by AJ Alexander
I grab a pen and paper from the drawer, heading back to the table to hopefully make Lieutenant McMillion’s day.
JUSTIN
It’s just another day over here, sitting and waiting for something interesting to happen. It has been about a month since we got here, and I still haven’t heard anything from the pen pal services I signed up for. I’m guessing that I must be a little too boring for someone to write a letter to.
No matter, keeping these knuckleheads in line and out of trouble is a full-time job when we are on a mission. Just as I am about to hop in my bunk, I hear the call for mail sound from the chow hall.
“Hey LT, aren’t you coming?” Cowboy asks as he hops off his bunk and heads in that direction.
“What’s the point? There ain’t nothing in there for me, besides there’s the makings of a sandstorm brewing out there. I don’t want to be caught in that,” I grumble as I lay back, placing my hands behind my head.
“Aww, no lady friends pinning after you, Old Man? More than enough of me to go around, I guess,” Hard-On responds as he claps Logan on the back before heading out of the bunkhouse.
“Maybe I need to call the girls and let them know about all the ladies writing you letters?” I hop off my bunk and follow them, it wouldn’t hurt just to see if maybe I got lucky and someone sent me something. There is always hope, right?
“Fuck you, LT! You know I am a one woman - I mean, two-woman kind of man.” Hard-On shouts over his shoulder. However, the panicked look on his face is priceless! I have never seen a man more in love with anyone than Charlie is with Avery and Amber. Who would have thought that it would take two women to tame that one?
Once we enter the Chow Hall, I notice Brass and head his way. It was a close call on whether he would be making this mission or not, with his motorcycle accident and all. I think in part of his new-found backbone and that stubborn-as-hell woman of his, he was pronounced fit for duty just in time.
“Hey Brass, waiting on something from that lady of yours?” I ask, taking the seat next to him.
“Don’t you mean his Mama?” Hard-On plops down on the other side of him, barely missing the right hook Brass throws his way.
“Layla always sends me something, never know what it is going to be. So, I’m here impatiently waiting just like the rest of you assholes,” he growls. I guess Hard-On is still giving him a hard time about his relationship with his girl. I don’t know much about what’s going on, but I do know it’s not the norm. As long as it isn’t illegal, he can do whatever the hell he wants.
Brass suddenly becomes fixated on the door. “Hey Newb, where’s my shit?”
The newest member of our team, Brady, is headed our way. Now that Brass has finally lost the title of Newb, he has taken to giving Brady here a hard time. I can’t say that I blame him, it is a rite of passage in the SEALs. Although it took him longer than most, he is a better SEAL and man for it.
“What shit are you talking about, Brass?” Newb responds.
“My laundry, you ass. Ain’t nobody got time to be doing their own laundry. That’s what we have you for.”
“Brass, last time I checked you had a Mama for that shit. I ain’t your Mama. Do your own fucking laundry,” Newb says before turning to head out. Guess seeing if he had any mail wasn’t that important.
“Damn! Now I know why you asses gave me such a hard time. That shit feels good as fuck!” Brass says, and we all begin to chuckle. Suddenly, I feel a tap on my shoulder, and I turn to see who it is. “Sorry to bother you sir, but there is a letter here for you.” I don’t even register who is speaking before I take the letter and rip it open. The pages smell like a warm spring day and are covered with elegant handwriting that can only come from a woman.
Dear Lieutenant McMillion,
With the holidays approaching much faster than I would like, I wanted to write you a letter to thank you for volunteering to defend our country. Military service is often a thankless job; underpaid and overworked. Deployed for months at a time, taken away from friends, family, and loved ones.
I am a CNA at one of the local hospitals and all of us on my shift decided to volunteer to bring happiness to someone else’s life. I am a Marine Corp widow, my late husband always said that mail call was the highlight of everyone’s day. Just knowing that someone was thinking about them on the other side of the world made things a little better.
I’ve never been overseas or even on an airplane. I can’t imagine what it’s like to live in a different country for months at a time, especially someplace as dangerous as an active war zone. I hope you’re as safe as you can be. The only thing I’ve done is move from Texas to California.
Do you have family or loved ones that write to you or is that why you joined this program? Do you enjoy being in the Navy?
I have a little girl who is three going on thirteen. I can’t imagine being away from her for months at a time. I barely like going to work every day. Time is precious, and we must spend every minute as if it is our last.
I’m not sure what to say except thank you. Thank you for keeping me safe. Thank you for everything that you do, all the things that people not in the military don’t know you do.
Sincerely,
Becca
I can’t help but smile. Just this simple letter has changed my outlook on the day. I’m going to write her back, just to say thank you, of course. I’m not expecting anything to come of this, but just knowing that Becca took the time to write to me is enough. Maybe she will want to correspond further after this? This definitely gives me something to look forward to, which is a godsend out here.
I look up from my letter and notice I am alone in the chow hall. Those fuckers aren’t going to let me hear the end of it when I get back. Being in charge of a SEAL team doesn’t mean that I’m exempt from ribbing, sarcasm, and sass.
