walked away. Julie and I found him in the kitchen, drinking a small cup of coffee with his head held in one hand. He saw us and wiped his eyes and stood. “That Humvee better be outside or someone is gonna find their ass missing, cause I am going to chew it off.” He stalked past us and to the front door.
I looked over at Julie who shrugged her shoulders as if to say, “I have no idea.”
We followed him to the door. I was slow and my legs felt tired and weak. I hadn’t walked in a little while and had to think hard to perform the maneuvers. I stopped at the door frame and leaned against it catching my breath and regaining my balance. Brian stood at the Humvee with the door open. It was then he noticed he’d left me behind. His face fell from the pissed-off look he’d had pasted on and melted to an apologetic expression. He came back to me and offered his arm. I took it and he walked me to the Humvee taking his time to make sure not to hurry me. He helped me into the back and checked to make sure I was secured before making his way up front and taking the passenger seat next to the driver.
We drove back to the office, which is what I was calling it. I know it was referred to as base headquarters, but that just sounded like a mouthful. The driver stopped at the entrance and waited as Brian helped me out of the back. Julie appeared with the chair and waited to see if I would take it. I knew I could walk under my own power into the office, but I didn’t want to chance making things worse again. I took the proffered seat and pointed to the doors. “Onward!” I called out.
“You do know you are a giant dork, right Boss?” Brian asked.
“As always. Now let’s get to work, we have a million and one things to do today.”
“I’m going to go ask the cafeteria to deliver breakfast, be right back.” Julie jumped back in the Humvee and the driver pulled away.
Once in the office I motioned for the team, who was already there, to grab their reports and head to the meeting room. I caught Kuppers’ eye from his work station and he made the ‘wait right there’ sign. “Brian, why don’t you make sure the meeting room is set up and ready. I think Kuppers needs to talk to me.”
“No problem Boss, I’ll take care of everything.” He padded my shoulder kindly without trying to crush me like he usually did. He pulled an about face and disappeared down the hall, yelling at two aides standing in the hallway. They snapped to attention and followed quickly trying to keep up with his pace.
I sat in my chair waiting for Kuppers when a voice from behind startled me. “You look bored.” I turned my chair around and found Apache down on one knee. “I haven’t seen you since Las Vegas. We have all been busy around here, but I wanted to come see you.”
I reached out and took her hands. “I really miss all of you. I’ve been really busy but I gotta tell you, I miss everyone. I don’t even see my Dad often, and we share a house together! I looked closer at her hand, to be exact the left ring finger, which surprisingly had a ring on it. I looked up at her and saw the biggest smile I had ever seen on her. “I am going to guess. Hase?”
She went bright red and giggled like a school girl. Which is weird to see from a woman who could take anyone on hand to hand and beat them. “Yes Hase, he asked me yesterday. Of course I said yes, but I think we should wait till things settle down.” Her smile was infectious and I felt myself breaking into a huge smile.
“Can I suggest something Apache?” I asked after a moment of reflection.
Her eyes became hooded and you could see her about to slam down her control. “Of course,” she said with a measure of ice in her voice.
“First, you don’t need to close down on me. Apache, relax. Secondly, don’t wait, get married as soon as you can. In this world there is no guarantee that both of you will be here tomorrow. Also, all your friends are here on the base now, and who
I looked over at Julie who shrugged her shoulders as if to say, “I have no idea.”
We followed him to the door. I was slow and my legs felt tired and weak. I hadn’t walked in a little while and had to think hard to perform the maneuvers. I stopped at the door frame and leaned against it catching my breath and regaining my balance. Brian stood at the Humvee with the door open. It was then he noticed he’d left me behind. His face fell from the pissed-off look he’d had pasted on and melted to an apologetic expression. He came back to me and offered his arm. I took it and he walked me to the Humvee taking his time to make sure not to hurry me. He helped me into the back and checked to make sure I was secured before making his way up front and taking the passenger seat next to the driver.
We drove back to the office, which is what I was calling it. I know it was referred to as base headquarters, but that just sounded like a mouthful. The driver stopped at the entrance and waited as Brian helped me out of the back. Julie appeared with the chair and waited to see if I would take it. I knew I could walk under my own power into the office, but I didn’t want to chance making things worse again. I took the proffered seat and pointed to the doors. “Onward!” I called out.
“You do know you are a giant dork, right Boss?” Brian asked.
“As always. Now let’s get to work, we have a million and one things to do today.”
“I’m going to go ask the cafeteria to deliver breakfast, be right back.” Julie jumped back in the Humvee and the driver pulled away.
Once in the office I motioned for the team, who was already there, to grab their reports and head to the meeting room. I caught Kuppers’ eye from his work station and he made the ‘wait right there’ sign. “Brian, why don’t you make sure the meeting room is set up and ready. I think Kuppers needs to talk to me.”
“No problem Boss, I’ll take care of everything.” He padded my shoulder kindly without trying to crush me like he usually did. He pulled an about face and disappeared down the hall, yelling at two aides standing in the hallway. They snapped to attention and followed quickly trying to keep up with his pace.
I sat in my chair waiting for Kuppers when a voice from behind startled me. “You look bored.” I turned my chair around and found Apache down on one knee. “I haven’t seen you since Las Vegas. We have all been busy around here, but I wanted to come see you.”
I reached out and took her hands. “I really miss all of you. I’ve been really busy but I gotta tell you, I miss everyone. I don’t even see my Dad often, and we share a house together! I looked closer at her hand, to be exact the left ring finger, which surprisingly had a ring on it. I looked up at her and saw the biggest smile I had ever seen on her. “I am going to guess. Hase?”
She went bright red and giggled like a school girl. Which is weird to see from a woman who could take anyone on hand to hand and beat them. “Yes Hase, he asked me yesterday. Of course I said yes, but I think we should wait till things settle down.” Her smile was infectious and I felt myself breaking into a huge smile.
“Can I suggest something Apache?” I asked after a moment of reflection.
Her eyes became hooded and you could see her about to slam down her control. “Of course,” she said with a measure of ice in her voice.
“First, you don’t need to close down on me. Apache, relax. Secondly, don’t wait, get married as soon as you can. In this world there is no guarantee that both of you will be here tomorrow. Also, all your friends are here on the base now, and who
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