Chapter 15 #2
They hadn’t even sat down yet when Eli was yanking his phone from his blue jean’s pocket and stepping away to take a phone call. Concerned, her eyes landed on his back as he walked away from the commotion – only to feel a hand touch her shoulder. Turning away from Eli, she saw it was Harley.
“Is everything okay?”
“Just dandy…”
“Men are frustrating sometimes – aren’t they?
” Harley whispered softly, her voice hushed as her caring eyes held hers – and Maureen couldn’t speak.
She didn’t want to admit anything or acknowledge that there was trouble in paradise, because Eli was right.
They were very new to this, and you couldn’t fall for someone that fast. That was insanity, right?
He would leave – she would mourn the loss of company – and then get back to her daily life.
That was it.
Maureen shrugged and glanced back to Eli for a moment, before hearing Harley once more, speaking softly as a friend or sister.
“Sometimes it’s the long game we have to play – even if we wish it were a shorter or much easier one.
Think about the game of checkers. When you get to the end of the board – it feels like things are over, that there are no spots left to move forward, but then something happens.
That’s when things change and your checker gets ‘kinged’ giving you all sorts of freedoms you never expected. ”
Turning back to look at Harley, Maureen drew in a shaky breath and whispered back to the woman. “I’m not looking for freedom…”
“I know,” Harley answered softly, giving her a slight hug. “I know you’re not, but trust me – you’re still on the board, so don’t give up yet.”
Maureen didn’t answer, moving away to take the first empty chair she found beside a very pregnant woman.
“How are you doing, honey?” she said with a soft drawl that was noticeable. “Did you fella get that stick out of his craw?”
“It’s firmly lodged,” Maureen volunteered glumly, causing several around her to crack up laughing at the unexpected ‘joke’. If only they knew…
“Y’all are too funny – and too cute,” she smiled. “I’m Delilah. This is Dixie – and over here is Sophie. Marisol, Valkyrie’s wife, has to work tomorrow and their youngest is teething, so she’s babysitting all the little ones at their house for a bit…”
“Until she’s ready to pull her hair out from the tears…”
“I hated it when Ben was teething…” Sophie volunteered with a slight groan and rolled her eyes. “The things we go through – am I right, ladies?”
“India – my daughter – is still teaching me,” Dixie smiled tenderly and held back a blanket that was wrapped around her shoulders, revealing a sling against her body with a tiny lump nestled inside, directly against her.
Maureen melted at the sight. A lump lodged in her throat as she beheld the sweetness before her.
India had a large dark swirl of curls on her head complete with a tiny little bow fastened on there.
Her sweet, pink cheeks looked almost too big for her face.
Tiny little lips moved slightly as if suckling in her sleep, like a cherub – and the whole thing felt like witnessing something divine.
“She’s beautiful,” Maureen managed to whisper hoarsely, a craving so fierce rolling over her, because she wanted a baby – moments like this – and probably would never have them.
She was too busy trying to ‘eke’ out an existence and building her career, mixed with the fact that the man she was falling for would be leaving in a few days.
“What was that?” Sidewinder called out boldly from where he was sitting about ten feet away, looking past everyone to where Eli had disappeared.
Turning, Maureen saw Eli walking back toward them, his expression grim and determined…
and his eyes cold. He was angry, she realized, and immediately felt concerned, rising to her feet in alarm as he turned toward her, met her eyes, and looked away.
Maureen sat down – well, collapsed as her knees gave out, because he looked angry… at her.
Delilah tapped her on the arm, giving her a wan smile. “I see what you mean – it’s firmly lodged up there, isn’t it?”
“Probably with good reason,” Sophie muttered, watching a dark-haired man cross through the crowd, making his way toward where Eli and his brother were now standing, talking in a heated exchange that was a flurry of hushed words.
“Once you’re on the bad side of someone, they can make your life a nightmare… I oughta know.”
“Reilly,” all three women said at once, sharing a look.
“Who’s Reilly?”
“That was the person in charge before my husband took over,” Sophie murmured, frowning as she stared at the exchange. Maureen realized that everyone was getting quiet around them as they realized something was happening.
“What’s up?” Alpo asked bluntly, rising to his feet. “Did something happen?”
