Help Our Heroes: A Military Charity Anthology

by T. L. Wainwright

  I shake my head. “No, that’s fine. Thanks.”

  Of course they need to get everyone off this thing before I can get off. It takes me over ten minutes to get into that damn chair. And then someone has to push me to where I need to go.

  They would have a mutiny on their hands if I held up the other passengers.

  Fine with me. I’ll just close my eyes and ignore them all.

  That way, I can’t see their curious stares. I fucking hate that!

  Nope. I am fine with waiting. I just wish I wasn’t in the front of the plane so everyone could get off without coming near me.

  She smiles at me again and grabs the phone mounted on the wall to assist the passengers with the information for the one connecting flight and where baggage claim is for the others, while the plane stops.

  If anyone needs damn directions to Baggage Claim in Ryan Field, then they should be denied the right to breathe. You take the one escalator down and turn the corner, bam! Baggage Claim.

  Reaching for the cell phone that was waiting for me when I touched down stateside almost seven weeks ago, I punch in the number and send a text.

  “Luka

  Just landed. Everyone has to get off before they can ‘assist’ me. Probably be about half an hour. Meet me at Baggage Claim. If the bags have made it, mine is the military one. I’m sure it’s the only one.

  Can you grab it?”

  Before I can set the phone in my lap, I see the moving dots meaning he’s already typing a response.

  It pops up.

  “Laeten

  Sure thing. I would come to the gate to get you, but I can’t get past security without a ticket. I’ll meet you right outside of it though. We’re already here. We’ll take the elevator down.

  The girls can head down now to grab your bag. See you in a few minutes.”

  What the hell? I told him to pick me up by himself.

  What girls?

  Son of a bitch…

  My phone buzzes again.

  “Laeten

  Glad you’re home, bro. I missed you!”

  Yeah, I missed you, too. But, I can’t say I’m happy to be home…

  Closing my eyes, I ignore the loud chatter, smells, and constant jarring of my seat as the rest of the plane starts to get off.

  Chapter Seven

  Rea

  Laeten smiles at Leila and me as he nods at his phone. “He just landed.” He’s been bouncing with anticipation for an hour. “Can you two head to baggage claim and get his bag if it comes through?” He chuckles. “Though, that’s pretty doubtful.”

  Leila frowns. “No! I’m not leaving. I want to stay here with you to get him. We can just head down when we have him. I doubt anyone is going to steal his bag.”

  I quickly speak up. “Why don’t you both stay? I can go to Baggage Claim. I don’t mind.”

  Yes, I can go to Baggage Claim and try to prepare myself for seeing him again… after all this time.

  I NEED that time and Leila staying with Laeten is the perfect way for me to have my internal freak out AND then regain control without anyone being the wiser.

  Laeten looks at me curiously. “Leila is right. You should both stay here. We can all go down together when we have Luka. It’s not like the bags will even be down there before we get there anyway.”

  No. I can’t be here when they see their brother for the first time in forever and like… well, different from what they remember. That’s private for them and I NEED the time for myself.

  I’ve been with these two all morning. I took the day off to prepare food for the Fitzgerald family for tonight. My momma is at my house right now… still cooking. I wish I was there with her, but Leila guilt tripped me into coming with them.

  They are his siblings. I am not. I’m just someone he used to know.

  Yeah, someone he used to know.

  A friend. A friend who doesn’t need to encroach on their reunion.

  I’m a fourth wheel.

  Smiling at them both, I shake my head and reply firmly, “No, you two stay here. I’m going down. I’ll see him in a bit. You need to see him first. You’re his family.”

  Leila frowns. Hard. Her head cocks to the side and she crosses her arms as she stares at me. “Um, so are you, Rea. But fine. Go. I’m going to embarrass him anyway with my tears, hugs, and kisses to his stubborn face.”

  Laeten mimics Leila’s head tilt. They are so related. He speaks slowly and I can see in his eyes that he knows what I’m doing. He nods. “Ok. Go ahead. We’ll probably be at least half an hour. If not more.” He shrugs. “If you get bored… or antsy, just come back up.”

