The Grunt (16 page)
After a shower and shave to wash away the stench and sweat, the first thing that he did was use his cell to call Courtney. With his towel wrapped around his waist and the hot water running in the sink, he grabbed his phone and dialed home. He sure wished that she would be there. He hadn’t spoken to her in over a week.
With Amy, when he would call home, she would always have an attitude. Something would be broken and needed to be fixed. So, she would start the conversation off by berating him for not being there. Then, she would tell him how hard things were alone taking care of Cameron, followed by the need for money to invest in a hobby that would give her something out of the house to do. He could not recall once when he had called and she was just happy to hear from him.
“Hello,” Courtney answered on the first ring.
Brett immediately exhaled. “I don’t think there is anything better than the sound of your voice,” he crooned.
Courtney giggled. His voice felt like silk against her ears even thousands of miles away. “Well, hello to you too stranger. How have you been?” She ran her fingers through the bath water.
“Miserable. It was 120 degrees today out here. But the good thing is that we’re headed home tomorrow. So, it won’t be long before I see your face again.”
“Promises. Promises.” She felt butterflies erupt at the thought of him being back in her arms again.
“How’s my son? Put him on the phone. I want to talk to him.”
Courtney sighed. “Cameron isn’t here. He’s spending the night with my mom.”
Brett adjusted the phone to his ear. “He’s what?”
“Well, he’s been going over there a lot since you, David and Dad have been gone.” She hoped that he wouldn’t be too mad, but she braced herself just in case.
Brett was taken aback but flattered. “She doesn’t mind watching him?”
“Are you kidding? She loves to have him over. They eat snacks, watch movies, and swim in the pool. She loves it. And so does he.”
“Wow. Okay,” Brett said, turning off the faucet. His voice deepened. “So, what are you up to?”
“Well, I went to the beach and hit the waves, and then I went to the library and picked up a few books. Now, I’m here in the tub with a few candles lit, and I’m just relaxing.” She giggled. “Did I mention that I was naked?”
“You didn’t have to. I heard the bathwater, and I’m getting a hard-on right now just thinking about you.” He licked his lips. “Think your mom wouldn’t mind watching him again when I get home? I may need a few hours to have a
family reunion
.”
Courtney purred. “It’s good that you mentioned that. I have a big surprise for you when you come back. Considering that you get a 96 for the Labor Day weekend, I have made plans for us in Wilmington.”
“Awesome. I can’t wait.” She was always full of surprises.
“I can’t either,” she said softly.
“How’s Cameron been since I’ve been gone? Was it a big adjustment?”
“Well, he’s been great. He’s doing really well in school. He even picked up a few chores here in the house to make him into a bigger boy, and there’s something else.” She paused.
“I’m listening.”
“He’s been calling me Mom,” she said carefully. “He asked if it was alright, and I hope that you don’t mind, but I told him that it was. I figured I would tell you before you heard him call me that when you got home. I didn’t mean to overstep. It’s just that…”
Brett quickly interrupted. “Cort, it’s fine. Really. I heard him call you mom one day at the beach. I just didn’t say anything, because I didn’t want it to weird you out.”
“Oh, I’m not
weirded out
by it at all. I just…when he asked, I mean when he said it…it sort of became real for me, you know.” She breathed in a deep breath.
“I know.” He smirked. “He loves you, too.”
“I do love him, Brett. This time away has really brought us very close together. And he’s such an amazing little boy. When you have to go on deployment, I think that we’ll be just fine.”
“I’m glad that he has you, Cort. I’m glad I have you for that fact.” He missed her even more now. “See you soon, alright.” The more he talked to her, the more he became homesick.
“Alright. I love you.”
He ran his finger down the fogged up mirror. “I love you,” he said sincerely.
***
The gym was nearly empty by the time that Brett made it out of his room. Though he had spent many hours out in the desert working hard, he still had an urge to pump some iron. There was nothing like getting under the bar and releasing all of his frustration one rep at a time. After that, all he would be missing would be a protein shake and a muscle magazine, and he’d be right at home.
Pushing the door open, he swept the room to see what equipment was available and as he did so landed his eyes right on Captain David Lawless.
