Page 33 of Be With Me
Chapter 17
Christ, this deployment was fucking dragging. Only been here for two months, still five before R&R. He’d make it but damn; Mooney’d never given much thought to what the married ones went through. Karma was kicking him in the ass. Last he heard from Debs she’d had enough on the hospital floor and was going to try the Emergency Room.
He just hoped that she didn’t get tired of him and trade him in while he was gone. Nah, she wasn’t the type.
“Yo Luna!” Brian called out as he approached the table Mooney sat at in the mess hall. He slid onto the bench across from Mooney and placed a cup on the table in front of him.
“Hey Brian, what’s up?” He hadn’t seen Brian in a week or so. Mooney thought Brian had gone on a mission to some of the forward bases but he wasn’t 100-percent on that.
“Got back last night from visiting. You on today?”
“Today’s my day off. Thinking about hitting the gym.” Mooney didn’t want to get lazy during his off time. He needed to finish his bachelor’s so when it was time, it might be extra points for him to be considered for first sergeant. If Mooney didn’t get off his ass, that wasn’t going to happen.
“Sure, I could use a workout. How you handling being here with the wifey back home?” Brian asked before taking a sip and frowning at the mug. He reached for the sugar that was on the middle of the table and added a generous amount before trying again and nodding at the taste.
“Debbie. My wife’s name is Debbie. Sorry you didn’t get to meet her before we deployed. She’s doing good. Changing from floor to emergency.” Mooney knew that he hadn’t answered Brian’s question… ah avoidance thy name is Luna.
Brian chuckled. “Nice try. I’m glad that Debbie is doing well. I’ll meet her when we get home. Now, how are you handling it all?”
“Did you go through some training or something?” Mooney shot back.
“By chance I did. We had a few privates not handling being here well. Top and Doc cautioned us that not only should we watch for the younger soldiers but that we should watch for more seasoned soldiers that were dealing with different situations this deployment. Like…oh I don’t know…being married and leaving their spouse for the first time. So, I’ll repeat, how are you doing?” Brian finished and stared at Mooney.
Mooney dropped his shoulders and looked down at his tray. He gave serious thought to his answer for Brian.
“I’m passable. Worried that Debbie’s going to figure out that being married to a soldier isn’t in her future while I’m here and she’s there. That I’m some uneducated sap unworthy of her time or energy.”
Brian didn’t say anything for a few minutes then said, “Well, yeah, she’s probably fucking some doctor while you’re here serving your country.”
“Debbie would never do that. She’s not some slut. I trust her with everything I am,” Mooney shot back.
“Oh, so you found some little piece over here that’s missing their hubby…or wife, if that’s your thing,” Brian said with a shrug.
“I would never cheat on Debbie. She’s the best thing that’s happened to me.”
“So you’ve just been sitting around jerking off when not on duty.” Brian took a sip of his coffee and looked at Mooney.
“In your fucking dreams. I’m taking four courses right now. I should be about twenty credits from my bachelors when we redeploy.” Mooney was pissed. He looked around the room while taking deep breaths. He wasn’t going to go off on Brian. He wasn’t. Brian was becoming a good friend and he could use one over here. Well, him and Mike were becoming good friends. How could Brian even be thinking this?
Brian sat there smirking at Mooney with his eyes wide. It took Mooney a minute to review what they’d said before he pushed his tray at Brian.
“Fuck you, asshole.”
“Feel better now?”
Mooney started laughing so hard that the guys sitting at the table next to them turned to see what was going on. He stood and picked up his tray.
“Yeah, thanks.”
“Any time. I’m here for you just like I’d like to think you’d be for me,” Brian said as he picked up his mug and followed Mooney to the window to drop off their dishes. “Gym?”
“Let’s hit it.” How Mooney’d gotten so lucky in the past few years with the four back home and Mike and Brian here, he wasn’t sure. They’d all have to get together. Mooney was sure that they’d all get along.
§ § §
Maybe if she hurried, she could make it to the bathroom. Debbie looked right and left then ran for a stall. The traffic in the emergency department tonight was nuts. Yeah, she’d volunteered for the night shift but this was ridiculous. With Luny deployed, it didn’t matter when she slept.
After doing her business, Debbie stood with her hands under the running water and breathed. Just a few more months before she met up with Luny. They’d decided to go on a delayed honeymoon for his R&R and Debbie was ready for a vacation. She just had to figure out where to go. Tropics? Europe? Mountains? Beach?
