Nerd and the Marine

by Grady, D. R.

  The Nerd and the Marine

  The Morrison Family Series

  Book 1

  D.R. Grady

  Table of Contents

  Other Works by D.R. Grady

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  About the Author

  Treasure Me

  Other works by D.R. Grady

  The Morrison Family Series:

  The Nerd and the Marine

  The Corpsman and the Nerd

  The Nerd and the SEAL

  The Nerd’s Pocket Pets

  Shadows and Spice

  Macy’s Parade

  Bad Nerd Rising

  The Me Series:

  Treasure Me

  Save Me

  Trust Me

  Heal Me

  Love Me

  The Abroad Series:

  Home Song

  Bearer of My Heart

  Please visit my website for updates on all three series.

  http://www.drgradybooks.com

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and incidents are all products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Known locales are also used fictitiously.

  If you enjoy this book, please buy a copy for someone else to enjoy. Please do not download or buy this from anywhere except where the story is offered legitimately. All rights reserved - including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

  Copyright 2011 by D.R. Grady

  Smashwords Edition

  Dedication

  To Vicky Burkholder and Victoria Smith for reading this story over and over without complaint. You still always had nice things to say about it. Thank you!

  To Christine Witthohn for taking a chance on me and then encouraging me to publish this story; I’ll never forget your help and enthusiasm for a story I love.

  To Kris Yankee and Leigh Michaels for answering my myriad questions, offering valuable advice, and unending support. Thanks for helping me edit, too, Kris!

  To my hubby, Roy, for supporting me all these years and never telling me this was a silly dream.

  The Nerd and the Marine

  By: D.R. Grady

  Chapter One

  Melly Lytle watched the man approach the doors, stop, and turn around for the third time. This time he straightened his shoulders, took a deep breath, and shoved the door open. He held a dog of golden retriever ancestry but with strong mastiff characteristics tightly against his massive chest.

  The dog whimpered, its furry head resting on an equally immense shoulder. At first Melly thought the mutt was medium sized, but once the man came abreast of her, she realized her mistake. This canine resembled a Shetland pony. The man's magnificent frame caused the dog to appear much smaller than he actually was.

  “May I help you?” she asked him softly. He wore military fatigues and had the look of a Marine. Melly’s stomach sank, because she could think of few reasons why a Marine would be here with his dog.

  The Marine looked away, blinked, and she watched him fight to gain control. Reining in his emotions took very little time. He sucked in a deep breath, let it out in a whoosh and looked her in the eyes.

  “I'm Captain Mitchel Monahan of the United States Marine Corps, ma'am and I ship out tonight for Kuwait.” Captain Monahan spoke in a calm, firm voice. He heaved in another breath and continued. “This is Bentley.”

  The Marine's entire body trembled, an action that caused his pet to nestle closer. Melly watched the mutt's wet nose press against the Captain's neck and a pink tongue whip out as though to comfort him.

  “Hello, Bentley.” Melly offered a hand for the dog to sniff. Hoping she wasn't right about the Marine’s reason for visiting, with his dog. But her sinking stomach lurched.

  He fought for control again, and won again. His muscles tightened around Bentley, but he didn’t look away. “I leave tonight, ma'am and I can't take him with me.” His whisper cut her heart into tiny fragments.

  “What about family?” she asked quickly. “Surely you have someone who can keep him while you're away, Captain.”

  He shook his head. “All my friends have been deployed and I don't have family.” Another deep breath whooshed out and then back into his lungs. She had to lean forward to hear his next comment.

  “Bentley's my only family.”

  Swallowing to relieve the tightness in her throat and blinking back tears, Melly groped for a reassuring comment. Nothing came. Nausea clawed as she thought of the sacrifice the Marine was making. How could she comfort him?

  The man pressed his face against his pet, breathed deeply then thrust the dog at her. He must have changed his mind midway through the action because he then placed Bentley on the floor. Melly breathed a small sigh of relief. If she had had to catch the dog, they’d have both ended up toppling over.

  Bentley's leash trailed beside him and Captain Monahan stooped to swipe up the leather. He shoved the leash in her hand and quickly left the room, only to return a moment later with a pet bed that would accommodate the mutt’s size. A huge bag of dog food rested on the bed and a box holding toys also accompanied what might be all of Bentley's worldly possessions.

  The man dropped on a knee and took the dog's head in his jumbo-sized hands. They stared at one another before he pulled Bentley close for a last hug.

  He jumped to his feet, then thrust a card, check, and completed shelter papers into her hand. He patted his pet on the head, and blinked away the moisture in his eyes.

  Melly watched, heartsick and helpless as he left, blinking rapidly. His left shoulder bounced off the door frame he didn’t quite clear in the first attempt. Those same shoulders that nearly spanned the doorway he exited.

