Page 103 of Forever Fallen

“I didn’t stutter, Lieutenant! That is the craziest idea I’ve ever heard of, and it is unequivocally denied, Merrick. Period. End of discussion – am I clear?”

“Sir, yes sir!”

“Dismissed.”

“Sir?” Ryan hesitated, knowing now was a bad time, but he wanted to notify Sophie if he was going to be home for their anniversary or not. He had less than two months and dreaded discussing it with the man. That was the reason he had four weeks to actually go to Flyboys.

“What now, Merrick?”

“Sir, I would like to take leave… to go home and visit my wife.”

“Fill out a request like everyone else. You know the process – or should by now,” Reilly said, not looking up where he was flipping through paperwork on his desk. “Dismissed, Lieutenant Merrick… unless you’d like to discuss another pipe dream?”

“No, sir,” Ryan gritted through his teeth. “Thank you, sir.”

Ryan saluted as was proper and had to wait there for several moments before the colonel finally looked up and saluted him back. He couldn’t drop the salute until his commanding officer acknowledged it – and Reilly knew that.

Jerk.

Ryan immediately went over to one of the desks, pulling out a formal request form and began filling it out. He knew darn well that Reilly would let it sit on his desk until the very last minute – or deny it. The man was as temperamental as any of them and if you caught him on a bad day? It was terrible for everyone involved.

“Merrick!”

Ryan looked up, stunned, and immediately on his guard. He drew himself up and saluted instantly, dropping his pen and paper on the desk and holding himself tightly.

“Sir?”

“What dates are you requesting?”

“I’m hoping to take the first week of May, sir. It’s my first anniversary with my wife,” Ryan admitted, hoping that the man would soften slightly and allow him to take leave.

“One week? Not four again?”

“One week, sir,” Ryan confirmed.

He thought about requesting more time, but the separation from Sophie was killing him. He would rather see her once every three months than to have to wait another year. He’d already missed all the holidays – he did not want to miss their anniversary.

“Fine,” Reilly said coarsely, sticking out his hand. “Are you done filling out the request?”

“I’m almost finished,” Ryan quickly admitted – grabbing the paper and scrambling to finish filling out the rest of the spaces in shock. Reilly was actually going to approve it?

He was stunned and wasn’t passing up this opportunity.

“Thank you, sir…” Ryan said gratefully.

“That’s fine.”

Reilly initialed and signed the bottom of the request form, before handing it to the receptionist.

“Put this in the computer,” Reilly ordered and turned to Merrick. “Mission briefing tomorrow morning at oh-seven-hundred, Merrick.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And Merrick?”

Ryan froze, realizing that the man could just as easily change his mind regarding his leave before it was processed in the computer system as approved. Until it was logged, it was free game and his word against his commanding officer.

“No more discussion about recruiting or transferring. Am I clear, Lieutenant?”

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