“What’s that?” She pointed to the walking trail that wound in and out of and around a bunch of stationary planes, which all stood on their concrete beds around the flagpole in the center of the green.
“We call plane displays like that museums. They’re really just old planes set up where people can see, but we’re the military, so everything needs an important name.” I pointed across the street. “Here’s one of the two gas stations. This one stays open longer than the other one, which we’ll see in a minute. There’s the library and the base pool.”
“It’s busy.”
“It’s summer. Oh, and there’s the chapel. That’s where I went until we started going to your church. And there’s the clinic on that side and the BX and commissary up ahead on the other.”
“The commissary is the grocery store, right?” she asked.
“Right. And the BX is like our Walmart, but without taxes.”
“Are those military houses?” She pointed to the other side of the street. “They’re nicer than I thought they’d be.”
I snorted. “Yeah, because those belong to the officers and senior NCOs.”
“NCO?”
“Non-commissioned officer. Basically, higher-ranked enlisted people. They get the new ones. The old homes with all the problems are in the back, where you can’t see.”
“Where are the planes?” she asked, looking through the window like it was magical and everything might disappear.
“On the other side of all those trees. You can’t see it from here, but I’ll take you by the runway when we’re done if you want. That’s where I work, actually.”
“It’s like its own small city,” she said, her eyes wide.
“It has to be,” I said. “If something happened, like an emergency, everyone on base would need a way to keep functioning so we could do our jobs and help everyone else.” I waved at the world around us. “And this is it.”
She nodded and went back to staring, but as we neared the park, I found myself praying.
I also wondered if any of this would change her mind?
We passed the second gas station and turned onto a road that led to a small park with a large pond and a dozen picnic tables set up beside several large park grills. I found a parking space and pulled in.
“I’m sorry to ask this,” I said, as I hopped out. “But I’m not supposed to carry Jade’s backpack in uniform…or any backpack that’s not regulation. If I get Jade, can you get it for me, and then I’ll find a place to put it once we have our seats?”
I expected her to tease me about stupid military protocol because the rule really did seem stupid. But to my surprise, she only nodded and slipped the backpack on without a word.
As we made our way from the truck to the picnic area, where three guys were already grilling, and the rest created a sea of camouflage uniforms, sprinkled with civilian clothes from the spouses and kids, my heart clenched a little. It felt good to all walk up together. Almost like…
Nope. I wasn’t going to think it. Best to not even let my mind wander in that direction, because either my own heart or Jessie would make me pay for it later, should she ever find out. But still…
“Allen.” Sergeant Barnes greeted us as we neared the picnic tables, which were already nearly full. He was in civies, which I hoped meant he wouldn’t follow me back to the office after the picnic to question me about Jessie.
“Sir.” I shook his hand.
“And this is Jade.” He smiled at my sister. “And,” he looked up at Jessie, and I could see the confusion on his face.
“Jessie.” Jessie reached out to shake his hand. For being so against dating anyone in the military, she seemed really comfortable around all these airmen. Then I remembered, she probably worked with half their kids. “We met at the mall,” she said with a smile.
“Oh, that’s right! Well, we’re glad you’re here today.” He pointed to the line behind the grills. “Burgers and hotdogs are there. Dessert’s on that table, and drinks are in the cooler there.” Then he spotted someone behind me and waved. But as he passed me to greet whoever he’d seen, he grabbed my arm and whispered in my ear.
“That’s not Miss Colorado, is it?”
I shook my head. “No, sir.”
He gave me a long, thoughtful look before nodding slightly. “All right,” he said and then moved on. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but at least he wasn’t pressing it here.
As we got our food, I felt like I could jump up and down. I’d passed the Barnes test, more or less, and now I just got time to hang out with my buddies and Jade and Jessie.
