To: KCGilmore@gilmoreproducts.net
From: MaxMorrison@gilmoreproducts.net
Subject: The phones are ready!
Attachments
Hello KC,
Lainy just called. She’s finally finished the phones, so we can talk. She said yours should be sand and heat proof and mine should be kid proof! I’m sure Ryan will be happy to test that theory. (She did mention there were likely to be bugs to work out, so we’ll have to consider those factors.)
Lainy was on her way to the post office with your phone. I don’t have mine yet. But I suspect she’ll drop it off. Let me know what the time difference is there, okay?
I’d rather not call when you’re asleep. Of course, I know you’ll want to talk to me any time of the day. <grin> I do understand you aren’t on a set schedule, either. You have to go when the wounded come in. I imagine we can work out a plan. I haven’t told Ryan about this yet. I figure we can surprise him.
He’s adjusted well. We have a routine now. I’ve found that if I lift him out of bed, he wakes up against my shoulder. This method works well for us. By the time we get downstairs, we’re both awake enough to eat.
Plus, Spuds is a big help. He’s awake and ready to go by the time I’ve figured out breakfast. Trust me this is rocket science so early in the morning. I used to wait until I got to the office to eat, but having a kid changes all that doesn’t it?
KC smiled as she read that part. Yes, a child definitely changed everything about one’s life. That first month, she’d been worried about going to the bathroom without Ryan right there. She figured Max wasn’t quite as crazy about parenthood as she was in those early days. He appeared to have adjusted far better than she had but then he hadn’t had an infant dropped on his doorstep either. She moved on to the rest of the email.
I finally found the digital camera. Who put it in the hutch? I don’t remember putting it there, but that’s where I finally located the blasted thing. Ryan and I had fun not only taking the pictures, but also deciding which ones to send to you. Please bear in mind that your son helped with the selection process. <grin> So, I can’t be held accountable for some of them.
We’re having supper tonight at Laurie and Greg’s house. Ryan’s pretty excited. He’s down for a nap right now. I thought we’d better recharge those batteries before we go. There are lots of kids there. He’s already informed me that he doesn’t like baby girls. I think this stems from the last time we were there. (Laurie’s youngest is Savannah and she’s not a year old yet.) He claims they make a lot of noise, are smelly, and aren’t very fun. Now, unfortunately, I couldn’t refute this, since I felt exactly the same way when I was his age.
I let Laurie take over. Destiny, my niece, helped too. She’s a teenager but very tolerable. (I’m not a proud uncle or anything.) <grin>
She didn’t get mad when Ryan followed her around the house and asked her about all her boyfriends. He also thinks boys who like girls are weird. So, he’s not too sure he’s impressed with these boyfriends.
I didn’t touch that one, either. Destiny’s used to nosy little guys, since she’s got six of them who live with her. She just explained that someday he might change his mind, but she likes him just the way he is. (Smart girl!) He accepted that and then got into a game with the other boys.
He did tell me though, while we drove home, that he didn’t think he’d ever like girls. I guess that’s good news. <big grin> Save us a lot of trouble. The problem is I remember feeling that way too. It didn’t last as long as my folks hoped. <grin>
KC’s heart twisted as she read that last sentence again. Now if she could convince Max to like her, life would be good. While she was extremely grateful he did like females now, Max being interested in other women was a problem. Or could be.
Leaning back in her chair, she realized Max had always been closed-mouthed about his love interests. As a matter of fact, he never spoke of a significant other in her presence. The closest he ever came to mentioning such was when his family came to move her and they teased him about Will’s closet. Even then he hadn’t revealed anything.
Her heart jumped when she thought back to that moment, though. He had looked at her. Right at her as though he had been trying to tell her something. But what? Did Max want her for more than a best friend? As a lover? At the very thought of him as her lover, her heart twisted, and dropped, and her breathing turned erratic. Swallowing, she returned to his email. Fanning herself as she read.
Since I’m not certain how long this will take to transmit, I’d better end now. I did zip the pictures, since Lainy said she installed an unzipping program on that laptop. Again, please remember, Ryan chose some of these pictures.
