Without regard for his proximity, I turned and started firing a full clip. When my gun was empty I looked around the room, turning my light on to reveal the man was very dead.
I could hear a few more speaking in their language. I crept closer to that area, peering out the window where they couldn’t see. One was on the roof, aiming his gun near the location of my unit. I took him out easily with my gun, but only to signal to his companions where I was squatting.
Then ran after me, chasing me into another building. At the same time I heard more shots fired as my group was trying to cover for me.
By the time I made it inside of another building and secured the door, the shots had ended. I clicked on my light to make sure I hadn’t just ran inside of a building full of the enemy. In the far corner I spotted a man who was clearly dead. A small girl. She was crying softly. I ran to her side. “It’s going to be okay.” She couldn’t understand what I was saying. I held out my hand for her. “Come, please.”
Slowly she squirmed out from behind the man and took my hand. I held her close as we made our way to the exit of the building.
I could see my unit in the clear. They thought they’d gotten everyone. Then I heard the sound of the grenade. I tried to shine my light to find it, but there was too much on the ground, and I was running out of time. I pulled the child along, counting the seconds until I knew there was no time left. I threw my body over that little girl, shielding her from what was about to come.
Nothing could ever compare to the feeling of hot metal shrapnel digging into the skin. I couldn’t hear, and everything seemed to be spinning. While it was all happening I clung to that little girl, praying she’d be safe. If this was my last few moments on this earth I wanted to die knowing I’d saved her.
Then everything went black.
I woke up in a hospital bed, the lights were dim and I could hear people talking around me. That’s when I knew my eyes had been covered. I went to reach up to remove the bandages and realized I was hooked to an IV. I started calling out for someone to help me, praying that I wasn’t going to be blind when they did.
I could hear someone approaching. “Calm down. You’re in the hospital.”
“Get this thing off my face,” I ordered.
“Calm down, sir. It’s just to protect your head wound. It seems to have slipped down while you were sleeping.”
The room brightened as she adjusted the bandage. I was immediately able to see. Relief swept over me as I looked around the room at the other occupied beds. “Where am I?”
“You’re in the military hospital on base.” The nurse replied.
“How long have I been here?”
“Two days.”
“That’s impossible,” I argued. “How did I get here?”
She looked at my chart. “I wasn’t here when you were brought in. According to this you were flown in. If you give me a couple minutes I can figure out more.”
“Yeah, I’d like that. Thank you.”
I watched her walk away before sitting up and accessing the damage to the rest of my body. When I couldn’t feel my left hand I knew something was very wrong. It was casted and had pins sticking out of it.
Up until that point I’d forgotten what had happened to me. The rush of it all hit me like a ton of bricks. My head began to pound, sending me back down on my pillow.
The nurse ran back up to me. “What’s going on? Your blood pressure is rising.”
“My head. It’s killing me. Make it stop.”
Ten minutes later I was dosed with something through my IV. I closed my eyes, appreciating the ease it brought me.
Later, I was visited by my commanding officer, who informed me that I’d managed to save the little girl. He also let me know that my concussion was so severe that they feared I had bleeding in my brain. The fact that I’d woken up was a good sign. While he talked about how I was recovered and flown to the medical center, I thought about what my injuries meant for me. With no regard for interrupting I said what was on my mind. “This means I’m going back to the states doesn’t it?”
He nodded. “You’re no good to us in your current condition. A ranger needs to be able to handle a weapon.”
All I could think about was going home and seeing Kat again.
While I was waiting for all of my paperwork to go through I asked a nurse if she could write Kat for me since I had no use of my hand. I had to wait until everyone was taken care of before she could give me enough time to do it. It was obvious she’d done this sort of thing before for others who were injured.
With a pen and paper she sat there ready. “Who am I sending this to?”
“Katy, uh, address it to Kat with K.”
I watched her write down her name and add the comma. “Okay I’m ready for the message.”
I took a few deeps breaths to calm myself down. I was so damn excited to be sending this type of message that I didn’t want to leave out any details.
I took my time reciting the words, making sure she had time to keep up. Every once in a while I’d get a dirty look, but she kept going with it, so I refused to stop.
“Sorry it’s been a couple weeks since I wrote you and I know you’re probably wondering why my handwriting sucks so bad. I will first start by saying that I’m alright. You can stop worrying about me.
My left hand, the trusty one that I’ve done everything with my whole life, is out of commission.
It was a late night call and none of us had gotten much sleep. My lieutenant had us running into a building that had been attacked, retrieving any living bodies we could find. I came across this father, holding a little girl tight in his arms. As I approached, I realized that he’d shielded the impact and lost his life protecting her.
After prying her out of his rigged hold, she started to scream, as if I was there to harm her. Everything happened so fast after that. I started running, holding her in one arm and my gun with the other. I got to the corner of the building when I heard the grenade being thrown. The only problem was that it was so dark I couldn’t see the direction that it had rolled. Knowing that any second it was going to blow, I threw myself over her, blocking her with my arm and hands from injury.
