One in a Million (Wish 5)

4 - Five Days

Tom finished his first year with high honors. Instead of heading to Weston for his four-week break because of Cadet Field Training. He flew to Nashville to stay with Jon.

The only place for him to sleep was the sofa. It was lumpy and had zero privacy, but he was a soldier. Tori had been unhappy since he told her he wasn't coming home. She cried on the phone. A part of him wished Jon's apartment had spotty reception. He hated causing her tears.

"I don't understand. You were always mad at the judge. What makes this different?"

"It just is. I made a commitment to my brother."

"What about me?"

"I'm sorry Tor. I can't do it."

"Don't you miss me?"

"Every day." He missed the good times. "Can we try not to fight?"

"Why did you choose that stupid school?"

He sighed. "You know why? I wanted freedom from the judge."

"Freedom. You're like a prisoner. You never have time off. I'll come to Nashville. Tell Jon."

"There's no room. I'm on the sofa."

"Fine. We'll stay in a hotel. Just you and me."

How could Tom argue with that? The only negative was it would be one more impossible goodbye.

Because Tori had committed to working at the day camp, she couldn't come until Tom was almost ready to return to the academy. He borrowed Jon's car to pick her up at the airport. As she walked out of the secure area, his heart danced. All the months of tears and disagreement washed away. She was like a ray of sunshine after a hurricane. The sun had lightened her blond hair and had darkened her skin. She wore blue, his favorite color. She made men of all ages turn their heads.

She walked right up to him and touched his arm. "You're real?"

He gave a nod, but his eyes had found her pink, shiny lips. When he tasted them, he felt like home. Tori represented everything he had given up, not just to go army but for his brother. Five days would have to be enough to get him through for who knows how long.

They stopped at Jon's apartment to return his car. He watched as Tori and Jon hugged. His brother didn't want to let go, but he was clinging to a piece of home, too.

"Let's go out and have fun, before you two hold up in the hotel for five days."

"Five days? I'm here for seven."

"Tor, I told you I have to leave." He omitted the words you wouldn't listen.

Growing up wealthy, they were used to every perk imaginable. They had their own garden maze, swimming pools, booze, designer clothes, and vacations in the Caribbean. Tom learned quickly that those things were a weakness once he put on his uniform. He experienced hard work and hardship for the first time at age eighteen. Tori was nineteen, and she still had the world presented to her on a silver platter. She was spoiled, but so were Tom and Jon before they ran. Trey was the most spoiled of the bunch, with their father always on his side.

Jon jumped in. "Don't worry Victoria. I'll paint the town with you."

Tom felt relief when Tori smiled. Jon had rescued Tori last summer after Tom left. As they sat eating ribs, he listened while Tori updated Jon on the day camp. The two reminisced, and he felt like the third wheel.

He and Jon smiled across the table as Tori tried using a fork and knife.

Jon couldn't keep quiet. "Victoria, pick them up. Don't tell me you don't like to get dirty."

He said dirty in a way that made Tom blush. It was no secret to anyone that he and Tori had a lot of sex.

Tori laughed. "You're the dirty one, Jon."

Tom frowned, because she continued to use her fork and knife. As the evening progressed, Tom resented how Tori was only mad at him for leaving home. Obviously Jon was just her friend, while he was so much more to her.

They had enough sex to last a year. It might have to if Trey didn't apologize before Christmas. The first three days were perfect. The last two, the tears started. Tori began to desperately cling to him and beg for things he couldn't promise.

Naked in the big hotel bed, he felt grown up. Tori liked to talk about their future. "When we finish school, we can get an apartment and we'll be captured in the society pages drinking champagne at events all over Boston."

It sounded like a fairy tale, and it was. "Tori, you know, I won't be coming back to Boston for years. I'll go wherever I'm needed for five years of active service. I could be anywhere in the world. I can't say no. Then I'll have reserves for three years. I won't be done until I'm thirty, unless I like it and decide to stay."

Tori glared at him. "Stay! Why would you stay? It would be another one of your mistakes. You can still get out now. It's not too late."

It was the first time she admitted what she really thought. She had begged him not to go and complained plenty.

Some days it felt like a mistake, but most he felt sure of his path. The army was in his blood. His blue blood had turned green. He was looking forward to getting back to his friends and his classes. He and Paco had both chosen computer science, and they were going to be roommates.

To placate Tori, he backtracked. "I probably won't, but it will be eight years before I'll be free to choose where I want to live."

He wished he could take his words back, because they caused her to cry. Once again, saying goodbye ripped his heart in two. He wanted to make promises to her, but he couldn't lie. He honestly didn't know when he would see her again. The odd thing was, as he sat waiting for the plane to taxi to the runway, the tightness in his chest lessened. The stress of hurting her was taking a toll on him. He couldn't wait to go on a long run. For five days, he didn't dare squander an hour for himself to run. Their time had been too precious and fleeting.