Chapter 1 #2
For the next hour, Oz paced the small living room, his mind whirling with everything he needed to do.
He had to get ahold of his commander and let him know about his situation.
His team needed to know as well. He knew without a doubt, Trigger, Brain, Lefty, Lucky, Doc, and Grover would do whatever they could to help him.
Not to mention Gillian, Kinley, Aspen, and Devyn.
He also needed to get a family care plan set up with the Army; it was especially important since he was Delta Force.
An FCP would ensure a service member’s family was taken care of when a soldier was deployed. And since Oz deployed more frequently than the average soldier, and since he was now essentially a single parent, the plan needed to get filed as soon as possible.
The FCP was essentially written instructions and legal documents for when he was sent off on a mission.
It would specify where Logan was to go and who would be his legal guardian while Oz was overseas.
It also contained medical care information, contact information for everyone who would assist with Logan, important documents like life insurance papers, financial details, and guidance on the everyday activities of the child.
Of course, Oz didn’t know anything about Logan’s preferences or life yet, but he would.
The thought of leaving Logan while they were getting settled wasn’t pleasant. For the first time in Oz’s life, something else was more important than the Army.
It was surprising that he felt that way so soon, but he hadn’t lied to the boy. He cared about him. He was his family. That meant something to Oz.
Oz knew Logan would come first from here on out.
He’d talk to his team and commander about what having Logan in his life meant as far as missions went. He wasn’t ready to quit the team, not by a long shot, but he needed to be a stable force in Logan’s life.
The pain in his nephew’s eyes was as clear as day. More than just from his mother dying. He hadn’t had an easy life, and that hurt Oz more than he could say. He wanted to give Logan everything, starting with stability and the knowledge that he was now safe. That he had a home with his uncle.
Oz sighed, his head spinning. He had a lot of shit to get done and he wasn’t sure where to start.
Tomorrow, he’d need to see about getting Logan added to his Tricare account and make sure he was covered healthcare wise.
Then he needed to see about getting him enrolled in school. He’d probably need a physical as well.
And that started Oz thinking about how Logan might be tall, but he was extremely slender. He began to worry that he hadn’t been eating well…which made him think about what he had in his own pantry.
“Shit,” Oz exclaimed, getting up to check. What did little boys even eat? What did Logan like to eat? He had no idea.
As he searched his nearly bare pantry, the thought of being responsible for his nephew’s well-being was suddenly overwhelming. What did he know about being a parent? Nothing! More than one girlfriend had accused him of being completely clueless when it came to other people.
He’d been called a selfish bastard when he hadn’t bothered to call a woman after getting home from a mission. He had a hard time remembering his girlfriends’ favorite foods, their favorite flowers, or even their birthdays. How the hell could he take care of a kid?
Knowing he was panicking, but unable to stop himself, Oz walked down the hallway and put his ear to his bedroom door. He heard nothing. It had been forty-five minutes since he’d left Logan inside, and he quietly turned the knob and peeked in.
His nephew was in the middle of his king-size bed, his legs and arms completely outstretched, as if he was trying to take up as much room as he possibly could.
Weirdly, he had on a pair of pink pajamas with unicorns.
They were too short, only hitting him about mid-calf, and his stomach was exposed where the shirt had ridden up.
Oz assumed they were secondhand and maybe all his sister could afford.
But most importantly, Logan was fast asleep. Oz could hear his slight snores from where he stood in the doorway.
Making a decision he was sure he’d probably regret, Oz left the bedroom door open and headed for the front door of his home, which he also propped open, then made a beeline for his neighbor’s apartment. Riley, that was her name.
They’d never had a real conversation, just exchanged greetings here and there.
But he wasn’t sure where else to turn at this hour.
He could probably call Gillian or one of the other women who were dating his teammates, but he didn’t want to disturb them so late.
Besides, he could hear the TV on in Riley’s apartment, so he was pretty sure she was still up.
And after what had happened earlier that evening, Oz hoped Riley would be willing to help.
He’d overheard his neighbor kicking her verbally abusive boyfriend out of her apartment.
Oz had stood in the hall to make sure the man left without getting physical, and at the time, Riley had seemed grateful.
He wouldn’t go inside her apartment, that wouldn’t be safe for her, but more importantly, he wanted to keep an eye on his apartment.
Knocking on her door, Oz held his breath. A good Delta operative knew when to ask for help—and he hoped Riley would be willing to lend him a neighborly hand.