“Knocked you on your arse, mate.” Cheddar grins.
“I knew I’d never hear the end of that.”
“True though, isn’t it?” she replies smugly.
Scrubbing my face to relieve some tension, I look at my friends. “I never believed it could happen to me, you know? But it did. I had a defining moment in my life that changed everything.”
“Was that defining moment tall with red hair and great ti—”
“Finish that word, Cheddar, and I’ll set fire to all your Wotsits.”
“Sheesh, alright,” she snorts.
“But yes, Cleo is my defining moment. She walked into my life and nothing’s been the same since.”
“But in a good way, right?” Boot asks.
Kit cackles. “Obviously.”
I grin like an idiot, and for the first time in days, I feel lighter. Cleo’s pretty eyes and soft skin filter into my mind. She’s just so nice to look at.
“Did you just sigh thinking about her?” Kit asks with amusement in her voice. I think we’re getting to the end of their support portion of the day and making our way over to the mocking section.
“Maybe.” I laugh. “She is the best thing that’s happened to me, not discounting you lot, or the great life I live.”
“But she adds more, right? Like you can see yourself going home to her on leave?” Cheddar asks enthusiastically.
“Yeah I can, but is it realistic?” I ask because I genuinely need their help. So far, I’m just fucking things up on my own, and I’m tired of doing that. I’m tired of keeping people at bay.
“Why wouldn’t it be? What are the barriers?” Kit asks. Boot and Cheddar move over to my bunk and sit on the floor so we’re in a circle. It’ll look ridiculous if someone walks in, but my heart gives a thankful thud that my sisters are here for me.
“Well, first, her dad hates me and told me to stay away from her. Plus he’s the fucking boss of the Navy.”
Boot puts her hand up. “I can answer this one. It’s got nothing to fucking do with him! If you let go of Cleo because of his opinion, you don’t deserve her in the first place. Next.”
“Wow, brutal.” I chuckle nervously. “Our lives aren’t exactly compatible. I’ll be away for the next seven months. She could be travelling for a story after that. When would we ever see each other? I don’t want her to resent me or my job.”
“My turn,” Cheddar chimes. “Cleo knows exactly what it’s like to have a demanding job, and a passion forwhat you do. Has she ever over the time you’ve known her indicated she’d want you to leave the Navy?”
“We never really got that far.”
“But it stands to reason she’d have mentioned something. You guys started to get pretty serious there for a minute. Cleo doesn’t strike me as the type of woman to hold back if she’s got something to say.”
“True,” I utter more to myself than to them.
“Would you resent her for travelling?” Cheddar continues. I shake my head. “Exactly. You’re more alike than you realise. Don’t forget, like eighty percent of the ship’s company have wives, husbands, girlfriends, etc. Anyone who falls in love with a sailor knows what they’re signing up for. Next.”
Kit puts her hand up. “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Are you worried you’ll stray back to the life you had if you’re away too long?”
If Kit had asked me that even just a few days ago I might have paused, but not now.
“No way. I’ve thought about it, because, yeah, at the beginning that’s exactly what worried me. But then something clicked between us. She sees me, and makes mefeel safe enough to open up—which still feels terrifying, to be honest. Plus, I would never hurt her like that.”
“I thought so.” Kit smiles. “You’re ready for this, River. Ready for her and the relationship you’ve already built the foundations for. All you have to do is reach out.”
