“No kiss goodbye?” he asks and I swear I hear something sad in his voice.
I look back, surprised. “Oh, sorry. I didn't know the protocol for something like this.”
I lean over, kissing him on the lips before exiting his car without looking back, but a big smile covering my face.
4
Monday morning comesway too soon. Even though Alex dropped me off at 4 a.m. yesterday, I had to fight the urge to call him all day. My body yearned for another round, but my mind kept telling me to forget about him.
Now, I’m sitting around the conference room table at work, listening to the weekend duty report from our squadron. First Sergeant Thompson starts off with some airman who’s new to the base that showed up an hour late and kept falling asleep on Sunday. Thompson was upset he’d been popping NoDoze all day, which was making him jumpy and irritable.
I’ve heard this guy’s name being passed around, so I finally ask, “What’s the deal with Airman Riley? Didn’t he get a LOR his second week here?”
For an airman to get a letter of reprimand that soon is crazy. Even though I’ve never met him, I’ve kept my ear open for anything else I hear about him so he doesn't cause more trouble.
“Yes, actually, he did,” he responds.
“Isn’t this guy older?”
“Yes, he is,” he stares matter-of-factly.
“And…? How old is he?”
“Twenty-eight.”
He’s twenty-eight and an Airman? That’s even crazier. Most Airmen are between eighteen and twenty years old. Regardless, a twenty-eight-year-old should be done acting like a fool—he should know better and be following the rules more.
“Why did he enlist so late in life? I’ve heard he’s not very friendly with the other airman, either. What’s his story?” I ask.
First Sergeant Thompson sighs. “He asked that I don’t share because he doesn’t want special treatment.”
“He’s not going to get any special treatment if he keeps screwing up and gets another LOR, I can guarantee you that.”
“But you don’t know his story yet.”
“No, I don’t. Why don’t you enlighten me? We need to know what’s happening in our squadron, especially if this guy’s going to cause trouble.”
“He joined for his brother.”
“Okay, why is that important to me?”
“His brother was killed in Iraq seven months ago. Airman Riley was the screw up kid in his family, and now he’s trying to honor his brother and finish out the military career he dreamed of.”
My heart drops a little. That’s quite a story. And yeah, I feel sorry for the guy now, but that doesn’t change how I have to treat him. If he breaks the rules, he has to pay like everyone else. I just hope he does his brother’s memory proud and straightens up his act quickly.
The door opens and someone from our squadron enters announcing, “There’s been a minor fight on the flight line. Everything’s fine now, but Airman Riley and Airman Jackson got into an argument over tools being used. Thankfully, two other Airmen intervened before it got out of hand.”
First Sergeant Thompson speaks, but I interrupt him, “Send Airman Riley to my office, now. I’d like to have a word with him.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He leaves the office, and I put an end to our morning meeting to head back to my office and wait for the Airman.
A few minutes later, there’s a knock on the door. Without looking up, I respond, “You may enter.”
“You wanted to see me, ma’am?” a guy mutters under his breath.
I look up to find nothing but a hat pulled low over his eyes. Everyone knows it’s protocol to remove your hat inside any military building, and the fact that he walked into my office so blatantly ignoring the protocol is enough to push me over the edge.
“I’m sorry, should we just look in to kicking you out before you complete your first month with us? How dare you walk into my office wearing that hat, you—”