“Going to be one of those kinds of nights,” Brett said aloud as he made his way over beside him to the weight bench.
David was doing free weights with his head phones on, but still nodded his way.
The two had worked silently out in the field for six weeks, putting the objective first as they both had been taught, but even then Brett could feel the looks. David Lawless was not happy about him screwing his little sister. And truly, Brett could sympathize. While he was an only child, he could imagine how something so sensitive might be a sore point. Still, it was Courtney’s decision, and he didn’t feel as though he owed her brother anything.
David dropped the weights and wiped his face off with the towel. Looking over Brett’s way, he cracked a smile. “Glad to be going home, Staff Sergeant?” There was a menacing look in his twitching eye as he talked.
“Yeah, you?” Brett said as he rested back on the bench.
“I’m indifferent. I haven’t found that
special someone,
yet. What about yourself? Since your wife passed, have you moved on?”
Brett sat up and looked up at David. “Yeah, I’ve moved on.”
“With my sister?” his gaze narrowed.
Brett smirked and rolled his eyes. “Look, sir, I had no idea that she was even a Lawless until
after
I hired her. She was using her mother’s maiden name.”
David could believe that. He walked over to Brett and sat down on the bench across from him. “Courtney is special. She’s got one of those bleeding hearts and a track record for picking the wrong kind of man. So, what I’m saying to you is this…if you break her heart, if you…” he shook his head, “make a mockery of this family, I’ll forget that I’m a captain and you’re a staff sergeant, and you and I are going to dance.”
Brett could respect that. “I love her. Not that I owe you an explanation, but I can tell you that I would never do anything to hurt her,
sir
.”
“How many times have I heard that before?” David frowned. “Have you ever given any thought to what you’re doing?”
“What am I doing?”
“Are you paying her?”
He was not about to get cornered in a conversation where he was accused of slavery. “Of course, I’m
paying
her. She doesn’t work for free,” he said defensively. What kind of man did he think he was?
David smirked. “What do you call a woman that you sleep with and pay?”
Brett clenched his jaw but didn’t answer. He had to try to remember that he was addressing a superior officer in a military installation. Otherwise, he would have already attacked.
David moved in closer, completely unmoved by Brett’s growing irritation. “Don’t make my sister a whore just because you like pussy,” he said in stern low voice.
Brett’s eye twitched again. “First of all, if I wanted
pussy
, I could get it any day, at any time. Any bar in Jacksonville has it lined up on the wall like bottles of beer. Secondly, I wouldn’t even put the word
whore
in the same conversation with Courtney. And I’m paying her for helping me with my son, not for our relationship.” His face turned red.
“If you love her so much, then why won’t you make an honest woman out of her? Or are you above that with her?”
“If you’re asking me if I’m a fucking bigot, the answer is hell no. And our relationship really isn’t your business, is it?”
Mockingly, Captain Lawless smacked his lips and his over exaggerated the consonants in Brett’s name. “I’ll make it
my business
if you break her heart, Staff Sergeant Black.”
“I get it. You love your sister. You don’t want to see her hurt. I can respect that. But like I said, what I do in my personal life is my business. I don’t owe you shit. And I’ve paid my dues in the Corps, worked my ass off, stood the post, defended my country and not left a motherfucker behind. So, kissing your ass isn’t an option for me. You wanted the truth. Well, I just gave it to you.”
“I wouldn’t give a damn if you were given the Medal of Honor and the President of the United States flew here on Air Force One to personally hand it to you tonight in this gym, it wouldn’t give you the right to fuck my sister. I’ve said what I needed to say, Black. If you do Courtney wrong, I’ll see to it that you never see Gunnery Sergeant and more than
that
, I’ll kick your ass all over Camp Lejeune. I don’t care if it costs me my commission. You won’t smear my family name.”
“Is that a threat?” Brett asked.
“That’s a fucking, blood covenant promise that you can take that to the bank every day of the week and twice on Sunday,” David said, standing up.
Brett watched David walk out of the gym before he noticed that the few men standing around had heard the entire conversation. They whispered to one another and laughed, making him angrier.