  *****

  “Hello?” Lainy Morrison answered the phone with only part of her brain. She'd just found the bug responsible for messing up her newest program and needed to correct the problem, only to have to answer the summons of the ringing nuisance.

  “Lainy?” Her sister, Melly? The voice sounded strange, not quite her sister’s, but close.

  “Melly?” she asked, not quite certain who had interrupted her debugging process.

  “It's me. Lainy, I need a huge favor.” Melly’s words tumbled together in a jumbled mess.

  Lainy pulled the phone from her ear and stared at it, wondering if the device could tell her why her sister sounded so ... odd.

  When the worthless receiver failed to comply she positioned it back to her ear and answered, “Of course I'll help if I can; what do you need?”

  “Lainy,” Melly whimpered in the most pathetic voice she'd ever heard. Something else sounded in the background, a moaning of sorts.

  “Mel, are you hurt? Is everything okay?”

  “Yes, no, I don't know,” her sister helpfully answered.

  “Hello. Could you please tell me what's going on?”

  “Lainy, have you ever seen a Marine almo
st cry?” Melly’s voice was abrupt.

  Quelling the urge to look at her receiver again, Lainy blinked instead. “Um, Mel, I don't think I know any Marines besides Granddad, and I’ve never seen him cry, so I'd have to say, no, I haven't.”

  “I just met a Marine who was devastated, Lainy. Not crying, but close enough. And do you know why?”

  Suppressing a sigh, Lainy figured this explanation was going to take until next Tuesday. “No, Melly, I don't know why, but I really wish you'd tell me. Quickly.”

  There was silence for a moment, and Lainy hoped she hadn't inadvertently hurt her sister’s feelings. She had very few social graces and rarely said the right thing. Which might be why she was the quiet one in her family.

  “Lainy, I saw a man today who has to give up his dog so he can fly to some God forsaken country to fight for our freedom.” Melly’s voice was intense and somber.

  Lainy closed her eyes, feeling the pang of regret pierce her heart at her disregard for her sister's behavior. “I'm sorry, Mel,” she whispered, not knowing how to make amends, but upset that she'd probably hurt her sister, again, after some poor Marine had to give up his pet.

  “No, Lainy, I'm sorry for being such a pain. It was just really hard to watch this enormous man come in, holding this equally gigantic dog, and he was so heartbroken. Lainy, I can't keep this dog here for an entire year, and who knows when this guy will come back, if ever.”

  “No, sometimes their time is extended, isn't it?” Lainy wanted to help, but wasn’t certain how.

  “Lainy, will you take him? You've got room and you've wanted a dog for a while. He's definitely big enough to do watchdog stuff and he's friendly and sweet. I don't think he'll be a problem. And the Marine left a dog bed, a huge bag of food, and all his toys.” The sadness in Melly's voice, coupled with her own knowledge that she needed to do something for those fighting for her, made Lainy's decision easy. Before she hadn’t known what she could do to help, but now that she did, it was time to step up and do her part, no matter how small.

  “Of course I'll take him, Melly,” she answered, feeling at peace once she'd agreed. This was the right thing to do. But her heart sank at the thought of contacting some man she didn’t know. In fact, she thought she might be sick.

  “His owner left a card with his name and e-mail address, so you could let him know you've got Bentley. Oh, Lainy, you'll make his day.” The relief, joy, and gratitude in her sister's voice also sent those emotions surging through her, once the sickness subsided. She rarely did anything to elicit such feelings, so while unfamiliar, she was appreciative of the experience.

  “I'm glad I can help.” What did one say to a Marine? Great, how was she supposed to figure this out?

  “You know I'd take him in a heartbeat, but we've already got three dogs.”

  “And four kids, three cats, two hamsters, a gazillion fish, and a horny lizard. Yes, I know there's no way you could do it, Melly, and I really don't mind. I'm happy to help this guy,” Lainy answered. Did she have to write him? Maybe she could snail mail him. That took a long time. Not fair, a warning voice dinged at her.

  “Actually, we've got eight hamsters now. Oh, Lainy, I'm so happy you can help. Do you want to come get Bentley, or would you rather I drop him off?”

  “I can come and get him. Who knows what he'll find in your van to choke on.” Lainy kept the smile in her voice so her sister would know she teased.

  “You know, you're not too far off on that, actually. You're the best, Lainy. Thank you,” her sister gushed.

  “I'll be by in a few minutes, okay?” Lainy wistfully glanced at her computer screen. So much for debugging this latest program, but then again, she'd have company when she returned. She couldn't imagine life with a dog, but thought it would be pretty good. Companionship and perhaps even a protector if she needed one.

  She refused to think about the e-mail she’d have to write to some unknown man. That would clench her stomach into further knots.

