His Father

We just got confirmation of sponsorship and permission to enter the country. This is exciting but terrifying.

Maddox now wants to come but we talked him out of it. He only wants to come because I’m going but I know his heart lies elsewhere. I think he’s met somebody. I’m happy for him, a little bit jealous that his attentions will soon lie elsewhere but happy all the same.

“Yeah, thanks, Marcy, she’s basically the same,” I hear Cassius say, chuckling as he gets closer to where I’m sitting in the dining room. “Ridiculous, I know.”

He hangs up and beams at me from ear to ear when he steps through the open door. “We’re going Thursday, not Friday, so get dressed, we need to shop for supplies.”

I stand and look longingly at my phone.

I’ll call him later.

We head to Devon’s and he helps set me up with a backpack perfect for my height and weight.

We have an emotional goodbye, one with tight hugs and promises to keep safe before I head out. I’ve been working for him again for the past three weeks so we’ve really bonded.

I’ll definitely come back one day to see him.

We visit a military store for long-lasting clothing and shoes and by the time we’re both geared up we look ready to join the army. We laugh and joke about it for a while before the reality of where we’re going and what we’re doing kicks in.

“Nervous?” he asks as we admire our tan combat trousers in the mirror.

I shrug. “Not really. You?”

“Terrified,” he admits, grinning.

“You have a lot more to lose than me. I just have myself and my clothes and the ability to move.”

He nods thoughtfully. “That’s one way to look at it.” His arm snakes around my shoulder and squeezes. “We’ll be fine. It’s not war-torn where we’re going. Not terribly anyway.”

“I’m looking forward to it. Minus the bugs. So many bugs.”

He cringes so I know he feels the same. “Call Sargent, maybe you’ll get to see each other before we leave?”

“I will, later. Not now. I don’t have my phone.”

“That’s okay,” he pulls his from his pocket and calls his friend. “I have mine. Talk… get changed. I’ll meet you out front.”

I almost drop the phone as I stare at Cassius in the mirror, shocked at the suddenness of everything. When I put the phone to my ear and move into the changing room, Sargent answers, his voice deep and gruff.

“This better not be bad news, Cassius, I’ve had my quota for today.”

Well… shit.

“It’s me. Sorry, I left my phone at home,” I explain before he can ask.

“Tempest,” he replies, surprised. “It’s good to hear your voice.”

“You too, Sarge.” I smile, twiddling my hair around my finger as I lean against the wall of the changing room. “How have you been?”

He hesitates and I wonder what he’s hiding. “Good. Nothing to report.”

There’s a long pause before he asks, “Is everything okay?”

Deciding not to push the issue I get to the point of the conversation. “I’m leaving with Cassius on Thursday.”

“Thursday? So soon?” His tone is cautious, I can’t read it to understand how he feels about that.

“Yeah, we just got confirmation a few hours ago.”

“Well, be safe. Don’t go anywhere alone. Okay?”

I nod though obviously he can’t see me. “I miss you.”

“Don’t.” His tone is clipped, it startles me. “Just, go do your thing. Good luck, have fun, goodbye and all that shit.”

“Sarge…”

“No, Tempest. You made your choice. It’s been weeks.”

“Oh.” I understand now. He’s over it. He’s over me. “Sorry, I just thought…”

He clears his throat. “I have to go. Safe travels. See you at Christmas maybe.”

The line goes dead and I’m left staring at Cassius’ phone, feeling the urge to cry.

“Are you ready?” Cassius calls a few minutes later.

I exit the changing room dressed in my normal clothes and hand him my new ones.

“What’s wrong?”

I shake my head slowly. “Sargent’s moved on, I shouldn’t have called.”

“He said that?” Why does he look so confused?

“He didn’t have to.”

“Come on. I’m hungry.”

Suddenly I feel nothing but nausea. I knew it was inevitable. What did I expect? That he’d be pining over me?

My ideals are laughable. I’m romanticizing everything. I put too much into such a short relationship, a mistake I’ll never be making again.

I just thought life would finally go my way.

My dad was a drunk and the truth is, he used to beat us all so hard my brother lost his sight in his right eye. Didn’t stop him from becoming just like him though. When my dad beat him, he beat me. When my dad beat me, he also beat me. It wasn’t all the time, just sometimes. Just like sometimes I’d find my brother standing over my bed, staring down at me as he masturbated.

I lived with it for years and I couldn’t take it anymore. Enough was enough.