Most men in that situation would have probably felt proud.
The little staff sergeant was sticking it to his superior command by sleeping with their family
, but it only outraged Brett. It wasn’t like that at all. He loved her. And he would do anything for her, including taking shit from her overbearing brother.
Glancing around, he felt the heat in his blood boiling over. “What the fuck are you guys looking at?” he asked as he rested back on the bench and grabbed the bar. He gripped the silver beam and growled as he pushed the weight up, taking his frustration out as he counted out the reps to himself.
The harsh summer weather had begun to wind down in North Carolina on the first day of September. As Brett loaded into his truck after formation, he actually took a minute and looked around Camp Lejeune as if he was seeing it for the first time. He wanted to pinch himself.
Was life supposed to be this good?
Sure, there were some speed bumps like the constant dirty looks he got from Captain Lawless and the now wide-spread and very true rumor that he was dating the colonel’s daughter, but aside from the petty things, he was actually the happiest that he had ever been.
The drive home was pleasant with even a faint, merciful breeze in the air. The cloudless day had turned into a peaceful evening, and in the distance the last of a beautiful, golden sun set on the horizon.
He drove with the windows down and his favorite CD, the Kong-Foo Fighters playing, but his thoughts were already in Swansboro with two people who were waiting for him to return from a 6-week training that had trained him dry. Anxious energy made him want to put his foot to the pedal, and rev up his Hemi, but a ticket would only slow him down further. So he paced himself even as torturous as it was.
When he finally pulled into the driveway of his home and saw Courtney’s truck, he felt butterflies erupt. It totally took him by surprise to have this feeling considering that it had not happened since high school.
He also noticed that the yard had a new garden of flowers out front were a patch of rugged bushes had once been. Colorful hanging plants lined the entire porch and alongside of his American flag hanging on the side of the house, there was also now a red Marine Corps flag. And the ultimate touch was the flower stickers on the mailbox around the name
Black
. These were the things that only a woman could add, and while they were small it made his house look dramatically different – like the people who lived here weren’t miserable.
Getting out of his truck, he left his gear in the cab and nearly ran to the door. When his boot hit the bottom step of his porch, the front door flew open and Cameron came out running.
“Daddy! Daddy!” Cameron exclaimed as he leaped from the top step into his father’s arms.
“Hey, big guy,” Brett said, catching him. He kissed his fat cheeks and looked into his brown eyes. “Wow, you have grown, huh?” he said, looking back at Courtney gratefully. His son looked well, smelled clean and appeared happy.
What more could a father ask for?
“I
did
grow, Daddy,” Cameron said, wrapping his arms around Brett’s neck. “We cooked for you, too. Mommy even bought a cake.”
The sound of his son calling Courtney his mother warmed his heart. “Did you?” he asked, walking up the steps.
Courtney stepped out of the house in a yellow sundress that made her look like spring. The sight of her nearly took his breath away. She was almost iridescent, she was glowing so bright. Her hazel eyes gleamed at him as she reached up and caught his face in his delicate hands. He leaned down and kissed her, slow and passionately while holding Cameron in his arms.
“God, I missed you,” he said, rubbing his hand through her hair. She had worn it down for him in long flowing locks, just like he liked it. And it smelled as fragrant as the new garden and as soft as cotton. He wanted her right then but tried to keep his wits about himself.
“I missed you too,” she said, pulling his hand to her. Her eyes flashed open from the kiss and her smile widened to reveal perfect white teeth. “Come on. We fixed dinner for your welcome-home party.”
Walking into the house, he instantly recognized all the changes that had been made inside as well. It looked like the magazines that she kept in the master bathroom. The walls had been painted, new pictures hung, designer pillows were on the couches, new flower arrangements were on the tables, new rugs on the floor. He wasn’t sure if he should take his shoes off and leave them in the hallway. Everything just looked so perfect.
“Wow…” he said, looking around. “You did all of this?” He was impressed with the complete overhaul. It was well overdue.
“You like it?” she asked with her hands clasped together. Her eyes were bright with excitement. She couldn’t have been happier if she had won a million dollars.