I head out and notice that my prediction was right, a sandstorm is coming in. Should be here in about ten to fifteen minutes. I need to get everything tightened down before it hits. Quickening my pace, I head to our bunk. Being deployed means I share my living space with my team, no special treatment for officers out here. We’re all just trying to survive.
I can hear the roar of the storm as it begins to get closer, and I break into a run, getting trapped outside in a sandstorm can turn deadly very quickly. I get to my door just as the storm breaks camp. I’m barely able to open the door enough to get inside. Who knows how long I’ll be stuck in here, I may as well write a letter to Becca.
“Cowboy, you have any paper? I need to write a letter,” I holler after securing the door.
“He lives! We thought you turned into a zombie there for a minute.” He shakes his head at me, turning back to the poker game him and the other guys are playing. “Didn’t know you knew how to write. Who is the special friend that got all your attention?”
“Of course, I know how to write a damn letter, I’ve had more schooling than you, and you seem to do it just fine. Do you have paper or not, smart ass?”
The guys start to chuckle, in most places you don’t get to talk back to superior officers without dire consequences. Since we’re currently just sitting around waiting out a storm, I’m just a guy hanging out with his work buddies.
Newb jumps up and starts digging through his stuff. With a triumphant yell, he holds up a notebook before handing it to me.
“Thanks,” I say while looking at Cowboy with a shit-eating grin.
“Stop brown nosing and sit your ass down,” Cowboy hollers at him, shaking his head in disdain.
Sitting on my bunk with my back against the wall, I grab a book to write on and get set to write my first letter in over a decade. Putting pen to paper feels surprisingly good. It brings back memories of writing notes in class.
“I hate these fucking sandstorms. Like we don’t already have sand in every single crevice, let’s sandblast it all too,” Hard-On grumbles as the boys play another hand of poker. The sand is one of the worst parts of being deployed here. It destroy
s everything. After six months here, we have to toss everything we brought with us. Uniforms are rough, the sand never comes out of the pockets, boots, or bags. The laundry machines can only do so much when they’re full of sand too. Electronics get sand in the cooling fans and charging ports, rendering them useless if you aren’t extremely careful.
“Quit your bitching, at least we aren’t out in it this time,” I reply, not taking my eyes off the paper. In my peripheral, I can see them all shiver. It was a rough three hours, pinned down between boulders while we tried to keep covered with camouflage tarps. All of us in awkward positions, fighting the fifty-mile-an-hour winds to keep the tarp as airtight as possible. We all ended up with sand burns, Newb had the worst of it on his face.
“What I wouldn’t give for a beer. I would pay a hundred bucks for a cold beer right now,” Cowboy says.
“I’m not bailing your ass out when you get caught with one.”
“I guess that goes for me too, huh?” Hard-On asks.
“You’re damn straight. Your dumb asses get caught with alcohol over here, you get to fend for yourselves. I’ll expect you back to work the next day. Use your training for once and get yourselves out of jail.”
Everyone chuckles, they all know I’m full of shit and would do everything in my power to get them back, even if their asses deserved it. Finishing up the letter to Becca, I seal the envelope and prepare to send it.
4
BECCA
“Thank you for watching her for me. Hopefully, I can find a place today.”
“No problem, dear. I am sorry to drop this on you so sudden.” Mrs. Gonzales gives me a sympathetic look. I want to yell at her, but I know how important family is.
“No, Ma’am. You need to be there for your family. Olivia and I will be just fine and right here waiting for you when you get back.” I force a smile onto my face as I squat down to give my little superhero a hug. “Alright baby girl, you listen to Mrs. Gonzales. I'll be back soon.”
“ ‘Member Momma, you said lots of kids,” Olivia whispers in my ear as she gives me a big hug.
“I promise,” I whisper back before placing a kiss on her forehead and give them both a wave before I head out the door and down the stairs.
After I finished my letter to Lieutenant McMillion this morning, I spent some time scouring the Internet for day care centers near the hospital that catered to working families. Lucky for me, I found a newly opened place called Kidology located between the hospital and the Coronado Naval Base that catered to military families. It opened rather early for a day care center and stayed open later than most. Now, fingers crossed they still had space available. Finally in my car, I send a prayer up to the powers that be and head in the direction of Kidology.
About twenty minutes later, I am parked in front of a brightly painted building, with Kidology in different sized letters attached to the front awning. It’s still rather early, but I can see parents coming in and out. My nervousness returns as soon as I shut off my engine, this place looks like something out of a kid’s dream. Olivia would love it here; I think I love it here.
I take a deep breath and hop out of my car, and as I get closer to the building, I can hear squeals of laughter and babbling babies. I quickly open the door to find a wide-open space full of colors. There is what looks like a waiting area with some seats, a small table, and a reception desk. Then a hallway with three doors on the right. Behind the desk is another door on the left that is probably an office for the director.
I head right for the desk, leaning over slightly to see if I can get someone’s attention. “Hello? Is anyone back there,” I whisper, I don’t want to yell and scare any of the children.
“What can I do for you?” a bright and cheery voice says from behind me, causing me to nearly tumble over the desk.
