“Nothing, man. Just got a lot of work I need to get done.”
I tried my best not to sound as irritated as I was. If Top sensed something was wrong, getting him out of there would be damn near impossible. A long pep talk may have been what I needed, but it was the last thing I wanted. Right now, I needed to figure out how to pass time, specifically the amount of time Gina would be on tour.
I’d spent the whole night researching her mother’s past tours to see how long she was usually gone, and honestly, it seemed like she never came home. Even if there was a break in her touring, she usually started another one right after. I hoped her inviting Gina on this tour didn’t mean she thought my girl wasabout to be on the same shit. There was no way in hell I could take that.
My heart wanted to beg Gina to stay, but my pride wouldn’t let me. Gina deserved to be on that stage in front of thousands of people. She deserved millions of people to be playing her songs and yelling her name. There was no way I would stand in the way of her success.
The only thing I could think to do in this situation was bury myself in my work. I was one of the most efficient soldiers I knew, and I added value to every unit I had ever been attached to. It was time to take my talents somewhere else, somewhere where my thoughts wouldn’t be consumed by the woman I loved.
“You know any units getting ready to deploy?” I asked Top out of the blue.
“Yeah, the 33rd is getting ready to do a stateside mission. They looking to be gone about six months.”
“What kind of mission is it?”
“They supposed to be going to D.C. to police the capital or something like that. Why? You trying to go play cops and robbers with them? You know that’s all a mission like that will be.”
“Yeah, I kind of want to get away for a while. You know, switch things up.”
“So you telling me you want to go on a stateside mission that would basically require you to beat up on regular civilians just because someone told you to?”
“Top, I just need a break. That’s all, man.”
“This don’t have anything to do with Gina going on tour, do it?”
The question caused me to finally look up from my computer screen and meet his eye. Top gave me that knowing look. He already knew what was up before he even came in there, askingquestions. Now I felt stupid, but that wasn’t about to get me to talking about my personal business.
“You need anything from me before I go, Top? I got a meeting I got to get to.”
It wasn’t a lie. I really did have a meeting with Lieutenant Colonel James. We were supposed to be talking about potential deployments I could go on. Now that Top had given me a heads up about the 33rd, I was going to ask him what I needed to do to get on that one. My only hope was that nothing we talked about in our meeting would get back to his daughters, Anissa and Alexis.
“Nah, I don’t need anything, but I’ll be here when you’re ready to talk.”
I walked out without a reply. I knew Cap and Top meant well. They both wanted to look out for me since I was the youngest on the command team, but I didn’t need all the concern they threw my way. I was capable of solving my own problems, especially when it came to my personal life.
“Lieutenant Method, good to see you.”
Lieutenant Colonel James stuck his hand out to shake mine, and I did the same. He was Cap’s mentor, but since I’d known him, he had also taken me under his wing. I appreciated him for always leading me in the right direction with my career, and I knew this time wouldn’t be any different.
“Thanks for meeting with me, sir. I know you’re busy,” I said as I took a seat in the chair that sat in front of his desk, and he sat back in the one behind it.
“Don’t mention it. I’m never too busy for junior leaders. My door is always open to you. What can I do for you today?”
“I was hoping to deploy, sir. Do you know of anyone I could go with.”
“First, thank you for being willing to volunteer. We could always use good officers in key positions. I think I have just the place for you.”
“I would really appreciate that, sir. I could leave as early as next month.”
“Just give me a few days to iron out the details. Also, use this time to make sure this is what you want to do. I don’t want you backing out at the last minute.”
“I’m not going to back out, sir. I don’t need time.”
“Even so, I want you to take a few days, for my sake. I am going to ask around to see if the position I have in mind is still open. I want you to come back and see me next week. If the position is still open, and you’re sure you want it, it will be yours.”
“Thank you, sir. This means a lot.”
“No problem. I’ll see you next week.”
