney told him that she would be his mother, if he wanted her to. And so, it had begun. A new relationship was being built, and it was sucking everyone in, including Mrs. Lawless.

  “Okay, the cookies are ready,” Courtney said, walking back in the living room with the mitten still on her hand. “Who wants some?”

  “I do,” Cameron said, jumping down off of Mrs. Lawless’s lap. “I’m going to Grandma’s tonight,” he announced as he ran past her knee to the kitchen.

  “Again?” Courtney asked with a smile.

  “Oh, I enjoy it,” Mrs. Lawless said, standing up and smoothing her hands over her skirt. “Since my own children won’t give me any grandchildren, then I’ll just have to start stealing other people’s children.”

  Courtney shook her head. “Well that gives me a free night. I think I’ll hit the beach and catch a few waves after dinner.”

  “Trust me. You deserve it. You’ve been giving a hundred percent around this house. I’m sure you’re probably a better mother than you know who ever was to him. Keep that up and Cameron might start to look like you,” Mrs. Lawless joked.

  Courtney’s smile disappeared. “There is something that I haven’t told you yet.”

  “You’re pregnant?” Mrs. Lawless said with her hand over her breast. She said that she wanted grandchildren, but she didn’t mean right at the second.

  “No,” Courtney laughed. She looked back to see if Cameron was in earshot. “It’s about Cameron.” She walked over to her mother and leaned to her ear. “Brett found out a few days after I moved in that the boy isn’t even his. Amy had been lying to him the entire time.”

  Mrs. Lawless eyes narrowed. Could this woman get any worse? “What did Brett say? Whose child is it?”

  Courtney shrugged her shoulders. “No one knows. No one may ever know with Amy dead. So, you see…” Courtney checked behind her again and then turned to her mother. “He’s as much mine as he is Brett’s now.”

  Mrs. Lawless was moved by her daughter’s love. Courtney had always been a giving woman. When she was little, she always brought home stray dogs and cats. Once, she even brought home a homeless woman. While in college, the only thing that she was committed to was raising money for the women’s shelters and had continued with her cause after she had returned to North Carolina. So, it wasn’t unusual that her daughter had found another needy family. Courtney always felt strongest when she was needed. It had been her calling.

  However, Mrs. Lawless also had drilled into Courtney about her decision. She wanted her to understand how impressionable children were and how hard it would be for Cameron, if she just decided that this new readymade family was too much for her. To walk away from this would be hardest on Cameron, so if Courtney did not want this for sure, she should not lead on that she did.

  Courtney had completely understood her mother’s concern. However, she just wanted to belong to something. She wanted her own family. She wanted a simple life with a good man, and Cameron had come as a wonderful little bonus.

  “I’m very proud of you,” Mrs. Lawless said, walking with her out of the living room. “Now, I think I’ll have a cookie before dinner as well.”

  ***

  The mock operations had finally come to an end and Brett’s unit was allowed to leave the desolate desert and scorching sun and heat of the hooch to head back to civilization in the form of Camp Wilson.

  After a shower and shave to wash away the stench and sweat, the first thing that he did was use his cell to call Courtney. With his towel wrapped around his waist and the hot water running in the sink, he grabbed his phone and dialed home. He sure wished that she would be there. He hadn’t spoken to her in over a week.

  With Amy, when he would call home, she would always have an attitude. Something would be broken and needed to be fixed. So, she would start the conversation off by berating him for not being there. Then, she would tell him how hard things were alone taking care of Cameron, followed by the need for money to invest in a hobby that would give her something out of the house to do. He could not recall once when he had called and she was just happy to hear from him.

  “Hello,” Courtney answered on the first ring.

  Brett immediately exhaled. “I don’t think there is anything better than the sound of your voice,” he crooned.

  Courtney giggled. His voice felt like silk against her ears even thousands of miles away. “Well, hello to you too stranger. How have you been?” She ran her fingers through the bath water.

  “Miserable. It was 120 degrees today out here. But the good thing is that we’re headed home tomorrow. So, it won’t be long before I see your face again.”

  “Promises. Promises.” She felt butterflies erupt at the thought of him being back in her arms again.

  “How’s my son? Put him on the phone. I want to talk to him.”

  Courtney sighed. “Cameron isn’t here. He’s spending the night with my mom.”

