Page 61 of Be With Me
Chapter 30
Debbie kept the boys home from school for the welcome home ceremony. They deserved to see their father sooner rather than go to class today. There’d been a slight argument this morning about wearing their Halloween costumes today. Cam and Cal had wanted to surprise their papa with them. They decided they were going to be prisoners this year and that Luny was going to be the police when he took them trick or treating. She had promised the boys she wouldn’t tell their secret. Luny was going to fall over laughing when he saw the striped outfits. When they started understanding their papa was a policemananda soldier, that’s all they’d been telling their kindergarten class since it was cool.
Cam and Cal sat quietly on either side of her “reading” their books. Jeanine had sent them beginning reader books for their birthday and they were all about learning the letters and words. Debbie hadn’t been sure how another spouse was going to fit in the heptad’s circle, but she shouldn’t have worried. It was like Jeanine had always been part of the group and Debbie appreciated not being the only female.
She was a little worried about Mackey; he’d driven up with Kevin and Danny for the twins’ birthday from Campbell. He’d been so quiet. Kevin had been telling them about a new woman he’d met. It didn’t sound like his normal woman to Debbie, which was a good thing. Kevin didn’t have the best record at choosing women. Danny had been teasing him that maybe he should find a man, and Mackey barely smiled. Debbie was going to have to send Luny to him soon.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, honored guests, friends, and family. Please find your seats. The ceremony will begin in ten minutes.”
“It’s time to put your books in your backpacks. Papa will be here soon,” she told the twins. They looked up at her and their eyes got wide and they scrambled to put everything away. She hadn’t noticed that Cam had taken his baseball out and Cal had some goldfish he’d been munching on. The hangar door opened with a grinding noise and the unit marched in with the Army song playing. The unit came to a stop and turned to face the crowd as one.
Cam and Cal stood on their chairs, bouncing while yelling “Papa, we’s here!” Debbie grabbed them each by an arm so they didn’t fall.
A voice from somewhere in the group called out, “Parade rest.” As the soldiers moved their hands behind their backs and moved their feet slightly apart. “God Bless the USA” came over the loud speaker and everyone went silent or started singing along.
There wasn’t much more to the ceremony after the song. The division commander welcomed the unit home telling them “Job well done. Battalion dismissed.” The formation just dissolved as the soldiers scattered trying to find their families. Debbie smiled as she remembered the first welcome home she’d gone to. She’d been to a few now and they were all basically the same. Short and sweet.
“Cam and Cal, you stay right here with me. Your papa will find us,” Debbie ordered sternly. There was no way she was letting these two go wandering to find Luny. She’d be lucky if they didn’t find a police car to sit in and push all the buttons trying for the lights and sirens to get attention. They were getting more precocious since they started kindergarten.
“Debs,” Luny’s voice came from a few feet away. Debbie thought he sounded tired and when she turned to see him, he looked exhausted. She squeezed the boys’ arms and turned them to the left so they could see Luny.
“Papa!” they screamed as they pulled out of Debbie’s grasp and lunged at their father. He dropped to a knee and held them tight. She couldn’t follow everything they were telling him and Debbie was sure that Luny couldn’t either but it didn’t matter. He held them close and heard it in person instead of over a phone line or a video feed.
Luny stood with a boy in each arm. She looked her husband from head to toe, reassuring her that he was there and okay. He’d been home on R&R after the accident, but she needed seeing him standing in front of her to release the last of her tension from the deployment. Luny leaned between them to give Debbie a short kiss with a look that promised more later in his eyes when he pulled back.
“We helped—” Cam said with Cal interrupting.
“bakeded a—”
“cake!” they finished together, causing Luny to laugh.
“Did you get flour everywhere this time?” Cal nodded and Cam shook his head.Ah their little troublemakers. “Well, we should head home so we can have… what are the plans for lunch?” Luny asked Debbie.
“I figured we’d just do something small, maybe a sandwich or can pick up take-out on the way home. Then cake and nap time.” Debbie nodded toward the boys who had their heads drooping onto Luny’s shoulders as they walked toward the car.
“That sounds good. Easy works for me. Maybe a pizza?” he suggested.
“Totally can do that.” They arrived at the car and the boys wiggled to be let down. “They can buckle themselves in these days, you just need to double check. I’ll call in pizza for my guys.” Debbie climbed into the driver’s seat, pulling out her phone.
“We gots—” Cal told Luny.
“this, Papa,” Cam said as they both fought with the buckles.
“My little men. You’re amazing,” Luny told them as he pulled on the straps and kissed them on their foreheads.
“We know,” they agreed, making Debbie and Luny laugh.
§ § §
Mooney sat at his desk and ran his hands over his face. Debbie was either going to be happy or kill him. He’d been hoping to do his first sergeant time here in Maryland. They’d promoted him to Master Sergeant while on deployment and he’d talked to the sergeant major about taking a company here.
He’d just got back from meeting with the sergeant major. Apparently there’d been an incident in one of the commands at Fort Campbell and they needed a first sergeant as soon as possible. Sergeant major hadn’t gone into a lot of details but Mooney was high on the list of those waiting for slots. The sergeant major at Campbell was one of the master sergeants that he knew years ago at Bragg. Now Command Sergeant Major Wheaton remembered him and offered him the position.
When he’d talked to Wheaton, he requested permission to give it some thought and talk it over with his wife. Mooney asked if there was a possibility of being at Campbell longer than two years. Wheaton said he could see what he could do about back-to-back assignments if Mooney could take the position. He’d promised to call the sergeant major back tomorrow.
The phone ringing on his desk brought him back to the room. “Master Sergeant Luna,” he answered.
“Mooney, wasn’t sure if I’d get you,” Kevin said over the line. “Figured I’d try your desk then if not, leave a message on your cell.”
