AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Colt grabbed my arm, though, and stopped me, whispering, “Scar, I know how you’re feeling and it’s not going to get any better.”He sighed.“Look at me, Scar.”
I sighed and the waterworks started.“I can’t do this.I thought I could, but seeing you in your uniform, it’s just too much.”
He cursed.“I’m sorry, that was insensitive.I should’ve known it was going to hit hard.”
I slowly turned around then.“It’s okay.It’s stupid, really.What, with all those military people that are going to be attending, too.You’re not the only one that’s going to be in uniform.”
With the pad of his thumb he wiped my cheeks.“If you don’t go, you’re going to regret it.”
“I know,” I whispered.
He put his hand in mine and we walked back to the car together.“Thank you,” I said as I got in the passenger side, “for picking me up.”
He chuckled.“Lot of good that did.”
Now it was my turn to rest my hand on his arm.“I mean it.I’m glad you showed up, Colt.”
He nodded and walked back to the driver’s seat.Frankly, even with as much pain it caused for me to see him in uniform, he still looked mighty handsome and meticulous.And he walked with confidence and purpose.Plus, watching his backside as he left wasn’t hard on the eyes, either.None of that changed the fact that I couldn’t be with a man like Colt.That didn’t mean I couldn’t admire him from a distance, though.And he was a gentleman to boot.All right, now I was just making things worse for myself.
“Tell me about my brother,” I said once he started driving.
Not taking his eyes off the road, he questioned, “You want me to tell you about your brother when he was in the Army?”
I chuckled.“Okay, so I’m not the biggest fan of the service, but that’s only because I lost my brother in it.How was he, though?Was he happy?”That was stupid.Who was happy when they were fighting a war?“I just meant—”
He saved me from my own idiocy.“I know what you meant.”He continued, “Brandon was a funny dude.He used to have us in stitches half of the time and the other half he was bragging about his little sister who was ‘going places.’”Colt raised his hand to show he was quoting that last part.“He was really impressed with you.”
“Yeah, I looked forward to his video calls and loved every minute of them.And I wrote letters every chance I got.”I started to cry again and couldn’t seem to stop it.
“It’s okay to cry, you know; you miss him.”
“I wasn’t always such a baby.Even when we lost our parents, even at that young age.Part of me didn’t quite understand it all, but what I did know was that every thing was going to be different.”
“Thank God you had Brandon.”
“I only wanted him to be happy, and after raising me and sacrificing his happiness so long for me, I had to let him go.When he told me he wanted to serve in the Army, I wasn’t going to say not to.I told him to be safe and prayed every night before I went to bed that he was going to be watched over and that he’d return to me.”
“That was all he wanted, too.”Colt exhaled.“He loved serving, but at the end of the day he wanted to come home.In fact, he couldn’t wait until his tour was over and his contract was up so he could eventually settle down.”
I smiled thinking of the memories we shared.“Brandon always wanted a big family, said he wanted what we never had.”
When Colt pulled into one of the only empty parking spots at the funeral home, he grabbed my hand and squeezed.“He had one in us, his brothers.”I nodded, a lump in my throat stopping me from saying more.“Are you ready?”
I shivered at the touch and nodded again.“Will I ever be ready to bury my brother?To say goodbye forever?”
“Probably not, but at least you’re not alone in this.”
I watched people pack in, wearing all black, tissues in-hand, and saddened expressions.Funerals were the worst.But all of these people were here for my brother, because he had a lasting impression on them and that was a beautiful thing.That was something to remember.That he was loved, not just by me, but by so many others.“Don’t leave my side, okay?”I was just as surprised by the words that came out of my mouth, but for some reason, Colt made me feel better.He calmed the storm that was brewing inside me.He made me feel like the world wasn’t ending, but instead my life was just starting.
“I won’t leave unless you ask me to.”
Chapter Six
Colton
Ikept my promise and didn’t leave Scarlet’s side once.In fact, I held her hand all throughout the service, except when I had to leave her to stand at the podium and read my eulogy.Scarlet didn’t want to speak, she decided last minute, so I revised some of my words to speak on behalf of myself and her.In the short time I’d personally known her, I would do anything for her.She took hold of my heart almost immediately.
Watching two uniformed service members slowly walking toward Scarlet, I gripped her hand knowing what was coming next as they held the U.S.burial flag in their hands.It was folded properly and ready to be presented to Scarlet, the fallen soldier’s surviving family member.“Ma’am,” one of the men said as the other just tilted his head down and handed her the flag.“He was a real hero,” the other man stated.