  Brett adjusted the phone to his ear. “He’s what?”

  “Well, he’s been going over there a lot since you, David and Dad have been gone.” She hoped that he wouldn’t be too mad, but she braced herself just in case.

  Brett was taken aback but flattered. “She doesn’t mind watching him?”

  “Are you kidding? She loves to have him over. They eat snacks, watch movies, and swim in the pool. She loves it. And so does he.”

  “Wow. Okay,” Brett said, turning off the faucet. His voice deepened. “So, what are you up to?”

  “Well, I went to the beach and hit the waves, and then I went to the library and picked up a few books. Now, I’m here in the tub with a few candles lit, and I’m just relaxing.” She giggled. “Did I mention that I was naked?”

  “You didn’t have to. I heard the bathwater, and I’m getting a hard-on right now just thinking about you.” He licked his lips. “Think your mom wouldn’t mind watching him again when I get home? I may need a few hours to have a family reunion.”

  Courtney purred. “It’s good that you mentioned that. I have a big surprise for you when you come back. Considering that you get a 96 for the Labor Day weekend, I have made
plans for us in Wilmington.”

  “Awesome. I can’t wait.” She was always full of surprises.

  “I can’t either,” she said softly.

  “How’s Cameron been since I’ve been gone? Was it a big adjustment?”

  “Well, he’s been great. He’s doing really well in school. He even picked up a few chores here in the house to make him into a bigger boy, and there’s something else.” She paused.

  “I’m listening.”

  “He’s been calling me Mom,” she said carefully. “He asked if it was alright, and I hope that you don’t mind, but I told him that it was. I figured I would tell you before you heard him call me that when you got home. I didn’t mean to overstep. It’s just that…”

  Brett quickly interrupted. “Cort, it’s fine. Really. I heard him call you mom one day at the beach. I just didn’t say anything, because I didn’t want it to weird you out.”

  “Oh, I’m not weirded out by it at all. I just…when he asked, I mean when he said it…it sort of became real for me, you know.” She breathed in a deep breath.

  “I know.” He smirked. “He loves you, too.”

  “I do love him, Brett. This time away has really brought us very close together. And he’s such an amazing little boy. When you have to go on deployment, I think that we’ll be just fine.”

  “I’m glad that he has you, Cort. I’m glad I have you for that fact.” He missed her even more now. “See you soon, alright.” The more he talked to her, the more he became homesick.

  “Alright. I love you.”

  He ran his finger down the fogged up mirror. “I love you,” he said sincerely.

  ***

  The gym was nearly empty by the time that Brett made it out of his room. Though he had spent many hours out in the desert working hard, he still had an urge to pump some iron. There was nothing like getting under the bar and releasing all of his frustration one rep at a time. After that, all he would be missing would be a protein shake and a muscle magazine, and he’d be right at home.

  Pushing the door open, he swept the room to see what equipment was available and as he did so landed his eyes right on Captain David Lawless.

  “Going to be one of those kinds of nights,” Brett said aloud as he made his way over beside him to the weight bench.

  David was doing free weights with his head phones on, but still nodded his way.

  The two had worked silently out in the field for six weeks, putting the objective first as they both had been taught, but even then Brett could feel the looks. David Lawless was not happy about him screwing his little sister. And truly, Brett could sympathize. While he was an only child, he could imagine how something so sensitive might be a sore point. Still, it was Courtney’s decision, and he didn’t feel as though he owed her brother anything.

  David dropped the weights and wiped his face off with the towel. Looking over Brett’s way, he cracked a smile. “Glad to be going home, Staff Sergeant?” There was a menacing look in his twitching eye as he talked.

  “Yeah, you?” Brett said as he rested back on the bench.

  “I’m indifferent. I haven’t found that special someone, yet. What about yourself? Since your wife passed, have you moved on?”

  Brett sat up and looked up at David. “Yeah, I’ve moved on.”

  “With my sister?” his gaze narrowed.

  Brett smirked and rolled his eyes. “Look, sir, I had no idea that she was even a Lawless until after I hired her. She was using her mother’s maiden name.”

