We’ve had to revert back to the way we communicated when I was deployed—using email more than anything—so we don’t wake each other up. We have fit in the occasional video call though, and seeing my little sister’s face feels both like a blessing and a curse. Having my favorite person behind a screen does the job of reminding me how far away she is.
There’s no going back now as I hit send on the email. Maybe I should have waited until this evening when she’d definitely be asleep and less likely to ream me out.Oh well, it was worth it.
I send a second email to myself so I’ll have the files on my phone. Quickly pulling up the most ridiculous of the pictures, one where my face looks distorted because of the wind and ground rush, I text it to Joss.
Since that first morning, I haven’t missed a single dawn patrol, and unless she’s away for work, Joss is right there beside me. Breck joins in when he can, but I go by myself if I have to. The routine of that early surf session before heading to work has made the transition to my new life here feel easy, effortless.
Joss has been working for the last few days, and I can’t deny how much I’ve missed the beautiful smile that lights her face when she’s paddling back out after getting a wave or sitting next to me waiting for her next one. Head tipped back, those first glimmers of sunlightdancing off the water droplets on her face as she breathes in the cold morning air.
I’m brought back to reality by the vibration of my phone in my pocket. It’s become something of a habit for us to exchange texts about our adventures, or just send each other stupid jokes or memes. Anything to try to make the other person laugh. I feel a rush of anticipation when I see the banner and my nickname for her on the screen.
Grey
Don’t tell me you jumped out of a perfectly good airplane?
Me
Ok… I won’t tell you
Grey
How was it?
Me
Incredible, I think you should try it with me sometime
Grey
I think I spend enough time in airplanes
Me
Ahh, come on, I’ll hold your hand ; )
I usually keep my flirting to a minimum with her—boundaries and what have you—but I’ll stoop to sprinkling in a little extra charm to convince her to go skydiving. She may not be addictedto adrenaline the same way that I am, but I’ve learned over the last month that she loves to try new things.
Grey
Don’t hold your breath :-P
Me
You wound me.
“What has you smiling?” Breck’s voice meets my ears as he sticks his head around the cubicle wall.
“Joss.” I wave my phone at him.
The knowing smile on his face tells me exactly what he thinks about mine and Joss’s friendship, but I don’t rise to the bait. We go back and forth about this every couple days as it is.
“How was the jump? Amazing, right?” I can hear the earnestness in his voice, but it’s laced with apprehension.
Breck has been great about respecting my boundaries around discussing the crash, and I know he doesn’t want the job to set me back for any reason. He had reservations about how comfortable I would be with flying when I got here, so I think he’s relieved to see that I’ve taken to it easily. Had it gone a different way, he would have found something else for me to do—on the ground.
“Absolutely. I’m trying to convince Joss to go with me next time.” As soon as I say it, I wince and brace myself for his comments. Breck smirks, eyebrows raised. It’s a look that says he’s in on some joke that I’m missing the punchline to. “It’s not like that. Come on, Breck, you’ve seen us together. We’re just friends.”
“I know, I know. You just spend a lot of time together for two people who arejust friends.” He raises his hands, but that damn smirk stays firmly in place.
