Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Hunter woke before his alarm on Friday morning, his body still on military time despite months of civilian life. He lay in the unfamiliar discomfort of his couch, staring at the ceiling as the dawn shadows slowly retreated. His thoughts were a jumble of concerns: Olivia's first day of school, his physical therapy session later that morning, and the subtle but unmistakable push-pull he was feeling toward Emmalyn.
He didn't want to say it was a spark. He didn't want to admit he was attracted to her, because that was a complication he didn't need. And honestly, it had been so long since he'd even thought about a woman in that way, he wasn't sure what he was feeling. Maybe it was just gratitude and appreciation for her support.
It would be better if that was all it was. Because this chapter of his life, this apartment, this building was temporary and, hopefully, almost over. He'd always thought of Ocean Shores as a stopover, a few rooms in which to heal, to sleep, to eat, but he had never thought of it as home. Clearly, everyone else in the complex felt much differently. They were building lives here, creating a family. But his family was his unit, and he needed to get back to them.
Being in the Marines was all he knew. He'd started ROTC in college and had started serving immediately after graduation. He was turning thirty-four this year, having already put in twelve years of service. But he hadn't expected it to end this soon. He'd planned on being a lifer. If his time in the Marines was over, he had no idea what else he could do.
A small sound from his bedroom pulled him back to the present. He got up quietly and walked down the hall, then peered through the partially open door to find Olivia sitting up in bed, the stuffed monkey clutched to her chest, her eyes wide in the dimness.
"You're awake early," he said as he entered the room.
"Monkey doesn't want to go to school," she told him.
He sat down on the edge of the bed. "Why is that?"
"Because the other kids might not like him."
He saw the serious concern in her eyes, and he could understand why she felt that way. "You know, I had to change schools a lot when I was a kid."
"How come?"
"My dad was in the Corps, too. And we moved all the time. I hated starting a new school, but it always turned out to be good."
"It did?" she asked doubtfully.
As he stared into her eyes, he felt like he was looking at Gary again. Gary had had a ton of confidence, but once in a while, he'd had a vulnerable moment, like the night that Olivia was born, and Gary was waiting for news that everyone he loved was okay. He'd been more scared than he'd ever seen him and had looked to him for reassurance, just as Olivia was looking at him now.
"Yes," he said. "Because the kids at school were bored with each other. I was new. I was fun and exciting. Everyone wanted to meet me."
She didn't look completely convinced.
"And," he continued, "you're a lot like your dad. He was the best at making friends. He loved meeting new people."
"Like Captain Banana?"
He smiled. "Exactly like that. Is your monkey feeling better now?"
She slowly nodded her head. "Emmalyn is going to take me to school, right?"
"We both will. But she'll introduce you to your teacher before the other kids get there. It's going to be a good day, Liv."
"Do you promise?"
He hated to promise anything because he knew just how uncertain the world could be, but this six-year-old needed something in her world to feel safe. "I promise. And after school, maybe we'll get some ice cream."
Her eyes lit up with the enticing bribe. "Can Emmalyn come too?"
"If she wants. Now, are you ready to get up and have breakfast?"
She nodded and scrambled out of bed. As she used the bathroom, he went into the kitchen and grabbed the box of cereal they'd gotten at the store. He put the cereal in a bowl with a lot of milk and cut up a banana to go with it.
Olivia seemed happy enough when she sat down at the table and started to eat. While she was doing that, he pulled out the bread and made her a turkey and cheese sandwich with mustard only.
An hour later, he had managed to get Olivia dressed, fed, and ready for school, though not without a debate about whether the unicorn socks matched her pink shirt. Since he didn't really care if they matched or not, he was fine when she decided she'd rather wear orange socks with turtles on them. She definitely had a lot of her father in her. Gary had often shown up in mismatched clothes when they were off duty, declaring he hated to be like everyone else when he didn't have to be in uniform.
They'd just finished getting ready when Emmalyn arrived with two travel mugs of coffee in her hand. "I thought you might need this," she said.
"You have no idea," he said gratefully. "I didn't have time to make any."
"I figured." Their fingers brushed in the brief exchange, and he felt an odd tingle run down his spine. It happened again when she gave him a smile and her hazel eyes sparkled at him, a mix of gold, green, and brown, changing with the light, and he found himself somewhat captivated by her gaze. She wore a simple sundress with a light cardigan, her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail. She looked both professional and approachable—exactly what a kindergarten teacher should be.
She suddenly seemed to realize they were staring at each other for far too long. She cleared her throat and moved past him to greet Olivia.
"Are you ready for the big day?" she asked.
"Monkey isn't sure he wants to go," Olivia said, still clutching the monkey, who he had a feeling was going to school with her.
"He'll have a great time, and so will you," Emmalyn said.
"Hunter said we could get ice cream after school. Can you come with us?"
"Sure. I love ice cream," she replied. "We should get going."
"Let's do this." He grabbed his keys and ushered them out of the apartment. Then he followed Emmalyn to the school, which was located in a quiet, tree-lined neighborhood about two miles from the complex. Because they were early, he found a spot on the street. Then he and Olivia met up with Emmalyn in the staff parking lot and headed into the school. They stopped briefly in the principal's office, where he met Allan Perkins, the principal, who assured him that Olivia's teacher, Teri Hunt, would make sure Olivia felt welcome.