  David could believe that. He walked over to Brett and sat down on the bench across from him. “Courtney is special. She’s got one of those bleeding hearts and a track record for picking the wrong kind of man. So, what I’m saying to you is this…if you break her heart, if you…” he shook his head, “make a mockery of this family, I’ll forget that I’m a captain and you’re a staff sergeant, and you and I are going to dance.”

  Brett could respect that. “I love her. Not that I owe you an explanation, but I can tell you that I would never do anything to hurt her, sir.”

  “How many times have I heard that before?” David frowned. “Have you ever given any thought to what you’re doing?”

  “What am I doing?”

  “Are you paying her?”

  He was not about to get cornered in a conversation where he was accused of slavery. “Of course, I’m paying her. She doesn’t work for free,” he said defensively. What kind of man did he think he was?

  David smirked. “What do you call a woman that you sleep with and pay?”

  Brett clenched his jaw but didn’t answer. He had to try to remember that he was addressing a superior officer in a military installation. Otherwise, he would have already attacked.

  David moved in closer, completely unmoved by Brett’s growing irritation. “Don’t make my sister a whore just because you like pussy,” he said in stern low voice.

  Brett’s eye twitched again. “First of all, if I wanted pussy, I could get it any day, at any time. Any bar in Jacksonville has it lined up on the wall like bottles of beer. Secondly, I wouldn’t even put the word whore in the same conversation with Courtney. And I’m paying her for helping me with my son, not for our relationship.” His face turned red.

  “If you love her so much, then why won’t you make an honest woman out of her? Or are you above that with her?”

  “If you’re asking me if I’m a fucking bigot, the answer is hell no. And our relationship really isn’t your business, is it?”

  Mockingly, Captain Lawless smacked his lips and his over exaggerated the consonants in Brett’s name. “I’ll make it my business if you break her heart, Staff Sergeant Black.”

  “I get it. You love your sister. You don’t want to see her hurt. I can respect that. But like I said, what I do in my personal life is my business. I don’t owe you shit. And I’ve paid my dues in the Corps, worked my ass off, stood the post, defended my country and not left a motherfucker behind. So, kissing your ass isn’t an option for me. You wanted the truth. Well, I just gave it to you.”

  “I wouldn’t give a damn if you were given the Medal of Honor and the President of the United States flew here on Air Force One to personally hand it to you tonight in this gym, it wouldn’t give you the right to fuck my sister. I’ve said what I needed to say, Black. If you do Courtney wrong, I’ll see to it that you never see Gunnery Sergeant and more than that, I’ll kick your ass all over Camp Lejeune. I don’t care if it costs me my commission. You won’t smear my family name.”

  “Is that a threat?” Brett asked.

  “That’s a fucking, blood covenant promise that you can take that to the bank every day of the week and twice on Sunday,” David said, standing up.

  Brett watched David walk out of the gym before he noticed that the few men standing around had heard the entire conversation. They whispered to one another and laughed, making him angrier.

  Most men in that situation would have probably felt proud. The little staff sergeant was sticking it to his superior command by sleeping with their family, but it only outraged Brett. It wasn’t like that at all. He loved her. And he would do anything for her, including taking shit from her overbearing brother.

  Glancing around, he felt the heat in his blood boiling over. “What the fuck are you guys looking at?” he asked as he rested back on the bench and grabbed the bar. He gripped the silver beam and growled as he pushed the weight up, taking his frustration out as he counted out the reps to himself.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The harsh summer weather had begun to wind down in North Carolina on the first day of September. As Brett loaded into his truck after formation, he actually took a minute and looked around Camp Lejeune as if he was seeing it for the first time. He wanted to pinch himself. Was life supposed to be this good? Sure, there were some speed bumps like the constant dirty looks he got from Captain Lawless and the now wide-spread and very true rumor that he was dating the colonel’s daughter, but aside from the petty things, he wa
s actually the happiest that he had ever been.

  The drive home was pleasant with even a faint, merciful breeze in the air. The cloudless day had turned into a peaceful evening, and in the distance the last of a beautiful, golden sun set on the horizon.

  He drove with the windows down and his favorite CD, the Kong-Foo Fighters playing, but his thoughts were already in Swansboro with two people who were waiting for him to return from a 6-week training that had trained him dry. Anxious energy made him want to put his foot to the pedal, and rev up his Hemi, but a ticket would only slow him down further. So he paced himself even as torturous as it was.