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… And then he was gone.
Madison shut the door and locked it, before facing the nearly empty house… and slid down the door, feeling shell-shocked and lost as she began to cry uncontrollably, not completely understanding why.
12
MORRISON
Ghazni, Afghanistan
“So?”Talbot grinned as Eric walked into the barracks, exhausted and ready to drop. Even Trigger was trotting along at his side slowly, all her energy gone. Dropping his bag on his footlocker, he didn’t even protest when Trigger hopped on the end of his bunk and put her head down. “Did you pull a ‘Clark’?”
“Awhat?”
“Did ya’ fall for the curse?” Peña grinned, bumping knuckles with Talbot, who was nodding, and held up a twenty-dollar bill between his first two fingers.
“I got twenty that says he did…”
“Ohhhh man,” Selkirk practically squirmed on his bunk, laughing. “The odds are soooo good, too! Do I take the bet or see if it’s ‘double-or-nothing’ in the next few seconds?” …and clapped giddily. “Screw it! Double-or-nothing!”
Talbot waved his twenty at Selkirk, who grinned.
“Did you meet your pen pal?” Talbot asked innocently, wagging his eyebrows… only to have Selkirk nearly squeal in delight.
“Double or nothing, ya hussies! I’m tellin’ ya! Double or nothing?!”
“What’s his deal?” Eric laughed in exhaustion, pointing at the other man who was practically coming unglued and fishing money out of his wallet, tossing it down on the bunk in front of him.
“Talbot?!”
“You know what? Fine. Ya’ big Irish mongrel… I’m in.”
Selkirk turned towards him with this smarmy grin as a giggle escaped him – and spoke.
“Did youmarryyour pen pal…?” he asked in a supremely satisfied voice, arching an eyebrow at Talbot – who mirrored the other man’s expression as Peña started laughing.
“You two are dorks,” Peña chuckled under his breath, and looked at Eric. “Answer the question, so Blondie can quit giggling and the rest of us can get some sleep.”
“How did you know?” Eric gaped in shock as Selkirk jumped up on his bed and began jumping around like it was a trampoline, shouting.
“I freakin’ knew it! He ‘Clarked’ it!”
“Wait…what?”
“Pay up, Talbot!”
“No way… really?”
“Double or nuthin’, smarty pants! Daddy made some bank today!”
“Morrison… youmarriedyour pen pal? Like on the first visit to meet her? I thought you were going to see your family. You said y’all were going for coffee… how?...Why?!”Talbot wailed in frustration and disbelief, looking around for support. “Tell me you didn’t do this for a hot slice of Saturday Night boootaaay…”
“Was it good?” Peña grinned, winking at Eric, who gaped at the men in shock as Selkirk stopped jumping on his bunk – and stuck out his hands with wide eyes.
“Oh my gosh, it’s freakin’ Christmas… TRIPLE OR NOTHING, TALBOT?!”
“What?”
“You heard me – triple or nothing says that Morrison didn’t do the ‘horizontal mambo’…”
