Chapter Seven
Brody pulled to the curb and shifted into park.
He sat there long enough that it was getting steamy inside his car.
Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door and walked up the pathway.
He pushed the doorbell and waited. It wasn’t a long wait before a young woman, who couldn’t have been more than three years older than Brody, opened the door.
“Can I help you?” The look on her face said that she was a bit suspicious of a strange man at the door.
“Yes, I’m Brody. I was hoping to see Erin or Jerry. It’s been a while since I heard from them,” Brody told the woman while trying not to look into the house.
“Erin and Jerry? The Holdens? They don’t live here anymore. We bought the house from them in February. Not sure where they moved,” she said bluntly.
Brody was stunned. His foster parents had up and moved? No wonder they hadn’t answered his calls or texts. Seemed his belief that this had been his forever family had been way off. Taking a step back, he tried to cover up the hurt he was feeling.
“I’m sorry to interrupt your afternoon,” he threw out as he hot-footed it back to his car.
After the debacle of trying to connect with his former foster family, Brody had given up on any tourist stops and had driven through.
He’d gotten in a few days ago and was in a temporary off-post, long-term hotel until he could find a place to rent.
Since he was going to be stationed at Brooke after finishing BOLC he wasn’t authorized on-post housing while attending the course.
He wasn’t sure where he was going to look but he was hoping that maybe the platoon advisor would have some recommendations.
He knew that Sergeant Major Mike — that’s what he’d saved Command Sergeant Major Mullvaney as in his contacts — had told him to reach out when he got to San Antonio.
Brody truly believed that he was just being nice to his nephew’s classmate.
Of course, he suspected when Nova found out he was here and hadn’t reached out, he’d be in for it.
He’d only met her for a few hours but she seemed to have latched onto him.
At least he looked the part of an Army officer.
Brody couldn’t say that of many in the room with him.
Didn’t they read the student handbook? There were a few others in uniform, but they were definitely in the minority, even though one was missing every patch and his name tape.
A few were in scrubs — okay, made a little sense since they were all nurses— but a scrub top with kittens all over it?
Must want to work in peds. A few were in shorts and T-shirts— wouldn’t have been bad if it was the PT uniform.
And there were two in business suits — WTF?
He had a feeling that he was going to be saying prayers of thanks for Master Sergeant Coffey and the rest of the cadre daily.
“Attention!” a man called out as he came into the room, followed by another man.
Brody fell back on his ROTC training and was on his feet at attention without giving it a thought.
Others? Oh yeah, please Lord above let them break this class into groups and that he wasn’t included in the one with the girl in the kitten scrubs.
“As you were,” the man commanded. Brody sat back down and watched as the remainder of the students followed his lead.
“My name is Captain Hernandez. I am the company commander for Alpha Company, Eighty-seventh Medical Battalion, Thirty-second Medical Brigade, Joint Base San Antonio. I hope you all remembered the stack of paperwork that you will need to in-process for BOLC.” Motioning to the man to his right, he said, “This is First Sergeant Salvatore. If you cannot find your platoon advisor, Top is your next stop. Now, let’s get started. ”
§ § § §
Drew dragged his ass into his room, barely getting the door shut before he dropped into his desk chair, throwing his backpack onto the bed.
He was thanking the stars above that he hadn’t slacked off with PT and land nav his senior year.
Otherwise, the instructors would be handing him his ass more than they already were.
He’d known that the seventeen-week officer basic for military police program wasn’t going to be a walk in the park but…
shit, who knew it was going to be so physical?
At least next week should be a bit easier on him. Time on the range. He knew that he was a good shot. Tristan put him through his paces when he’d been home last year before deploying. Having a brother who had been on the West Point Sig team came in handy.
Drew felt more than heard his phone chime with an incoming text. Before he could grab it to respond, it went off two more times. Hmmm, group thread. Pulling himself over to his backpack, he dug through the pockets until he found his phone.
