While she loved the man, Treeny came to the conclusion that she definitely hated his hours. Or lack thereof – whatever one called his deplorable schedule. She hadn’t heard from Ben since Sunday evening when he kissed her goodnight with promises of more, and now here it was Thursday morning. No kisses, no phone calls, no e-mails, no text messages, not even a small plane with a message trailing behind it. Treeny would have gladly accepted a carrier pigeon.
She somehow managed to pass the time, but trying to live with the hours he kept were beyond stinky. They sucked. All she could say was she was relieved she had a job.
How to fill the hours before his return would otherwise really wear on her. But Treeny took some comfort in the fact that the other Morrison women weren’t without their woes. Lainy and KC both had husbands with demanding jobs who sometimes had to travel unexpectedly. And they certainly missed their husbands terribly when they left.
She couldn’t help but compare their situations though. While the other ladies could speak with their significant others every morning and night and any time in between, she had no idea where hers was. She didn’t know if he was safe, or what his living conditions were. Lainy and KC also had a tentative schedule for when their loved ones would return.
Treeny had no idea.
Not only did she not have any idea when Ben would return, she also didn’t know whether he considered her a loved one or not.
Balefully staring at the computer screen in front of her, she downloaded her email. Her heart skipped a beat, but she saw the message was from Lainy, not Ben. Which was fine, as this was the communication between Mitch and Ben that Lainy had promised. Treeny smiled as she clicked on the message and started to read.
To: Tdeveau@hmc-psu.edu
From: Lainy_Monahan@gmail.com
Hey Treeny,
Here are these emails I told you about. Hope you enjoy them as I did!
>>>To: BenMorrison@juno.com
>>>From: M_Monahan@yahoo.com
FW:Subject: FW: I owe you one!
Hey Ben,
Just got in and received an e-mail from Lainy. She told me about the little disaster at the lake, due to her brothers.
I owe you one.
Lainy mentioned something briefly that I found...ummm...fascinating? Did you hear that she and Treeny checked each other’s butts? Apparently they both got rather bruised there. I doubt it’s appropriate to ask her, but did you hear about this? Are they okay? To hit so hard they had to check each other...that’s interesting.
Thanks,
Mitch
>>>To: M_Monahan@yahoo.com
>>>From: BenMorrison@juno.com
RE:Subject:: I owe you one!
Hey Mitch,
You don’t owe me anything. My cousins and Treeny were in that water! Dory, Lainy, and Treeny are all trying to breathe, and couldn’t. I was furious, to say the least. I think John caught on that Dory couldn’t breathe, but the others were laughing too hard to see Laurie’s panic.
My granddad sure can yell, though. I was glad he was there and took over, because he’s older, and has a lot more experience with yelling. I know the boys won’t ever tie the girls up and throw them in again. I was able, while I was yelling, to explain, I hope, that while tying someone up and tossing them into a body of water is a SEAL training method, it’s an advanced one. After lengthy training, and with supervision. I hope I shook them up.
We could have lost them all.
I thought both Lainy and Treeny were walking gingerly. I don’t remember hearing they hit rocks in the bottom, but that makes sense. Where the guys threw them is probably the rockiest part of the entire lake. (Of course! Bunch of idiots!)
What I would have given to hear the girl’s “examination”. They were probably plotting the death of all seven boys – maybe it’s just as well we missed the conversation.
Max wrote and told me they’re also holding the episode against him even though he wasn’t there. He thinks this is highly unfair. You’ll like Max, he’s laid back, smart, (unlike the rest of the men), and will remind you a lot of Lainy.
Anyway, I’ve got a mountain of paperwork, as I’m sure you understand. (When I joined the Navy I naively thought I’d be exempt from paperwork.)
Later,
Ben
Lainy wrote a message beneath that.
Men are so funny! ☺
Thought you’d enjoy reading these.
Love,
Lainy
P.S. Want to go out for lunch?
Treeny leaned back in her chair, thankful for her looming smile. She missed Ben so much, but somehow, seeing an email by him, even one not addressed to her made her feel better.
This message told her clearly he’d been concerned for her. She liked that. She liked knowing he cared, and he’d been scared and angry for her. Actually, she remembered being scared and angry for herself, but appreciated that he had entertained similar thoughts.
Knowing Ben cared helped to ease her pain. Now if she only heard from him that would make her life one hundred percent better.
She sent an email to Lainy in acceptance. Having lunch would help to pass the time, and she enjoyed Lainy’s company.
“No, I’m sure that was Lainy Morrison I saw,” the woman sitting near the buffet area where Treeny stood said.
Her sister, who had been in the same grade as Treeny, shook her head. “I don’t remember her. You graduated with her.”
“Look at her. She hasn’t changed at all.” Both of them turned and raked Lainy up and down disparagingly. “I can’t believe the size of the rock on her finger.”
Lainy rose at that moment to peruse the buffet selections on the other side of the room. Treeny admired the smooth way Lainy moved. Lainy, since she and Mitch had married, had blossomed and come into her own. There was a new confidence in the way she held herself, even in the way she moved.
Treeny finally realized Lainy acted like a beautiful woman. Smiling, she thought of the women’s comeuppance when they realized why Lainy had blossomed.
