Page 18 of Bernadette
“Yes, Sir, and the pregnant woman in the front is my fiancée.”
“Congratulations. When’s the big day?”
“Birth or wedding?”
Bernie laughed, “Both.”
“Birth is the week of Thanksgiving. The wedding won’t take place until the Spring. That’s April’s favorite time of year, and believe it or not, she wants an April wedding.”
“Because of her name?”
“I never thought of it that way, but it could be.”
“Very good, I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around, since I’ll be joining Boswell.”
“Great, but before you go, can I ask you one question?”
“Shoot.”
“How’s the other guy?” Dillon asked as he pointed to Bernie’s leg.
“Dead,” Bernie answered, and Chuck stared at her in shock.
“Better him than you,” Dillon answered. “Can you talk about it?”
“Let’s just say that the SEALs in that area of the country are less fifteen insurgents for their next ambush mission.”
“Gotcha.” Dillon nodded, and Bernie slowly turned and started walking away.
When she came abreast of Chuck she scowled. “What?”
“Nothing, but the way you said he was dead, shocked me.”
“Why?”
“You were cold, unfeeling in saying it.”
“Chuck, may I call you Chuck?” When she got his nod, she looked around, grabbed his forearm, and directed him over to a private area where no one else happened to be at that moment. “I know what I sounded like, but if I think about that day, I would be in a heap in the middle of the floor bawling my eyes out. The only way I can get through it is to be cold. I won’t get into all the details of that fateful day but know that one Navy SEAL didn’t make it home to his family that day. All because some insurgents tried to show the United States military that they were better soldiers than we were.”
“Did they succeed?”
“Let’s just say there were fifteen of them, and only eight of us. We walked away with only one body bag, and several injured. They walked away with fifteen body bags.”
“Oh,” Chuck didn’t know what to say to that, and looked up to see all the women from Boswell staring at him. He wouldn’t say it was with pity, but with knowledge, like they knew exactly what Bernie was talking about. He wondered how many of them had been in the same, or a similar situation that Bernie had been in. He couldn’t wait for the time to talk more with her, but that time wasn’t now, nor for the next few hours. They had a reception to get to.
“I know this isn’t a date because we just met, but would you mind if I hung out with you today? I mean you’re going to want to be with the women of Boswell, right?”
“Yes.”
“And I’ll be with the J’s and A’s like always, they are with the women, so I thought I’d hang out with you.”
“That will be fine.”
“Okay, now that’s out of the way, please don’t be offended, but I have one more question for you.”
“Which is?”
“Are you on painkillers?” At her confused expression, he grinned. “I want to get you a glass of wine, or a beer, but I won’t if you’re currently taking pain meds.”
