Mantis (K19 Security Solutions 4)

“Thank you for joining me,” Madeline said in response, putting her arm through Alegria’s. “I hope you’ll come back and visit often.”

Why hadn’t it ever been like this with her own mother? She couldn’t remember a single time the two of them spent the afternoon shopping or talking over a two-hour lunch.

Maybe it was because her parents, like Marchand and Madeline, were so in love that they forgot to share their affection with their daughter.

When Alegria felt her eyes tearing up, she shook herself. There was no point in thinking about things that couldn’t be changed. Instead she’d focus on the future and try to figure out what that meant.

Chapter 5

Dutch

“Where are you headed when we get back?” Dutch asked Mantis.

“I guess that’s up to Doc. I have a call scheduled with him after the briefing in the morning.”

“Are you going to take some time off?”

“I doubt it.”

“Why not?”

“What the hell else am I going to do, Dutch? Does it look to you like I have any kind of a life outside of work?”

Dutch understood exactly what Mantis meant. He’d been in the same position often enough in his life. He wanted to tell him he empathized, but since it was his fault Mantis’ life was so empty, at least romantically, he decided it best to keep his damn mouth shut.

There were so many times in the last ten years when he’d been the third wheel, the odd man out, the stray without anywhere to go and anything to do unless it was with Mantis and Alegria.

When they were all together at the academy, it had been easy. Their lives were so structured, and since all three were on the same schedule, Mantis and Alegria were good about including him in whatever plans they had.

Cadets were required to live in the dorms all four years, and their daily schedule didn’t allow for much free time.

Days were filled with classes and military training. Meal times were inflexible, and after dinner, their time was divided between the commandant and the dean.

As the commander in charge of their military training, the commandant “owned them” up until twenty-one hundred hours, when they became the property of the dean—which meant quiet study time.

The academics at the academy were rigorous. In fact, if it hadn’t been for Mantis and Alegria’s tutoring, Dutch probably would have been on academic probation most of his time there.

As they became upperclassmen, they were afforded more free time, but it certainly wouldn’t have been considered a generous amount of it. There were still curfews and room checks, and if a cadet fell behind in his or her studies, either academic or military, they could be confined to their quarters.

It wasn’t until they went off to pilot training in Texas and Dutch was sent overseas for his first assignment, that he realized how much he relied on the two of them for a social life.

He’d dated some while at the academy, but most often he preferred to be with Mantis and Alegria, partially because the three were best friends, and partially because he had loved her, heart and soul, for just as long as Mantis had.

He got jealous, like anyone would, but he had the choice to stay away, and he didn’t. Even then he’d take whatever Alegria was willing to give.

It was as true today as it had always been. Would she ever love him the way she loved Mantis? He didn’t think so. But was that good enough for him? He told himself it was, but for how long? For the rest of his life?

“Deep in thought,” Mantis commented.

“Like you, I have a lot to figure out when I get back.”

Mantis scrubbed his face with his hand. “I can’t do this, Dutch.”

“What?”

“I can’t be your wingman in your relationship with Alegria.”

“I get that,” he said, even though that’s what Dutch had always been for him.