“You don’t know the half of it. If I told you the story of how Dreamboat and his wife met, you wouldn’t believe me,” he says with wide eyes.
“I doubt it. You sailors are nothing but trouble.”
“And you think the squadron pilots aren’t any worse?”
“Well….” Like any good sibling rivalry, it’s all right for me to give them shit and admit the men in my squadron can be drama, but it is not all right for someone else to do it.
“That’s what I thought,” Kyle says. “And cool your jets, pilot. It was an observation not a putdown of your guys. I would never do such a stupid thing.”
“Damn right,” I grumble.
“Other stupid things, definitely. But not that one,” he says with a wink. “Now come meet the guys.”
“Fine,” I reply nervously.
Kyle takes my hand in his and leads me over to the small group, where he introduces me to several people including a man called Easy and his wife, Kim, who is very pregnant, and another woman named Natalie.
“Well, the cat’s out of the bag now,” Easy says to Kyle, breaking the tension.
“Was never a secret to me,” Kyle replies, giving me a heated look, and I wonder when we became more serious to him. I’m still not ready to put labels on it, but I’m okay with being part of an us. I’m still trying to figure out how we went from one bite at a time to PDA and everyone knowing that we’re a thing.
“Well, we better grab our seats,” Kim says before turning to me. “Want to sit with us?”
“I’d love to.” I follow them to a row and wait for Easy to help guide her very pregnant frame into a folding chair. “When are you due?” I ask her when she settles with her friend, Natalie on the other side of her.
“What?” she gasps. “I’m not pregnant. I’m just fat.”
Easy just laughs at the shock on my face. “That was just cold, babe.”
“Sorry.” She laughs. “It’s fun to fuck with people. I’m due in a week, and if this baby goes over, I’m going to reach up and rip him out myself.” The sweet smile on her face does nothing to diminish the violence in her words. This woman is a warrior; no wonder she can run with a SEAL.
“My sister-in-law is due next month,” I reply unfazed. “She’s just as miserable.”
“My heart goes out to her,” she says.
“Your heart should go out to the associated press,” I add. “My sister-in-law is Julia Black.”
Easy lets out a whistle. Kim just winces. “No kidding?”
“No kidding.”
“You’re Ryan Black’s sister?” he asks.
“MacKenzie,” I answer, holding out my hand to shake his. “But my friends call me Mack.”
“Glad to know you,” Easy says as he takes my hand, and then the commander calls the ceremony to order.
“Please stand while we honor the flag.”
Everyone seated stands, and I salute the flag with everyone else in uniform. Easy helps his wife stand for the color guard and then lowers her back into her seat. He seems like a nice guy, and I can’t help but watch them together and see clearly what they have. Could I have something like that? I’ve never wanted that before. The husband and kids bit never seemed like it was for me, but maybe, just maybe, I can have it all. Kyle makes me feel like I can, I just have to reach out and grab for it. And for the first time in my life, I want to.
“We’re here today because we’ve had the honor to serve with Chief Petty Officers Kyle Garrett and Sean Erikson,” the commander says. “These two have served with honor and bravery, and we are sad to see them go but wish them nothing but the best as they transition to civilian life. So it is my honor to award them both Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.”
Kyle and Sean both accept their NAMs with smiles and handshakes before everyone cheers and hollers for them. One thing that can be said about SEALs is they are a rowdy bunch.
“We wish you fair winds and following seas,” the commander says before closing the ceremony.
Afterward, they host a small reception at a bar by the beach. I can tell it was their local watering hole, and more than one woman gives Kyle sad eyes as he stands close to me, but he doesn’t seem to notice them.
