Page 11 of Safe
In the eight years we served together, he had never brought a girl back to the house, never met anyone extraordinary enough to mention to me, nothing. Most of the other guys went wild on leave, chasing women and blowing off steam, but Cody was different. He was better looking than most, and hands down the most well-mannered and chivalrous. Still, instead of joining the crowd, he stuck with me. We spent our nights out sightseeing, sampling local food, and trading stories about what life might be like when we finally got out.
Come to think of it, I wasn’t sure Cody had even gotten close enough to anyone to consider them a girlfriend since that day. I remembered how it nearly broke him when he got the letter that his high school sweetheart, his first love, had been killed by a drunk driver during our first deployment.
He’d lost his parents when he was just a kid, and she was all he had left. That kind of pain, the gut-wrenching heartbreak, was something we shared, and it was what brought us together.
“So, uh, what’s she like?” Cody asked with that nervous, kind of beat-around-the-bush tone in his voice. I almost smiled; he sounded like a teenager working up the nerve to ask out his first crush. It was strangely endearing and reassuring. Danielle would be perfectly safe with Cody. If there was anyone in absolutely no danger of falling for him, or being swept off her feet, it was my sister, the Ice Queen herself. And if there was any guy less likely to try, it was my best friend.
“Well, she’s a stubborn ass with two broken legs,” I grinned, hoping a joke would help loosen Cody up before Danielle had a chance to rip him to shreds.
I glanced over at him as I continued. “There’s going to be a lot of care instructions for the next few months. I know it’s a lot, but it’s important to make sure she heals right. She’ll probably need a walker or a cane for at least the first month, until she gets her strength back. You’ll need to help with herrehab.”
Cody waved his hand, dismissing me. “Alex, relax. I didn’t mean it like that when I asked what she was like. That stuff, I can handle.” He gave me a sideways look, his lips curving into a small, almost mischievous smirk. “I meant her personality. What’s she interested in? If I’m going to be living in some weird version of solitary confinement with your sister, I should at least know how to get along with her.”
I squinted at him, trying to determine if he was still nervous or just being a smart ass now. “Oh no, Cody. Not a chance.”
He widened his eyes in mock innocence. “What?” He tried to sound shocked, but I could see the mischief behind his question.
“She’s my sister, Cody. She’s off limits, so don’t even think about playing house. As soon as Landon’s caught, you’re both coming straight back here. That’s non-negotiable.”
Cody burst out laughing. “Jesus, Alex, I didn’t mean it like that. I just want her to feel safe and comfortable. She’s going to be scared, and if she’s anything like you, probably pissed as hell. If there’s anything I can do, or get for her, something that feels like home, I want to know.”
I hesitated for a moment, feeling a little foolish for misjudging him. Cody would never try anything. He had always been about loyalty and doing the right thing. In his own awkward way, he was trying to take care of her, just like he did with me.
“Penguins,” I finally caved.
Cody blinked in surprise. “Excuse me?”
“Penguins.” I repeated, managing a small smile. “She’s obsessed with penguins.”
Cody grinned and nodded, probably already plotting how to use that little piece of information to break the ice.
“Penguins. Got it. Those should be easy to find in the middle of nowhere.”
Cody sat back in his seat and didn’t say much else as we picked up food and headed to the hospital for what I could almost guarantee would be the most awkward dinner I’ve ever eaten.
6. CODY
By the time we pulled up to the hospital, my stomach was churning. I couldn’t pinpoint a logical reason why I was so nervous. I’d never met Danielle before, but that wasn’t the cause. Just as Alex was parking, it dawned on me that my nerves probably stemmed from the fact that I hadn’t spent this much time with a girl since Riley died, let alone lived with and cared for one. Losing Riley had nearly destroyed me. She was perfect.
We met during our freshman year of high school, and she accepted me as the damaged orphan I thought I was back then. But she saw beyond that; she saw me. I certainly didn’t make it easy for her. Looking back, I’m sure there were plenty of times I would have walked away if I were in her shoes. Yet she stayed, took her time, and changed me. When I was with her, I wanted to be a better person. When I got the letter telling me she was gone, it felt as if life lost all meaning.
I had joined the Army to build a better future for us, and because I wasn’t there, she died. Deep down, I knew she’d want me to move on, find happiness, and discover a new purpose. But I refused to accept that. I didn’t think I deserved it. If I had been there, she would still be here.
Even if I wanted to move forward, every woman I knew seemed ridiculous. Most of them were just uniform chasers, and none of them came close to being like her. Riley wasn’t simply smart; she was an intellectual. She was also one of the most fun people I've ever met. One moment we’d be deep in a discussion about the meaning of life, and the next we’d be engaged in a food fight while making dinner. I missed her deeply and always felt no one could ever replace her.
The illogical part of me felt guilty for agreeing to look after Danielle. Riley had been gone for years now, but the idea of living under the same roof as Danielle still felt like cheating. On the other hand, the logical side saw it as a step forward toward moving on. Keeping Danielle safe gave me a reason to keep going in life, something I hadn’t been able to do for Riley. To me, this was a chance to redeem myself.
“Dude, you ready? Help me grab the food.” Alex grabbed one bag and motioned toward another in the backseat. I reached back, grabbed the bag, and got out of the car.
“She’s not going to bite my head off, is she?” I shot Alex a look and asked, half-laughing, even though I already knew there was a good chance she would.
Alex laughed way more than he should have. I was serious. “She won’t be that bad, Cody. You have her food in your hand. If she starts to get an attitude, just start eating it in front of her.”
I was as ready as I could be to meet someone who probably already hated me. I couldn’t imagine anything worse than being kidnapped into isolation by your brother’s roommate, someone you’d never even met. In fact, if I were in her shoes, I’d definitely already hate me. I assumed this would take every bit of patience I could muster.
We reached Danielle’s room, and Alex knocked on the open door as he stepped inside. I followed, treading lightly with hesitation, bracing myself to see Alex’s fragile, broken sister. But nothing could have prepared me for what I saw and how I felt in that moment.
Instead, Danielle sat on her bed, bruised and beaten, yet somehow still exuding strength. She was playing cards while watching something on the TV that I couldn’t quite make out. She looked exactly how I had spent years feeling on the inside. Maybe we had more in common than I thought.
