"Good riddance!" he yelled out of the car window.
When he arrived at the airport, Wendy, the flight attendant, welcomed him aboard the private jet, and the captain shook his hand.
"Off to your big welcome-home party?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," he said.
"You know, I told your cousin, Grant, that it was a bright, sunshiny new day outside of the military. But you don’t seem all that upset about leaving, so I’ll just tell you to settle down and don't stir up too much trouble."
"Yes, sir," Carter replied with a salute.
When Grant had EAS-ed out of the Marines, Uncle Walter had thrown him a huge garden party. Carter didn’t think he was going to warrant that, but surely his family would do something, right? When the car dropped him off in front of the house, he walked in, but he didn’t see any decorations or anything. He sagged.
"I guess they forgot," he said and slumped down against the wall. He pulled out his phone and texted Allie.
They forgot my birthday
She wrote back a few seconds later.
It’s not your birthday
He sighed. Did she not get the Molly Ringwald reference?
They didn’t throw me a party
He waited for her reply.
A party for what?
Making it out of the Marines without maiming yourself?
What do you want? A cookie?
He sent her a sad-face emoji as Stefan walked into the foyer.
"Young Mr. Holbrook!" he exclaimed.
"Hi, Stefan."
"I’m so glad you're here. I'm sorry I didn't hear you come in. Would you mind helping me with something upstairs?" Carter stood up and followed him.
"I’m trying to get these Christmas decorations up, you see," Stefan said as they stepped onto the third-floor landing where the ballroom was located.
They walked into the grand ballroom, and Stefan flicked on the lights.
Carter jumped as his family and friends jumped out and yelled, "Surprise!"
Carter had to blink back tears as Grant and Mark came over and hugged him.
"Kate put it together," Grant said as Walter handed him a drink.
"So, Carter," Eric Davenport said, "what are your plans now that you're a free man?"
"I’m not sure," Carter admitted.
"Grant, you aren't giving him a job at the corporation?"
Grant gave him a faint smile. "Carter, we were all actually just discussing that this morning. We were thinking you could do an internship at Holbrook."
