by Eva Luxe
My mom runs down the stairs and screams as loud as she can before joining in on the hug. Even Plato runs back for some more affection, jumping up and down on the three of us while barking as loud as he can.
“What in the world are you doing here, Rhett?” my mother asks.
“I’m home. I was honorably discharged and… I’m here,” I tell them.
My dad slaps his meaty hand on my arm. “Well, why didn’t you tell us? We haven’t heard from you since you got out of the hospital over there.”
“I thought you two would like the surprise. And honestly, they kind of had us in the dark on when we’d be getting on the plane back to the US until the day of, and by then I figured it might be best to give you two a little shock.”
Ma pinches my arm in the same spot my dad had just smacked me.
“You jerk. God, I’m so happy to have you here. Jesus, Rhett. You’re home.”
“Is my room still up there?” I ask.
“Of course. We haven’t touched a thing,” my dad tells me.
I go upstairs to my room, tailed by Plato, and find that Pops wasn’t exaggerating. Not a single thing seems to have been moved since I left. It’s been cleaned but everything is just as I last saw it.
None of these clothes would fit me anymore. My computer is outdated as hell. Maybe I should have let my parents know it was okay to get rid of some of this old stuff. Not that I don’t appreciate their nostalgia, or their respect for my privacy.
From my bed, I look around and many memories I have formed in here flash through my min.: Watching scary movies with Kyle and his sister. Stuffing clothes under my blanket and sneaking out to go on those night time drives with Donny and the crew.
“It certainly has been a while, huh, Plato?” He stares at me blankly and then curls up at my feet. “I wonder how often I’ll be saying that from now on.”
I unpack my duffle bag and am slowly reminded of the years I spent at war. I’ve earned medals, but they feel empty when I think of some of the things I’ve lost. All the memories I made are tainted by the death of my best friend. This duffle bag contains just my uniform, underwear, and bad memories.
That’s all I have to show for the past ten years.
I sit back down on my bed and hear something crinkle. It’s the note in my back pocket.
Veronica Berhow
410-555-0893
Don’t forget, we pinky promised!
She’s right. We did promise. But I can’t just go down and face Sommer. Coming back home has been hard enough as it is, but now I have to fulfill my best friend’s dying wishes. It’s something I have to do, but it’s not something I can just fucking do right now.
“Knock, knock,” my mom says, peering over my bedroom door. “We thought you might like some lunch.”
My dad walks over with a TV tray carrying a plate of mashed potatoes and an enormous steak.
“Lunch?” I ask, confused.
After such a long flight, my sense of time is all mixed up. I suppose I had fried chicken for breakfast. But I’ll eat whatever is put in front of me, as I’m starving again, and it’s mom’s home cooking.
I enthusiastically carve the steak and scoop up some mashed potatoes with it before shoving it in my mouth. Ma looks overjoyed to see me eating.
I’m far from malnourished, but mothers just love watching their kids eat. And I love eating my parents’ homemade food. I’d often have nightmares about chasing their food and never reaching it, but here I am now. Indulging in the biggest and best T-bone I’ve had, possibly, in my entire life.
“So, Rhett, what’s the game plan?”
“Game plan?” I repeat inquisitively. “What do you mean?”
“What’s next?” Pops explains. “Are you staying here in Marysville? Got a job somewhere as a military contractor, or…?”
He trails off, obviously hoping I’d finish his sentence, but I don’t have an answer for him. Not a real one. A popular path for returning veterans has been to work for the Federal Government as a civilian or for a private military contractor, but I need a long break from all of that. I want to take it easy and just relax, maybe see the country a bit more, now that I have the opportunity.
I don’t have a lot of money to go on a road trip. And even if I did, I wouldn’t want to go alone. Something tells me that Donny, Sharla, and Mason might be too busy to join me on a cross country journey.
Going on a cross country trip has been my only plan for the past decade, and only in a wistful, dreamy sort of way— it’s nothing I actually planned out, because my mind has been too stressed with issues of war to be able to be structured like that. And after everything happened with Kyle, it just wouldn’t be the same, anyway.
Now that I’m back, I have to think about the reality of my post-service situation. I have no prospects. I have nothing lined up for me.
“I think I’m going to stay here for… a bit. I just want to decompress and catch up on the years’ worth of things I’ve missed.”
“That… That’s definitely a plan,” Pops says, with a half-smile.
I can tell he’s trying not to sound too disappointed. He has always been very proud of me, but has also always pushed me to be my very best. He probably had high hopes for me to have secured some kind of leadership position in the Pentagon, by now.
Ma sits down next to me and gives me a hug. “You’re welcome here for as long as you need, honey. Don’t you worry about a thing.”
She says that, but all I can do is worry. I feel as though the only sense of relaxation I’ll have the opportunity to enjoy passed me by on that bus that Veronica and Jenny continued on. Now, I’m home and I feel as though staying with my parents would make me come off as a mooch.