  Chapter Two

  Captain Mitchel Monahan sat wearily down at his computer, trying to brush the sand off the desk and the computer and his face. It was hot and sandy outside. Hot and sandy inside – a desolate, alien place.

  He hadn't checked e-mail since he'd arrived, and figured he'd better. There was no telling how many messages from work he'd have, and since his computer was old, he hated to clog it. The laptop had been threatening to die on him, so he tried to handle the machine with care.

  Neilson had done him a huge favor by hooking him up so he’d be able to check e-mail with his own computer. Technically, they were supposed to use the military provided computers, however, since they were always in use, Neilson, who worked with him at home, had managed to finagle wires and routers to make it work that he could use his own equipment.

  Signing onto the server he waited for the messages to download. When they did after some time, he clicked through them until he reached a name he didn't recognize. Except for the subject heading. Intrigued, but uneasy at the news this particular e-mail brought, he clicked on the message and began to read, dreading that he was about to meet Bentley's new owner.

  To: m_monahan@yahoo.com

  From: l_morrison@gmail.com

  Subject: I've got Bentley!

  Dear Captain Monahan,

  My name is Lainy Morrison and I'm a sister of Melly Lytle, the woman who you gave Bentley to today at the animal shelter. She hated that you had to give up your dog and I'm afraid we can't fathom someone not having family. (We've got 800 relatives - and that's only here in town.) She also couldn't let Bentley go to another home when he's all you have.

  So, she asked me to take him in while you're overseas. I'm happy to keep him until you return. I'm grateful I can do this for you. When was the last time someone thanked you for what you do for us? I hope this makes your service time a little more bearable. I'm happy to offer this small gesture of appreciation.

  Bentley would like you to know he's checked out every corner of my house and is disappointed you're not here, but he did find an old cookie I must have dropped and made do with that. He seems easily appeased. ☺

  We are doing well together. May I send you pictures? If this would be difficult for you, I won't. On the other hand, if it would help to ease you, I'm happy to do so. (I have a new digital camera I've been itching to try out and Bentley is quite photogenic, and terribly patient - thank goodness.)

  Please return safely.

  Sincerely,

  Lainy Morrison

  Mitch leaned back in his seat and appreciated how the weight on his shoulders magically lifted. Bentley was safe and with a woman who was willing to share the time they spent apart. With the first grin he'd worn in weeks, he set about replying to this most welcome e-mail.

  Chapter Three

  To: L_Morrison@gmail.com

  From: M_Monahan@yahoo.com

  Subject: THANK YOU

  Dear Ms. Morrison,

  How can I express my thanks and gratitude for your very precious gift? I don't know any other way than to simply say, “Thank you! From the very bottom of my heart.” Bentley is very important to me and the hardest thing I've ever done in my life was to take him to that shelter.

  Only, a wonderful woman, well two wonderful women, stepped in and made it such that I wouldn't lose my best pal. I would very much appreciate if you would send pictures. Most of my friends are also here, so we will not be exchanging pictures. There is nothing here any of us would want to capture on film, anyway. Just sand and heat. And there's no water anywhere near the sand, so it's not the fun kind.

  Please, send pictures. I don't even mind if you send pictures of all 800 of your relatives. I like pictures. Especially with captions.

  As to your question of whether I've been thanked for my service, yes, actually I have. When one wears a United States of America military uniform, especially since the September 11th attacks, there is much respect and gratitude given to us. The American people aren't as likely to take their freedom a
nd safety for granted now, and they are far more appreciative of those of us who serve our country. But I thank you for your contribution. Wholeheartedly. (is that a word?)

  Thank you so much for taking Bentley for me. Words can't express my thanks. I know I already said that, but you've lifted a great burden from my shoulders and I'm very grateful to you.

  Yours,

  Sincerely,

  Capt. Mitch Monahan

  P.S. Bentley will tackle anyone who has root beer, so you might want to be careful about that.

  P.S.S. Thank you!

  *****

  Lainy finished reading the e-mail from Bentley's dad and smiled as she took in yet another thank you. Sending the first e-mail hadn’t been as bad as she’d thought. That was good. Looking down at the faithful friend lying silently at her feet she said, “I think your dad misses you, buddy.”

  Bentley raised his head and tapped his tail a few times before slumping back onto the floor. Lainy smiled and patted him for the effort, which elicited her a few more tail taps.

  She clicked through her pictures file and selected a few she thought Mitch Monahan might like. There were a couple of shots of Bentley that looked like he was laughing, and she wanted to send them. There was also one where his whole face seemed to droop, and he looked sad and lonely. She had already captioned it, “Miss you, Dad.” She had every intention of sending that one, too.

  With a few clicks of the mouse, she zipped the pictures and then attached them. In the end she only sent two, since she didn't know how much memory his computer had. Lainy figured he'd probably be able to use a military computer, but somehow believed he used his own.