A Softer Side

Chapter 18: First Deployment

-1 year later-

It was July 18th Maisie was standing on the tarmac. Fighting tears so hard as Bucky was squatted down. He was talking to Brody who was about to be 4 and Hadley who was 1. He hugged them both as they held hands.

He stood back up he kissed his two week old son Brady Chase. "Be good for mama too." He whispered.

He wiped Maisie's tears. "I'll be back before you know it darlin." He said

"Yeah." She said

He kissed her "I love you baby take care of them and you." He said

His CO yelled all the privates to line up. He walked with Steve and Sam to the line. Maisie started break into tears he seen her. He swallowed back the lump in his throat.

They let them get on the jet. He turned to see her walking towards the parking lot with the kids. Steve and Sam sat with him. "Its gonna be okay..we knew this is how our life would be." Sam said

"Yeah." Bucky said

Two months into the deployment Brody started to lash out. He was getting into fights with kids at the preschool. He was fighting with his little sister and Maisie.

One night she came to her parents and in laws. "Can you all watch them please? I just need a break.." she said

"Maisie honey whats wrong?" Aaron said

"OW!!! STOP IT!!" Hadley screamed as Brody pulled her hair.

"That..please..I just need a break. Some time alone would be nice. Here is some milk for Brady." She said and walked back to her base house.

Once she got there she started to drink some tequila. She also took her bottle of pain pills she had left over from her c section with Brady. She laid down on her bed as her world faded to dark.

About forty five minutes later Bucky frantically called his parents. "Mom.dad have you all checked on my wife today? She sent me a very weird email talking about how she couldnt do this anymore. And Im scared cause she isnt answering her skype." He said

Lydia went running out the door to her daughter's base home. She found Maisie in her bed and screamed. Aaron came in behind her and immediately admininsterd CPR.

They got her rushed to the hospital and they started to pump her stomach. Winnie called Bucky back to let him know what happened. He was granted some leave time due to the nature of the circumstances.

She came to a few days later. Bucky wiped some tears "hey beautiful" he whispered.

"Im sorry I.." she whispered

"Baby I love you. And believe me we both know how much this life sucks. But I need you to get help baby like I did all those years ago. I have Brody put into some sports. I have talked with his teachers so we shouldnt have anymore problems. But now I need you healthy baby okay?" He said

"Yeah.." she said

A week later she was sitting in a therapist's office. It was the day after Bucky had to go back. The therapist prescribed her some anti anxiety meds and anti depressants. She also had to come see him once a month.

A few weeks later after Bucky called with some wind burn and some ringing in his ear. They had been out for two days and he also had some grazed gun shot wounds.

When he hung up Winnie started to cry. "Winnie darlin..he is fine." James said

"James..you pushed all of our boys. We lost Bradley at 22 years old and we almost lost Brantley and our son in law. Look at Lydia she almost lost her one son and step son and her husband. She lost her other step son. Look what this tradition has done to our family. One of our daughter in laws tried to commit suicide for godsakes!" She started to yell.

"Winnie..I lost two uncles in the Vietnam war. My dad lost one of his hands over there. My mom lost her dad in Pearl Harbor. So don't you dare sit here and act like I dont give a shit. I do give a shit about our kids. You weren't like this when I had Brantley sign up. But oh god I can't lose my baby boy. He is soft because of you!" James yelled at her.

"Screw you James!!" Winnie yelled

She went upstairs and locked their bedroom door. James walked out to find Lydia crying on her front steps.

"Lydia?" He said

"Oh..hey James.." she said

"Everything okay?" He said

"Aaron is having a bad night with his PTSD. I came out here to get some air." She said

"Yeah me too." He said

"I heard yelling. You two okay?. You wanna go for a walk and talk." She said

"Yeah sure..I would like that." He said

They started to walk and talk around the base. They ended up at James' office and started to drink. James learned that he and Aaron may be 55. But she met Aaron at Fort Bragg where she worked as a volunteer at the VA hospital when she was 18 and Aaron was 28 and married.

Lydia was now in her late thirties. They talked about their marriages base experiences till around midnight. Then the air shifted between the two of them. Before they knew it Lydia was bent over his desk as he fucked her.

A few days later Winnie filed for divorce. Nobody knew about the night James and Lydia shared. And there was a few more nights shared after Winnie moved back to Savannah.