Page 71 of Desolation

Landon

“You need to stop worrying about me.”

“I’m your older brother. I am always going to worry.”

I sigh as I pull my grocery cart over in the aisle I’m in.

Yes, I’m actually grocery shopping. Mari is rubbing off on me.

“How’s Tacoma?”

I can hear the smile on Ryder’s face. “She’s good. Healthy. So is the baby.”

“Baby?”

“We just found out a few weeks ago. She’s just over two months. It’s part of the reason I called. I wanted to tell you.”

“Wow, man. Congrats.”

I’m surprised to hear that my brother is having a baby. We grew up in a shitty situation and never wanted to have kids. We didn’t want them to end up in the same situation we did. So to hear that he decided to have kids with his wife has me in shock.

“I know it’s a surprise to you. It was to me too.” I hear him rustling papers in the background. “I mean we talked about it. And we decided if it happened, it happened.”

“I’m happy for you, Ry. You don’t make decisions lightly. I know you thought this through.”

“You talk to that therapist, yet?”

I knew he was going to bring this up. And I don’t want to lie to him but I am sick of everyone making a big deal out of it. “Ugh, yeah. Got an appointment in a couple weeks.”

He’s silent and I am sure he doesn’t believe me but he doesn’t say anything. “Tacoma and I were thinking about coming out that way soon. Spend some time with you.”

“That would be great. I would love to see you.” I say in earnest. I miss my brother. We have barely spent any time together in the last fifteen years. Between both of us being in the service, our schedules never coincided.

“We are looking into details but I will call you once we get the logistics figured out.”

“Sounds good, man.”

I hear Tacoma’s voice in the background. “I need to go. Tacoma’s going away party is tonight.”

I scratch my head. “You guys moving back to White Creek for good?”

Ryder’s deep chuckle crosses through the line. “Nah. Her co-workers just like throwing her a damn party every time we head back to White Creek for the summer.”

“Well, have fun. Safe travels back. Let me know when you want to come out.”

“Will do.”

We say goodbye to each other and I go back to my grocery shopping. Mari has spent the last two nights at my place and cooked for me both times. I want to cook for her tonight. Although, it will probably turn into a disaster.

* * *

“You know he cheats,” Mari whispers to me as Mr. Cartwell gets up to use the bathroom.

We both decided to come to the VA hospital before heading back to my place. Well, more like Mari decided because she hadn’t been here in a while. I was perfectly content with spending the day at the beach with her and then fucking her brains out for a good twelve hours. But nope, we needed to come hang out with the old folks. Not that I am complaining. I love being here. But I love being inside her more. Fortunately for her it started raining in the middle of the afternoon.

“What are you talking about?” I ask her.

“Henry has been cheating on almost every game with you.”

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