  Nodding, I quickly turn on my heel and scurry away.

  Oh, God… Oh… God…

  Luka is back. He’s here. He’s actually in a plane, on the ground, in the same place I am. Like on the other side of this building.

  What is wrong with you? You’re losing your damn mind, Rea. And why?

  Ok, so Luka is back.

  Luka… your childhood friend is back. That’s all it is.

  Yeah… uh huh. Sure… My friend is back.

  Nothing to be all crazy about.

  Besides, Clive is coming with me to dinner tonight.

  Clive… Clive, my amazing boyfriend.

  Luka is just my childhood friend.

  Yeah, keep telling yourself that…

  I’m driving myself crazy as I stand at the edge of the room, near the round seats for people waiting for their bags to come through once they are taken off the plane, seats I should probably be sitting on. I’ve been down here about fifteen minutes and so far, nothing. Most of the plane is down here, shuffling around, going to the restrooms, and looking at the televisions and advertisements for loads of local restaurants and things to do while here.

  Some people are getting a coffee at the PJ’s Coffee right here as they wait.

  The coffee is calling to me, but for as jittery as I am, I’m scared that if I drink anything with caffeine, I’ll have a heart attack. Not that caffeine even affects me on a normal day. A normal day… when I’m not a candidate for the mental hospital.

  My eyes drift over everyone assembled in Baggage Claim. Baton Rouge is a relatively small airport, so only one plane at a time is usually on the ground. Many people here have family or friends who came to pick them up. Why park and pay to leave your car here when someone can just drive you and be back home in half an hour?! Of course the travelers and tourists either rent cars or use the hotel shuttles. While the airport is kind of away from what is considered central Baton Rouge and Downtown, everything is still really close together and the farthest hotel is like twenty minutes away, using the interstate, on a good traffic day.

  I’m just people watching and trying not to overthink anything while I wait for Luka’s bag or the Fitzgerald triplets to make their way down the elevator and meet me.

  I’ll see Luka for the first time in about four years any minute now.

  Whooooo… Sah….

  It’s all good, Rea. It’ll be fine. Totally fine.

  People are staring at the conveyors as if watching them will automatically make them come on and deliver their bags.

  Playing on my phone, to occupy my hands and stop from fidgeting, I keep glancing around just waiting for that first glimpse.

  An older man standing beside me, wearing an old fashioned jacket with elbow patches, and a felt like brown fedora catches my eyes. He smiles at me and I smile back. He takes it as an invitation to walk over. As he reaches me, he nods at the still conveyer belt. “I don’t recall seeing you on the plane. Are you picking someone up? A husband? Or beau?”

  My cheeks flame as I freeze with a start. I laugh uncomfortably. “No, sir. I mean, yes, I am here to pick someone up. Well, I’m here with my friends…” I gesture toward the active part of the airport. “They are up by security. Waiting for their brother to get off the plane.” I swallow as I say, “But no, he’s not my husband or beau… he’s not my anything… just my friend.”
>
  His kind brown eyes crinkle at the corner as he nods. “Ah, I see. Your friend wouldn’t happen to be a veteran, would he? Good looking fellow, with one leg?”

  My throat goes dry. “Um, yes. Actually he is. I mean, he was injured while serving. That’s why he’s here…. home. But yes, that’s probably him you’re referring to.”

  He nods again. “Thought so. I served, too. I immediately recognized him as a brother.” He stares at me. “It’s good that he has his siblings… and you… he’s going to need you all as he transitions.” The conveyers wake up and start to move. We both look over before he looks back at me. I see him watching my face through my peripheral vision. My head turns to look at him. He says, “Be there for your friend, ma’am. It’s not going to be easy for him and he’s going to push all of you away and withdraw into himself. He’s going to be angry with the world. That’s normal. But don’t let him wallow. Push back.” He winks. “He’ll come out on the other side.”

