Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
Penny watched as Bowie wrapped Mandy and Zita around her little finger from the first moment she greeted them with a smile.
The two women had been waiting for their boyfriends when the ship arrived at port in Norfolk.
Apparently, they didn’t usually get to greet them when they returned from a mission, but since they’d gotten a ride back to the US on the aircraft carrier, they were able to join the thousands of other families who’d come to welcome their sailors back from the long deployment.
Penny and Pyro stood off to the side and smiled as the couples were reunited. But of course, Bowie had wanted to know what was going on, asking her mom to describe everything she saw.
Pyro had picked up the little girl as if he’d been doing it all his life and began to describe the reunions going on all around them. Mandy and Zita both seemed surprised to see him with a little girl on his hip, and they immediately rushed over to be introduced.
Bowie, as usual, won them over simply by being herself. Mostly by talking about how much she loved Buck and Obi-Wan, and how she particularly loved when Obi-Wan entertained her by using his “Darth Vader” voice.
“You must be Penny. Buck told me about you via email. I’m so glad you’re all right. I’m Mandy.”
“Thanks,” Penny said shyly. “It’s very nice to meet you. I’ve heard such great things.”
“Probably all exaggerated,” Mandy said with a laugh.
“And I’m Zita. I’m so excited that you and Bowie will be moving in with me! I’m still getting things set up, as I just started moving in while the guys were gone, but I was dreading having to search for a roommate so this is perfect!”
Penny was a little surprised she seemed so genuine. Surprised, but relieved. “Bowie’s well-behaved. I promise we won’t be a nuisance.”
“Of course you won’t! We’re going to have a lot of fun. My hours can be weird with my shifts at the ambulance company, but we’ll figure things out.”
Penny nodded. “I don’t have a job yet, but I’m going to get one as soon as I can. I’ll pay my half of the rent on time. I promise.”
Zita waved her concerns off. “Don’t worry about that right now. You’ve had a hard time of things. Let’s get you back on your feet before we get all nitpicky about who pays for what. I’m just grateful to have your company.”
Penny’s eyes unexpectedly filled with tears at how sweet this woman was being to a stranger. She had no idea how much her words meant. How a weight seemed to lift from her shoulders.
“I don’t know about you guys, but I could really use a burger from Anchor Point. And fried pickles. It feels so stereotypical for a pregnant woman to be craving pickles, but whatever. Who’s in?” Laryn asked. Casper had his arm around her shoulders, and she was snuggled into his side.
Everyone enthusiastically agreed, and Penny just stood there awkwardly, saying nothing, wondering what her and Bowie’s next steps should be.
Before she could ask anyone, she saw out of the corner of her eye a group of men walking toward them.
They were all older, probably in their sixties or so.
They looked nothing like military men. Not even close.
Most had beer bellies, and they were wearing baseball caps and either jeans and T-shirts, or overalls.
One was even holding a leash with an older-looking beagle on the end.
Just as she’d looked to Pyro to see if he knew the men, Laryn let out a surprised squeak. Which quickly turned into a screech.
Tensing, and looking around for whatever had scared the other woman, Penny was surprised when she broke out of Casper’s hold and ran toward the group of men. Since no one else seemed alarmed, Penny relaxed a little.
“Henry! Muhammad! Charlie! What the hell are you guys doing here?” she yelled, throwing herself at the tallest of the men.
He caught her with a huge smile and spun her around in a circle. She was immediately surrounded by the other two, and they had a four-way huddle in the middle of the huge parking lot, which had been cleared so all the families could gather and greet their returning servicemen and women.
Laryn was crying and laughing at the same time as she jubilantly greeted the older men. Then she grabbed two of the men’s hands and began to drag them back toward where everyone was waiting.
“Oh my gosh, you guys! These are some of my father’s oldest and dearest friends!
They helped teach me everything I know about cars.
I mean, I was always bothering them to show me stuff and always underfoot, since my dad hung out with them all the time.
Sorry, this is Henry Freeman, Muhammad Bari, and Charlie McCrea.
Oh, I’m so flustered. This is such a surprise!
I haven’t seen you guys in years and years.
How the hell are you? Wait—what the heck are you doing here? How did you know I’d be here?”
Henry gestured with his head, indicating that Laryn should turn around.
