Only it never comes.
After an hour, she invites me back to her place so I could figure out what’s truly going on.
It’s not until five in the morning that I break down and call the police department. Only to learn Alex was arrested for trespassing, and won’t be released until Monday morning.
My worst fears have come true. Not only did he get arrested, but there’s no way we can hide this from the authorities back on base. Thoughts of me being there instead of him make my stomach turn, and I have to run to the bathroom where nothing but dry heaves commence.
I need to get home; I need to figure out my next move, but mostly, I need to come clean about Alex to someone.
I decide to call Layla, filling her in about everything that has been going on the past few months and why I was keeping it a secret.
After congratulating me on finally having a life outside of the military, she agreed to pick me up from the Concord BART station. After saying my goodbyes to my new friend, thanking her for the hospitality, I head back home.
Alone.
Layla is standing at her car as soon as I step off the platform toward the parking lot. After giving her a hug, we head back home, her drilling me the entire way about Alex, what we’ve been doing and making me explain again the hierarchy of the military and why me hanging out with him is so wrong.
“I don’t understand,” she says shaking her head. “It’s not like he’s eighteen. You guys are the same age. You can’t tell me people don’t date each other in the military.”
“Yes, but I’m an Officer. That adds a totally different aspect to this situation. There are rules about this, and I could get in a lot of trouble.”
“Rules, shmules. He sounds like fun,” she laughs.
I take a deep breath, running my fingers through my hair. “He has been. I’m afraid of what’s gonna happen now.”
* * *
Sunday dragson at an unbelievably slow pace. All I can picture is Alex sitting in jail, and there’s nothing I can do about it. When Monday morning arrives, I grip my phone, taking it everywhere with me so I don't dare miss his call.
It’s not until our briefing that I get a glimpse of what’s going on. First Sergeant Thompson walks into our meeting a few minutes late announcing, “Please excuse my tardiness but I was on the phone with the S.F.P.D., Airman Riley was arrested this weekend at a rave in San Francisco, and they’re requesting he is released to us because of his record of drugs and theft. He should have been charged, but when he told them he was trying to clean up his act and was enlisted in the military, they decided to just ticket him for trespassing as long as he was released to our custody.”
I want to cry, I want to scream, but all I can do is sit there, act non-affected by the news, and even worse, pretend that I’m not okay with his actions.
I’m a fucking hypocrite, and I hate myself right now.
Because I’m the highest ranking in the room, I should be the first to speak. Thankfully I’m saved when Lieutenant Stine speaks up even though his words sting more than Thompson’s. “We seriously need to consider discharging Airman Riley. He’s not living up to the military’s standards and has been nothing but trouble. I say this is his final straw.”
“No!” I stand up, shocking everyone, even myself. “I mean, we need to hear his side of the story. He’s here for a good reason. We need to give him that chance.”
Nervously, I grab my chair, sitting back down and smoothing my uniform while I take a deep, calming breath.
Thankfully, First Sergeant Thompson defends Alex. “I agree with Captain Mazerolle. He’s a special case but Lieutenant Stine is correct as well. I think this is his final warning and will make that clear when I pick him up. If he steps out of line again, I, myself, will start the dishonorable discharge papers.”
Lieutenant Stine and everyone in the room agree before Thompson leaves to pick up Alex. I, on the other hand, have to sit, dying inside, while hiding it from the world around me.
* * *
My door swingsopen and shuts before I have the chance to question what is going on. The phone is up to my ear but when sparkling blue eyes reach mine, I quickly end my phone call and stand up.
Before I can make it around my desk, strong hands grip my cheeks as soft lips crash with mine, hungry for anything they can get.
“Alex,” I breathlessly say when he pulls back to examine my eyes.
“God, I’m sorry, so sorry, Jenelle. I promised I would protect you and it killed me to see you in the police station. I never wanted to put you in that situation.”
“Alex, I know. I know you didn’t mean for that to happen. It wasn’t your fault.”
He wraps me in his embrace. “I was so scared you were going to get in trouble.”
