Letters To My Soldier

Letter Thirteen

June 2018

Looking at the CD covers on top of the dash, Heath hummed softly.

"I'm guessing you're a big fan of 80's rock?"

"Classic rock, mostly. Basically anything that isn't drowned out by techno beats and swear words."

"Oh, that's right."

He continued his humming to the Beatles song that was currently playing, glancing at me every now and then.

"So how was your flight?"

Heath shook his head and cringed, "Brutal."

I laugh at his expression and ask, "Why?"

"I was able to sleep through the first flight alright. But from Virginia to Connecticut...there was this old lady snoring like she's trying to perform a tonsillectomy on herself to my left and this stewardess who kept spilling water on me and getting my drink wrong."

Darn stewardess. Probably checking him out and shoving her plastic goods right in his face.

"But other than that, it wasn't too bad."

I snort-laugh as we start to drive down my street. He notices this and gives me a look as if to say 'What's up with you?' and I shake my head.

"It's nothing. Honest."

He shrugs and looks out the window, "This is a nice neighborhood."

"It has its moments."

"Very suburban."

He sits up in his seat and skips to the next song on the disc.

My God, his fingers...

"You okay? You look a little flushed," he says as he scans my face while I pull into the driveway.

"I'm fine," I assure him, "Amazing, actually."

He smirks and lifts a brow, "Does that have to do with me? Cause it doesn't hurt to stroke my ego, you know."

I roll my eyes and jump out of my car, "It does have to do with you."

He grins wickedly at me.

"It also has to with how screwed you are gonna be in a few minutes when you meet father dearest."

He groans, hauling his bags with him as he meets me on the porch, "Don't remind me."

"Sorry."

"What should I expect?"

"Heath, we went through this."

"P, let's run through it again. The man is behind that door."

"You're such a big baby."

"I've seen his picture! He's a lawyer!"

"And you're supposed to be the marine!"

He sighs, acquiescing, and opens the door.

"After you, Prom Queen," he says with a slight English accent that makes me swoon that I try my best to hide.

"Why thank you, Captain."

~X~X~X~X~X~

You could hear a pen drop. The silence was so deafening it was palpable.

God, this was the most awkward dinner ever. Well, besides that scene from Meet the Parents with Ben Stiller telling his story about 'milking' a cat.

I feel a slight pressure on my knee and smile down at my plate when I realize it's Heath's knee.

Are we playing knees-ies? Like footsies but with our knees?

Oi vey.

"So, Heath," we both jump at the knowing voice of my father, "What do you plan on doing when you retire from the Marines?"

Heath lies his napkin beside his plate as he finishes chewing and replies, "I don't plan on retiring anytime soon. Once I get back from my tour in about eight or so months, I plan on staying in Virginia on base. Probably help training recruits before going back on another tour."

"Oh," Dean says and goes back to eating Jess's meatloaf.

That was news to me, though, and the thought of Heath going back to the Middle East made me uneasy.

"So you don't plan on settling down? Getting married?" Dean asks.

I turn to look at Heath to gauge his reaction to that very abrasive question.

"I've thought about it," Heath says and turns to meet my eyes; those lovely eyes glinting, "just waiting for the right girl."

His knee was back to touching mine. It felt like the most intimate gesture I'd ever experienced.

"Smart kid," Dean mutters under his breath and Jess elbows him in the ribs.

Heath clears his throat and looks at Jess, "How far along are you, Mrs. Marshall?"

"About sixteen weeks; four months or so along," Jess grins up at Dean and turns back to Heath, "We'll find out in a month and a half if it's a he or she."

Heath smiles politely and says, "Well, congratulations."

"Thank you, son," Dean says and Jess goes to bring out some delicious velvet cake.

"What do you guys have planned for the next two weeks?" Dean asks and quickly adds, "I'll be getting off work early, by the way."

To supervise. I roll my eyes at his failed attempt at being discreet.

"Um, I was thinking of maybe going down to New York at some point, just to get some of my stuff in storage, maybe take Priscilla to a Broadway show or something?" Heath says this like a question, waiting for Dean to disagree and then to quickly bow down at his feet. Honestly, why was he so scared of my dad?

Dean opened his mouth but I quickly intercepted, "And I was thinking of going to visit the lake cabin one weekend, probably bring Valerie along."

I hadn't told my parents about my fall out with Val. As far as I knew, they didn't suspect anything either. But, if Dean knew-hell, even Jess-that Heath and I would be by ourselves at the cabin, they would refuse to let us go.

"That sounds like a nice idea!" Jess says, bringing a delicious cake in with her.

"It does," Heath says in wonder since he didn't even know about my plans to take him up to the lake. He didn't even know we had a cabin!

"When do you think we'd go?" Heath asks me.

"How about this weekend?" Dean puts out there.

I grin at my father and then look at Heath.

It would be tough to try to convince my parents that Macey would be tagging along with us when in fact, she wasn't. But, maybe I could get her to come.

Or else we're screwed.

"This weekend sounds perfect."