“Yes,” Eli bit out tersely. “I’ve been recalled. I fly out tomorrow.”
A ripple rolled through the crowd – alarm, awareness, disbelief, and underneath it all, a recognition of duty and commitment.
If any of them had their leave canceled, while they wouldn’t have liked it – they would have responded, heading back to their assigned duty stations…
just like Eli, she realized. Her time to spend with Eli before he returned to Afghanistan just got reduced from days to hours.
“What happened?” Harley asked in alarm. “Did something happen? Was someone shot down?”
A redhead – Melody - shot to her feet, her expression devastated as she turned and walked away from the crowd of friends. Firefly stood up and ran after her, concerned.
“Harley! That was cold – even for you…”
“We all know what happened when Greene was shot down…”
“It was a valid question that had to be asked…”
“Then you already know he can’t answer you,” someone snapped back loudly as several men nodded in grim understanding.
“It’s confidential,” Eli said tersely. “I am flying out at nine in the morning. My flight has already been arranged.”
“Are you in danger?” Sidewinder asked bluntly – and the entire group seemed to tense at once. Maureen was pretty sure her heart stopped beating a while ago. “Are we going to get called back?”
That question hung in the air, waiting. Sidewinder had only been home a few months, and some of the rest of the team also had reason to be concerned.
Didn’t Loki – currently seated next to Teflon, who looked just as concerned – didn’t they come home recently?
Could they be called back to action too?
“No,” Eli bit out in obvious resentment and frustration. “You’re not going to get recalled – not that I’m aware of, and I really can’t say much more,” he repeated once more before looking at Maureen. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine,” she immediately replied, trying to be supportive while everything in her screamed in denial. “I can take you to the airport in the morning.”
“Thank you.”
“Of course.”
“Well, this sucks,” Sidewinder volunteered loudly in sheer disgust – and a ripple of uncomfortable laughter flowed through the group of friends.
Thumper got up and moved toward the door, opening a box and withdrawing a blanket that said ‘Flyboys’ on the corner, bringing it to Harley.
The blankets were quickly passed out around the fire to help with the cool evening temperatures that were dropping.
It was the end of March, and things would be warming up soon in Texas – but not quite yet.
A moment later, Maureen felt a blanket being put over her shoulders and looked up into Eli’s tortured gaze. “I’m sorry,” he repeated just to her, brushing the tip of his nose against her cheek and dropping a light kiss. “I’ll tell you more later when we’re alone.”
“I thought it was confidential?” she murmured softly, looking at him questioningly.
“It is,” he admitted in a hushed voice, his eyes holding hers. “But I feel like I can tell you anything - and know that I can trust you to keep it a secret, between us.”
She nodded, flushing with emotion at the sweetness of his unexpected words and what they felt like in her heart, her soul.
Maybe things weren’t as broken as she thought – and maybe Harley was right about this being a longer game.
Maybe Maureen was misreading things with Eli, because these were not the words and actions of a man choosing to distance himself.
These were the words and actions of a partner, a soulmate, a lover – who was broken up and facing a reality that he couldn’t escape from.
“Forgive me?” Eli whispered against her cheek – and she nodded.
She would forgive him anything. He moved, pulling up a chair beside her so they could sit together.
He was sitting with her – not his brother, not anyone else – her.
He was choosing to spend his last hours here in Texas at her side.
Nervous, Maureen looked toward Sidewinder, who was watching the exchange openly… and held up his beer in a salute.
“Welcome to our little Flyboys family, Maureen,” Sidewinder called out openly as the others held up their drinks, sodas, and bottles of water in a mock toast, calling out loudly, ‘To Flyboys!’… and Maureen smiled, exchanging a quick look with Eli – who smiled at her.
“To Flyboys,” she murmured, leaning to the side and placing her head on Eli’s shoulder.
“To friends and family,” Eli added just before he kissed her forehead.
Hours later, Maureen and Eli pulled back up to her house.
No one offered Eli a couch, offered for him to stay at Flyboys; no one said a word.
It was as if they all knew that he was spending his last hours with her – and it meant the world to Maureen.
Those doubts, those fears, all of those feelings of being rejected or left alone…
they were still there, but a louder voice, a greater feeling, was pushing them all to the side.