“I’ll let you get to it then, okay?”
“Okay. I love you.”
“Love you too,” he replied before ending the FaceTime call.
As soon as the call ended, I found myself instinctively pushing down the lump inside my throat and trying to ignore the sinking feeling inside my chest. But even so, there was one question replaying in the back of my mind:There’s no way he’s cheating on me again, is there?
The next day.
I stepped off the plane and onto the soil of my hometown, with a buzz of excitement and something else I couldn’t quite name. Everything about Chicago—the smells, the food, the people—all seemed to hum through my veins, somehow making the run-of-the-mill airport layover I’d faced to finally get here feel worth it. After twelve years of dedicating my life to the United States Navy, I was finally coming home to start a new chapter.
As I approached the baggage claim carousel for my flight, I scanned the sea of luggage for my oversized military duffel bag. After grabbing it, I glanced down at my phone to read a text from my sister, Olivia.
Liv:
Waiting outside for you by the passenger pick-up area.
Me:
Bet. Coming out now.
The sliding glass doors opened, and I stepped out to see Olivia, my baby sister, waving a bright blueWelcome Home Oaksign over her head. I didn’t want the unnecessary attention, which was part of the reason I was dressed in plain street clothes instead of my uniform. My footsteps echoed down the pavement toward her with a genuine smile on my face. She looked so much different. So much like our mother it was almost scary.
“Oak.” She greeted me with a smile before pulling me into her gesturing arms.
My six-foot-three frame towered over her, proving she was still my baby sister, no matter how much she’d grown. Even though we were five years apart, we shared the same dark chocolate skin complexion and braces-straightened smiles.
“Step back and let me look at you so I can make sure you’re the real Oak and not some military clone,” she joked.
“Yo, chill, Liv. Can we go? A nigga hungry,” I said, rubbing my abs through my hoodie.
“That’s all you have to say?”
“I love you. I missed you. Now, can we please go grab some food? We have the rest of our lives to catch up. The U.S. Navy doesn’t own a nigga anymore,” I assured her.
“Seriously, though, Oak. Welcome home. It’s good to have you back. Mom and Dad are really excited for tonight.”
“Tonight? What’s happening tonight?”
“Your welcome home party at the house, of course.”
“I don’t want no big party and shit, Liv.”
She sucked her teeth. “It’s not, I promise. It’s just a family dinner.”
“Withjustfamily?”
Her narrow shoulders rose and fell underneath her scrub top. “Yeah. Us and Lex. That’s it.”
I shook my head, knowing she was bullshitting me, but I decided to drop it. From the time she could walk, Liv had always tried to become my shadow until the day she found her best friend, Lex. The next thing I knew, it was like having two annoying ass little sisters for the price of one.
“I swear I’ma go upside ya head if there’s anybody else there than who you said,” I warned.
“Yeah, yeah. Throw your shit in the trunk and get in the car,” she urged, rolling her eyes.
I ran my hand over my hair. “You got time to run me a few places? A nigga need a fresh haircut and some new clothes.”
“I got you. I’ll be your chauffeur for the rest of the day until your truck gets delivered.”
