Sergeant (The United Federation Marine Corps Book 2) by Jonathan P. Brazee

chaplain to come a’knocking on the door to tell her that her man won’t be coming home. No, not for me, thank you very much. Not for me.”
    Ryck felt deflated. He didn’t know Hannah well enough to have any serious intentions with her, but to be knocked out of the race before even leaving the gate was a little rough.
    “Oh, listen to me, rattling on. This be a joyous day,” she said, reaching out to take one of Ryck’s hands in hers. “You go on upstairs and see Joshua. He probably be about ready to pass out by now. And after the ceremony, come see me. Mayhaps we can get together some evening while you are here.”
    “You and me? Like on a date?” he asked stupidly. “I thought you didn’t want to date a Marine.”
    “I don’t want to be with a Marine, as in marry one. But I want to see if men in uniform be really as fun as the other girls say, and you be cutting a rather fine figure, if I do say so.”
    That was fine with Ryck. More than fine.
    “OK, then. It’s a date. I’ll catch up with you later,” he said, reluctantly pulling away and rushing up the stairs.
    He should have known better by now. The Torritites dressed conservatively, and they followed the teachings of the Bible as they understood them, but they were not prudes. Joshua liked to lift a pint or two, and he was no stranger to the ladies. Why would Hannah be any different?
    Never having been upstairs in the Hope-of-Life household, he didn’t know which was the guest bedroom. He opened one door to see the bride, in her long white gown, getting help with her veil. A dozen female voices screamed at him to get out.
    He did.
    The next room was empty, but he felt a sense of relief when he saw Joshua in the third room he tried. He was leaning up against a dresser, talking to several other men both in uniform and out. As soon as he saw Ryck, he broke out into a huge smile.
    “’Bout time you showed up, bro,” he said as he strode over to Ryck and gave him a bear hug.
    They pounded each other’s back a few times, then tried to disengage. Ryck’s medals, though, hung up on Joshua’s shooting badges, hooking them together.
    “Oh, snark. You’re hero shit’s trying to mess me up. A little help here!” he called out.
    Another Marine stood up and reached between them to unhook the two.
    “Kellen Krupt. You must be Ryck Lysander,” the Marines said. “Josh’s told us all about you since we left Tarawa.”
    “I swear I’m innocent. Don’t believe all his BS,” Ryck said as the others broke out into laughter.
    There were eight men in uniform, all wearing sword belts. Six were Marines, Joshua’s friends from Camp Charles where he was a DI. One was a Navy corpsman, also one of Joshua’s drill field friends. The eighth was a legionnaire. That had to be Joshua’s older brother, Ezekiel. The eight were to form the sword arch to welcome the new bride into the military family. The last man in the arch would swat Hope on the butt as they passed through the arch.
    “Hey, come help me with my SGA, [14] ” Joshua told Ryck, leading him to the guest bath off the main room.
    Ryck made a show of checking the alignment of the Marine Corps emblem on Joshua’s collar, but he realized that had just been an excuse to talk to him.
    “You OK?” Ryck asked.
    “I be stressed but good,” Joshua said, momentarily reverting to his Tortie speech patterns.
    “Seems normal to me. I’d be stressing, too, if I be getting married,” Ryck replied, mimicking Tortie speech.
    “But, I’m glad you’re here, bro. You and I go back. Remember when we were sitting there, ready to enlist in the Legion? Then your friend, what was his name?” Joshua asked.
    “Proctor. Proctor Miller.”
    “Yeah, that’s the guy. He convinced us to go see the Marine recruiter, and that sly cat hooked us. Your buddy didn’t even make it. DOR’d [15] . But we did. Now we’re Sergeants of Marines.”
    “And why the history lesson, bro?” Ryck asked.
    “I don’t know. Just been