Chapter One
“How is it that I continually get dragged along with other friends for post-deployment leave?” Pete Goodwin stuffed his carryon in the overhead compartment.
“Because you’re a jackass with nobody to visit on your own?” Anthony Miller asked distractedly as he flipped through the car magazine he’d bought on the layover.
Pete mumbled an incoherent reply and settled down in the seat to buckle his belt. Tony had no clue how close to the mark he was, but Pete wasn’t angry. Not having blood-relations wasn’t a big deal, not anymore. That was the thing about the Corps. Instantaneous family. Someone was always opening their home, inviting you over for holidays or sharing their care package.
He dropped his head back and closed his eyes, aware he could fall asleep even sitting straight up in the uncomfortable airplane seat. Another gift of the Corps, the ability to fall asleep anywhere. To avoid a midday catnap that would leave him more tired than before, he said, “So, give me the rundown of the fam again. I remember your parents from when they came to visit before the last deployment.”
“You’ll see them, of course. My brother is staying at school over break to get ready for finals, so he won’t be there. But Maria, my sister, will be. She’s taking classes at the community college and working at a local bar and grill, so she’ll be around a lot. God, I can’t believe she’s twenty-three now.” He made a face. “I thought when she started dating it was bad. I guess she’s serious about some guy, talking marriage.” He nudged Pete with an elbow. “We might have to make a house call, play up the ‘big, bad Marine brother’ thing to see if he’s worthy.”
Pete chuckled. “Yeah, I’ll be right behind you. Should have warned me earlier, we could have brought our guns.”
Since Tony was drifting off, Pete let his own mind wander. He thought about his best friend Trav, and Ariel, the girl Trav fell hard for a year ago. The couple had sent another email just before he left, giving an update on life. Unfortunately, the private investigator they’d hired to find his younger sister hadn’t made much progress. It was still early to worry though. The guy hadn’t been on the job for long.
But there was good to overshadow that disappointment. Not surprisingly, Trav breezed through the Police Academy and was doing well on the force. Ariel graduated from her master’s program, and so far loved her job working with Child Protective Services.
Pete said a silent prayer for her, knowing firsthand the horrors she’d see on a daily basis. Hopefully that sweet woman wouldn’t burn out quickly.
Jolting out of his thoughts when the plane landed, he stared out the window. Wide-open space greeted him and the suffocation he’d been fighting back for months now evaporated.
This was what he needed. Time away from base, from all things military, just to recharge. A place he could pretend was home, a family he could imagine was his. Even for just a little while.
He loved being a Marine and planned on staying in until they dragged him out of his cammies kicking and screaming. But even the most hardcore devil dog needed a break and a place to relax, to pretend the world wasn’t running on military time and that not every decision was life or death.
They deplaned and made their way through the crowds of people toward baggage claim.
“You packed a coat, right?” Tony asked.
“It’s in my bag, on top, so I can grab it before we head to the car,” Pete replied. Though it was mid-November, in California the weather was still mild enough to not need anything more than a sweater. Had Tony not reminded him to bring his coat before they left, he probably would have been screwed in the Minnesota winter.
As they descended the escalator toward the baggage claim area, they heard shouting. Tony muttered, “Oh, for the love…” and pointed.
There were his parents, shouting his name and waving their
“How is it that I continually get dragged along with other friends for post-deployment leave?” Pete Goodwin stuffed his carryon in the overhead compartment.
“Because you’re a jackass with nobody to visit on your own?” Anthony Miller asked distractedly as he flipped through the car magazine he’d bought on the layover.
Pete mumbled an incoherent reply and settled down in the seat to buckle his belt. Tony had no clue how close to the mark he was, but Pete wasn’t angry. Not having blood-relations wasn’t a big deal, not anymore. That was the thing about the Corps. Instantaneous family. Someone was always opening their home, inviting you over for holidays or sharing their care package.
He dropped his head back and closed his eyes, aware he could fall asleep even sitting straight up in the uncomfortable airplane seat. Another gift of the Corps, the ability to fall asleep anywhere. To avoid a midday catnap that would leave him more tired than before, he said, “So, give me the rundown of the fam again. I remember your parents from when they came to visit before the last deployment.”
“You’ll see them, of course. My brother is staying at school over break to get ready for finals, so he won’t be there. But Maria, my sister, will be. She’s taking classes at the community college and working at a local bar and grill, so she’ll be around a lot. God, I can’t believe she’s twenty-three now.” He made a face. “I thought when she started dating it was bad. I guess she’s serious about some guy, talking marriage.” He nudged Pete with an elbow. “We might have to make a house call, play up the ‘big, bad Marine brother’ thing to see if he’s worthy.”
Pete chuckled. “Yeah, I’ll be right behind you. Should have warned me earlier, we could have brought our guns.”
Since Tony was drifting off, Pete let his own mind wander. He thought about his best friend Trav, and Ariel, the girl Trav fell hard for a year ago. The couple had sent another email just before he left, giving an update on life. Unfortunately, the private investigator they’d hired to find his younger sister hadn’t made much progress. It was still early to worry though. The guy hadn’t been on the job for long.
But there was good to overshadow that disappointment. Not surprisingly, Trav breezed through the Police Academy and was doing well on the force. Ariel graduated from her master’s program, and so far loved her job working with Child Protective Services.
Pete said a silent prayer for her, knowing firsthand the horrors she’d see on a daily basis. Hopefully that sweet woman wouldn’t burn out quickly.
Jolting out of his thoughts when the plane landed, he stared out the window. Wide-open space greeted him and the suffocation he’d been fighting back for months now evaporated.
This was what he needed. Time away from base, from all things military, just to recharge. A place he could pretend was home, a family he could imagine was his. Even for just a little while.
He loved being a Marine and planned on staying in until they dragged him out of his cammies kicking and screaming. But even the most hardcore devil dog needed a break and a place to relax, to pretend the world wasn’t running on military time and that not every decision was life or death.
They deplaned and made their way through the crowds of people toward baggage claim.
“You packed a coat, right?” Tony asked.
“It’s in my bag, on top, so I can grab it before we head to the car,” Pete replied. Though it was mid-November, in California the weather was still mild enough to not need anything more than a sweater. Had Tony not reminded him to bring his coat before they left, he probably would have been screwed in the Minnesota winter.
As they descended the escalator toward the baggage claim area, they heard shouting. Tony muttered, “Oh, for the love…” and pointed.
There were his parents, shouting his name and waving their
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