My Sister's Best Friend (Best Friends 3) (8 page)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Not that big a deal but he’ll be surrounded by enough brass to sink a battle ship.

“That’s not just Oldest, but wisest, don’t forget that.”

“Yes Sargent Major,” the four Marines said in unison.

Private McDonald smiled and shrugged his shoulders. “At least I’ll get a piece of cake before you guys get yours.”

“The Admiral might ask you to say a few words,” The Sargent Major said with a smile. “So make sure it’s funny and clean, at least clean by Marine standards.”

Private McDonald’s face fell in shock. It was obvious that the idea of being asked to talk in front of everyone was terrifying.

The guys laughed and started teasing him.

“Well, you gentleman have a good time, And Johnson please stop by my office tomorrow so we can talk about those re-enlisting paper’s.”

Nathan gulped and shot me a look, “Aye, Aye Sargent Major,” he said, unable to meet my eyes.

The group quickly fell back to telling stories about each other, they spoke in abbreviations and a unique jargon that made it hard to follow the conversations. It’s a different world I thought, a world with its own set of rules, traditions, and values.

Smiling to myself I realized how much I liked it. How well it fit Nathan. Not the pomp and circumstance but the sense of purpose, the comradery. He belongs in this world I realized and a little bit of my heart broke away.

“Do you want to dance,” Nathan asked.

My heart stopped. This is real I thought, a date, a grown up date with Nathan. A thousand dreams were coming true. Unable to speak I nodded my head and took his hand as he led me to the floor. Sandalwood, leather, and the scent of Nathan seeped into me.

Without warning his arm wrapped around my waste. The world came to a screeching halt as I became lost in the moment. My heart felt like it was going to burst with all the love I felt for him. Looking into his eyes was like looking at a priceless treasure. Surely he could tell how I felt. It had to be obvious.

Instinctively I rested my head on his shoulder as we began to sway to the music and became lost in each other and in the special moment.

One dance led to another, we didn’t talk, just held each other. It was enough. It was more than any girl could ever ask for.

The night became a blur of dancing, fancy food, speeches, traditions, laughter and a toast to those who had been lost along the way. All of it made me feel special, privileged to have been allowed to participate, honored.

Chapter Eleven

Ashley

As the evening wore down, couples began leaving. My heart became sad as I thought about everything coming to an end. I made a quick trip to the lady’s room. A matronly woman of fifty in a black sequined gown stood at the mirror wiping her eyes, trying to save her make-up. I could tell that something had upset her. What I wondered, amazed that anyone could be having a less than wonderful time on a night such as this.

“Is everything okay?” I asked before I could stop myself.

Smiling sadly she took a deep breath and regained control. “Yes, thank you honey, everything is fine. Just having a little cry.” She examined me for a moment then smile happily, “Don’t worry, nothing serious, it’s just that this is my last one. My last Marine Ball. I know my Jack, no way will we come to one of these after we retire. He’ll want to avoid too many memories and it’ll kill him to watch other people taking care of his Marines. So I’m a little upset.”

“Um, Okay,” I said, unable to leave her until I knew she really was alright.

“I’m Lenna Thompson,” She said, surprising me by sticking her hand out in introduction.

“Ashley Parker.” I said.

“Who you here with honey?” she said as she went back to trying to fix her make-up.

“Nathan Johnson,” I answered.

“Ah, Corporal Johnson. My Jack likes him. Says he’s the type of young Marine who could have his job someday fifteen or twenty years from now. Believe me, that’s high praise.”

“What job is that?” I asked. My curiosity on high alert.

“Sargent Major,”

Of course this must be the wife of that barrel chested Sargent Major that was going to press Nathan into re-enlisting. The fact that such a distinguished warrior thought so highly of Nathan made my heart swell with pride for him.

“Can I ask you a question? It’s sort of personal.”

“Of course, anything,” she said, stopping her make-up maintenance to give me her full attention.

“Was it worth it?” I asked, ashamed at my brashness but dying to know.

A slow smile came across her face. “Oh Honey, I’d say so, my daughter Karen is going to Med-School at the University of Washington, that’s one of the reason’s we decided to retire here. Our son John in in his second year at the Naval Academy. I’ve traveled the world twice over and I’m married to a man who still curls my toes. Of course you’ve got to be willing to take the bad with the good. The moving every two years, the long deployments when that bed is oh so empty. The fact that your husband misses the birth of his child because the United States Government thinks they have something more important for him to do. The terrible pay, the nursing them through wounds and night terrors.