The impact was insane, shoving shards of metal and debris into my arm. I could smell my flesh burning, but knew saving her was still a top priority.
Then my body gave out on me; unable to withstand the amount of pain I was under any longer. I collapsed out on the road, with the girl still in my arms.
When I woke up, I was in the hospital. I had no recollection of the day it was, or how I’d gotten there. One thing I did know was that my hand and arm was casted and I had no feeling in my fingertips. I found out that I suffered from a concussion and messed up my arm pretty bad. They think it will get better, but for now, I can’t perform my Ranger duties. So, that’s the bad news. Now for the good. Kat, I hope you’re sitting down. I’m coming home. Well, not exactly home. I’ve been re-assigned to a new base and you’re never going to guess where. Fort Jackson. I can imagine that you’re probably in tears and wondering how long you have to wait to see my handsome face again. It’s going to be soon, but I’m not exactly sure when they’ll give me the go-ahead. It’s just a bunch of ridiculous paperwork really.
At some point, I’m sure I will have to have surgery in Bethesda at Walter Reid, so that will be a joy. Seeing the family hasn’t been the highest of my priorities.
None of that matters right now. My temporary profile for now will allow me to assist with combat training and since it’s what I do best, I know I’ll enjoy it. So, I want you to know, I’m coming home for you, Katy. We’re going to start over and be together. This time there won’t be anything standing in our way. We can make our own lives now. I can’t tell you how excited I am to hold you in my arms. I feel like it’s been forever. I’ll let you know when I’m in town, by probably stopping by unannounced to surprise the hell out of you. Be on the lookout for me. I love you so much. See you soon, Brooks”
With that in order, all I had to do was convince my superiors to send me somewhere on the east coast, preferably close to where Kat lived.
Chapter 25
Three weeks went by before I was transferred to the U.S., and I wasn’t even taken to the east coast. Back at my original base in Texas, I met with surgeons regarding my injury. In between appointments I spent time researching locations that I could be sent to where my skill set could be essential. Even though I was ranked as a Sergeant, there were plenty of other higher ranking officials with better titles. For instance, I was sent to meet with my staff Sergeant regarding a transfer.
Since I was being given a temporary profile due to my injury, there was limited jobs I’d be able to do. Lucky for me, Fort Jackson in South Carolina offered training programs that I was well qualified for. Getting in would serve as the hard part.
Being on medical leave with the military isn’t like a regular civilian would have. Sometimes appointments took weeks, and then I’d have to wait for that paperwork to go through to see the next doctor. I didn’t have my choice of physicians, or where I could go. The Army was in total control of my life at this point.
By the end of March I called my parents to let them know that I was still in Texas. They offered to fly in to see me, but I was hoping for a transfer to a closer location, so asked them to hold off. Day after day I waited to be given the go-ahead to move to South Carolina. I didn’t care what my job would be. All that mattered was getting to Kat.
I’d like to say that I kept her letters close when I boarded a plane to come back to the U.S., but that’s not what happened. I packed all my things up and loaded them into my military gray travel gear. When I got off the plane it didn’t arrive with me. I’d filled out more paperwork three times, but they still had been unable to locate my gear.
While I was freaking out about not having all of Kat’s letters, and the rest of my belongings, I used my spare time to internet search for her number. I needed her to know that I’d arrived and was waiting for orders to transfer. I didn’t want to go for months without communicating. I knew she’d be worried, even after I’d sent her a letter explaining how time consuming the military could be.
Unfortunately, there was no listing for a Katy Michaels anywhere in South Carolina, not anywhere near the town I’d been mailing to. It made no sense. She didn’t have to hide. She wasn’t in danger.
I tried her old number, but someone else answered, claiming they’d had it for a year. Nothing made sense.
I wondered if she moved. She could have lost her job and needed a cheaper place. Perhaps she was living with friends, but finally started to do well enough to live by herself. Maybe she’d told me she’d built a house because she didn’t want me thinking she was struggling? Maybe she’d changed her mind about me? Surely she’d gotten my letter saying that I was coming home. Why would she make it so hard for me to find her?
Chalking it up to bad luck, I decided to wait it out. My bag was finally located back in Afghanistan. After a ton of calls it was being shipped to me.
It was April before I got approval to transfer. I’d already had one procedure on my hand, but there was little improvement. Still, nothing, and I mean nothing, could have prevented me from taking that job and moving to be close to Kat.
There was never a doubt in my mind that we wouldn’t be together. I’d played it all out in my head a million times. First I’d get settled on base. I’d buy a cheap vehicle to get around in and then show up at her door. I could almost feel the way my arms would wrap around her body. All I hoped was that I could keep it together when our eyes met for the first time.
