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“Maybe,” he laughed even harder. “I adore you and can’t wait, Em…”
“Same here, John.”
“Dang it… they are all heading for the briefing. I’ve gotta go. I’ll see you soon.”
“See you soon.”
CHAPTER18
X-RAY
John lookedup seeing Vapor walk into the barracks, returning from his trip to Greece. No one was supposed to know who he’d gone with, and the reaction on his face was not one of joy… which was alarming. The pilot dropped his bag on his footlocker without a word, and left.
He was sitting there playing cards with Ghost, Houdini, and Ricochet. All four men were looking at each other, not sure what was going on.
“Does Vapor look okay to you?” Reaper said bluntly in the distance.
“The man looks shell-shocked…”
“Or like he’s going to vomit…”
“Think he is going to be okay for flight tomorrow?”
“Guess we’ll see. I wonder what happened.”
“Poor guy…” John murmured aloud, looking at the open doorway.
“Why’d you say that?” Ghost asked, glancing at him.
“Nothing… just a gut feeling,” he replied.
He watched as Caboose and Reaper looked at each other and took off after Vapor. No, he couldn’t follow, because he didn’t want anyone to know that he was aware of Vapor’s relationship with Jana.
About a half hour later, John saw Vapor was in the showers still, standing there under the water, with his forearms against the wall, resting his head against his hands… eyes closed.
John moved farther down the showers and turned on his water, preparing to wash-up before going to bed. Glancing around, he finally spoke quietly.
“How are you doing?”
“Man… I feel gutted right now,” Vapor admitted, his voice hoarse like he’d been crying, shutting off the water and grabbing his towel. “I really miss her.”
“Did you have a nice time?”
“I’m gonna marry that woman…” he said openly, smiling painfully, and his eyes were just glistening with unshed tears. “I love her more than life itself and I’m going to marry her.”
John grinned, unable to hold back a slight laugh as he stepped under the water, immediately washing his hair.
“I guess it was a good trip then.”
“Oh man… I’ve never been so happy in my entire life,” Vapor said. “I haven’t asked her yet, and I’m terrified to because of Hot Cakes… but I’m seriously going to marry that woman.”
“You aren’t scared it will change things between you both – or that it might not work out? I mean, my own mother was married five times. What about your career?”
“I don’t know,” Vapor said honestly, smiling and laughing softly to himself in disbelief. “I didn’t come from a great home either… but when I look at her, everything else doesn’t matter anymore.”
John didn’t say anything. He turned away, began washing quickly, and listened in disbelief as Vapor continued speaking.
“… I’ve never smiled so much in my entire life, and I can’t see a life without her there at my side anymore. I’ve just got to figure it all out, and that’s what I’m struggling with…” Vapor admitted. “That - and saying goodbye to my girl once again. I hate saying goodbye to her, and someday I won’t have to. That’s all I know, right now.”
