The Corpsman and the Nerd
By: D.R. Grady
In retrospect, KC Gilmore realized when she wished for something to heat up her cold, lonely nights, she should have been more specific. Because some trickster who worked for fate heard her and gave her exactly what she asked for. Now, she would not only experience some very hot nights, she also wouldn’t be alone.
Somehow, being deployed to Kuwait wasn’t what she had in mind, though. Since the temperatures often hovered in the hundreds and she would be sharing a tent with at least nine other women, she got her wish. Kuwait, or Iraq or Afghanistan, they were all a little too hot for her tastes. Her wishful thoughts had run along the lines of a little, or even a lot, of cuddling with an amazing man. She longed for long strolls on scented summer evenings and stolen moments snuggling maybe with a kiss or two thrown in.
Instead, she stared at the sheet with her orders clearly printed for October of this year and her stomach sank. October was two weeks away. This had come much sooner than she wanted. Not as soon as she expected. She’d actually blocked out the thought that she might get called up. Like if she didn’t think about it, the time would never come.
Now she would be leaving all too soon. Blinking back tears that sprang from nowhere, KC wanted the chance to be more specific for fate.
Be careful what you wish for because you might just get it. Her grandmother’s old, often quoted adage leaped to mind and a longing for her grandparent rose. How she could use some of that lady’s tart advice right now. KC wanted to shout at the injustice of this summons and wished her time hadn’t come yet. And while she was making wishes, she wanted a hot man too.
“What’s up?” Max Morrison’s voice sounded from too close behind her and only training and willpower kept her from jumping several feet off the floor.
“Must you sneak up on me all the time?” she demanded, swinging around to confront him, her heart still racing. KC didn’t notice the soothing pale green walls and the cream colored wainscoting she had settled on when redecorating the hallway of the office space she and Max owned.
Max held up a hand. “I just asked a question. And I wasn’t exactly quiet coming down the hall. You were out in la la land.” He tried to swipe a finger down her nose, but she danced away and swatted him. “That’s why you got scared. It had nothing to do with me.”
Quelling a pout, KC stared at him. He hated when she glared and she enjoyed watching him squirm, even minimally. She tilted her head and increased the intensity. Frowning at him while she thought, she decided he was probably right. “Okay, I’ll give you that. I was fairly easy to sneak up on, but I’m sure you tried to be as quiet as possible.”
“Who, me?” His eyes wide, Max flung his arms out in innocence.
KC rolled her eyes. “Yeah, you. Like acting all innocent ever works with me. I know you, Max Morrison. You purposefully try to scare anyone you can.”
“Do not,” he retorted, a bit huffily. She hid the grin flirting with her lips.
“Hey, Jean, how many times a day does Max try to sneak up on you?” she yelled across the office to one of their administrative assistants.
“How does ‘every chance he gets’ sound?” Jean replied without looking up from her computer.
“Truthful and accurate,” KC answered triumphantly before swinging back to Max. “Hah! See? You’re well known around here,” KC reminded him as she poked him in the chest for good measure.
Max was quick, and easily avoided her probing finger. “I think I’m much maligned here.” He dodged her again. KC continued her pursuit of annoying him.
“You are not maligned, it’s the truth.” He darted around her, and his glasses slid down his nose. He pushed the trendy black plastic frames up and she watched a mischievous curl slip over his forehead. Max, with his black-brown curls, intelligent blue eyes, dark glasses, and incredible brain spelled nerd, but KC was pretty fond of him anyway. Maybe she had a soft spot for nerds.
The paper with her orders to Kuwait floated to the floor and Max, in a graceful sweep, scooped it up before it landed.
“What’s this?” he asked as his eyes scanned the paper. She watched his face and saw disappointment and astonishment as he comprehended what he read. His reaction made her feel better, at least marginally. “You’re being deployed to Kuwait.” Max answered his own question.
KC groped behind her, located a chair, and sank into it. His eyes were as blank as she’d ever seen them. As though he was in shock. Nodding, KC answered his statement. “Yes.” Her voice sounded dull.
“Why?”
She didn’t feel like grinning or smiling even though his behavior did cheer her. “Because I’m a Navy reserve and my number came up. Because it’s my turn. I am in the military. And they need members of the Medical Corps and since I’m a surgeon, that’s me. I’m surprised I haven’t been called sooner.”