“Of course I like it. It looks…like a
home
,” he said with a chuckle. It vaguely reminded him of being back in Texas. His mother had put great effort into their little ranch-style home. It was full of trinkets and photos of their long family line. Though, he had never experienced that same type of homey-feel when he moved in with Amy, he remembered it now and was grateful for it.
“I used a little money from the account…” she started to explain.
Brett put his finger over her pouty mouth. “I like it,” he said quietly, looking down at her. He didn’t care how much it cost. It was special because she had done it for him. Amy had never worked to make their house a home. The walls were white, the wall space was empty and the furniture was basic except for the sofa that had been left to him by his mother when she passed. There was little to no effort in their house before, just a few nice things thrown together. Now, he actually had an idea to invite Joe and Judy over for dinner.
Courtney continued with even more enthusiasm. “Mom helped. She actually picked the colors for the walls.”
“It’s perfect.”
“I’m so happy that you like it. I was
soooo
nervous,” Courtney said, hugging him again. “Now, I have an even bigger surprise. I fixed your favorite. I grilled steaks, corn and baked beans. Plus, I have key lime pie. And I picked you up a six pack of Foster’s beer. I was hoping we could eat dinner and rent a movie with Cameron.”
“All of this for me?” Brett asked as Cameron wiggled out of his arms.
“Of course, it’s for you,” she said with an innocent twinkle in her eyes.
“I don’t know what to say. Thanks,” he said, kissing her again. The food wafted to his nose from the kitchen and he heard his stomach growl.
Courtney looked down and ran her hand over his abdomen. “Sounds like we’re right on time.”
***
The
krump
of mortars and men screaming in agony woke Brett up. Another nightmare. Even after a great evening. Amazing.
When will this ever stop?
he asked himself.
Sweating and panting, he sat up quickly from Courtney’s embrace and stared across the dark room at the mirror. He blinked and focused. Wiping a hand over his face, he looked over to make sure he hadn’t stirred her from her sleep in his chaos, but Courtney had not moved. She slept with a peaceful smile on her face, snuggled closely beside him.
He leaned down to study her features in the moonlight, amazed at how soft and feminine she was. Her sleek legs were curled into a half-fetal position. Black hair fanned over the pillow. She still smelled of roses and felt like silk. Unable to help himself, he ran a finger over the side of her hip and watched her flinch.
Unable to sleep, he pulled himself out of the bed and made his way down the hall to check on Cameron. He was asleep as well, holding his teddy bear tight.
Brett closed the door behind him and went to the kitchen to eat some of the leftovers from earlier today. The barbeque had been so succulent until he had eaten until he nearly exploded. Making love after that had been a task in itself, and they had both passed out on the bed after and fell into a deep sleep.
He rifled through the refrigerator and pulled out the Tupperware to fix a plate, then went into the den and turned on the television. The news was on. CNN was reporting on the death of several Marines who had been killed earlier in an attack up in the mountains of Afghanistan. Every single time he heard that it sent chills down his spine and boiled his blood with anger.
Stabbing his fork into his food, he grabbed the remote and turned up the volume. As the names of the fallen crossed the screen, he dropped his knife. Shit. He knew those guys. One of them had dated Amy’s good friend a few years back. He had even had dinner at one of the guy’s house. And now…just like that…they were dead.
The rest of the report fell on deaf ears. Brett sat staring into the television blankly wondering how the families of the men were handling everything right now. He wondered if he still had a number in his cell phone to call and give his condolences. He wondered what the units were doing to counterstrike, and mostly, he wondered if he would make it back from deployment alive.
He still remembered being shot three years ago. He caught the business end of an AK-47 that ripped through his shoulder. Luckily, it was a through and through and no vital organs or tendons where injured. He had still carried a man back, but he died hours later. All he had to show for that was a Purple Heart but he would have happily traded it for Allen’s life.
There were so many close calls before and after that until he couldn’t even remember them all anymore. He couldn’t count the number of firefights or it IED blasts that he had witnessed since the war went down or even explain the sheer frustration of living in a hostile country. Yet, here he was going back.
