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“I’m glad you’re home, Mike,” said Nate. “We needed your help with the last op.”
“You didn’t need my help,” smirked Mike as he jogged next to his brother. “But I’m glad I was here anyway. I like your girl, by the way. She’s great.” Mike stared at Nate, both of them with the same hairstyle today. The big mop of wavy black hair tied in a topknot. They seemed to do it all the time. Dress alike. Groom alike. Act alike. They’d learned to live with it, but it was often disconcerting to others.
“Thanks,” he smiled. “I can’t believe I found her like I did. Suddenly, she was just there.”
“I guess that’s how it happens.” He looked across the grove and toward the big opening between the live oaks. “What’s the tent going up for?”
“The Mardi Gras celebrations for the family, brother. Mama Irene is as fierce as ever with the holiday celebrations, and she’s creating an equal monster in Claudette. They are unstoppable. The ball will be held on Halo island, but she wanted something just for us here. No clue why, but I don’t question that shit. We’ll be helping with the floats today, and then the ball will be Saturday night.”
“What’s the theme?”
“Fairy tale couples,” grinned Nate. “Harlow and I are going as Antony and Cleopatra.”
“Didn’t they both die?” frowned Mike.
“Shut up,” laughed Nate. “Look, it’s just about having fun. Think of something fun to go as.”
“I fucking hate costumes, you know that. I don’t like not being able to see everyone in the room and identify them. It seems counterintuitive to who we are. Besides, I don’t have a princess to partner with, and I don’t want one. I’ll just wear a tuxedo and a mask.”
“You’ll do no such thing,” called Claudette, coming toward them.
“Shit, she sounds just like Mama Irene,” whispered Mike, staring at the ball of energy charging toward him.
“Yep, and I give orders like her,” said Claudette. “I’ve put a costume in your cottage. Everyone is dressing up this year, and you’re no exception. Mama wants it to be a full-blown costume ball. Besides, it will help keep everyone anonymous.”
“Fine. What fairy tale creature am I?” frowned Mike.
“Baby, you’re no creature. You’re Prince Charming,” smiled Claudette. “You don’t even have to wear a wig. Just tie up that long hair, and you’ll be perfect.”
“What if it doesn’t fit?” he asked.
“Don’t insult me, Michael Douglas Redhawk,” she said with a hand at her hip. “I wouldn’t want to turn you over my knee and use that wooden spoon on you again.”
Mike smirked at Claudette, remembering the time he ate all the cookies on the plate in the kitchen before they cooled. He burned his lips, but it was worth every bite.
Laughing, he stepped forward, lifting her off her feet and kissing her cheeks.
“I missed you, Claudette,” he chuckled.
“Put me down, you big overgrown child!” she laughed. “Go. Go put it on and make sure it fits. But I’ll bet my solid silver jewelry box that it does.”
Mike retreated to his cottage, seeing the beautiful costume lying on the bed. He worried that he might have to wear tights, but this costume seemed to at least have trousers beneath the beautiful brocade embroidered coat. The tall black boots fit him like a glove, and the ornate mask made him feel as if he were hiding behind a painting.
“Well,” he said, staring at himself, “at least no one will know who I am.” Carefully taking the costume off and hanging it against the door, he showered and changed, heading to the morning meeting with the others. The excitement for his grandfather and the other seniors was palpable.
Gray Wolf Security was up and running, and they were already working their first case.
Knowing how hard retirement was for them, he wondered if he would feel some of the same as the days trudged on. Would he be bored? Would he feel useless? There was an excitement you felt with each op, and he knew that if he didn’t feel that here, he would miss it terribly.
He was finding it hard to believe. The last few weeks had been a wonderful respite from the constant barrage of bullets and knives that normally came his way. Thrilled to see how happy Nate was, he was enjoying being back with all his friends.
What was difficult was that all his friends were now married. Those that weren’t were still serving. He tried to stay busy, tried to do things with the couples, but it was a constant reminder that he was alone.
For the first time in his life, he wondered if this was his destiny. To be alone.
“Mike? Mike, are you awake?” asked Eric.
“Sorry. Yes, I’m awake. I was just thinking about something.”
