at the hospital. He keeps in touch with John, and he also always asks how you’re doing.”
“I don’t really remember him, so that’s weird.” I noticed Brady looked concerned and a little jealous.
“Relax, peashooter,” my mom said to Brady.
“Oh, what? It doesn’t bother me,” Brady said, clearly lying.
We went on with our evening, playing games and just having a good time hanging out. It wasn’t until around 11 that everyone decided to call it a night. John was going back with Mandy for the night, and I would meet them in the morning to take him to the airport. Brady and my mom had to go to work, so they would say their goodbyes tonight. Brady’s was the expected ‘it was good meeting ya, be safe,’ while my mom’s was an emotional rollercoaster. She said goodbye to John for 30 minutes. I had to hold her, so John and Mandy could leave.
We retired to bed quickly after. Brady and I laid there, listening to my mom whimper. It was heartbreaking, but it was something I’d grown used to over the years. We listened as she cried herself to sleep.
“Oh, my God,” Brady whispered. “I feel so bad.”
“I know. She’s strong, so don’t worry. Go to sleep. You have to get up in a few hours for work.” Leaning over, I kissed him goodnight. I closed my eyes , and after a few breaths I was fast asleep. Only a few hours later, my alarm clock went off.
I got up with Brady and we both hustled to get ready. My poor mother was already at work. Brady finished first and gave me a kiss goodbye.
“Stay strong, babe. I’ll see you after work.”
“I’ll try.” I smiled, hoping I could keep it together for just a little longer. Bullshit. I was going to fall to pieces like my mom did.
I finished getting ready and left for Mandy’s.
Chapter Sixteen
Rewind… Boot Camp
John
It was the last few days before graduation. Boot camp was a lot tougher than I had ever imagined it would be. I had been lifting weights since my freshman year in high school and was always doing cardio exercises. I had figured the mental part of boot camp might be tough, but the physical part wouldn’t be a challenge for me. Boy , was I wrong! Since day one, the drill instructors broke me down. I came into the Marines feeling like I was as tough as they come. I was a big guy and very muscular. Back home, people moved out of my way when I walked. Here… well, here was different. I always had to step out of the way for anyone who ranked higher than me, which was everyone, since technically I wasn’t anything but a maggot until I completed boot camp.
Every day, I woke up early, exercised, and got pushed beyond my breaking point, but I kept going. I had no choice. I stepped aside and snapped at attention all day and night for the officers. There were a lot of decent guys I’d met here. Some of them couldn’t cut it, and I felt bad, but I couldn’t let my emotions fuck things up for me. I had managed to make quite a few friends, and also some enemies of sorts. Even though boot camp was like nothing any of us had ever experienced before, there were still some guys who maintained their petty ways. They would form cliques and single out other guys to pick on. I had never been one to put up with bullying, but there wasn’t much that could be done here. This was the Marine boot camp and nobody wanted to stick his nose where it didn’t belong.
A month and a half in, we finally had some downtime one night. Most of us were hanging out in the mess hall doing personal things, like writing letters, reading, or catching up on our old, social lives. The group of other trainees came in. They looked around the hall and clearly were singling someone out. There was this guy, Joe, who had been their target over the last week or so. He lived in my area and we spent some time together with mutual friends, but never became real close. When the recruiters came to school and he was hanging around the table, I convinced him to give it a go and here we
“I don’t really remember him, so that’s weird.” I noticed Brady looked concerned and a little jealous.
“Relax, peashooter,” my mom said to Brady.
“Oh, what? It doesn’t bother me,” Brady said, clearly lying.
We went on with our evening, playing games and just having a good time hanging out. It wasn’t until around 11 that everyone decided to call it a night. John was going back with Mandy for the night, and I would meet them in the morning to take him to the airport. Brady and my mom had to go to work, so they would say their goodbyes tonight. Brady’s was the expected ‘it was good meeting ya, be safe,’ while my mom’s was an emotional rollercoaster. She said goodbye to John for 30 minutes. I had to hold her, so John and Mandy could leave.
We retired to bed quickly after. Brady and I laid there, listening to my mom whimper. It was heartbreaking, but it was something I’d grown used to over the years. We listened as she cried herself to sleep.
“Oh, my God,” Brady whispered. “I feel so bad.”
“I know. She’s strong, so don’t worry. Go to sleep. You have to get up in a few hours for work.” Leaning over, I kissed him goodnight. I closed my eyes , and after a few breaths I was fast asleep. Only a few hours later, my alarm clock went off.
I got up with Brady and we both hustled to get ready. My poor mother was already at work. Brady finished first and gave me a kiss goodbye.
“Stay strong, babe. I’ll see you after work.”
“I’ll try.” I smiled, hoping I could keep it together for just a little longer. Bullshit. I was going to fall to pieces like my mom did.
I finished getting ready and left for Mandy’s.
Chapter Sixteen
Rewind… Boot Camp
John
It was the last few days before graduation. Boot camp was a lot tougher than I had ever imagined it would be. I had been lifting weights since my freshman year in high school and was always doing cardio exercises. I had figured the mental part of boot camp might be tough, but the physical part wouldn’t be a challenge for me. Boy , was I wrong! Since day one, the drill instructors broke me down. I came into the Marines feeling like I was as tough as they come. I was a big guy and very muscular. Back home, people moved out of my way when I walked. Here… well, here was different. I always had to step out of the way for anyone who ranked higher than me, which was everyone, since technically I wasn’t anything but a maggot until I completed boot camp.
Every day, I woke up early, exercised, and got pushed beyond my breaking point, but I kept going. I had no choice. I stepped aside and snapped at attention all day and night for the officers. There were a lot of decent guys I’d met here. Some of them couldn’t cut it, and I felt bad, but I couldn’t let my emotions fuck things up for me. I had managed to make quite a few friends, and also some enemies of sorts. Even though boot camp was like nothing any of us had ever experienced before, there were still some guys who maintained their petty ways. They would form cliques and single out other guys to pick on. I had never been one to put up with bullying, but there wasn’t much that could be done here. This was the Marine boot camp and nobody wanted to stick his nose where it didn’t belong.
A month and a half in, we finally had some downtime one night. Most of us were hanging out in the mess hall doing personal things, like writing letters, reading, or catching up on our old, social lives. The group of other trainees came in. They looked around the hall and clearly were singling someone out. There was this guy, Joe, who had been their target over the last week or so. He lived in my area and we spent some time together with mutual friends, but never became real close. When the recruiters came to school and he was hanging around the table, I convinced him to give it a go and here we
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