Page 158 of Sloane

“I know. And just like a medical; I’m just not interested.”

His stare morphed into disappointment.

“Have you always been this stubborn?”

I couldn’t help but grin at him.

“I’ve actually mellowed in my old age.”

He shook his head, but he didn’t say anything more about it.

“We’ll talk again soon. I know Jackie in HR has some forms for you to sign since you’re back in San Diego. Bob in Financial Management has time to meet with you, if you want.”

“I’m good.”

As I signed the paperwork the personnel officer had for me, I contemplated what Lieutenant Colonel Chavez had said.

I have no doubt you can be of service.

He said the words but kept pushing retirement, so I wasn’t sure I believed he thought I did still have something to offer the Corps.

But when I had to sit my ass down and rest on the walk back, I thought, maybe Chavez is right.

I decided I wasn’t going down without a fight.

****

Ashley

Sloane was quiet as he helped me make dinner, and there’d been no groping attempts on his part. I found myself a little disappointed.

“Everything go okay at the base?”

“They offered me a medical retirement.”

“That’s great! That way you don’t have to stick it out another ten months just to reach your twenty.”

He turned to me with a frown. “I told you before, I’m not retiring until I’m fifty.”

“Sloane… you’re not seriously considering going back on active duty once you’ve recovered.”

“Yeah, I am.” His tone was defiant.

With a gentle voice, I reminded him, “You don’t have anything to prove.”

“I have something to offer.”

“You also have a child now.”

“Over ten percent of the Corps have children. I’m not special.”

I wanted to recapitulate that ten percent of Marines weren’t missing a limb as well as having an entire side of their body burned, but judging by his grouchy demeanor, he would have taken it the wrong way.

“Your daughter might beg to differ. I’m sure she’d appreciate you being around and not deployed.”

“She doesn’t need me. I can’t even feed her.”

His pity party rubbed me the wrong way.

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