Believe me, no one will ever know how hard it is, but if you can survive it, you and he will be a stronger US than anyone you know. So yes, it was worth it and that’s why I’m in her crying like a petulant thirteen year old. I’m upset that it’s coming to an end and wish with all my heart I could do it all again.”

A small dread began to build in my heart. I could see Nathan Re-enlisting. This was the right world for him. This was what he was meant to do. Nathan would pick the Marines, even if he hadn’t already done so in his mind, it was only a matter of time.

I was going to have to let go of my dream and move on with my life. I wouldn’t get the opportunity to make him fall in love with me. He would be here, I would be there.

A sick feeling settled into the bottom of my stomach and refused to leave. I was like Cinderella running from the ball. The night had lost some of its magical twinkle as a heavy weight settled over me.

Nathan was waiting for me as I left the ladies room. His smile dipped a little when he saw me.

“Is everything all right?” he asked.

You can do this I thought. My heart was breaking but I could do this. Why was it always breaking? I smiled back and nodded. “Sure, everything is fine, just thinking is all.”

“Did you have a good time?” He asked as we walked arm in arm to his truck.

“Oh Nathan, it was wonderful. Everything was unbelievable. The food, the dancing, the speeches and the traditions. Being able to spend time with you. All of it, so unbelievably wonderful.”

He helped me in then climbed up into the cab with me and put the key into the ignition but didn’t turn it on.

“I’m glad you had a good time. If I don’t re-enlist this will be my last opportunity for one of these. I’m glad I got to spend it with you.”

My heart broke again, how many pieces could a heart break into. “Oh! Nathan, you have to re-enlist. You were made for this. I know deep down it’s what you want to do. If you didn’t you would have already made a decision. Something is holding you back, but whatever it is it’s not as important as this.”

There, I had said it. A small sense of pride washed through me. I had done the adult thing, the truth, what was best for him. I would have preferred to cling to him and tell him not to. To come home and be with us but I’d been a big girl.

“Really?” he asked.

“Yes, and you know it. What’s holding you back?”

He paused for a moment and looked deep into my eyes. “You,” he said. A simple word that froze my soul in place.

“Me, why me,” I asked. My heart racing for some reason. What did he mean, why me? My brow furrowed in confusion.

“Yes, a part of me wants to re-enlist, but another part of me very much wants to pursue the possibility of an US. You and me.”

I couldn’t breathe. Did Nathan Johnson just refer to him and me as a possible US? “What do you mean?” I asked, once again proving my lack of conversation skills.

“Come on Ashley, you’ve got to know how I feel about you,” he said then paused gathering his words. “I like you, hell I think I love you. I’ve never been in love before so I don’t know. But the idea of not being with you makes me mad. The knowledge that you have to leave tomorrow and I don’t know when I’ll see you again is tearing me apart.

My head spun. Did he just say what I thought he said? I couldn’t get my mind around it. This was Nathan Johnson. The man of my dreams. The man I had secretly loved forever, and he might love me back. My heart felt like it was going to burst from my chest. I looked into his eyes, saw the hunger and hope there. It was enough to make a girl cry with happiness.

He’s waiting for me to answer I realized and tried to swallow. My mouth had forgotten how to work.

“Let me make sure I’ve got this right,” I said. “You want there to be an US? Girlfriend and boyfriend kind of us?”

He nodded his head and said, “Yes, probably even more than girlfriend and boyfriend. I know it’s kind of fast, but yes. That’s what I want. With the possibility of more. I’d like the chance to make you fall in love with me as much as I am with you.”

My heart kicked into overdrive and a wide smile crossed my face. “Oh Nathan, you’re about six years late,” I said. His face fell for a moment. “I fell in love with you a long time ago,” I quickly added.

Now it was his turn to look confused. “Really?”

“Yes Really,”

We looked at each other for a moment, long probing looks to see what was real, what was true. Without warning we came together, our lips meeting in a passionate explosion of ecstasy. This is what my world was supposed to be like. Nathan loving me. Me loving Nathan. Nothing else mattered.

Eventually we pulled apart to stare into each other’s eyes again. “What abo …” he started.

“I can get a waitressing job anywhere.” I answered.

“And your fa …”

“Don’t worry about them,” I said. “This is way too big to worry about them and what they think.”

“But what about …”

“Nathan, it’s too late, Nothing else matters. Whatever it is we will figure it out. We will make it work. Us, you and me. God I’ve wanted to say that for so long.”

He smiled at me, that heart stopping smile of his that curled my toes. He loved me, Ashley Parker. I didn’t know where this would take us, but I was pretty sure I was going to love the results.

I knew Nathan Johnson better than anyone in the world. I’d grown up with him. I could see our future together and it was going to be good, it was going to be great.

The End