Page 35 of Metal & Mud

"So they kicked me out of the house," Sabby continued, taking a deep breath. The pain was evident on her face, and Logan felt both a desire to comfort her and gratitude that she trusted him with this story. "Going into my last semester of high school, I was homeless."

"That's completely messed up," Logan said. "How did you recover?"

Sabby smiled softly. "Luckily my sister took me in, but with conditions. First, I had to get my act together. Instead of transferring to Blackstone High, I earned my GED. It limited my scholarship options at first, but I've done well in college."

"I'm not surprised," Logan said, explaining when Sabby looked curious. "Our conversation the other night showed me you're clearly smart."

"Thanks. You and my sister are among the few who've said that," Sabby said. "She also made me get a job, which I actually enjoyed since it got me out of the house. I've discovered I have a pretty good domestic side, but doing that all day would drive me crazy."

Sabby paused, then changed direction. "What about you? Rugby player one day, Miami the next. Why?"

"I wanted city life, and well... Miami," Logan admitted with a sweeping gesture. "It was a decision made more with testosterone than brains. I studied math, but wasn't particularly passionate about it. I missed sports and physical activity, and mathematics isn't exactly that kind of degree. I wasn't the best student either, enjoying social life too much to get into a good master's program."

"So I decided to do a hitch in the Army to pay for my schooling. I figure the time will give me clarity. Maybe I'll find a way to combine math with something more physical. Worst case, I can get the military to pay for a master's in education and become a high school math teacher. Coaching rugby..." he smiled, "I always loved helping younger players learn the game."

Sabby chuckled. "As long as they let you play metal during practice."

"Oh, I wouldn't take a job without that guarantee," Logan said with mock seriousness before laughing. "So your sister reformed you?"

"She's been amazing," Sabby said, giving him a meaningful look. "Jessica's probably the most important person in my life now, and we take care of each other."

"She's in uniform?" Logan asked.

Sabby looked surprised.

He tilted his head, puzzled. "No? Sorry if I assumed wrong."

"No... Jessica is in uniform," Sabby confirmed. "She doesn't tell me much about her work, but she's always there for me. I help her out too. I'm not exactly a house-sister, but I handle most of the laundry. Like I said, strong domestic genes."

Logan laughed. "That's cool. I didn't know the Army arranged things that way, though maybe the National Guard works differently. Did she help you get the bowling alley job?"

Sabby opened her mouth, then closed it, smiling slightly. "Sort of. She heard through the grapevine about an opening, and the manager did her a favor with the interview. But I'm actually the only service-connected person working there."

"Really? At Benning, it seemed like everyone was either military or connected somehow. Fort Pickett must be smaller."

"Much smaller," Sabby confirmed. "Being a National Guard base with all those other programs, they've created a good relationship with the local community. You're getting a feel for that, aren't you?"

"I suppose so," Logan said. "Like my team leader says, we play our games, they play theirs, and everyone gets along. What about you? Do you see yourself staying here long-term?"

"Probably not much longer," Sabby said with a hint of sadness. "I've got about a year left of graphic design school, then I'll have to decide. I'm only a dependent of my sister while I'm a student, and after that, things get complicated. Her chain of command has been understanding, but they can't overlook me not being a dependent anymore. Oh, look! Touchdown!"

It was indeed a touchdown, and they cheered together as Blackstone played hard. The final score was twelve to ten after Blackstone missed both extra points, but Logan's excitement peaked when Sabby took his hand as they descended the bleachers.

"So... how are you feeling?" he asked, noting it was nearly ten o'clock. "I'm not big on parking, but I don't know what else there is to do."

"Not much. We can call it a night if you want. You're probably exhausted after work," she said. Logan chuckled, inadvertently yawning at the mention. "It's totally fine. I've got work tomorrow anyway. But maybe next time we could do movies?"

"Movies?" he asked, and she nodded. "Where?"

"There's a mall about twenty miles away with a decent multiplex. But it has to be 2D."

"Why's that?" Logan asked curiously. "If it's a cost issue, don't worry. Barracks living is surprisingly cheap."

"No, it's that I'm in that small percentage who can't watch 3D movies," Sabby explained. "According to an article I read, 3D works because our eyes send slightly different images to our brains. Most people's brains create a 3D image from this, making a false image from two real conflicting ones. But my brain refuses to do that—it tries to accept both images as true and reconcile them, which gives me a terrible migraine."

"No 3D movies then," Logan promised. "I have to ask though, would your sister be okay with you dating a service member? If I had a little sister dating guys from my squad, I'd be concerned."

Sabby laughed heartily, clearly amused by something in his question. "I'm sure she's fine with it. But I'm not thinking about that. I'm just enjoying spending time with you, and maybe we can do some parking... next time."

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