Maddy: Latest pic of the triplets *picture below*
Noah: What are you feeding them? We just visited there last week and they weren’t that big
Nova: Look at my beauty! *picture of Nicole*
Of course, Nova would brag on Nicole. Drew looked at the two pictures and couldn’t have stopped the smile across his face if he tried.
There was no way he could tell which triplet was which except that Ryleigh had to be the one with the bow on her head.
Ryder and Ryan? Yeah, nope, not a clue. If there was something that his family excelled at, other than military service, it was making cute babies.
Maddy: Need everyone to check their schedules for dates for a baptism
Nova: Ooh, want to see if your pastor will include Nicole? Make it easy on everyone?
Drew shook his head before answering.
Drew: I’m here for another eleven weeks, if I live
Cam: Tris isn’t back for another seven months
Cam: We might squeak into the post season on a wild card so I’m tied up for another month or so
Mags: Working on rehab for some sea lions but could get away. Let me know when.
Nova: Give me a call Maddy so we can coordinate things. Godparents?
Julia: What do you mean, if you live?
Trust his sister to pick up on that throwaway comment of his.
Drew: Just tired. Been a long few weeks.
Cal: Sounds like residency
Drew: Maybe a bit? Lot of time with firearms. Next week is the big challenge. See if I can earn my gold GAFBMP
Maddy: *sends picture of Amy in a cheerleader uniform* Go Uncle Drew!
Of course, Maddy’s daughter was a cheerleader.
Could she be any cuter? Drew clicked on the picture of Amy and saved it as his lock screen.
Maybe it would give him some motivation when he was dragging.
He looked around his room. Everything was in its place so once he reviewed his reading for tomorrow, he could crash.
Probably needed food first, though. Stopping on his way back to barracks should’ve been higher on his to-do list tonight.
A bang on his door was followed by fellow trainee Wilson yelling, “Nolan! Get your ass out here so we can get food.”
He wasn’t sure why he needed to move so Wilson could eat. Drew walked over and opened his door, barely avoiding getting Wilson’s fist to his face.
“What the hell? Since when am I required to be there so you can eat?” Drew demanded as he leaned back. He did not have the energy for a trip to the infirmary tonight.
“Oops, sorry. A few of us are grabbing food then working on dry draws from holsters. You in?” Wilson at least had the decency to look sorry.
Taking a deep breath, Drew thought about what Wilson had said. He’d vowed to get out and make more friends than he had at ECU but did he have the energy tonight? That was the ten-thousand-dollar question. He just didn’t think he could do people anymore today.
“Thanks for the invite but I’m going to pass. I’m going to head to the mess hall for something quick. Do some reading before crashing. Today was brutal,” Drew said.
“Brutal? For you? You left us all in the dust. Were you born with an M4 in your hands? You hit nine out of ten while the rest of us were barely hitting six, seven if we were lucky.” Wilson was shaking his head at Drew.
“We all know that you’re going to end up with a gold badge. Me? I’m hoping to just qualify.”
Drew shrugged, checking his pockets for keys and phone before he stepped out of his room, forcing Wilson to move backward. As he started down the hallway, Wilson fell into step with him.
“I’ve been shooting for years. Dad, uncles, brother? They’re all amazing shooters. I’m just decent. Maybe I can give you some pointers?” Look at him being a good team player offering to help out Wilson.
“Just decent? You’re kidding. But if you’re offering to help me, I’ll take it, please. Do you need me to beg? Offer to find you a girlfriend? Do your laundry for you? Anything. I’m desperate.” Wilson sounded on the verge of hysteria.
“Shoot me a text later. Not sure how much I can help, but I’ll try.
See if we can figure out some time on the range for you this weekend.
One of the guys has to have a personal firearm we can use.
” Now, if they were somewhere an uncle was, there wouldn’t be an issue.
Drew didn’t own any firearms of his own yet.
He wasn’t sure whether he wanted a 9mm or a 45mm.
“I think that Jimmy brought one or two with him. We could ask him?” Wilson offered.
Drew pushed on the outside door, stopping with his butt against the door, holding it open for another student carrying several pizza boxes to walk through. “Sure, what’s one more?”