Duty(42)

Dinner ends up being spaghetti, and we watch football for an hour before he yawns and I help him get ready for bed. Tucking him in, I brush his hair out of his eyes, smiling. “Did you have a good day, little man?”

“Yeah,” Lance says, yawning. “It was fun.”

“I had fun too, buddy,” I whisper honestly. I watch him until his breathing deepens and he goes fully to sleep, smiling a little before rolling over. I'm tempted to give him a kiss on the forehead, but instead, I get up, leaving the bedroom and sitting down on the couch. I see that I've got a message on my phone, and I check it. It's Lindsey.

Sorry, duty is running late. Are u 2 ok?

I quickly text back. He's fine. Just went to sleep. I'll watch over him until you can get home. Stay safe.

There's no reply, but that's okay. I turn on the TV again, keeping the volume low, and watch what's probably the world's worst sci-fi movie, but it is at least worth a few laughs as the hours wind away. It's nearly ten thirty when I hear a car pull up outside, and Lindsey comes in, looking exhausted.

“Are you okay?” I ask, getting up and leading Lindsey over to the couch. “Jesus, you look like you went through hell today.”

“It's okay,” Lindsey gasps, her face still dotted with sweat. “Just had a long day. How was Lance?”

“Just like before, an amazing little boy,” I reassure her as she winces, pulling off her ACU top. “What happened?”

“Nothing a good two bucks in that massage chair they've got down at the PX can't fix,” Lindsey groans. “Too bad the line is an hour long on Sundays.”

“Here, lean back on the couch and just chill,” I tell her, getting up. “I've had a few tough days too. Let me get you some herbal tea. I'd offer you a neck rub, but . . .”

“But I understand why you don't,” Lindsey says, smiling until she turns her head and winces. “The tea sounds nice though.”

I brew some, confident at least that she'll like the blend since it’s hers, starting the kettle on the stove. I'm just getting the cups down when I hear her behind me, and I turn, surprised. “Thought you'd be chilling out.”

“I just wanted to say thank you for watching Lance today,” Lindsey says, going to the freezer and opening it up. “Share a slice of pound cake with me? It's my weakness, the Sara Lee frozen pound cake. I buy one about once a month, pre-slice it, and then nuke it on bad days or if I do a really good PT session.”

“Deal,” I reply, making the tea while Lindsey portions out the pound cake and starts the microwave. After it's done, we take it all into the living room, where she sets it down on her coffee table and settles in. “So, what kept you late?”

“Right at 1700, we had an incident in the barracks. That took up a lot of extra time, and it’s why I'm stiff.”

“What the hell happened?” I ask, shocked.

“My shoulder went bouncing off a wall when someone thought that I could be shoved out of the way when two guys found out they were seeing the same girl,” Lindsey says with a light groan. “Thankfully, I've got Monday off because of it.”

We sip our tea, sharing the pound cake. It's store bought and still delicious, and I smile at the homeliness of it all. “That was pretty good,” I tell her when I finish the cake but still have half a cup of tea. “Hanging out with Lance is about the most fun I've had since getting to Bragg. I seem to be a bit of a homebody otherwise.”

“I know what you mean,” Lindsey says, shaking her head. “You . . . you know, it's not easy.” She sets her tea down, looking up at me. “I know loneliness, Aaron. I've been going to bed with it for four years too.”

“Did you ever . . . well, did you ever try and just hook up, just to try and break out of the rut?” I ask. “I tried, but I just couldn’t do it.”

Lindsey nods, biting her lip. “Same with me.”

She leans toward me, and I can see in her eyes the warmth, the connection that's been missing for all these years. I didn't know it at the time, but I gave her more than a child and a gold chain four years ago. I gave her a piece of me, and I see it in there, waiting for us to just come a little closer. I reach up and run my thumb along one perfect cheekbone, so close that all we have to do is . . .

My phone rings, startling us both, our lips just an inch apart, her breath tickling against mine, and it's with real regret that I sit back. I grab my phone and look at it, sighing. Captain Bradley. “Yes, sir?”

“The battalion commander just got a call from the MPs. You need to come in. Got a problem with your platoon, Lieutenant.”

I close my eyes, feeling my dreams shatter. Lieutenant. Always, first and foremost, Lieutenant. “Roger that, sir. Need me in uniform?”

“Negative. Civvies are fine. Top's already notified your Platoon Sergeant, so get here ASAP.”

“Understood, sir. I'm ten minutes out. I'm on post already.”

Captain Bradley hangs up the phone, and I put it away, hating my phone. I look at Lindsey, who smiles softly and nods. “Go. Duty calls.”

I get up and go to her door, Lindsey following me. “Lindsey?”

“Yes?”

I swallow and look into her eyes, wanting to say so much more than I have the time for. “Tell Lance I had a great day, and I'd like to do it again soon. Call me this week?”