  His face lights up as he looks over my shoulder. Turning, I see why. A beautiful older woman is hurriedly walking towards him with her arms outstretched. He embraces her and kisses her softly on her pink lips. I hear her say, “I’m so happy you’re home. Those five days felt like fifty.”

  He smiles and says, “Five days is the longest I can stay away from you, my love.”

  My heart pangs at their obvious affection and love for each other. He turns back to me and introduces me, “This beautiful woman is my lovely bride of almost sixty years. Honey, this young woman was kind enough to talk to me while we waited.” His eyes crinkle again. “We didn’t exchange names. I’m Howard and this is Marge.”

  Laughing, I introduce myself. “I’m Rea. It was lovely to meet you, Mr. Howard. And you, Mrs. Marge.”

  I hear an excited voice turn the corner and echo throughout the room. My head swivels and I see Leila walking beside, Laeten, as he pushes a wheelchair.

  Luka.

  I gasp and my eyes lock with the green eyes that captured my heart at about two years old.

  My new friends are forgotten as I drink in the view in front of me… the Fitzgerald triplets together again, but mainly, just Luka.

  His lower face is covered with a beard now, but it suits him. His shoulders and arms are still firm, though much broader and larger than I remember. His trim waist is still visible underneath the grey shirt he’s wearing and his thighs are still impressive. His sitting position is doing nothing to hide that fact. He’s wearing loose fitting athletic pants, and the toes of one tennis shoe are resting on the foot rest.

  The other leg stops above where his knee used to be. The pants are tucked up and under his thigh on his right leg.

  He looks so different, yet he doesn’t…

  He’s still Luka.

  And he’s still gorgeous.

  Oh shit…

  Luka

  I was pissed at Laeten after reading his text. He brought the girls to get me even though I asked that he come by himself.

  Of course, I should have known that Leila wouldn’t allow him to do that.

  The airport worker helped me into the chair from the plane and then lightly chatted with me about the weather and he asked if I was an LSU fan as he pushed me from the gate to security.

  As soon as I saw my siblings standing on the other side of the Plexiglas wall, emotion overcame me.

  God, I’ve missed them.

  Leila saw me at the same time and she covered her mouth as she screamed and then she and Laeten were racing to meet me.

  The airport employee wheels me up to them. Laeten thanks him for bringing me out. Leila screams again and pushes Laeten out of the way to hug me before pulling back and cupping my cheeks so she can look into my eyes. Her eyes are glassy, but she smiles that Leila smile at me and whispers, “Hey, Luka. You’re home.” She hugs me again, hard, as her tears escape and roll down her cheeks before she stands and reaches for my hand to squeeze it. “I’m so glad to see you.”

  I nod and choke back the tears in my own throat. “I’m home, sis.”

  Laeten mutters sarcastically, “Ok, stop hogging this asshole. I’ve missed him, too,” though his voice is husky, showing his own emotion.

  Leaning down he cups the back of my neck and nods at me as his other hand reaches for the one Leila isn’t clutching. “Hey, Luka. Welcome home, brother.” His hand tightens on my neck. “I was awfully worried about you, but I should have known it would take more than that to take out your stubborn ass.”

  I swallow again and my chest tightens further. “Yeah… I’m home.” I look down my body and my siblings follow my gaze. “Though, not all of me is home.”

  Leila squeezes my hand and kisses my hair. She says sharply, “Well, the most important parts of you are home and that’s all that matters.” Her eyes lock on mine. “You are home.”

  I nod again.

  I am home. And I’m happy to be here. Around the people who matter to me and those who love me, no matter how broken I am.

  Laeten steps behind me and pushes, “Ok, let’s go. Rea is downstairs waiting for your bag and if I take any longer than absolutely necessary to get you home, Momma and Daddy will kill me! It took everything in me and all of my considerable charms to convince them that they did not need to come here with us to get you. I had to promise that I’d have you in the driveway immediately after landing. So, we need to go. I do not want Momma to grab that old wooden spoon and come at me for taking too long getting you to her.”