“Whoa there! I didn’t mean to startle you.” The owner of the voice grips my arm, helping me stand upright. I turn to find a young girl, a little taller than me, with brown hair and beautiful blue eyes. “Now that I almost killed you let me introduce myself. I’m Emma, the owner of Kidology. What can I do for you today?”
“Wait, you own this place? How old are you?” I startle myself at my reaction. Damn, I want this woman to find space for Olivia, and here I am insulting her age. For all I know she has good genes and could be twice my age. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to be so rude.”
Lucky for me, she begins to laugh, a full belly laugh at that. “Don’t worry. I hear worse on a regular basis. Just wait until you meet my two best friends.”
Wait, I’m confused. I insult the poor girl, and she wants to introduce me to her friends. Maybe I don’t want to leave Olivia in her care.
“What I came for is to see if you have any space for my little girl Olivia. I work over at the hospital and have a similar schedule to a service member. I saw your website saying you catered to service members and their families. I figured this would be a perfect place for her.”
“Well, let me look. We have just opened, but we are filling up quickly and do have a waiting list for some of our classes,” Emma responds as she heads to the other side of the counter.
I hold my breath as she pulls out a binder looking for something. “How old is little Olivia?”
“She just turned three.” I begin tapping my fingers, I don’t understand why it takes so long to look down a list.
“If you could follow me for one minute, I just need to check a few things before I answer your question.” Emma walks around the counter and grabs my hand. I have no choice but to follow her toward one of the rooms. She walks toward one of the doors and enters a passcode before entering. This room is decorated similar to the waiting room but is filled with children around the same age as Olivia and two women that seem to be my age. Emma pulls me along and right up to one woman who is holding a little girl with curly dirty blonde hair and crystal blue eyes and looks just like her. The woman is a little taller than me and gorgeous! Not a toothpick but has curves in all the right places. If only I looked like her after I had Olivia. I feel Emma tug on my hand, causing me to blush. “She’s gorgeous, isn’t she? Don’t worry, I stop and stare sometimes too.”
“Now I know you want something. Whatever it is, I paid for bail last time. Call Avery, it’s her turn and more than likely her fault,” she responds as she hands off the little girl to Emma.
Placing a chaste kiss on the little girl’s cheek, Emma puts her down and then gives my hand a squeeze. “This is my bestest friend in the whole world, Katie. Katie, this is … Wait, I didn’t even get your name before I tried to scare you to death.” Emma begins to giggle.
I finally remember my manners and hold my hand out to Katie. “I’m Becca. You and your little girl are beautiful!” I blurt out like a nervous teenager.
“Why thank you, but if you are trying to get laid, you’re talking to the wrong friend. Emma, why didn’t you introduce her to Avery. Her and Amber will be here with Ryan in a little while,” Katie says as she crosses her arms. I can’t help but look between these two and wonder if I really want to leave my little girl here.
“Well, I’m just going to get going. It was nice meeting you.” I turn to leave, but Emma reaches out to grab my hand.
“Katie, you’re scaring a new client away. Emma came to talk about getting her little girl Olivia into your class.” Emma gives me a panicked look before continuing, “I was also kind of hoping we could all be friends. I have a good feeling about her.”
Katie’s cheeks immediately pink up. “I’m so sorry for being unprofessional! It would be my honor to have your little girl in my class. Emma brought you here probably because I said I couldn’t take any more kids. The little one I handed to Emma earlier is my daughter, Emerson. Her twin Ryan should be here in a little while as well.”
I raise my eyebrow slightly at both of them. “I really do like it here, and Olivia does want to have more kids her age to play with. I also could use some friends. However, I can assure you, I stick strictly with the ma
le anatomy.”
Emma and Katie share a look before they burst out laughing. “We are all going to get along just fine. Do you have plans this weekend?” Katie asks.
I pull my lip between my teeth, I don’t have many friends in the area but what happens if this doesn’t work out? I don’t want Olivia to lose her spot.
“Don’t stress about Olivia. We are a lively bunch, but business is business. As long as you pay your tuition payment on time,” Emma chimes in, setting all my worries at ease.
“Unfortunately, I have to work. Are you open weekends?” I laugh, but in all honesty, I’m serious.
“Not usually, but let’s do a trial run. If you can trust me with Olivia for the rest of the week, I would be willing to watch her for you this weekend IF you come to my barbeque after work on Saturday,” Emma says with a devious smile on her face. This girl is going to be trouble, but I can’t say that it isn’t a fair bargain.
“Okay, you have a deal, but if you and your friends corrupt my child, I’m coming for you.”
“I make no promises,” Emma says with a wink. I can tell this is going to be the start of a beautiful friendship and the need for a lot of bail money.
5
JUSTIN
I flop down on my rack, it’s been a long fucking day. One more day down in this fucking sandbox. Luckily, nothing has happened recently, but we have to stay on our toes. Rolling over to check the time, I realize it’s almost time for our Skype call with Emma.
Even though she is my baby sister, she has grown into an amazing woman. Although I’m still getting used to her choice in men, I am really proud of the way she has turned her life around. Rolling off my rack to grab my laptop, I open it up and connect to Skype just as the call comes in.