He prayed to God that he let him come home again this time. The people who were resting upstairs right now had renewed him, given him even more of a purpose than before. It also brought to mind one other important thing. Considering life happened in a blink of an eye and considering his profession, why in the hell was he dragging his feet with Courtney? If he died while he was in Afghanistan, he would never be able to come back and do things over. He would never be able to tell her how he truly felt. And he’d never be able to say that he had given her everything. The thought bothered him more than bullets, war or even death.
***
It was Labor Day weekend, and Brett had a 96-hour holiday to enjoy with his family with no interruptions and full pay. He had been waiting for a mini-vacation away from the pains of his job to just be with his family. And now it was finally here. Marines lived for their vacation days when they didn’t have to crawl out of bed before sunrise and work until sunset. The idea of lying in bed on Monday watching television and eating breakfast sounded better than a promotion right now.
Mrs. Lawless had actually asked for Cameron until tomorrow, which meant that he and Courtney had a free day. He still wasn’t sure how he felt about Cameron being around Colonel Lawless for an entire day, but Mrs. Lawless had assured him that everything would be just fine.
He liked her a lot. It was their first meeting and the moment he saw her, he knew that she was one of those high society women with tons of class and education. Still, she was down to earth and loving and had greeted him with a warm hug instead of a handshake. Her eyes had really lit up when she saw Cameron. He ran to her with arms wide opened and called her Grandma Lawless. Brett couldn’t deny he was proud, standing in the restaurant with two of the most beautiful women in Jacksonville and flooded with attention.
“What’s this big surprise you have for me?” Brett asked Courtney after they dropped Cameron off with her mother.
Courtney gave a big smile but kept her eyes on the road. “I’ve been dying to tell you for almost two months now,” she giggled.
“So tell me already,” he said, pinching her side. Leaning in, he kissed her cheek.
“Okay. Okay. Who is your favorite band?”
“Of all time?” he asked with a frown. He sat back in his seat and tried to think.
“No, right now. Who is your favorite band?”
“Um… Kung-Foo Fighters,” he answered, scratching the back of his head.
“That’s what I thought. And guess who’s playing tonight in Wilmington?”
Brett cracked a smile. “Kung-Foo Fighters?”
“That’s right,” she said, turning to him. “And guess who has the best seats in the house.” She raised a brow.
“We do?” Brett asked surprised. “How in the hell did you pull this off?”
“Well, sometimes it pays to be the daughter of a colonel,” Courtney said, raising her brow.
***
The Blues Bar was packed to capacity with Marines, sailors and women. Waitresses moved quickly through the crowd taking orders. The dance floor was covered with couples clinging to each other, kissing and laughing. Some had gathered over by the pool tables on the second floor to play, while others watched the opening act and slammed down beers. There wasn’t an empty space in the entire facility or one person drawing a sober breath.
Brett had not been out in such a large crowd since the last time he came home from Afghanistan. Automatically, he was on guard. Drunk people bothered him. His large hand rested squarely around Courtney’s shoulders as she led him through the crowd to the VIP area. Scanning the room, he couldn’t help but assess possible threats and look for exits. The loud music, flashing lights and overall chaos made him crazy inside.
What did I get myself into?
he asked himself as Courtney looked back and smiled.
“We’re right up front!” she shouted and pointed toward the stage. “You won’t miss a thing!”
Brett nodded with a smile and shook his head. He hadn’t missed a thing anyway. Before they could even get inside, Brett had noticed the stares. Some came because Courtney looked absolutely amazing in her denim jeans and black tank top. Some came because they were an interracial couple. And some were directed right at him from other women who raised their brows or gave suggestive smiles as he passed. Some were from guys who thought that they could take him, but he had already sized them up and kicked their asses in his mind before they could finish looking. Not a single movement was lost on him. Every smile, frown, snicker, whisper, glaring stare and sneeze was noticed.
At the front of the club, a tall, muscular bodyguard stood at the red velvet rope with his arms crossed. He looked curiously at Courtney and Brett then picked up his clipboard.
“Name,” he said, looking at the white sheet in front of him.