Walker

The sun is still coming up over the lake. I can hear a nearby cardinal calling its mate. If you're observant, you'll notice that after a male cardinal chirps, you'll hear the echo of his call nearby. Soon, his female mate will catch up to him. They'll both fly around, answering each other's calls back and forth while hopping between the trees to and fro to each other. I smile just thinking about this.

As I sit up, I toss the blankets off my legs. Running a hand through my hair, I close my eyes and think about Jenny down the road. I wonder what she's doing today. I heard Sage out in our yards running after one thing or another a few minutes ago, so I know Jenny's up. Like a cardinal drawn to its mate, I feel Jenny's pull on my heart.

I stand up, stretching backwards, bending my back and lengthening my arms over my head. The floorboards are a little cold this morning, but I don't care. I walk over to my window and look out. As if my thoughts have conjured her like a ghost, I see Jenny climbing into her Jeep. Sage follows behind her and jumps into the back. I take a deep breath and sigh.

Shaking my head, I walk to the bathroom to brush my teeth and comb my hair. I walk into the den and quietly do some morning warm-up stretching along with a few push-ups and sit-ups. Cian's out cold on the couch. I use my chin up bar to round out the set, and then lace on my shoes. Grabbing a bottle of water, I head out for a morning run.

Jogging down our road, my mind's on Jenny. I can't get her out of my head. I've missed her so much these last few years. I haven't spoken to her since I've gotten back. Even though my intentions aren't right, I have to see her. She's obviously in a serious relationship if she's living with someone. I saw the guy getting out of his truck to greet her last night. I can't wrap my head around the situation. I knew it was a possibility but I just never pictured Jenny with someone else. My head's not in a good place right now.

A damn Navy SEAL to boot. I noticed the insignia he had on the back of his truck's windshield. I roll my head on my neck thinking about him and try not to tense up. I know she deserves to be happy, but I can't help picture the way she ran into his arms yesterday. She looked so happy to see him when he got down out of his truck. My hands fist at my sides. I push myself, running faster to try to work off the steam I can feel building.

He's not a bad looking guy; brown hair, green eyes and built like a brickhouse. He's in the service, too, so I owe him that respect. As much as I'd like to, there's no room for me to criticize him; he's fighting with honor to protect our country, same as I am.

I can see why Jenny would like him. For her to be happy, the guy has to be a good person. Doesn't matter though. Even though I know she's no longer mine, and even though I know I have no right to feel the way I do, (it's been two years since I left, dammit!), I do. I still want Jenny to be mine.

My morning run isn't working. I stop to look up and catch my breath. Before long, I'm back at our cabin, doing suicides and more push-ups. Lost in my routine, I don't hear the maroon car that pulls into Jenny's driveway at first. When I see a women get out of the car and approach Jenny's porch I look up to see who it is. I don't recognize her.

The woman knocks on Jenny's door and waits. It's not long before the front door opens. My heart jumps in my throat as he greets her with a hug and kiss that knocks me over. He picks the woman up and off her feet and carries back her into the Jenny's cabin.

Instantly, I want to punch him. I want to pummel his face in. How dare he cheat on Jenny? This FLOB is cheating on Jenny and in her own home, too? What, Jenny leaves for work and he thinks he can have his little tart over for a fling while they're all alone? And damned if that woman doesn't look pregnant as all get-out. Oh, no. No fucking way is he doing this unchecked.

Before I even realize what I'm doing, I'm off towards Jenny's. Behind me, I hear the front door to our cabin open and Cian calling out to me, "Walker, what're you doing?" I block him out and keep on moving. In what feels like an instant, I'm on Jenny's porch, banging on her front door. The guy opens it to see who's about to break it off its hinges and I don't even think. I round on him with a fist so fast he doesn't have time to block it. He's no pansy, though, I'll give him that. After I nail him, he comes back fighting and we're instantly going at it. I hear a woman shrieking in the background. That woman. His other woman. Then Cian is there and he's trying to pull me off the guy. The woman jumps in to hold the guy back and get between us. I've never hit a woman, much less a very pregnant one, and I never will. I let Cian restrain me.

