Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Hayes
The team sits in the small conference room, twiddling our thumbs, waiting for the big news we are about to hear.
It’s almost a guarantee that our orders finally came in and they’re sending us out.
We’ve been working on specialized trainings the last few weeks, getting everything nailed down to perfection.
My only hope is that our leave date isn’t until June.
Charlie and I have been dating long-distance since my birthday.
Every fiber of my being is madly in love with her.
We visit each other as often as we can, call each other all the time, and text even more.
I was worried about long-distance, but Charlie makes it easy.
She’s been staying busy with work and school still, but her graduation is at the end of May.
The company she works for offered her a full-time position but she wasn’t sure she would take it until she knew for sure when I was leaving.
I have a feeling today is the day we’ve been dreading.
When the senior officers come in with grim expressions, everyone's shoulders sag at the same time.
Some in relief, some in dread—all with the understanding we are deploying soon.
The newer guys are eager to get out there and do what we've been training to do.
Those of us who have done it a few times know exactly what to expect.
A shitstorm of fighting a battle that never seems to end and the realization that not everyone in this room may come back.
“Eight weeks. Mosul, Iraq. There will be three other teams working in the area, but our objectives are not the same. You aren’t to be seen or heard.” I’m not surprised to hear that. Our team is designed to be different. To be the best.
I can feel Drew staring at me but I simply shake my head once.
Neither of us are the most terrific at math, but we both know that ‘eight weeks’ means we won’t be making it to South Carolina for Charlies graduation or birthday.
They fall close to the same weekend and we already had our flights booked.
The hardest part is that I know she's going to be devastated but won’t show her emotions to me. She’ll throw on a brave face for me, and then cry when we get off the phone so that it doesn’t add to my mental load.
The phone rings and rings and rings, each ring grating on my nerves. I've been trying to call Charlie all day, but she's been in and out of classes. We've missed each other every time and the nerves of telling her have only grown to a suffocating level.
Finally, her sweet voice answers. "Hayes! Babe, I miss you! Sorry we've been playing phone tag all day. It's been so chaotic here between classes and work."
"It's okay,” I say as I crunch through a mint. I wish I could muster up some more enthusiasm, but I hate disappointing Charlie and I know it’s coming.
"What's wrong?" This woman knows me better than anyone else. The first sentence I’ve spoken and she’s already onto me.
I took a deep breath and then puffed out my cheeks when I let it out. "We received our orders this morning."
The line goes deadly silent as she starts to absorb what that means. “Shit."
I nod, despite that she can't see it. “Eight weeks.”
Her sharp inhale is the only thing that gives her true feelings away. "Okay, well, okay. One year is a drop in the bucket. Right?" Problem-solving mode, like she needs to convince me it’s okay.
My shoulders sag slightly. "It is. But I’m going to miss your birthday and graduation.” I wish I could be there to pull her into my arms. I should be the one reassuring her. Not the other way around.
“Oh.” The mask has already started slipping, disappointment weaving its way into her voice.
"I'm so sorry, Sunshine.”
"It's not your fault. Your mom will be there, as will Odessa. One of them can send you a video."
My throat feels clogged with emotion as she keeps assuring me that everything will be okay. "Thanks; I'd love to see it."
Add this to the list of milestones I have to miss out on.
The sacrifices never felt as daunting when I wasn’t disappointing Charlie.
I know it’s a struggle that everyone in the military has to deal with, but that doesn’t make it any easier.
Even our dad’s couldn’t handle the time away.
Once they missed a few birthdays, family vacations, and holidays, they decided it wasn't worth it.
I get it now. How hard it must have been for them to finish their contracts, because all I want to do is break mine.
Charlie
Tears stream down my face as I sit in my car outside of my apartment.
Hayes just called to let me know he can’t make it to my college graduation and he’ll be off to whatever war-torn country they send him to.
I want to be mad and sad and throw a giant fit but it won’t change anything.
This is the life I’ll have to get used to if I want to be with Hayes.
The life I told him that I could handle. Just like our mom’s did.
Finally, I get out of my car and start walking toward my apartment.
This complex is huge, with each floor having four apartments.
I’ve lived here for about a year and I’m the newest one on the second floor.
The neighbor across from me must be a nurse, because I rarely see her and when I do, she’s always in scrubs.
The neighbor next to me, Carter, is a single guy who is pretty quiet but always smiles and says hi when he sees me.
In the apartment across from him lives a single mom with two teenage kids.
The kids can be a little rowdy but the mom is always very polite and apologetic.
I don’t mind them, though; they remind me of Drew and me.
Always bickering, but the love is there.
Carter happens to be walking toward our building at the same time as I am. He’s carrying a massive bouquet of flowers that he can barely see over. When he notices that it’s me next to him, he smiles and stops walking. “Hey, Charlotte!”
“Hey. Some bouquet you have there. They’re beautiful!”
His entire face light’s up at my compliment.
“They are, aren’t they? My grandmother has quite the garden.
” A wistful expression takes over his face as he looks at them.
Then he plucks out a white rose and hands it to me.
“These are my favorite though. They’ve always reminded me of my favorite person. ”
I try to control my eyebrows from hitting my hairline, but everything about that sentence gives me the heebie-jeebies and I don’t know why. “Yeah… Well, they are lovely,” I say with a polite smile.
He takes a second to adjust the flowers and then his eyes widen when he takes a better look at me. “Woah, Charlotte. Are you okay? You look like you’ve been crying.”
He reaches his free hand to touch my arm as he takes a step closer to me.
My instincts naturally put the distance back between us as I step away, nodding my head.
The optics of how this would look to Hayes aren’t beyond me.
A seemingly random guy giving me flowers?
Not a good look. Especially to a man who already has a lot of stress on his mind.
“I’m okay. I just got some bad news.” I say as I start to walk up the stairs, hoping to avoid talking anymore about this. It doesn’t feel right for me to cry on another man’s shoulder. Especially considering I just told Hayes how I was fine with the demands of his job.
“Do you want to talk about it?” His shaggy hair covers his light blue eyes and he keeps trying to push it back with his free hand. He gives off frat boy mixed with surfer vibes, wearing his dark jeans and a polo.
I shake my head and take another step. “No, thanks, though. I just need a shower and some sleep. See ya around.”
He smiles back but something seems off about it, like he’s disappointed. I’ve never gotten a bad feeling from him, but he always has an intense energy surrounding him. As if he’s reading into everything I say, looking for a deeper meaning.
I make my way into my apartment, locking the door behind me.
I half-drop and half-set my purse on the table by the door.
It lands with a thud, sounding louder than normal in my quiet little apartment.
Taking a look around, the realization hits me that I’ll have to renew my lease for another year.
I always liked this apartment but I was really hoping I would get to spend some time in San Diego with Hayes before he left.
Even if it had only been a few weeks, I wanted that time with him to just be and live.
Spending long weekends together has been amazing, but it’s only made me want more. More time. More love. More Hayes.