Page 180 of Sloane

My answer was easy, “My girls,” I said when it came to my turn, and I squeezed Ashley’s thigh under the table.

She was beaming when she looked over at me and said, “My friends and family,” then she looked around the table and was so sincere when she added, “Thank you again for inviting me. You’ve always made me feel included, and I appreciate that.”

“You’re always welcome,” Craig said.

“Yeah, you’re stuck with us now,” Ryan chimed in.

That made her laugh out loud, which made my heart swell.

When we started eating, Grace casually said, “So, Sloane. Do you think you’re going to stay in the Marines?”

Ashley started coughing, and I patted her back until she took a drink, then I addressed Grace’s question.

“That’s the plan. If I continue progressing at the rate I have been, I should be back on active duty by no later than the spring. Maybe even earlier.”

I didn’t get the “that’s greats,” or, “good for yous,” or anything how I was expecting them to reply.

Instead, crickets filled the room as silverware clanged against the china.

“Don’t everyone congratulate me at once,” I grumbled.

“When are you going to have your twenty?” Craig asked from the head of the table.

“Next May.”

Ryan looked at me as he cut his turkey with his fork. “You’re not going to retire at twenty?”

I felt my spine stiffen defensively.

“Are you?”

“No. But I might consider it if I went through what you did.”

Maddie added her two cents. “And had a little girl.”

I noticed Ashley just stared at her plate as she took small bites without saying a word.

“I appreciate you all sharing your opinion about my career, but let’s change the subject.”

Ryan dutifully did and said, “So, Ash, are you still in school?”

“I took this semester off, for obvious reasons, but I’m enrolled in two classes next semester.”

“How much longer?” Grace inquired.

“It depends. At the rate I’m going, probably five more years.”

Five years? She was going to be twenty-eight next week. That wasn’t her plan.

“I thought you wanted to be finished by the time you were thirty-one.”

She smiled sweetly and replied, “Well, that was before I had a baby.”

“I can help take care of her, you know. So, you can take more classes.”

“How are you going to do that if you’re deployed?”

Hmph. Good question.

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