Love,
Max and Ryan
P.S. General Emma is working tirelessly on the Bent Rock Foundation. She’s shoving everything into place. Rocky still hasn’t had the puppies yet, but by the time she does, I’m sure our general will have the ground work finished and we’ll jump right into things! (She’s a very scary woman sometimes.) <grin>
He signed off with love again, and KC sighed. What did that mean? She knew he loved her. But she wanted to know whether he was in love with her. Knowing she wouldn’t get the answers she wanted, she turned to the attachments.
KC clicked on the first picture and started to laugh. Someone had caught Max and Ryan on the monkey bars, and they were having a great time from the look of things. Ryan hung upside down and Max appeared to be tickling him. Both of them were laughing and their faces glowed bright and alive. KC wanted to be there to kiss and hug both of them. To be the recorder of these little snippets of family life.
The next picture showed them playing video games together. Max looked as intense as Ryan did when he played. She could tell they were playing one of Ryan’s games, but couldn’t determine which one. Both males, their tongues sticking out in unison, wholly concentrated on the task at hand. A surge of love blasted through her as she stared at their familiar, beloved faces. She stroked the screen before realizing what she was doing and clicked on the next photo.
This one was a close up of Ryan, Max, and Spuds. They obviously had their faces too close to the camera, so their expressions were contorted, their faces huge. It was a silly, funny, adorable picture. She could tell just by looking at them they were having a lot of fun. KC wondered whether part of the fun was because they knew she would end up seeing these photos?
Hoping, might be a better word. She didn’t know, but she could still hope they were enjoying their photography efforts because they would ultimately be sending the photos to her.
KC withstood the homesickness that undulated through her. She had known it would come. Known she would have to deal with being thousands of miles away from her loved ones. This was a part of war. One undeniably heart-wrenching aspect of her job in an already heart-rending business.
She had to leave them behind so she could aid her countrymen. To keep her precious family free and safe. With a new resolve, KC realized she was prepared to do whatever she was asked in order to keep these males safe. Whatever that entailed, she’d do, because they were hers. She tapped out a return message as that resolve grew.
To: maxmorrison@gilmoreproducts.net
From: kcgilmore@gilmoreproducts.net
Subject: Thanks for the pictures!
Hi Max and Ryan,
I can’t believe I’ve already been here a month and a half. It’s hard to imagine.
Thanks for the pictures and email. I really enjoyed them and you guys did a great job picking each one! I love all three. Makes me homesick for you both. It’s my place to be here. I just wish here wasn’t so far from home!
I just remembered, I have a video Mitch and Lainy sent me. I think I’ll watch it. We’ve already had a bunch of wounded come through for minor stuff. So, hopefully there won’t be more in for a while. If that’s the case, I’ll have a chance to enjoy Mitch’s DVD.
I think it’s of you folks at the lake. It involves Lainy cooking, and I’ll be interested in that. She told me she wasn’t a great cook, but I’ve eaten some of the things she’s prepared and I disagree.
I suppose you won’t get back to the lake now? I imagine it’s too late in the season. You’re probably raking leaves. By the way, Ryan’s not very helpful, in case you forgot. Send him off with the herd. Spuds likes to chase leaves, but he’s not nearly the hindrance Ryan is.
I suppose you’ll be getting together to rake the town? I can almost taste Aunt Tilly’s Italian Wedding soup. (Groan!) Mitch wasn’t joking when he said the food here wouldn’t make us fat. There’s plenty of it, but it’s not anything you savor.
I promise that making breakfast will get easier. Well, even if it doesn’t, it won’t seem so much like rocket science once you’re used to feeding a small boy. He’s pretty easy to please for breakfast, which helps. You’re not hard to please, either, so I don’t foresee problems. At least you two can enjoy what you’re eating. (Sigh.)
The bakers have already sent us some cookies. To which we’re most grateful! And Lainy sent brownies. I’ve already put in a request for another batch. Again, for a woman who claims she can’t cook... Lies!
I really want to watch that video so I’ll say goodbye for now. (Oh, by the way, I’m glad you changed your mind about girls!) Since I’m one, and you claim to like me. And you’ve got four sisters and three sisters-in-law. Plus your mother and aunts and cousins. Well, you understand. Ryan might not figure out you’re lying, but I’d know!
Love,
KC
P.S. Everyone on base is eager to hear when Rocky has those puppies. I suppose Bentley is all proud papa-to-be? I had no idea, but Admiral O’Riley stopped me today and mentioned all the surrounding bases are as eager for news as we are. I’m telling you, this foundation is important!