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Stuart

We made it to the end of the week Our second whiskey delivery was al that had happened over the past two years He’d toldhis son I’d told him about private service and why it wasn’t the same as active duty

We talked about the flashbacks He didn’t have the to the fact he’d been knocked unconscious by the grenade blast

“They don’t upsetthe wind outside the cabin push the brown grasses flat as it crossed the open space Ranger and Dakota were in a pop-up shelter ht “I expected to have theured I’d have more before my career ended”

Derek tilted the heavy glass back and forth, watching the amber liquid move side to side “You’re the only person I’ve ever heard say so so bat-shit crazy”

He wasn’t drinking asthe pain, but whether it was the presence of a fa had shifted I was stronger I was co out of it

“It goes with the territory” I pushed out of lass of water I’d been popping a vitagested it based on his own private battles “With the stress ere under, and e faced every day”

Derek watched ic there”

Our conversations were like tower duty all over again, and again we’d come out on the other side

When he spoke again, he sounded aluilty “I’m headed back tomorrow Melissa wants me home with her and Dex for the holiday”

Nodding I put the glass in the sink “It’s a family time”

“We’ve only been out here a week, but you look better”

“Teeks is how long they said for the physical sy out the dark squareover the sink, I thought about the other side of the coin “They suggest self-help or meditation for the mental shit”

Derek studied his palm “It’s not a bad idea”

I alhed, but I didn’t “I’ve never been ”