Corpsman and the Nerd (30 page)

Fortunately, Corporal
James’ wife has a superior family network, both on her side and
his. But General Emma wants her to have formal counseling too.
Although they’ve endured his funeral, the widow isn’t doing as well
as she could be. General Emma to the rescue!

So far we’re keeping up
with the requests for help from families, but Emma’s worried we’ll
soon have too many. She’s pushing the foundation limits now. So,
what does she do? Hires more people to get out there and raise
funds and awareness, of course. I think the puppy auction will help
tremendously too.

People have already
donated other items to be auctioned off. Including a couple of
cars, a range, dishwasher, and a washer and dryer set. Those are
items I can think of off the top of my head. The Foundation
kick-off will be an all day event. Most of the family will be
there. We’ve had World War II, Korean, Vietnam, and Gulf War
veterans who’ve all volunteered their time and sellable items.
General Emma hasn’t turned anyone down who’s offered to help,
either. (She’s having anyone who’s served in a war there to talk to
folks with questions.)

Nor has she been shy about
recruitment. Ryan and I are top of her list along with Mitch and
Lainy. Well, all of my family, all of Ben’s, and many others are
going to be working.

Bentley and Rocky will have
seats of honor, of course. I think Emma got them ribbons to wear,
but Mitch drew the line at crowns. He went toe to toe with the
general and won! She thinks he hung the moon now. I’d
NEVER
go toe to toe with
her, but he didn’t know any better. Course it helps that he was
adamant about his cause. Emma likes that.

I’m sure there will be a
Second Bent Rock Foundation Bonanza soon. I just want to get
through the first one. Alive. And keep the kid alive. Did I mention
how tired I am?

We’re holding it at a huge
local place so they have plenty of parking and room. And food
companies have donated so much. We’ll make money off the concession
stand, for sure.

Many local companies have
already called and pledged money to the foundation, so the general
is pretty excited about that. I hope more will come. Pledging will
probably plaster their names in all the right places so that’s
excellent advertising. Gilmore Products has already pledged, but I
believe we’ll be inclined, ahem... to pledge more. (I always follow
orders!)

We continue to miss you
and can’t wait until you’re home. I know you’ll only be gone for
three more months, but that seems like such a long time. Ryan and I
have a calendar where we mark each day off and then count the
number of days until you’re home. (He knows his numbers pretty well
now.)

With love,

Max and Ryan

*****

KC sniffed as she read to the end of
Max’s note. They were counting down the days until she returned
home. She wanted to bawl, but settled for being wholly touched by
their wonderful gesture. This time apart zipped past, but not
quickly enough. For her, or apparently, her men, either.

And Max’s first paragraph
about wishing he could have held her, but would settle with holding
the phone,
for now
. What did that mean? She couldn’t answer that question, but
she did understand the lurch of her heart in response to his
statement. Wanting to pursue that little
for now
immediately with one part of
her while the other part chanted
no, no,
no, no
would likely drive her to
drink.

Which was unfortunate, since she was
in the middle of the desert, thought alcohol smelled like horse
pee, and could be called to duty at any time of the day, so
drinking was out of the question. KC reached for her brownie stash.
Fortunately, chocolate cured all ailments. Just in case, she also
reached for the cookie container. Mixing her sugars might help too.
Variety worked.

To:
[email protected]

From:
[email protected]

Subject: I want a
video!

Hello Max and
Ryan,

Of course you know that I
want a copy of the video of the Bent Rock Foundation Blow-Out. As
soon as possible! I must confess to being extremely interested in
how you fellows will be able to do all General Emma has commanded.
Since I know this general, I’m aware she has a plan, and therefore
you
will
do all
you’re commanded.


I’ve yet to see one of her
plans fail. Well, the puppies not being old enough to auction off
is one thing, but something she can control... Not that I doubt
she’s probably tried to order Mother Nature about too. Likely the
only time she’s ever been rebuffed.


Admiral O’Riley wants to
see this video too. I imagine we’ll show it round the clock for a
while, since this foundation has already raised morale here. Those
fighting know their families will be taken care of in the event
their lives are lost in battle. Each military person who comes
through has already prepared himself or herself for the fact he or
she could forfeit their life. They don’t take foolish risks.
Sometimes even the wisest leave in a body bag, though.

I don’t want to be war
hardened, but I’m fearful that could happen. We feel each one we
can’t save. Yet in so doing, we can’t give that energy to the next
man we might be able to save. It’s a vicious, stupid cycle. The
dead deserve to be mourned, because they’ve given their lives
valiantly. But the wounded also need our care and
skills.

I’m weary of war. So are
those who work shoulder to shoulder with me. As are our leaders.
And those men and women who work on the front lines. War is ugly.
Not glamorous. It does make a man, or breaks him, but it can easily
kill him too.

Thank you for the Bent
Rock Foundation. You give us hope in a hopeless world.

I like to think of Lainy.
She offers hope because she carries a new life within her. Knowing
she holds the key to the future helps. Birth renews the cycle of
death. (Thinking of Mitch having been here, and now he’s helped to
create that little life...) Such hope to encourage us.

I miss you and am moved
you are marking the days to my return. I too miss you both and want
to hold you. (I may not let you go once I have you in my arms.)
The thought of both of you keeps me going.
Keeps me aware of why I am here. If I can be here and work toward
keeping you safe, I will work harder and smarter.

I love you.

KC

*****

“
Ryan?” Max tugged the
little boy from the cocoon of blankets and covers. Ryan weakly
protested and squirmed, but Max managed to extract him from his
bed.

