12 Seconds (#1 in Military series)

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

 

Julia sat at the end of her bunk facing the gap in her tent, which acted as the doorway, and watched Marc closely.

She was alone in the female-only tent, her damp hair dripping over her shoulder, as she took a few moments to herself.

This was her third day here and she had avoided Marc as much as she could. She took her food back to her own tent rather than eat with the others and she exercised with her own unit, preferring their company.

Julia didn’t know why she was avoiding Marc, the last time she had seen him he had been fully supportive in sending her here, but yesterday when he saw her . . .

She didn’t know why but he seemed to look at her with anger. He seemed to be angry that she was here.

And Julia didn’t know how to process that, especially after he had persuaded her to come.

But mixing that confusion with her latest revelation just caused Julia to become anxious. Because her revelation called for her to ask the question she didn’t want to face, or even consider.

But Julia needed to face all of her demons and all of her questions.

Why hadn’t he stayed after her accident? The injuries to her memory hadn’t become apparent immediately, due to her induced coma, and she knew he had commitments to the navy but- but she was his fiancé!

The way he spoke about his Jules, it sounded like he would have moved heaven and earth to be with her. Julia had been counting on his firm belief that she would come back from this to get her through.

But now he wouldn’t look at her. Julia found one of her main reasons for being here begin to crumble.

Why hadn’t he tried to reach her sooner? The question blared in her mind like an alarm.

Julia knew her mother could be frightening but if he loved her, as he said he did, why had he left?

She didn’t know how to take it. Something told her that Jules would have shot him with her own service weapon but that wasn’t Julia.

It was a painful thought to think that she wasn’t the same person, but was that why Marc looked at her differently?

Was he angry that Jules got blown up and forgot him?

Well, Julia couldn’t do anything about that. Maybe if he had visited her sooner then maybe she wouldn’t have forgotten him.

Julia was thinking this when her commanding officer called her out of her tent.

Tearing her eyes off Marc, Julia hurried out of her tent to greet the news that she was going on patrol today.

“Get ready, Sergeant. You leave in ten minutes.”

“Thank you, sir.” Julia turned and raced to get ready, she had been trained for this. They had been here three days whilst Marc and his unit left to go on patrol and she remained behind.

Julia always watched the gate, waiting for him to return, but this time it would be his turn to watch. Watch for her to return but then she realised he had been watching ever since she left, waiting for his Jules.

Julia found herself growing angry as she pulled on her jacket, strapping on her vest and pack.

“They won’t let me have a gun.” Ray’s resigned sigh filled the air.

Julia turned as a smile came to her lips, her bad mood easing, when she saw Ray stood before her.

“Something to do with my hand-eye co-ordination.” Ray joked about his blindness.