"What, Jenny's not enough for you, Smoothdog?" I roar. "You have the nerve to live here with Jenny, and then bring this cabin bunny around while she's out? No way, not on my watch, Frogman."

Holding his jaw and wiping the blood from his mouth, the guy looks me over, taking in the service tattoo on my shoulder. He looks like he wants to murder me. Spitting on the ground to his left, he opens his mouth to speak, never once breaking eye contact with me.

"Call my wife a whore again, Seabag, and I'll give you a good dose of dirt poisoning", he answers.

I go still.

"What?" I ask him.

"Jenny's not my girlfriend, you moron, she's my cousin. I thought you knew that. I love Jenny. I'd never hurt her. But, this woman here? Kim? She's is my wife, you dumb fuck."

"I- What? You're Jenny's cousin?" I stammer.

"Walker, you idiot." Cian mutters, dragging his hands through his hair. "Man, Jenny's gonna kill you for hitting Deaglán. What were you thinking?"

"What do you mean, what was I thinking?" I ask exasperated. "I thought he was her boyfriend. I thought he was cheating on Jenny with Kim. I didn't know he was Jenny's cousin. Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't Jenny?" I ask. "Cripes," I grumble, shaking my head. I rub my hands down my face and try to clear out the idiocy.

"Look man, Deaglán. I'm sorry. I had no idea. I'm a Neanderthal," I apologize as Deaglán eyes me up and down. He's not ready to let me off the hook yet, but I catch a little bit of respect in his glance that wasn't there before.

"Yeah, whatever, Private Schmuckatelli," he says.

We stand there silently for a few moments, each of us trying to settle ourselves down. After a while, he starts the conversation back up.

"Next time, Walker, instead of landing a sneak attack, give me a little warning. Then we can really go toe to toe. I'll take you to a real circus. Just the two of us," Deaglán warns.

"Oh yeah? SITFU, man." I laugh as the tension starts to break between us. "I think I'll pass on that road trip."

After another minute I look up at him. "Thanks for taking care of Jenny for us," I say. I put my hand out to shake his in a sign of truce, before adding, "And, Deaglán, don't you worry; us Marines know how to handle you Squids just fine."

"Yeah," he says chuckling. "I can see that."

"So," he asks looking at me seriously again, "Jenny, huh?"

Shit.

"She's one of my best friends. I'd do anything to protect her," I say confidently.

"Yeah. I can see you're no Eight Ball when it comes to her."

"Look. I'm sorry, man. I shouldn't have hit you," I repeat.

"Well, now that you boys have kissed and made up, I, for one, am hungry," Kim cuts in. "Is there somewhere around here we can go for breakfast? My flight got delayed and I'm starving. I want to eat and come back, and just crash, ok? Can you boys promise to get along now that we all know I'm not some hussy out to take Deaglán away from Jenny?" she asks with a smile and a look that lets me know she forgives me. She rubs her very swollen belly and I feel like an even bigger ass than I did before.

"Sure. I'm sorry, Kim," I apologize. "I made such a poor first impression on you. It's nice to meet you."

I put my arm out to shake hers, but she surprises me by pulling me in with a big hug.

"It's ok, handsome," she says giving me a wink and looking over her shoulder at Deaglán. "I'm happy you're here for Jenny. Although, when she finds out about this, it may be your own jaw you're rubbing."

I laugh. She's probably right. Jenny's going to kick my ass.

I let out a sigh and put an arm around Cian.

"Come on, man. Let's all go down to Snuffy's. They have the best pancakes in town."

"Yeah, sure, Walker. I'll go," Cian responds. "Can I throw some clothes on first, though?"

Only then do I realize our state. Cian's wearing a pair of sleep shorts, sans a shirt, and I'm still wearing my work out shirt and shorts, which are now covered in both sweat and blood. I'm a mess.

Turning around, I ask, "Will you guys give us a half hour to get cleaned up? We'll meet you out front in 30."

Chuckling, Deaglán shakes his head and says, "Yeah, Devil Dog. Whatever."

Draping an arm across his wife's shoulders and kissing her on the side of the head, he tells me to "Hurry up."

______________________

Photograph Copyright 2018 A. F.

To show your support of this book, please click on the star below. Thank you!