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“I love you and you are never alone.”
“Mooovie?” Max questioned, causing her to laugh tearfully as she smiled at Eric, nodding.
“Yep. It’s movie time.”
* * *
An hour later,they were at the drive-in theater, all four of them crowded in the front seat of the car. Eric had his leg stretched out across the bench, sitting angled to the door, and Madison was leaning back against him. Max was standing on her, leaning forward and holding the dash, bobbing up and down with the music, while Trigger sat on the floorboard, watching protectively.
It was so sweet to see Max so enchanted by the movie. Every time the characters would run to one side of the screen or ‘fly’ – Max would lean in that particular direction. Both she and Eric had a hand on him, steadying him, and it was adorable to watch the ‘Dad’ in Eric come out.
“I love you,” she whispered up to him, kissing his bearded chin.
“I love you too,” he replied, leaning down to kiss her forehead. “And quit worrying. Let me see what I can do from my end, and have a little faith that everything will be alright, M&M.”
She nodded, snuggling in his arms a little deeper as he kissed the top of her head again.
* * *
Early the next morning,Eric was on a plane back to Afghanistan. It was so hard to remain calm, but he swore repeatedly it would be alright and to trust him.
… And as terrifying as it was to put her faith in someone – she did trust Eric, and knew he loved Max almost as much as she did. He wasn’t going to let anything happen, and believed it fully.
She just needed to as well.
20
MORRISON
It was much toobright out,he thought ruefully, and slipped his sunglasses on his face. The temperatures were already reaching an almost unbearable warmth, and he was sweltering under all his protective gear – but he was motivated and trying to keep upbeat.
The last few weeks, he had spent more time in closed-office discussions with Captain Logan and one of the J.A.G. officers over the phone, discussing a solution to what was happening with Max – and Madison’s ex-husband. He had five days of leave left and was going to use them to make a quick visit, to be there for the hearing, before returning… just so he could visit again briefly before his time was up or he re-enlisted, renewing his contract and his vacation time.
Eric was flying out in a week to return home, and everything was in place from what he could tell. Of course, everything could fall apart in the last minute… but he was pretty sure it was handled, or close to it.
“Doc! In the middle – NOW!” Keyes snapped firmly at the person assigned to go with them on this patrol. The ’68-whiskey’ – or ‘Doc’ was none other than Sergeant Beck, who’d been present when they all thought they had contracted some S.T.D., only for it to end up being a bad batch of detergent that their clothing was washed in.
Talbot and Peña were flanking ‘Doc’, and Eric was taking the lead with Trigger at his side, careful not to run into any explosives or insurgents. Selkirk was bringing up the back and running his mouth the entire time, making comments here and there to cause everyone to laugh at random moments, breaking up the monotony of the afternoon.
Uneventful, he thought happily, realizing he just needed to bide his time a little longer, and then he was outta here.
As they all filed back into the truck, Beck was smiling like this was some church picnic instead of a warzone, making him want to roll his eyes. Talbot was just egging her on, handing out water bottles like he was passing around sodas.
“So, are you coming on the next one too, Doc?” Talbot asked.
“She’s not as mouthy as Minors, and a sure lot prettier,” Peña interjected.
“Minorsismean.”
“Because you told him that having your back meant being your ‘golf caddy’ for the afternoon when you put a ‘hole in one’, Selkirk.”
“Hey! I put a hole in one… just before he put a hole in me!”
Even Eric was laughing at Selkirk’s comments, knowing exactly what he was joking about, and felt the truck downshift, causing him to look up.
Collins was slowing down, the base shimmering in the heat in the distance like a mirage… and Eric felt Trigger struggle where she sat on the floorboard between his legs, before letting out a yelp.
Bomb, he thought numbly in that split-second before the truck was launched upwards into the air.