I have to find a way to make some steady money. I have to spend the next few weeks tolerating people's’ congratulations and endless barrage of questions about my experience in The Middle East. And I have to face Sommer.
Don’t forget, we pinky promised! I hear Veronica’s voice ringing in my ears.
“Hey, guys, thanks for the food,” I tell my parents. “It was truly amazing.”
“I figured. You practically swallowed that steak, boy,” Pops says.
I chuckle. “It was a good steak. But uh… I’m going to head out. Got some business in town. Do you guys know where Sommer hangs out or works, by any chance?”
Dad chimes in this time. “She opened up this frou-frou salon place for dogs. It’s in town.”
“Oh yeah, it’s great. Plato gets to see her every month,” my mom says. “She gives us a discount.”
She looks at me a bit hopefully, expectantly. I’m touched that they’ve been keeping up with Sommer and also keeping up with Plato’s grooming in my absence. But I don’t know how to say it without sounding too fucking cheesy, so I stay quiet.
When I don’t say anything, Ma adds, “Well. You can take my car if you want to head down there. I hardly ever use it, but it still works.”
“Thanks, Ma.”
“Will you be back for dinner?”
“Absolutely. I’m not going to miss another home cooked meal, you can count on that.”
Chapter 4 - Sommer
Of all the dogs I groom on a regular basis, Sparkles is my favorite. Not just because her owner is a prominent figure in Marysville, but because I normally get very generous tips from said owner.
That, and because Sparkles is the cutest Pomeranian this side of the country.
Plus, it’s easy. Grooming Sparkles just consists of lightly trimming her hair until her face is a near-perfect circle and making sure no doggy droppings get stuck to the hair around her little butt.
I hear bells jingling, alerting me that somebody just entered my fine establishment.
“I’ll be with you in just a second,” I say, without looking up.
Someone replies, “Sure thing, Sommer. Take your time.”
The voice is familiar, but it’s also one I know I haven’t heard in quite a while. I look up quickly, shuttin
g the mini shears a bit too close to Sparkle’s left ear, almost clipping it off entirely.
“Sorry, Sparkles,” I tell her, talking to her instead of losing my cool around Rhett. I don’t want him to see how happy I am to see him— it’s kind of pathetic.
“Oh, my God. Rhett. Have a seat, I’m nearly done,” I say, in a robotic tone.
Every part of me is aching to scream his name and run into his arms. I try to focus on Sparkles, but I can sense him looking at me. I manage to fix the hair around her ear so that it’s even with the one on the other side, but can’t stop wondering what Rhett is doing here.
When did he come back? Why didn’t he tell me he’d be coming back?
I should have heard about his arrival at least through the grapevine, since my granddad and his parents are still in touch. Even so, why didn’t he call me upon arrival? He should be more considerate.
I can’t tell if I’m excited, happy, angry, nervous, or what, but if I don’t control myself, I’m going to end up vomiting all over Sparkles.
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him in person and it’s… it’s different than seeing him over Skype goofing around behind…
Kyle.
I look up again and see Rhett, half expecting to see Kyle next to him. For so long, I’ve been hoping they’d return from war, side by side like the dynamic duo they’ve always been. But Kyle came home first. His body, anyway.
Sparkles looks up at me and licks up the salty tears that fell from my cheeks onto her snout.
“Sorry again, Sparkles,” I whisper. “You’re almost done, girl.”
I wish I wasn’t so close to being done grooming her, though. As soon as I’m done with her, I’ll have no choice but to start talking to Rhett. And I can’t promise that I won’t break down in more tears.
Kyle’s ashes are sitting in an urn atop my fireplace at home. I know he’s dead. He’s been dead for nearly a year. But seeing Rhett here just makes it all the more real.
I used to see Kyle with Rhett more than I saw him with anyone else, even our parents. They were inseparable. But here Rhett sits, alone and looking like he’s missing an important part of him. I thought I had accepted Kyle’s passing, but… I guess it was easier to think I had when I didn’t have a living reminder of him around.
There’s nothing left for me to do with Sparkles now.
“She looks good,” Rhett comments, taking me fully by surprise once more. I didn’t even notice he had stood up and walked over to me.
“Yeah, she’s… ready for… whatever dogs do after they get all dolled up and groomed. Um. Hi.”
“Hi, Sommer. Think we could chat for a bit? Maybe grab some coffee?” he asks me.
“Yeah,” I answer. “Sparkles here was my last client of the day, so I could close up early. I just need to wait for her owner to come back and pick her up.”
Rhett nods approvingly and looks around the room. “So, a dog salon? That is… right up your alley.”
