Page 65 of Cop Blocked

“You told your lady friend yet?”

“Her name’s Rachel.”

“Yeah. I know. Rachel. Have you told her yet?” He pauses for half a second. “Ah, that’s why you’re calling me. You haven’t told her, and you’re freaking out.”

“What? Me? Freaking out? Shiiiit. You know that doesn’t happen.”

He lets out a blusterous laugh. “Oh, I forgot who I was talking to. She’s not Ensley.”

“No, she’s sure not Ensley. She’s everything Ensley wasn’t and then some.”

“You taking leave from work for the next four weeks or so? What about the Marine Ball, you going before or after that?” Gunner asks.

I stifle a yawn. “I still have to talk to work. I’m driving home now. They just let us leave. Been a long two weeks, man.”

“The next four will fly by. Better spend as much of it as you can balls deep, man. You’re gonna miss that while you’re gone. That’s what you’re worried about, having to go back to date nights with Handgela and a bottle of Jergens lotion.”

“God, Gunner, I fucking hate you, man.” I chuckle.

“Allow me to remind you of one positive; the welcome home sex is fucking amazing. OUCH! What the hell, Bri?” There’s some muffled noise then Gunner comes back on the line. “You see what I have to put up with; she hit me in the back of the head.”

I shake my head to myself. “Wonder why?”

“Don’t you take her side.”

“I’m not the one talking about my sex life right in front of my girl.” I’ve missed this. Sucks that Gunner retired and moved halfway across the country to settle down. Brianna’s always been my favorite out of all the wives and girlfriends we’ve had to deal with over the years. She’s good for this fool.

“Whatever. How many times have you told us all about your sexcapades?”

I can hear Bri in the background this time, yelling at Gunner to watch his mouth in front of the kids.

“Oh, you dumbass, the kids are around.”

“Yeah, so. They’re not listening. And I was in here by myself until I was so rudely interrupted.” He grunts, and Bri laughs. I’m guessing she’s still trying to knock some sense into him. “Anyway. We’ve got Sunday dinner at her Momma’s house to get to. Listen, man. I don’t think you have anything to worry about with Rachel. I’ve been telling you from the beginning; she sounds like the sticking around type. Don’t be stupid and wait to tell her you’re leaving. Let her know soon, like within the next day or so. Don’t make a big deal of it, and you know she can call Bri or me. Hell, even Louis and Holly. We’ll get her through this deployment. Now, if we’re done here.”

“Yeah, Gunny. We’re done. Thanks. Enjoy dinner with your in-laws. I’m going home to get laid.”

“Fuck you, too, man.”

The line goes dead as I turn into my neighborhood. I’m back to drumming nervously on the steering wheel, trying to keep the memories at bay.

The day Ensley left was brutal enough. A bunch of bullshit went down at work. Rhys had gotten shot in the line of duty. Smitty was a hot mess because he nearly lost his best friend. The whole department was on edge, and all I wanted to do after clocking out was come home to her. I wanted to wrap my arms around her, and thank God I was walking back through the door.

I had plans to spend my last three days before I needed to report for deployment, engulfed in her presence.

I expected to walk in and find her smiling face waiting for me. Instead, boxes lined the living room, and Ensley was waiting amongst the chaos with a roll of packing tape in her hand.

There’s no stopping the replay that quickly takes over in my head.

“Ens?” Confusion rushes over me. “What’s all this?”

“It’s me or the Marines.” Ensley looks up with a sigh. “I can’t do this anymore.”

“You’re joking.”

Six years of my life with this woman, and here I thought we would be getting married one day.

Three deployments in, and with this one, she decides to throw down the gauntlet?

---