“JC, you gotta tell her, man.”

“I know, I just don’t want to rush her,” I confess, lowering my head some and scratching the top of it.

“She’s afraid.”

“Of what?”

“Losing you. She doesn’t wanna lose you like she’s lost so much and for the first time in so long, she’s got something this good going and everything is just falling into place on its own for her.”

“Like what?”

“Her mortgage payments dropped, she got a raise at work, her kids are happy honor roll students, she’s happy, her kids like you and you always find the time for them.”

“Last time I opened myself up like you’re saying I should do, I was told that I was just a rebound that she couldn’t care less for.” I push my hand through my short dark hair, nervous.

“Kai isn’t like that.”

“How do you know?”

“I dated her and even when it did fizzle, we still came out as friends and still get along like we’ve always done.”

“So, she would be absolutely honest?”

“Unbelievably honest.”
“Alright, I’ll tell her.”

“Boog will appreciate it and the honesty of it will show her she can trust you more than she does now.”

“Okay, Nick. Thanks.”

“Don’t stress it.”

“I’ll try not to.”

“Just tell her everything.”

“Alright. I’ll talk to her.”

I go inside and find the note Mikkaila left for me. I sit on my bed, thinking of how to tell her and my nerves are on end.

“What’s wrong, baby?” I hear her greet the caller. “I just got your message. Whoa! Slow down, Stop crying. What happened with Brady? Oh, honey, I’m sorry he’s moving that far away, but he has no choice. I know it’s not fair, but he’s part of a military family. I’ll see what can be done. Yes, I’ll talk to Kristi and Blake about it tonight.” She drops her phone and I hear her pick it up, laying back on the bed with my hands under my head. I’d left it on the end table by the bathroom door a few minutes into her shower and she must’ve gotten out to a call coming in, but I can tell it’s her daughter by her tone. Originally, I thought she was talking to another guy and, yeah, I’ll admit I got jealous for a few seconds. “Yes, baby, I promise. Josh will be there if he wants to be. Love you, too. It’s not until July, I might be able to finagle something. Sleep tight, Baby Boog.”

She comes out, wrapped in just a towel and one around her hair, worry written across her features. Although I heard her phone call with Leilani, I’m going to act as if I hadn’t. “What’s wrong? You look frazzled,” I say pulling her onto my lap.

She sits sideways and she kisses my lips softly. “Leilani’s boyfriend might have to move to Hawaii come July and she wants me to talk to his parents tonight.”

“Why would he have to move there?”

“His dad, Blake, is in the Marines.”

“How do you know this kid’s parents?”

“I went to school with them and hooked them up in eighth grade. His dad was a friend of mine.”

“When did you move back up here?”

“Just before eighth grade, when Ma ran from him.”

“Your dad?”

Nick told me about that. “Yeah, that asshole,” she confirms, venom contained in the last word.

“So, go ahead and call his parents and invite them over,” I agree without her asking.

“Are you sure?” She seems nervous about me meeting them.

“If it means Leilani being happy, of course,” I reiterate, placing my hands on her hip and thigh.

She nods and pulls her phone up from her lap, going through her contacts. She puts the device to her ear and sighs. “Blake, would you be willing to stop by my friend’s place and talk about other arrangements for Brady so he won’t have to move away? Yes, they might as well come with you. Yeah, Maddie’s old place. Okay, see you then.” She tosses her phone onto the bed by the pillows.

“When did they say they’d be by?”

“Around nine tonight and he’s bringing Kristi and Brady.”

~*~9 pm, Tuesday night~*~

I sit on the couch, my forearms resting on my legs barely above my knees and she answers the door moments after someone knocks. I snap my head up to see a boy about 16 or 17 with sandy blonde-brown hair and a build like Lance had during our NSA days, flanked by a woman who looks like a lighter haired and fairer complected version of Mikkaila and a man with the same color hair as the boy with a military build. They must be Brady, Blake and Kristi.

“You can sit in the living room. Kristi, Blake and Brady, this is Josh.”

“Nice to meet you,” they simultaneously greet me.

“Josh,” she calls out to me.

I extend my hand and smile, shaking their hands in the order I’d listed. “You must be Brady, Leilani’s boyfriend; Kristi, his mom; and Lance Corporal Blake. Elise told me about your family’s situation, albeit vaguely.”

“You seem like you’re familiar with military life,” Blake comments, his eyes now locked on mine. They’re hazel, more golden brown than green. His eyes are making think of one of my childhood friends from Bowie.

“Do you have family from Bowie?”

“My cousin.”

“Kace?”

“Yes.”

“Remember his friend?”

“Just his last name.”

“How many siblings?”

“Two, one of each. His dad is former Army and his mom was Karen. They lived five houses down across the road.”

“I haven’t seen you in 30 years!” I shout joyously, smiling with him. Long story short, his family moved away a couple months after we moved to Orlando.

“Joshua Chasez!” he exclaims, pulling me into a tight embrace.