  Rea is here?

  That surprises me.

  Does it really, Luka? She’s always been there. Of course she’d be here now, too.

  The Fab Four are soon-to-be back together again, huh?

  Well, not really.

  I didn’t think she’d come with them to get me… Why would she?

  I stopped responding to her letters and haven’t heard from her in years.

  But, you still know everything going on in her life because of Leila and Laeten.

  Everything…

  Of course she’s here.

  I nod. “Hell, I’d like to see Momma chase you around with that spoon.”

  Leila laughs. “Me, too!”

  Laeten grumbles and is telling me that Rea and Mrs. Badeaux have cooked dinner for us tonight so our parents won’t have to bother with it. Leila is joking and laughing at Laeten’s attempt to tell her that Momma likes Rea better than her. I’m listening with half an ear as I try not to let the bumpy ride in the wheelchair bother me too much, but I’m already cramped and sore from traveling. I’m trying not to snap at my siblings though. It’s not their fault that everything pisses me off and sours my mood these days.

  I can go from fine to boiling point and wanting to break everything in my path in .001 seconds. The doctors have assured me that it’s normal and all are part of my PTSD and that it’ll get better with time.

  I don’t know why, but something tells me to look up.

  My breath catches.

  That’s Rea?!

  Of course that’s Rea you idiot.

  She looks exactly like she always has.

  Does she though? Was she always that beautiful?

  My eyes lock on hers and I see her freeze. I don’t know if either one of us are breathing.

  Her blue eyes are swirling and even with the space between us, our eyes stay locked for what seems like forever. Laeten and Leila are still talking, but I can’t hear them or make out anything they’re saying anymore. I don’t care.

  Her eyes leave mine and I see her breathing accelerate as she looks at my face, then my chest and arms. She swallows as she make her way down to my waist and then over my thighs. Her gaze goes to my shoe and then back to the absence of my leg. They widen and my heart pounds.

  Yeah, it’s gone.

  She swallows slowly and meets my gaze again.

  Laeten starts to wheel me over to her and I glance at the old couple beside her. The old man smiles as he looks at the side of her face and then at me. He nods in greeting.
I nod back. I see him lean in to say something to Rea. Over the noise of the people from the plane, those there to pick them up, and the conveyer belt and sound of luggage being thrown onto it from the back, I barely hear him say, “Go on. Go greet your friend, Rea. It really was a pleasure to meet you.”

  Rea turns and nods at him. He cups her shoulder and then walks to the belt to reach for a bag.

  Laeten stops me in front of her and says, “Stay here. I’ll go grab your bag since they’re coming out.”

  I laugh harshly, “Where would I go?”

  Rea’s brow crinkles at my hard tone, but she smiles at me and her beauty once again shocks me. She says, “Hello, Luka. The beard suits you.” She leans down and hugs me. A soft scent wafts from her skin and hair and I inhale. Raising my arms, I hug her back.

  She whispers in my ear, “Welcome home.” My heart rate once again speeds up. It doesn’t stop as she leans back and sends another burst of the smell of sunshine my way.

  What the hell?

  Home…

  Chapter Eight

  Rea

  I had Laeten drop me off at my house on the way to their parents. I don’t need to be there for when their parents see Luka. Besides, I need to get home and get my insanely fluttering pulse and stomach in check.

  I knew that it would be something to see Luka, but I wasn’t prepared for the sheer amount of emotions that came roaring back to the surface like a damn freight train. The second I saw him, he was all I saw. It was literally as if the rest of the world faded away and he and I were the only people in it. He stared too as if he was taken aback.

  Did he not know I was going to be there? Did he not want me there?

  I mean, I didn’t have any reason to really be there. But the look I saw for a moment… it was like he was seeing me for the first time.

  That’s crazy, Rea. He’s known you his entire life.

  Besides, you have a boyfriend and Luka Fitzgerald never has and never will see you as anything other than his friend.

  So, stop it.