Page 30 of Wild Mistake
“Really?” I try not to act too excited, but I’m sure I fail horribly.
“I said fine.” He shoves to his feet and grabs his bags.
“I got the washer first!” Parker calls out, but it’s in vain.
“Nope.” Gabe steps over the piles of dirty clothes, his bag hauled over one shoulder, and flies out the door. “First one to the laundry room gets dibs.”
“Seriously!” Parker groans, then looks to me. “Mom!”
I am not playing referee between my sons. But I can empathize with my youngest. “I never had any of these problems. I was an only child.”
“Lucky.”
“No.” I shake my head, and nod toward Gabe who’s already stepping inside my parents’ house. “One day you’re going to be grateful for him. I get that it’s not today. That was a jerk move,” I concede. “But it’s nice to have someone who will always have your back.”
“Yeah, well, he’s really good at being a jerk these days.”
“Tell me about your week,” I say, taking advantage of Parker’s talkative mood. He’s protective of his brother, and everyone really. But when it’s just the two of us, I can always get him to spill the tea.
“You aren’t going to believe what Gabe did last night.”
Bingo. I settle back in a chair, schooling my features and listening with an open heart because this is probably the only opportunity I’ll get to fill in the gap for the first week I missed with my boys.
12
TWO MONTHS INTO BASIC TRAINING
Dear Aiden,
I get to see you in less than a month! I can’t believe my parents agreed to let me travel with your parents to your graduation from basic training! I’ve never been to Georgia before! I’m so excited! I’ve been walking around with a permanent smile on my face. I know I look ridiculous and I don’t even care.
I wish you had more than two days before you report for your advanced training. I try not to think about that too much. It’s going to be so good to see you. To talk to you. To touch you. It’s literally all I can think about. I miss you so damn much. The last two months have been so hard without you.
When I come to Georgia with your parents do you think we’ll have time together? Like, just the two of us? Because that thing I wasn’t ready for before you left, well, I’m ready now. I want us to be together, in every way. I don’t want to have any regrets when we have to be apart again.
Love you forever,
Sarah
13
AIDEN
PRESENT DAY
“Hey, Pops. I’m heading out.”
“Oh? Where you going?” I’ve already told him several times, and the fact he’s asking is one of those blatant reminders that despite looking perfectly fine, he’s not.
“I’m going to Ryan’s for a few hours. Jennifer will be here with you if you need anything.” I glance at the caretaker on shift for the evening.
She smiles at Pops from where she sits, her knitting needles clicking with their quick movements. “We’ll be just fine.”
“Okay.” Pops frowns. He looks around and I wish I knew exactly what thoughts were running through his mind. If I knew how the world looked to him right now, I could be a better son.
I feel bad leaving him behind, but he’s comfortable at home. The Christmas Eve party was a lot for him, but this is much later and it’s best he sticks to his routine.
“I probably won’t be home until after midnight,” I say to Jennifer. She’s one of the people tasked with staying with my father. I still feel like a visitor in this home. As kind and professional as these people are, I’m adjusting to always having a stranger in the room when I spend time with Pops. I wonder if it’s weird for them, too, to have some random family member hanging around when they are just trying to do their job.
