“Here.” Heath slapped a sticker on the right side of my chest. “Your official visitor’s pass.”
I looked down. He’d neatly written my name on it. Or maybe someone else had? “Thank you.”
“Follow me.”
I did, and for a little while, my crutches hit the ground in sync with his as I matched my pace to his. “Nervous?” he then asked.
“Not really.”
He shot me a look of surprise. “Really? Most people hate public speaking and are terrified of teenagers.”
“I handled ammunition and bombs for a living. Few things scare me.”
“Oh, is that what you did in the Army? I didn’t know.”
“I was an ammunition specialist, yes, as well as a platoon leader. I have advanced training in handling all kinds of firearms and explosives, including demolition.”
I cringed. Had that sounded as pompous as it had come across to me? For fuck’s sake, I really needed to work on my social skills.
“You may wanna mention that in your talk. I’m sure the kids will find that fascinating.”
They would? “Okay.”
He knocked on a door and then opened it. “Carol? I’d like you to meet Sergeant Middleton, who will do our assembly today.”
Carol, a fifty-something woman with a no-bullshit vibe that would serve her well in her job, immediately got up from behind her desk. We’d spoken briefly on the phone, and she was exactly how I had pictured her. “Sergeant, it’s a pleasure to meet you in person.”
I took her outstretched hand. At least she wasn’t weird about offering me a handshake like some people were when they spotted my crutches and my missing leg. Then again, she had to be used to it with Heath working here. “You too, ma’am.”
“Thank you so much for filling in on such short notice.”
“My pleasure, ma’am.”
“You can call her Carol,” Heath told me. “She’s not big on formalities.”
But before I could say anything, Carol laughed. “Good luck getting that out of his system, Heath.” She turned to me. “My younger brother served for twenty years in the Air Force. He still calls everyone sir and ma’am.”
I shrugged. “Habits like that are hard to break. And people rarely mind if you err on the side of being extra polite and respectful.”
Was that a grin Heath was hiding behind his hand? Sure looked like it. Not that I could blame him. I’d been anything but polite and respectful toward him.
“I understand. Anyway, Heath will show you everything as he volunteered to lead this assembly, much to my delight.”
Had he now? That was interesting.
“I figured it’d be easier for you since we know each other,” Heath mumbled, not meeting my eyes.
He was right. It was easier, but I was also pleasantly surprised. “You’ve forgiven me completely, then?” I checked after we’d left Carol’s office and were making our way to the auditorium.
“Life’s too short to hold grudges.”
That statement was quintessential Heath. He was too sunshiny and happy to stay mad. I, on the other hand, was his polar opposite and perfectly capable of holding a grudge for a long, long time. Say, for the rest of my life. Then again, I was also quick to let go if someone offered a genuine apology, so maybe that was what had also persuaded Heath to forgive me?
“Thank you.”
“Did you think I was gonna stay mad?”
“I wasn’t sure.”
