Yes, Officer 18+✔️

Chapter 13 Alone Together Again✔️

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~~~~Ruth~~~~

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We sit, looking out at the world around us, neither saying a word. Carla is someone I can see becoming a lifelong friend. She has this way about her that makes me feel so at peace, even though we have just met. Not quite the way Luke does, but she is someone who makes me feel a little less broken. Maybe because, in some ways, she is still so broken herself.

I know after our talk that she is someone I plan to keep in my life. I just met her, but it feels like she is already a part of me, of who I am and who I am becoming, and I can tell she feels the same.

We sit and watch as the sun starts to sink behind the mountain. We look at each other, silently agreeing that it is time to head back.

As we walk, we link arms, joining ourselves and claiming each other as newfound sisters.

We giggle as we talk about random things, and betting Luke is probably going out of his mind with worry at how long we have been gone.

Sure enough, when we get back to the cabin, he is pacing back and forth on the porch, running his hands through his hair, and cussing to himself half under his breath.

We giggle as soon as we see him.

"You owe me five bucks, BabyRuth." Carla says to me as she unlinks our arms and bounds up the steps.

"I swear, I was getting ready to come looking for you. I was just trying to figure out how the fuck I was gonna fight the bear that I thought had eaten my two best girls." He says it only half-jokingly, pulling us both into an awkward hug.

"If you saw a bear attacking us, you'd tuck your tail and run like a pussy, Damon, and you know it." Carla quips, ducking under his arm and playfully punching him on the shoulder.

"Yeah, well, you punch like a pussy, Carla." He jerks back, rubbing a hand across his arm.

"That's because I have one, a nice tight one, in fact, Lucas, what's your excuse?"
She fires back.

I am rolling at them, holding my stomach, laughing as I flop down in one of the rockers.

I am exhausted from both the walk and not being used to so much exercise. My body is still healing, and a hot shower to soothe the pain is definitely in my very near future.

"I just love you two." I say as they continue their verbal assaults.

I think I have only said it to myself, but when they turn to me, I realize I haven't.

They give each other a quick glance, nod in agreement at something unspoken, and both barrel towards me, taking me completely off guard as they pull me into a huge bear hug.

They hold me tight, but not enough to hurt me; they are being too careful not to grab anywhere that is still obviously bruised.

"This is how Luke was picturing that bear grabbing us." She laughs, lifting me to my feet and off the ground. I giggle and kick my legs like a child, yelling at her to put me down.

She acts like I weigh nothing, spinning me around a couple times before righting me on my feet.

"You are going to have to hang on to her, Damon; I might just steal her away. Me and her became best friends on our walk, and she told me she liked me better." She winks at me.