Back to You // Bradley Bradshaw

Chapter Twenty-Eight

    Top Gun seemed to be the most challenging in the end. Haley wasn't sure if that was the case or if it was only challenging when your personal life was tacked on top. Only a week had passed since the blow up. Haley still hadn't talked to Jake or Sabrina. They were both giving her space, they had stopped reaching out. She wasn't sure what had changed their minds. She felt about ready to sit down to talk with them. This week had been her hardest in the program so far, so her mind had been mostly on that. She felt physically and mentally exhausted.

    Haley did speak to Jake in class if she had to. She didn't want to drag their personal drama into work. That wasn't professional and she didn't want that interfering. She hadn't seen Sabrina since the week before at the house, but Jake was unavoidable. She did share with Rooster the news about Blaze's dad, but Maverick had talked to him. Mav was taking the news hard, Rooster had told her. Haley couldn't imagine. Her parents death had been sudden, there wasn't time to prepare. It was a different kind of grief when you knew it was coming. Neither was pleasant. Despite what was going on with his family, Blaze had been attentive in class. Haley had to admire that. They were determined to finish first in their class.

    Rooster and Haley were spending their Friday evening with Maverick and Penny. They were out on one of Penny's boats on the water. She had a sailboat, and then the boat they were on which was a cabin cruiser. Penny was piloting the boat, but not without making a joke about how the three of them were in the Navy but couldn't work a boat. They had found a place to park for a little while and enjoy the sun going down. Haley was sitting next to Rooster on the couch and he had his arm around her. She was leaned against him slightly.

    "How's the program going?" Maverick asked the two of them.

    "She's tied with Hangman for first and I'm second in the class. Only by a little," Rooster answered.

    "You're not that close behind." Haley corrected, "Don't get your hopes up, Bradshaw." She added. She knew she had this in the bag. She reached over and stole his sunglasses. She slipped them on and looked back at him.

    Rooster snorted. "Be sure you let them know when they go to engrave the trophy that there's two o's in Rooster." He told her, holding up two fingers.

    Maverick shook his head with a smile at that. "You remind me so much of your dad sometimes." Haley thought Maverick looked lost in the past for a moment.

    "He'd love your wardrobe." Penny added with a laugh. Haley knew she knew Rooster's dad too. Not as well as Maverick, but they had met back then. Haley understood the reference, she knew Rooster dressed similar to his dad. Not always but he did quite often.

    Rooster didn't say anything but Haley saw his mouth twitch into a faint smile. She wondered sometimes if it was hard for them to see each other. Maverick was a reminder to Rooster of what was lost, but for Maverick it was probably like looking into the past every time he saw Rooster.

    "How's Xavier doing?" Maverick asked, looking over at Haley.

    "I think he's threw himself into the work. He doesn't talk much about it. He acts like he's okay, but I know he isn't." Haley answered. She wasn't sure what else Blaze could be doing right now. She guessed he needed the distraction.

    "Some people cope with work I suppose," Maverick said, almost distantly. Haley had a feeling he had done that before himself. She thought a subject change was in order.

    "So Mav," Haley began and Rooster eyed her cautiously. "What embarrassing Bradley stories do you have?" She inquired.

    Penny grinned as she curled up next to Maverick. "Do enlighten us. I'm sure Bradley could share some about you too." She said.