Emerson started up, “A is for Army!” with the platoon responding. Rick watched the formation, seeing who was struggling, who needed a bit more attention. A smile broke out when he realized that they were all moving together, no one appearing to lag behind. His phone went off again, irritating him. Someone better be fucking dying for them to be blowing up his phone.
When the thought registered in his brain, Rick stumbled. What if someone were dying? What if Coop had another accident? The platoon trooped into the open area at company headquarters, and Emerson commanded them to halt. Rick stepped around the formation to stand at the front.
“Bastogne Bulldogs, march completed, sir,” Emerson reported to Rick.
“Thank you, Staff Sergeant. Well done, platoon. Everyone, cool down and hydrate,” Rick instructed them as he moved to the side. Rick dropped his ruck and grabbed his phone fromhis pocket. Seven missed calls? Shit. Pulling up the phone app, Rick looked at the number. Area code 743? The only people with that area code were his parents and brother, and since their names weren’t associated with the number, it wasn’t them. Just as he went to slide his phone away, it rang again from the same number. Might as well tell the person he wasn’t interested, so they’d stop calling him.
“Lieutenant Stanton,” he said as he answered.
“Ricky?”
“This is Rick Stanton. Who’s this?” Okay, maybe he was a little short but he was hot, tired, and wanted to stretch and sit down.
“Guess I’m not in your contact list since I changed my number. Has it been so long you’ve forgotten you have a brother?” Christopher asked. Rick moved the phone from his ear and stared at it, then moved it back to his head.
“Chrissy?” Rick fell back on using his childhood nickname for his brother. The shortened form of his name had stuck for Rick. When he started to talk, his brother’s full name had been a challenge for Rick.
“Yeah,Lieutenant. Proud of you,” he said. “Mom and Dad couldn’t stop talking about you being an officeranda college graduate.” Rick frowned. Something was wrong with Christopher’s voice. It sounded like he was crying.
“Christopher, what’s wrong? There’s no way that you’re calling me a year after I graduated to tell me that you’re proud of me. Not that I’m denying you are and thank you. But why are you blowing up my phone? What happened?” Rick was already locking his emotions down. If he’d learned anything in the last year, it was to control himself.
“Mom’s in the hospital and it—” Christopher choked on whatever he was about to say.
“Do I need to get home?” Rick was already thinking ahead to what he needed to do before getting on the road. Report to Captain Powers. Arrange emergency leave. Throw some things in a duff—
“Rick? Are you listening?” Christopher demanded. Damn it, Rick must have been so into his mental checklist that he hadn’t heard a word his brother had said.
“Sorry, was making a list of what I would need to do to get there. What’s going on?” Look at him being all focused.
“Mom’s been going through radiation and chemo for the past four months. She was diagnosed in November with pancreatic cancer. The treatments haven’t worked. She’s—fuck, she’s dying,” Christopher finished on a sob.
Rick looked to the sky as tears welled up. When was the last time he’d talked to either of his parents? Maybe a month ago? What a great son he was…not.
“You didn’t know?” he demanded after a minute. Had Christopher and his parents kept him in the dark on purpose? Rick knew he’d been a surprise baby and wasn’t close to his brother but for them to keep this from him?
“I had no clue. I spent Christmas Day with Mom and Dad. Gave them tickets to see Sawyer Brown for Christmas. You know how much Mom loves the lead singer. She looked fine. Dad looked fine. Neither said a thing. Today, I stopped by the house to drop off a cake that Mrs. Combs had given me for Mom. I was working on a bathroom renovation for her. Was shocked when I saw Mom’s car in the driveway. It’s a fricking Wednesday. She should’ve been at school. When I opened the door and saw her on the floor…not going to lie, I screamed. She’s lost at least thirty pounds. Her face is ashen. I dropped the cake. Called nine-one-one…”
“Chrissy? Are you okay? Where are you? Where’s Dad? What do you need me to do? Where do I need to be?” Rick couldn’t string together two thoughts if someone had held a gun to him.
“We’re at Lexington Medical Center in the emergency room. Waiting for a bed for her upstairs. Dad’s down getting a cup of coffee. Said that they thought everything was going to be fine so they didn’t tell us. Thought she was just tired from all the treatments. Not sure what the next step is. Dad sat with your contact up on his phone for over twenty minutes and couldn’t bring himself to pushcall. Said he didn’t want to ruin your day. I told him that I’d call you.”
“Oh fuck that shit. Ruin my day? How about ruining my year for not knowing something was wrong with my mom?” Rick tried to hold it together, but it was getting difficult.
“Lieutenant Stanton, are you all right?” Emerson asked from beside Rick. Christ, he hadn’t even noticed the tall man approach.
Rick looked at his NCO and couldn’t form a sentence to answer him.
“Sir? You need to sit down. Rivers, get your ass over here. Double time. Lieutenant, you need to get off the phone. You look like you’re about to pass out.” Emerson grabbed Rick’s arm and guided him to a bench next to the entrance to headquarters.
“S’up, sergeant?” Rivers said as he stopped in front of them. “Whoa, the LT doesn’t look good. Do you want me to find Doc?”
“Find me First Sergeant Pearl and maybe Captain Powers. Sir, hand me your phone.” Rick looked up at Emerson.Wow, he’s really tall.Rick must not have answered the man because he felt his phone being pulled out of his hand. “Not sure who this is, but what do you need from my lieutenant?” Rick watched as Emerson talked on his phone. He didn’t know what Chrissy wastelling him. He was sure that Emerson was asking questions, but all Rick heard was humming in his ears. Finally, Emerson said, “I’ll have him call you back. Lieutenant, where is your man?”
Rick knew that Emerson was speaking English but there was a fog over Rick’s thoughts. He knew the answer to the question. He did. “Ummm, Coop’s on the track.”
“Okay, let’s get him on the phone. You’ve got to report to the company commander, then get your ass on the road.” At the command in Emerson’s voice, he jumped to his feet, ready to go. He had objectives now. Talk to the commander. Drive to North Carolina. He could do this. Rick was brought up short by Emerson tugging on his uniform top, which pushed him back down onto the bench. “Hold up! I’m not letting you behind the wheel of a vehicle. You need to process the shock that was dropped on you before you can focus to drive.”
“What’s up, Staff Sergeant?” Captain Powers walked out of the company headquarters with Top right behind him.