Having been made fun of for opening this place, I was preparing myself to hear Rhett talk down to me like everyone else seems to like to do. But Rhett’s never been one to discourage me. That was all Kyle. And even he did it as a goof. A big brother/ kid sister kind of thing that I used to hate, but now I miss.
“So, who does Sparkles belong to?” Rhett asks.
“The mayor’s wife,” I tell him.
“Oooh, fancy. Mayor’s wife’s dog. Say, who is the mayor now? Do I know him?”
I laugh. “I don’t know about the mayor, but you definitely know his wife.”
“Who is it?”
I point behind him and study his face as he watches Mildred step through the doors of the salon.
“Principal Romano,” Rhett exclaims.
Our former principal slowly turns to Rhett and studies him just as I was. She leans in and jumps back when she realizes who she’s standing in front of.
“If it isn’t Rhett, the little troublemaker. Back from afar, I see. It’s a pleasure to see you, Soldier.”
“It’s Sergeant now, actually.”
“How about that? Looks like being in the military did you some good. A bit of discipline was all you needed to straighten yourself out,” she jokes.
Rhett nods. “Yep. Not a troublemaker anymore. But I’m sure I can cause some trouble for old times’ sake, if you really want me to try.”
The two of them laugh until I split them up by leading a freshly pampered Sparkles up to Mildred. She gleefully picks up her puppy and hugs her tightly before hooking a leash to her collar. She sets Sparkles down and looks back at Rhett.
“When did you come back, Rhett? I haven’t seen you in town until now.”
“He just showed up out of the blue today,” I exclaim. “Didn’t even tell me he was coming back.”
“Or anyone else,” Rhett quickly adds. His brown eyes glance at me gently, as if to tell me he hadn’t been leaving me out of something pre-planned.
“I see. Will you be around for the Memorial Day picnic?” she asks him.
The picnic, held after the parade, is a Marysville tradition, and the mayor and his wife are very proud of how they’ve managed to keep it up. More people come now than in the past, and it’s actually a fun event for the elderly, middle aged, teenagers and kids alike.
It’s a part of small town life that I enjoy; not that there aren’t parts I don’t enjoy. Especially the part where everyone knows everyone and so everyone knows what happened to my brother and feels compelled to try to talk to me about it all the time.
Or, perhaps even worse, the part where the people who don’t want to talk about it keep their eyes averted from me or even cross the street to avoid me. I know that death is both an awkward and interesting subject, but I hate simultaneously feeling like the subject of town gossip and also the town pariah that should be avoided at all costs.
Rhett places his hands behind his back, rather shyly. He used to be super arrogant and pompous, so I’m seeing a new side of him. I can’t tell if I like it or hate it yet.
“Yep. I’m here for good,” he says. “I was honorably discharged after an injury that didn’t quite fully heal the way the military doctors were hoping, and I’m just going to take it easy for some time.”
“That’s perfect,” she exclaims. “I’ll tell Rodney all about your arrival. I’m sure he’d be happy to have you as a guest of honor at the parade and picnic. A multi-medaled soldier with roots in Marysville; he’ll eat that right up.”
“Guest of honor? I don’t know about that. I want to keep my presence on the down-low for the time being. I’ve only been here a day and I’ve already been hounded by people,” Rhett says. It sounds like he’s complaining more so than bragging.
“Nonsense! You’re a hero. You deserve to be celebrated. Besides, it’s Memorial Day; it’s all about celebrating our nation’s heroes. It wouldn’t make sense to not have you onstage for at least a short speech.”
“Wait, I’m doin’ a speech now? Principal Romano, I appreciate—”
“Mrs. Romano. I’m no longer a principal.”
Rhett chuckles. “Right. Well, I’d rather not... speak publicly. Or be the center of attention. I don’t want to be a Marysville celebrity. I just want to be me.”
“We’ll talk,” she presses, with a wink.
To keep her from prying any further, I clear my throat and point towards the cash register. Mildred goes from cold and negotiative to warm and peppy in just seconds. She pays me and slides a one hundred dollar bill into my hand.
It’s a bit more of a tip than usual, but Mildred must be feeling a bit generous after running into Rhett and trying to convince him to join her cause of making the Marysville Memorial Day parade and picnic even more memorable this year.
“I’ll keep in touch,” she says to both of us as she walks out of the salon.
“Yay,” Rhett says sarcastically under his breath as soon as the door closes behind her. The two of us watch Mildred step into her chauffeured SUV.
“The balls on that lady, huh? How is she not the mayor? She’s likeable and a cold-stone negotiator. Isn’t that perfect for politics?” Rhett asks.
“Please. As if this backwards town would ever elect a woman for anything,” I say. “So uh… You wanted to grab a coffee?”
Click HERE to continue reading!
I promised her brother I would take good care of her.
But I'm afraid I've gotten myself in too deep.
Kyle and I grew up together in a small town.