Chapter Twenty-Two
“Lieutenant Nolan,” Drew said as he absent-mindedly answered his phone.
He was looking over the new training schedule for MWDs.
They’d gotten three new dogs in to replace some who had earned their retirement.
He needed to give Uncle Mooney a call. One of them didn’t have a furever home yet and he thought his uncle had said he was ready to get a new one since it’d been a year since his last MWD, Dirk, died.
“Drew?” a voice asked through the speaker. Drew stopped what he was doing and looked at his phone.
“Coop?” He’d become friends with Rick’s partner but Coop wasn’t one to reach out for no reason. They tended to talk when Drew and Rick were catching up. “Are you okay? Rick?”
“Physically we’re both fine. In fact, I just got an amazing offer to work with Bike Max coaching one of their new riders. I’m over the moon, but Rick isn’t okay,” Coop told him. “Rick left to drive to North Carolina to his parents’ house. His brother called today. Their mom is dying”
Drew replayed what Coop had told him. “Wait a fucking minute. What’s wrong with Rick’s mom?
Are you telling me that Christopher knew their mother was sick and didn’t call him?
I knew they weren’t close, but that’s fucking mean.
” Drew was working himself up. He wouldn’t be surprised if there was steam coming out of his ears.
“Hold on, hold on. Christopher didn’t know until today.
From what Rick said, his brother stopped by to leave something for their parents and found their mother on the floor.
He freaked out and called nine-one-one. Their parents kept it all a secret.
She’s got cancer and treatments aren’t working,” Coop told him.
“Okay, so I don’t need to kick Christopher’s ass.” Drew sat back in his chair and started planning in his head. He wasn’t sure if he could get time to go help Rick. There was a possibility Steve would give him a day or two to travel.
“Rick’s insisting that I go to Michigan and take this coaching opportunity.
I’m not sure I’m right for it. I do have to figure out what I’m going to do when I retire.
Being stuck not riding for these few months has proved to me that I am not made to be a house husband.
I’ve got to be busy. I’m sure that Rick told you about my blanket fort?
” Coop sounded like he was hoping that Rick hadn’t.
Drew wasn’t going to tell the man that he’d had a good laugh thinking about Rick crawling under some blankets in the living room.
Of course, Drew had given him shit. He had to.
He was jealous that he didn’t have someone like that.
A picture of Brody asleep using Drew as a pillow appeared in his mind.
Maybe he did have someone. Thoughts for another time.
“Blanket fort? I remember having one when we were stationed at Fort Drum. Tristan, Julia, and I dragged every blanket and pillow into the TV room when we had a snow day. I thought our mother was going to kill us for the extra laundry she had to do,” Drew said, letting Rick off the hook for sharing that with him.
Coop didn’t need to know. “Let me see what I can do to get Rick some support while you can’t be there.
If I can’t get to North Carolina, Julia’s close enough to drive over. ”
“Thanks, Drew. I really want to be there for Rick but—” Drew cut off whatever Coop was going to say.
“Stop. Rick knows how important riding is to you. Just like the military is to him. You’ve got his, and in turn, my support.
Now, let me get off the phone and see what I can make happen.
You go to Michigan and take care of the new rider,” Drew said before hanging up with Coop.
He stood up from his desk and headed down the hall to talk with Steve, see if he could pull off a miracle or if he was calling in his family.
§ § § §
Drew walked up to Rick as he climbed out of a limo with Brody at his side.
His parents, Uncle Danny, Cal, and Maddy were behind them, with Julia bringing up the rear.
The North Carolina contingent had made the trip with him and Brody.
Drew and Brody had spent last night at Cal and Maddy’s getting baby cuddles and watching Amy show them every cheer she knew while his parents were with his uncles.
Even though it was a short drive from Fayetteville to Durham, it was easier that his parents drove in yesterday.
Drew pulled Rick into a hug. He could tell that Rick was holding back.
Brody put a hand on Rick’s shoulder as Drew pulled back.
“Tris and Cam send their condolences. Cam’s out on a West Coast swing with the team.
Tris is sitting on a board that he couldn’t get out of.
Uncle Mackey and Scott said to tell you they’ll see you when you get back to Campbell,” Drew said as he looked over Rick’s shoulder.
“What the fuck?” Drew exclaimed under his breath but not soft enough that his mother didn’t hear him and smacked his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Mom.”
“Andrew Brian Nolan, we might not be in the church yet but you will show respect. You are not a heathen,” his mother scolded as she shoved him out of her way to wrap Rick in her arms. “I’m sorry.”
“But Mom? When did that happen?” Drew demanded, undeterred.
He pointed over Rick’s shoulder to where Julia and Christopher were embracing.
Drew had thought that Rick had been making shit up when he told him that he’d thought something had happened when Julia and Christopher met.
There was no mistaking that they were more than just friends.
Drew watched as his father said something to Rick’s dad before handing him a handkerchief. Uncle Danny held his hand out to Rick, pulling him in for a one-arm hug.
“Liam sends his love and sympathy. One of the triplets is sick and Amy had a field trip today, so he stayed with the kids. Comes in handy having a doctor in the family.” He looked at the couple still hugging.
“Looks like you’ll be finding that out if things work out between your brother and Julia.
I will warn you, however, about something that Cam found out years ago ? Kevin might seem to be laid back, but when it comes to his kids?
Yeah, not so much. Might want to suggest to your brother that asking Julia’s father for his baby girl’s hand in marriage would be appropriate. ”
He watched as Rick’s mouth open and close like he was a guppy fish blowing bubbles.
Drew had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep his laughter in check.
He knew if he started laughing, his mother would brain him.
He might want to give his buddy some grief, but he knew better than to push his luck in a formal setting with his parents.
A lieutenant bar might be on his shoulders but he was first and foremost a senior NCO’s child and would act appropriately in public.