Penny audibly gasped—along with everyone else—as they watched Casper go to one knee right there in the parking lot. She vaguely heard Pyro explaining everything that was happening to Bowie in a low voice. Penny herself was too transfixed, focused on what was about to happen.
“Laryn. I love you. More than I thought it was possible to love someone. I’m gutted that I never got to meet the man who taught you to be the best mechanic the Army’s ever had.
I wish he could be here to see what an amazing woman you’ve turned out to be.
I didn’t get the chance to ask him for his blessing to marry you, so I did the next best thing. I asked his closest friends.”
Laryn’s hand was covering her mouth in surprise and shock, and she looked from Casper to the three older men, then back at her man.
“For the record, they put me through the wringer but eventually gave their blessing. You ground me, Laryn. I’ll forever kick myself for not seeing what was right in front of my face for so long, but now that I have, I don’t want another day to go by without you by my side.
You’re the first person I think of when I wake up and my last thought before I fall asleep.
I promise that I’ll spend the rest of my days doing everything in my power to make you happy and treat you the way your dad would’ve wanted for his little girl. Will you marry me, Laryn?”
“Yes! Oh my God, yes!”
Laryn threw herself at Casper, and he fell on his ass in the parking lot, but he didn’t let go of his brand-new fiancée. He had a huge smile on his face, while Laryn was still half-crying and half-laughing.
She straddled Casper and smacked his shoulder. “I hate crying!” she informed him.
“I know. But you look so adorable.”
“Whatever.”
“I have another surprise,” he added.
“I don’t think I can handle anything else,” Laryn said with a sniff.
“Yes, you can. You’re the strongest woman I know.” Casper helped her to her feet, took her hand, and walked her back over to her dad’s friends, who were grinning from ear to ear.
Casper nodded at the men and shook their hands. Then he gestured to the beagle sitting at Henry’s feet, panting with what looked like a smile on its face.
“That’s Waffles,” Casper told Laryn.
Her eyes widened. “Aww! That’s what I wanted to name a beagle if I ever had one.”
“I know.”
It took a moment for his words to sink in. Laryn looked at him, then down at the dog, who was now staring up at her. His tail was wagging, flinging the little pebbles on the asphalt in every direction.
“Seriously?”
Casper nodded. “I figured we could practice being parents with a dog before our little terrors arrived.”
“I went to all the shelters in the city until I found him,” Mandy said from behind Laryn.
They’d all followed her and Casper. “He was a stray, which is why he’s kind of skinny right now.
But he’s healthy. As healthy as a dog can be after wandering the streets.
I took him to the groomer and the vet, and all his new things—like a dog crate and food and treats—are at your apartment. ”
Laryn promptly burst into tears once more as she went to her knees in front of the dog. Waffles immediately stood up and licked her face enthusiastically as she threw her arms around him.
Penny was feeling pretty emotional herself.
There were so many stray dogs in Gabon, and her heart hurt at seeing each and every one.
She’d barely been able to take care of herself and Bowie, she couldn’t have taken on a dog…
but oh, how she’d wanted to. Waffles was going to be one spoiled dog, of that she had no doubt.
“What’s this? Oh!” Laryn gasped, as she stared at his collar.
Casper crouched next to her and untied the ring that had been secured to Waffles’ collar, holding it out to Laryn. “You didn’t think I’d propose without a ring, did you?” he asked with a grin.
Laryn held out her hand, and Casper slid the ring onto her finger.
“It’s perfect. How did you know I’d want a band and not a traditional ring?”
“Because I know you. And I pay attention. I heard you bitching about that woman working on a car when we were watching Overhaulin’.
About how the big-ass ring she was wearing would get in the way of her work, and how stupid she was for wearing it around engine parts.
I figured a band with inlaid diamonds would be more appropriate. ”
“You have to stop making me cry!” Laryn demanded.
“I’ll never stop trying to make you cry happy tears. Other kinds, I’ll do whatever I have to in order to fix whatever’s wrong to stop those.”
“Tate, I love you so much.”
“I love you too.”
“And I have to tell you, you did good, mister,” she said, after she wiped her face with her shoulder. “I’m gonna be able to tell our kids and grandkids and great-grandkids how romantic you were and how you surprised the hell out of me.”
“Good. That was the goal. Now, how about we all go to Anchor Point and celebrate not only our return with good cheeseburgers, but new beginnings!”