Page 105 of Cowboy's Last Stand
“Nothing,” he said, his voice muffled.“Go on.”
“Well, I didn’t tell her about Mike.I mean, I told her what happened in Kabul.I just didn’t mention his name.”
“I don’t follow you.”
Jason gave his friend a brief summary of the past two weeks.It wasn’t easy to explain his actions.The decisions he’d made in the heat of the moment didn’t hold up to scrutiny, but Tyler listened with patience.Jason finally stopped trying to justify what he’d done and admitted that he’d slept with Natalie.
“Let me get this straight,” Tyler said.“You went there to visit a fallen comrade’s widow and tell the story about him sacrificing his life for yours.Instead of having that discussion, you Jody’d her.”
“I didn’t Jody her,” Jason said.The term referred to a man who seduced a soldier’s wife or girlfriend while he was deployed.“You can’t Jody a widow.”
“You can, and you did.”
“I’m in love with her,” Jason said.
Tyler fell silent for a moment.He didn’t question Jason’s feelings.He seemed to accept the statement at face value, as if falling in love under these insane circumstances was normal.“That’s a tangle, man.”
“What should I do?”
“You should tell her the truth.”
“She’s not even speaking to me right now.I told her she should move on with her life.She’s got a goddamned shrine to Mike in her living room, and she won’t spend the settlement even though she’s strapped for cash.”
“He was a decorated veteran, killed in action,” Tyler said gently.“You know how they’re memorialized.The widows are expected to grieve forever.”
“It’s been two years.She was only married four.”
“Donotsay that to her.Whatever you do.”
Jason held his tongue with difficulty.
“You already said it, didn’t you?”
“Can you help me or not?”
Seabirds cawed in the background.Jason pictured Tyler standing at the edge of cliffs by Neptune Blvd.He lived in a condo less than a block from the beach.“You went to bed with her, and now she won’t talk to you?”
“Right.”
“How was it?”
“Good.”
“For her too?”
“Of course,” Jason said, irritated by the question.He had no doubts about her pleasure.“Maybe a little too good.”
“There’s no such thing.”
“OK, but I think she felt guilty because she enjoyed it so much.She started crying, and I asked her about the death gratuity.”
Tyler sputtered his disbelief.“You asked her about a death settlement after boning her?Are you off your meds?”
Jason laughed, dragging a hand down his face.“You know I am.”
“Maybe you should go back on them.”
“I’m sleeping indoors again.”
