Page 83 (1/1)

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Derrick

It would have been easy to say that I was theday, but the truth was that I had been a late arrival and most of the hundred-plus souls on board had been deployed far longer than me Many like Weiss were parents and as the day approached, I’d learned naraphs So, the truth was that ere all eager, not simply me

A young nuke won first-kiss honors, and Go That , as we approached base, the sub was a flurry of activity,hope insure what to hope for, I’d turned a corner after getting Weiss to send e, and now I knew precisely what I wanted and what I illing to do to get it

But wanting and hoping weren’t the sa, and as I did a subled, nerves causing weird pins and needles because I kept holding my breath

Please, I asked the universe Please I hadn’t asked it for so nificant Be selfish, Arthur had urgedsolely for my own benefit Because damn it I orth it We orth it I didn’t have to prove anything or earn it I finally believed I deserved Arthur, but that didn’t

“Fox” The CO stoppedin on this tour You want to be on deck?”

Be selfish My pulse galloped, eventhe first to see the crowd

“Yes, sir” I nodded at him “I’d be honored”

I joined the others heading on deck in getting into safety gear and rigging My heart rate increasedof straps until I felt ready to run a 10K Finally, we got the go-ahead, and the harbor was gloriously in sight on a sunny fall day with a war we unfurled As we rose up,now, not e’d coht a gli closer, the signs and clu into view

Red hair I started scanning themy posture, I continued to search And hope Soit all, and the rest ofmy other emotions in check I understood nohy a lot of sailors cried at ho, and I felt the sy so meant that damn much

We were close enough now to hear the clapping and cheers, our able crew navigating us into our berth as aved to the waiting crowd Still no red hair As usual the croas held back by a barricade, and it was hard to make out faces, but still I looked

A sign Show n, I asked the universe Please

And then as those on deck started getting antsy to diseet his first kiss, and right asfor the first ti for me

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Arthur

“We’ll get you there on ti Seattle-area traffic like her social media status was on the line to make it to the base before the buses to the pier departed She was a de, but even she hadn’t been able to account for a ploddingly long car ferry ride She had gone with autuarish on anyone else, and the look added to her fiery driving once ere free of the ferry

“I can’t be late If I’m not there, he’ll think I didn’t co—”

“Breathe,” she ordered We were in her car because Derrick’s car was safely stowed at his buddy’s Parking inthe car there other than drives like the one to Dad’s birthday But if Derrick heard about the car being there and saw hts were maybe not the ain “Inhale, exhale And here’s the co the buses”