Gunslingers

I had to head back to Virginia tomorrow, so I wanted to say goodbye to the girls before I went up to visit my parents. Besides, I needed to tell Laura that I'd fucked Matt. I didn't regret it, but it had been a mistake.

I'd made so many of those since the shoulder injury. It seemed all I did anymore was make mistakes, one after the other. And being with Matt was the biggest of all. He distracted me, and I'd already given up on my dreams once. Sanders had helped me through but this was different. For once, I had my dream in my hands. There was no way I was giving that up.

"Hey, Rae," Laura said, hugging me. She gave off such a happy and radiant vibe. She delighted in being married, and it suited her.

"Hey, girl. Are the others joining us?" I sat. Everyone except for Maeve, Laura, Matt, and myself had left the military. Laura had only three months left, and Maeve planned on one last deployment. Matt and I were career, even though he had his singing gig.

"Yes. I heard you spent the night with Matthew."

A blush crossed my cheeks. Fucking Matt couldn't keep his mouth shut and neither could Brian apparently. "Yes."

"Did you have sex?" Laura brought a glass of water to her lips.

"Details for a later, but yes. And before you ask, it's not happening again and there's no future between us." I knew what she wanted. Matt and I would never end up together. There was no two ways about that.

Maeve, Carol, and Sarah all came in to sit. Carol and Sarah were married-- eloped without telling any of us. Typical Jimmy and Johnny behavior though. Maeve was engaged, and I was alone... the single solider in a group of couples. Is this how Matt felt?

"I overheard that you're fucking Matthew again," Carol said, diving right into the conversation.

Sarah looked at me. "Really, Rae?"

"He can't be that good in bed," Maeve added.

Laura smirked. "Horse cock according to Haner."

The girls laughed, choking slightly on their drinks. Sarah looked over at Laura. "How would he know?"

"I... I don't know." Laura giggled. "Maybe they're gay for each other. That wouldn't surprise me with the way Brian has been styling himself lately."
*******************************************************************************************************
The door to my childhood opened to reveal the kitchen. It smelled like it always did-- empanadas. My mom was an incredible chef at the best Mexican restaurant in town. I had missed her cooking.

"Mama?"

My mother came running in from the dining room. "BEBE!" She kissed my cheeks.

"Hola!" I hugged her. It had been years since the last time I'd seen my parents.

"Mija." Mom hugged me tighter to her. The smell of empanadas fresh on her skin. She was the best cook, better than any five-star chef or Gordon Ramsey. It really was no wonder her restaurant was so popular. "Welcome home! When do you go back?"

"Today, soon. I'm just here to say hello."

Mama glared at me. She could always sense when something was wrong. I had no doubt she knew there was something up with me. Matt had really fucked me up three years ago, and I had fallen for him all over again. He was intoxicating, like a drug.

"Why don't I believe you, mija?" She handed me an empanada.

I bit my lip. Mama knew all about my Sanders issues. "Matt was at the wedding." A sigh escaped my lips.

"Mija! You better not have... hooked up with him." She struggled with the phrase, not able to put it into Spanish.

"Um..."

Her wooden spoon fell to the counter and her hands immediately found her hips. "Rae Gloriana Maria Martinez!"

Oh shit, the full name. A lecture was coming my way. That was not what I had planned prior to boarding a plane.

"When you came home three years ago, hurt and upset, I asked why. You said the man who saved your life, the man who had serious feelings for you and you had for him was leaving. You said this man betrayed his friends and you to pursue his dreams. You then said you blamed him for all your issues. Mija, you felt like you were being left in the dust by everyone, but especially the man who gave you the injury.

"Papa and I put a substantial amount of money into your arm, into getting you better. You got better, you got best. Rae, you made Force Recon, your dream. And now that man is bringing you back to your old self! How could you sleep with him?"

As my mother yelled at me, I realized a painful thing. "I still love him..."

Notes

OH BOY!