Allan was right. When they entered the first-grade classroom, Teri Hunt, a smiling brunette in her forties, greeted Olivia with warmth and enthusiasm, even making sure to let her know that her monkey was welcome to sit at the table with her. He was surprised that the classroom just had three big round tables and not individual desks, but it went with the rest of the décor, which was colorful and kid-friendly with art supplies in one corner, and big blocks and games in another, the ABCs spelled out on the carpet where they apparently had reading time.
"I better get to my classroom," Emmalyn said.
"I should go, too," he added. He turned to Olivia. "I'll be here to pick you up after school, Liv. Then we'll get ice cream."
Olivia gave them both a somewhat uncertain wave, then went with her teacher to the back of the classroom to put away her lunchbox.
He followed Emmalyn into the hallway. "Thanks for everything," he said. "You have made this so much easier for her."
"You're doing good, too, Hunter. You know that, right?"
He shrugged. "I'm winging it."
"Your instincts are good."
"So are yours. I told Liv a story about her dad last night, and she went to sleep right after that."
"I'm so glad that helped."
"Surprisingly, it helped me, too."
Her gaze softened. "Even better. I'll see you after school."
"You don't have to do ice cream if you don't want to. I feel like we're taking up a lot of your time."
"It's going to be a warm day. I'll be ready for a double scoop of something," she said with a smile that warmed him all the way through. "My kids get out at noon, but I'll be working in the library until two thirty. I'll see you in the playground when the first graders are excused."
"See you then." At some point, he would need to cut ties with Emmalyn, because she was starting to get a little too close, but that point wasn't going to be today. He had other things to worry about.
After leaving the school, he headed to the medical center for a session with his physical therapist, Jessica Bennett, who had been with him since the beginning of his rehabilitation. She was a no-nonsense, pragmatic, somewhat ruthless woman in her forties, who had pushed him through a number of dark days when he'd surprised himself with how much he just wanted to give up.
He had never thought of himself as a quitter, but there had been several times when he just didn't think he could keep going. But Jessica hadn't let him give up, and now, he was almost done.
After a grueling ninety minutes, Jessica handed him a towel, and he patted down his sweaty face, then took several long swigs of water from his water bottle.
"I can't believe this is the second to last time I'm going to see your annoyed face," Jessica said. "Monday is our last session before your medical evaluation next Wednesday."
"Do you think I'm ready?"
"You know you are. Stop looking for compliments."
He smiled. "I just figured you'd give it to me straight."
"I always do. You did the work, Captain. I told you in the beginning I could only take you so far. You had to go the rest of the way on your own, and you did. I'll see you Monday. Try not to over-exercise before then. Remember what I've always said about pushing too hard, too fast?"
"It will only set me back," he said.
"Exactly."
As she walked away, he turned to see his commanding officer, Colonel Jim Sullivan, enter the room. The forty-nine-year-old was a stocky, fit man who had always set high expectations and demanded the best from those under his command. He was surprised to see him here now as they had a meeting scheduled for Monday after his final therapy session. He hoped Sullivan wasn't going to tell him his evaluation schedule was being changed or postponed.
"Kane," Sullivan said with a brief nod. "I thought I might find you here."
"I've been coming every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for months, so that was a good bet. But aren't we meeting next week?"
"Unfortunately, I have to go out of town tonight. My sister fell and broke her leg and needs help with her kids. I'll be with her until next Wednesday."
"Sorry to hear that."
"She'll be fine. But since I won't be here Monday, I wanted to check in with you before I leave. How did your workout go?"
"Good. I'm ready to move forward with my tests."
"Excellent. I understand your physical is scheduled for next Wednesday, with a psych evaluation the following Monday. If all goes well, you'll move on to the fitness tests, then the simulator and final flight assessment. It's a lot to deal with, and I would caution you to take things one step at a time. In other words, don't get ahead of yourself, Kane," he said, with a knowing gleam in his eyes. "You like to make things happen quickly, but this is a process, and one you cannot rush through. The stakes are too high."
It was the second time in less than five minutes he'd been told to take things slow, which was not his normal way of operating, and both his physical therapist and his commander knew that. "I understand. I will take it one step at a time."
"That's what I wanted to hear. You have been one of my best pilots and team leaders. The Corps needs you at your best. A lot of people wouldn't be able to come back from what you went through, Kane. And I'm not just talking about your physical injuries. You lost a team member and a good friend."
"I did," he said tightly. "But I can't change that. I can only move forward. And I've never been like a lot of people, sir." The cocky words made him feel more like his old self.
Sullivan smiled. They'd worked together for the last three years, and they knew each other well. "That's true. You've always risen above the pack, and you're a hell of an aviator. I want you back on duty, but the next few weeks will be stressful. You're going to be pushed to your limits. Try to relax and trust the work you've put in."
"I won't let you down." He didn't think caring for Gary's six-year-old daughter fit into the rest and relaxation prescribed by his CO. On the other hand, having Olivia around would force him to think about something else besides possibly losing the only career he'd ever had.