“
Dad,” he
grumbled.

“
We’re going to the Bent
Rock Foundation today.” Max tried to sound cheerful. He could have
enjoyed staying in bed today too.

The weather showed gray and when he
let Spuds outside, cold air rushed in to send chills down his
spine. Ryan shivered and wriggled closer. Max’s arm flexed
automatically.

“
Looks like we’ll need to
dress warmly. But at least this will be inside.”

“
Don’t wanna go.” Ryan
snuggled closer.

“
You don’t want to play with
Bentley and Rocky’s puppies?”

“
Well, maybe,” Ryan
prevaricated.

Max nodded. “Yeah, I figured that
might change your mind. This is the last time you’ll get to play
with them.”

“
Can we take
Spuds?”

“
No. Remember, we talked
about this.”

“
Dad, why do we have to
work?”

“
Because Aunt Emma asked us
to. Because your mom expects us to. Because if we don’t, who
will?”

“
Will Mommy be
thewe?”

Max’s heart twisted at the enthusiasm
in Ryan’s voice. “No, Ryan, your mommy won’t be there. But she’s
coming home in less than three months.” Not knowing if he could
wait that long, Max didn’t know how to convince Ryan either. He set
Ryan on his feet and stared at the cupboard.

“
Like on ouw
calendaw?”

“
Like on our calendar. Once
we get to the end of April, she’ll soon be home.”

“
But Aprwil isn’t for lots
more sleeps.”

“
Yes, it’s still a lot of
sleeps.”

“
Why’s she thewe and not
with us? She’s my mommy, she’s ‘possed to be hewe.”

“
Not all moms can be home.
Your mom is helping people who get hurt. She has to make them
better.”

“
Can’t someone else’s mom do
it?”

Max couldn’t refute Ryan’s logic. He
tugged down cereal bowls and found them spoons. “No. Yours got
picked, buddy. So, she had to go. Not all moms can fix wounded
people.”

“
What about Aunt Tweeny?
She’s not a mom, but she does.”

“
Your Aunt Treeny isn’t in
the military, your mom is. So, Aunt Treeny won’t get called.” Max
found the milk hiding behind the ketchup bottle. He poured it into
Ryan’s bowl.

“
Uncle Ben’s in the
militawy, but he doesn’t go fow so long.”

“
No, Uncle Ben’s job is
different than your mom’s. He gets to come home sometimes, but then
he’s always called back. Once your mom comes home, she probably
won’t get called back.”

“
Oh,” Ryan said and dug into
his cereal. Max couldn’t tell how much of their conversation he
understood. The little guy simply knew his mommy was far away, and
other mommy’s weren’t. He wanted her home. Max could
commiserate.

*****

KC ripped open the package, excited
because she was fairly certain of the contents. The box was slim, a
red, white, and blue postal box, and the perfect size for a CD or
DVD. She tore the tape off and stared at the DVD she worked loose
from the packaging material.

The First Annual Bent Rock
Foundation Blow-Out
.

Grinning, KC grabbed her laptop and
headed for the admiral’s tent, impatience beating at her. She
wanted to view this alone, but had made a promise. As an
afterthought, she yanked open the drawer where she stored the
cookies and brownies and added them to the pile. Popcorn would go
well with this DVD, but she didn’t have any.

Max had outdone himself copying and
sending the video to her. Twelve days later and she was holding the
DVD. She had difficulty suppressing her excitement as she trotted
across the distance separating her and their leader’s
office.

The same woman looked up when KC burst
through the door.

“
Is the admiral in?” she
asked breathlessly.

“
He is.” The woman’s voice
sounded repressive.

“
Please inform him LT Cmdr
Gilmore is here, and has the Bent Rock Foundation video. He’ll want
to see me,” KC said in the firmest tone she could produce. And she
was a doctor, a military officer, and a mother. She had stock in
the firm, no-nonsense voice business.

After a quick conference with the
admiral, and some respect, the woman ushered her through the door
behind her. KC smiled a superior doctor smile, something the
woman’s snottiness didn’t even make her feel guilty about, and
walked briskly to the door. After a sharp rap, she entered the room
and saluted.

“
Be at ease, LT Cmdr.”
Admiral O’Riley pointed her to a seat.

“
Thank you, sir.” KC sat and
waved the DVD. “My partner came through and sent this.” She leaned
across his desk to hand him the disc.

He accepted the video with the same
reverence she felt.

“
I see you brought your
laptop,” he commented and she hastily nodded. She’d been so
involved in watching the fascinating emotions cross his face, she
forgot about the other things in her arms.

She dropped the laptop and treat
containers on his desk and shoved the latter closer to him. The
admiral pried the lid off the cookie container and selected a
shortbread. He appeared to savor the treat as he watched her load
the DVD.

“
It should start
momentarily,” she said and opted for a brownie.

A little tingle started in her heart
when she realized she’d see Max and Ryan soon. She wondered if Max
had worn one of the new sweaters she and Lainy bought for him.
Leaning forward, she waited impatiently for the opening scene to
unfold.

Chapter 38

Light flashed across the
screen and KC and Rich O’Riley both leaned forward to watch. The
camera focused on a huge banner behind a raised dais that
read,
The First Annual Bent Rock
Foundation Blow-Out!
KC smiled as she
identified the occupants on the dais. Standing near the back,
trying to look unobtrusive was Max. Beside him stood his
shadow.

Ryan’s face was already smudged with a
dirty mark. KC’s heart tripped as she hungrily took in their faces.
She wanted to kiss and hug them both until the end of
time.