I’d waited years to be with her again; to see her in the flesh. Nothing was going to stop us; not my brother, and certainly not the military. This was our chance after praying it would happen. I’d been patient, understanding, and as brave as I could be.
I deserved this new chance at life, especially after thinking for so long that it would never happen.
It took me until the middle of April to get situated. I’d wanted to rush over to Kat’s house that first day, but life got in the way. I knew I needed all my ducks in a row before dragging her into chaos.
I also needed to get my work situation managed. I couldn’t keep wondering what would happen with my hand.
On the day that I was finally going to get my girl, I bought a bouquet of flowers, got a haircut, slapped on some cologne, and headed to the address of her letters. My palms were sweaty against the old leather steering wheel as I turned off the highway onto a country road. This all seemed so surreal, almost as if I couldn’t believe it was about to happen. My stomach was in knots, and I felt like my head was spinning as the numbers on the mailboxes got closer. Then I was sitting right in front of the house, her house.
I put the truck in park and looked over at the property, taking in the surroundings of where my girl was living. The house was new, and it seemed so nice. In the back yard I saw a swing. I wondered if she was a babysitter, or maybe she had friends living with her that had small children. Since I’d pulled past the driveway, I climbed out and prepared to walk to her front door.
Just as my feet hit the pavement I saw someone coming out of the home. I would have thought my mind was playing tricks on me if I didn’t wipe them and recheck for the same result. A man, looking to be around my age, who walked with a limp, was leaving the house. A female, who much resembled my Kat was kissing him goodbye. He turned to walk away and went back for another kiss.
I clung to my truck door to keep from falling to my knees in the middle of the street. This wasn’t possible. I know I hadn’t talked to her in months, but I’d sent word that I was coming home to be with her. How could she get involved with someone so quickly?
Before I could make sense of it, I caught the man looking my way. To avoid her from seeing me distraught, I climbed back in the truck and drove away. It wasn’t until I was about five miles from her place that I pulled over and lost it.
How could she do this me? Did Kat not care that I’d come across an ocean to be with her?
That night I laid in my bed wondering what was going on. I kept trying to rationalize with who the guy was, and what he was doing there. With no sleep at all, I visited the house again the next morning.
Around the same time as before, I saw the man leaving for work. This time a little girl was waving. Then it hit me. The man had a child. Maybe Kat was the babysitter, and they’d been seeing each other. Maybe he was just someone like Spence was to me; a friend with a little on the side. I didn’t expect her to be a saint.
Even though I assumed it was just that, it took me a couple days to calm down. I didn’t want to appear at her door looking jealous. She obviously didn’t know I was in town, and I had to respect that if I’d just called her beforehand maybe things would have been different.
The next week I decided to try again, but this time with a different approach. I waited until my shift was over and then journeyed to her address. Much like a stalker, I sat in my truck waiting to catch a glimpse of her. It took a while, but I saw her and the little girl walking outside to hang some clothes. As I prepared to step out and greet her, I paid attention to the items she was hanging on the line. It was obvious that, not only the man lived there, but also the little girl.
This got me so hot that I had to leave. I beat on the steering wheel, wondering if in the time I’d not communicated with her she’d met someone and invited them to take my place. I felt as if maybe she never loved me to the extent that I cared for her. If she had, then nothing would have prevented her from waiting for me.
This time I stayed away for a month.
For those four weeks, I tried to stay occupied. My new training position kept me busy during the day, and as new recruits continued to come in, I kept my
schedule full. It was the nights that tore me apart.
Finally, one evening, my superior invited me to have dinner with his family. While we sat there exchanging war stories like old buddies, his wife asked a question about my love life. “Since you’re back have you thought about finding someone to settle down with?”
I smiled and wiped my face with a napkin before responding. “As a matter of fact, I did. Unfortunately, I arrived too late. It seems that the woman I wanted to marry is shacked up with someone else.”
“Oh no. How did you find out?” She asked curiously.
“I drove to her a couple times. I saw him coming outside, they were together.”
“Have you spoke to her?”
“No. I thought about writing her a letter, but I can’t bring myself to do it. She’s moved on.”
“Were you involved before you left?”
I nodded. “I’ve loved her since we were kids. That’s why it’s so hard. I asked to be transferred here so we could be together.”
“Then I say you shouldn’t give up. Call her. Stop by again.”
“Forgive my wife, Valentine. She’s a bit of a romantic. All those novels put crazy ideas in her head.”
“It’s okay,” I laughed. “She’s right. I should have tried harder.”
“It’s never too late,” she said as she stood to clear the table. “It doesn’t hurt to keep trying.”
She was right. Had I come this far to give up so easily? Had I risked my life, been through, and lost myself, only to come home and not fight for what was mine?
Love Survives (Love Suicide #2) Page 16