Blank blue eyes continued to stare at her. “I can’t believe you’re going overseas.” Max’s voice sank to monotonic levels and she grouped the sound in with the lackluster eyes and empty face. Shock, definitely.
“We’re at war, Max. This is what happens during war.” She tried to sound encouraging, but couldn’t tell whether her effort proved successful or not. She didn’t feel any better and Max still hadn’t given anything away.
She had never seen him so uncomprehending. As though his brain had shut down and refused to start up again. KC swallowed. She couldn’t imagine not seeing Max at least five days a week. Sadness tried to overwhelm her, but she shoved it away. They had grown pretty close in the year they worked together. Now she faced not seeing him for at least eight months. Whether the time away included her training time she didn’t know, yet. There was a distinct possibility she might be gone even longer.
“You’re leaving,” Max repeated, his eyes glazed and staring.
“I am.” KC didn’t know how to comfort him, not when she wrestled with the summons herself.
“Why aren’t you flipping out?” he asked suspiciously, and the blank look disappeared. His eyes gleamed with intelligence and cunning once more. KC would have groaned if she had the energy.
“What do you mean why aren’t I flipping out? I don’t flip out.”
“Mmm-hmm. Hello, you’ve got how much planning to do before you leave?”
Max had a point. She hadn’t even begun to think about all she had to do before she left.
“There’s not all that much to do,” she said, trying to suppress her panic. “Just find someone to do my job for possibly the next year. And find someone who can take Ryan and Spuds...” she trailed off, resisting the thoughts swirling in her brain at hurricane force. Ryan. She had purposefully blocked all thoughts of leaving him. How could she?
“Katrina Celeste, what about your place, and car and mail and—”
KC cut him off, not wanting to hear the laundry list. Monday mornings were bad enough, she certainly didn’t need a To Do list spewed at her.
“Right now I need to worry about today. The rest will have to wait. And the name is KC.”
“You’re much calmer than I would have thought,” Max said in a contemplative voice, stroking his chin. KC swallowed and hurried to her office.
Why couldn’t her evenings have involved some wonderfully hot man rather than sand, heat, and a military field unit?
Footsteps sounded behind her and KC nearly panicked. On her knees, she gasped as a pair of masculine black leather shoes showed in her line of vision. “What are you doing?” she asked, suspicion coloring her voice.
“I thought I’d help you locate that needle I saw drop off our newest syringe prototype. This could be a problem, you know, if the needles fall off,” Max replied, running a hand over his chin, and KC’s heart tripped a beat when she heard beard bristle rasp against his palm. She liked that sound. She wished she could hear it every day.
Instead of going to Kuwait. Her heart tipped sickeningly and she squashed further thoughts. It’s just the unknown. You’ll be fine once you get there, a little voice reminded her. She hoped the voice spoke the truth. Her stomach couldn’t take much more abuse.
KC worked hard and eventually succeeded in pulling herself together enough to answer him. “Yes, we do seem to have a problem with these syringes and needles staying together,” she muttered, desperately wanting something from him, but not certain what. She hoped she didn’t look as stupid as she felt kneeling in the main hallway of their office suite.
Max dropped to his knees and surveyed the floor with her, both of them struggling to find a needle that blended in perfectly with the carpeting.
Of course.
KC was soon struck by the hilarity of the situation, but stifled her amusement. They really did need to locate that needle. She needed it to test so they could determine why the syringe and needle weren’t staying together. Not to mention the safety hazard the needle presented in its present location. One should probably expect such a hazard when one ran a company that manufactured and supplied medical supplies, but most people didn’t.
Approximately two seconds later, Max snagged the needle and held the thin metal above his head triumphantly. He even managed to cluck her under the chin.
“Would you look at that? I found it. And you didn’t,” he tacked on just to taunt her, she guessed.
“Thank you very much, Mr. Morrison.” She took the needle. “Only children shouldn’t have to work with people from large families,” she muttered, managing to sneak in a decent punch. She wasn’t a military woman for nothing. KC knew how to defend herself.
“You’re not an only child,” he reminded her unnecessarily.
Thinking of her other job made her remember her newest assignment. In Kuwait. KC turned away, feeling her heart clench at the thought of not seeing those she loved for eight months or longer.
“Are you okay?” KC heard the concern in Max’s voice.
“I’m fine,” she lied, her heart beating painfully.