The Soldier Next Door

As I look at her with a world of questions whirling in my eyes, the very thing that comes to mind, are we in danger again? Do we need to get ready to head out again? Well though I do not mind being prepared to go again so soon, I would not have mind to spend time with her and just unwind. But this is not home, and there exists no such thing.

“Boo, tell me what is wrong?”

“Soldier, they are calling us back home.”

“What? Why?”

“They have signed a peace treaty. They said not all of the squads are needed here anymore. There will be a few that will remain behind for at least another three weeks.”

I pause for the moment to take it all in. Did I just hear her, right? “So, I guess that we are going home,” I ask her, not knowing if I should be happy or relieved. I did not think we would be going home so early. “Boo, how do you feel about it?”

“Soldier, I don’t think I even need to answer that.”

“You know, I say let us go home. In some crooked way, I have completed my mission. If this was the only thing that I would have down while we are out here, then I am satisfied.” Hearing myself saying these words does bring peace to my own heart. Though one thing that Ana should understand is that if I get called upon again that I will come without hesitating for one minute.

“So what do you say, soldier? Let us go home; we will be moving out, come sunrise tomorrow.”

…Ana POV…

It has been three weeks that we have been home since they have called us back. Live has settled in perfectly for us. We are still staying at the base; Ethan has made it clear that he shall deploy again if he gets the chance. Even though my heart feels mixed emotions, I know that I shall not be the reason that holds his dreams back.

So we are going to Ray for a small get together, well not really small for the entire platoon shall be there. The rest of the squads returned back two days ago; the boys are all eager to catch up and swap stories.

…Ethan POV…

As we get to Ray, I find him standing in the kitchen with his little boy in his arms. “Now, never did I think I would see a sight such as this. A big buff of a Marine is holding something so small in his hands.”

“Don’t talk too soon, wait one day, this will be you.”

“Hey, don’t go getting ahead of yourself. I am yet to propose again,” without paying attention, my mouth goes and run itself off, but lucky Ana is too busy talking to Ray’s wife.

Ray hands the baby to a very nervous Ana. I watch as she is not sure what to do. But just seeing her like that does warm my heart, for I know that one day she shall be a great mother.

I see Ray looks over to me with a very concerned look on his face, “Come, let’s take a walk; I need to speak to you.”

If there is one thing that I have gotten to learn, then it is that whenever Ray says, ‘Let’s take a walk,’ something is about to change. And it usually changes in a big way. Now there is really nothing that I can think of that can change at this stage. Unless if I cannot deploy anymore, which will just shatter my heart. Guess there is always the option of getting a job here on base.

But I am even scared to ask what the problem is, by the look on his face, I don’t think it is quite as bad as I think. “Out with it, Ray, you are killing me here.”

“We are deploying in six weeks again.”

“Fuck, that is great news.”

“I am not going to deploy.”

“What? Why?”

There is a sparkle that glitter in his eyes, “You will see one day when you have your own little one, it changes your life. I want to be there for his first year.” He says I have never seen him be so sure in his life before.

“I understand, but who is going to take your place.” I pause a second, just thinking it makes my skin crawl, “Please don’t tell me it is Mathews?”

I watch as a cocky smile appears in the corner of his mouth. Now, this only tells me that I am not going to like a single bit of what he says.

“What have you done, Ray?”

“Well, it is you.”

“What is me?”

“You, you will take over from me.”

“But I am…” The excitement takes a hold of my heart and knocks it right from the chest. “Why me?”

“You are more than qualified, and you know it.”

“There are men far more deserving than me.

“Bullshit! Think about it; you got four weeks; I won’t mention anything to the boys yet.”Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

“I am glad that you think I am going to accept.”

“I don’t think, I know.”

…Ana POV…

It has been three weeks since Ethan told me the news about what Ray has said; I am not sure how I am supposed to feel about this all. I guess, in a way, as a platoon leader, he will not be going out on a mission, but with me knowing Ethan, he will find a reason to. He has a week to get back to Ray; we have not really discussed it in detail. I guess that he wants to run it past his family as well.

And that is where we find ourselves going today; we are on the bus on our way back home. I must say I am looking forward to seeing everyone again.

…Ethan POV…

As we pull into town, the excitement is near boiling over as I see everyone standing at the bus stop waiting for us. I can see from all this way how excited mom is jumping up and down, and next to her is dad trying to calm her down.

The moment the bus comes to a stop, they are storming us. Mom, of course, is the first to grab us in a hug so hard that it squeezes the air from our lungs. “Oh my god Ethan,” she mumbles between the tears,” Oh my god, Ana,” she sobs. “I am so happy to see you guys.”

“Mary, you are going to squeeze them to death. Now get out the way so I can hello to my son.”

I slightly cock my head, looking a bit confused; I guess that sensitive bone in his body did not leave it after all.

Then from behind me comes the man that I missed the most, “Matty, damn, it is good to see your stupid ass again.

He steps one step forward and slaps me against the head, “What the fuck was that for?”

“For making the old lady stress so much. She could not keep quiet for one second. I think she was more nervous for you than you were for yourself. Now, where is that is that sister of mine.”

Now it is his time to get slapped; I have not proposed to her again. With all of these people running their mouths, I swear she has figured it out by now.

“Come,” mom shoves us all in the car, “I have made a late breakfast for us.”

It is with happy chatter that we sit around the breakfast table; I have not told them about deploying again, I am slowly trying to build the courage up to it. But then, out of nowhere, Ana jumps from the table. “If you can, just excuse me for one sec.” She clasps her hand in front of her mouth with her hand and dashes past me. A few seconds later, I hear her slam what sounds like the bathroom door. With concern in her eyes, my mom looks at me.

“Ethan,” my mom looks at me, concerned, “Is Ana all right?”

“She was fine this morning, mom. She has been feeling unwell for the past few days, but we just thought that was because she was getting nervous to see everybody again.”

As she finally joins our table again and sits down next to looking rather flustered and pale, I take her hand into mine, “Boo, what is wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong, soldier? There is just.”

She hesitates for a second. She is curling a lock of hair around her finger, and she can hardly look me in the eyes. She is not one to get nervous, so I know this must be a big thing.

“Please don’t be mad, soldier, but there is something I have to tell you. I was going to wait until we came to see your parents…”

I interrupt her before she can carry on. It kills me to know that she has been keeping something from me. Even after we agreed that we would never do so again.

“Why would I be mad? What is going on?”