“Probably some fellow nerd gave it to her,” Alana, the woman from her class said.
“I’m sure. I mean look at her, she’s not that attractive. Alana, look at that gorgeous man.”
Treeny didn’t have to turn around to know they pointed at Mitch. She began to smile as she realized the reality check, and how, these hyenas would momentarily receive.
“He is gorgeous. Your hunk radar is intact, Sonya. He looks like a Marine.”
“I’m sure he is,” Sonya purred.
“We’ll have to see if we can...”
Treeny heard a gasp and turned in time to watch as Mitch bent and pressed a possessive kiss on Lainy’s neck. Lainy gasped and turned, and Mitch planted another kiss on her lips. She saw Lainy’s lips curl into a smile and felt very happy for her friend.
“That gorgeous man is kissing...her.”
“She’s married to him?”
Both women sounded astonished, and amazed, but Treeny wasn’t surprised in the least. Lainy was real while they were a little too tanned, a little too frosted, wearing too much makeup.
There was also no doubt but that Lainy was loved. She glowed because she loved Mitch and he loved her. She was also pregnant again, but you couldn’t tell. That would also increase Lainy’s happy glow. The glow hadn’t happened without a price, though. Lainy had nearly lost Mitch.
Treeny frowned as she thought of the trials Lainy and Mitch had faced before they could be together. Trials most couples had to weather. The thought coalesced that if a couple didn’t weather those experiences they’d cease to be a couple. Ben came to mind and she wondered if she could move past his dangerous job. Wasn’t she better off without him, than worrying about whether he would come home?
No. The answer came fast and furiously – inexplicable and firm. She didn’t know if she could live without him. Sure, his hours couldn’t be worse but she wanted him in her life. Yet she had wanted her father in her life too, needed him in fact, and he’d still been taken from her. Abruptly. Could she stand losing another precious man from her life?
The hyenas had stopped talking and eating and instead stared, aghast at Mitch and Lainy. Lainy set her plate aside and brushed her hands down the front of his shirt in a loving, wifely gesture. The lights overhead caught in the diamond rings on her finger and splashed dazzling light across the room. Mitch grinned in a smug sort of way, and kept touching her face, or running his hand over her hair.
Like he couldn’t believe she was his. They were going on their third wedding anniversary, but Treeny loved how they were still so much in love. Max and KC acted the same way.
“I thought men didn’t date intelligent women,” Sonya said weakly.
Having heard enough, Treeny stalked to their table. “Oh, real men definitely date intelligent women. Then they marry them,” she stated, without a hint of malice even.
She took in their shocked expressions with something akin to glee before turning to head back to the table where Mitch was seating Lainy. He still hadn’t managed to keep his hands off her. His wedding band was very obvious in the overhead lights. Grinning in triumph, she set her plate down and slid into her chair.
“What have you done?” Lainy sounded suspicious.
Treeny found it difficult to keep the innocent expression on her face. “Nothing,” she answered, noting her voice sounded a bit high.
Lainy narrowed her eyes. “Treeny Deveau, what have you done?” Her friend’s eyes slid from her sure-to-be-guilty face to the table behind them across the restaurant. Treeny knew she recognized Alana and Sonya as being former classmates.
“Oh lovely, we’re dining with a couple of ex-cheerleaders.” Her voice sounded easy, and as close to uncaring as Treeny had ever heard in Lainy’s voice.
“They received a real shock when Mitch strolled in,” Treeny confided as she shook out her napkin.
Lainy frowned, but her eyes followed her husband and smiled when he caught her watching him from across the buffet station where he selected food. She blew him a kiss and he looked awfully happy.
“What happened?” Lainy flirted with Mitch, but Treeny thought she was listening.
“They were discussing you.”
Lainy broke off from flirting with her husband to swing round to Treeny. “What?”
“They were saying about how you were a nerd, and they were definitely jealous of the rock, I mean the ring on your finger.”
Both their gazes landed on Lainy’s engagement ring. “It is rather large, isn’t it?” The matching diamond encrusted wedding band wasn’t any less obvious. Lainy grinned. “Did they think a fellow nerd had given it to me?”
“Of course. And we all know that’s true. You only think Mitch is all hot Marine at first.” Treeny had to tease him, it was the Morrison way.
“I am a hot Marine,” Mitch retorted as he set his plate down, brushed a kiss on Lainy’s nose, and seated himself. He flicked a bratty grin at Treeny.
“Yeah, well, we who know you’re an engineer also know you’re a nerd.” Treeny avoided his swiping finger. Mitch had learned quickly from Lainy’s brothers and Ben the fine art of picking and harassing.
“So they figured a fellow nerd gave me my ring and then they saw Mitch?” A grin twitched at Lainy’s lips.
Treeny dodged Mitch’s finger again and nodded. “Yep, they were drooling all over the floor when he came in. They were satisfyingly shocked.” She sat back and crossed her arms. Treeny tried not to act all superior.
“What did you say to them?” Lainy sounded suspicious again.
“I simply set them straight on a few things.”
Mitch laughed, and leaned over to plant an affectionate kiss on her forehead. Lainy had to smother her laughter, which sounded as though it might be raucous if unchecked, with a quick hand. The lights caught in her rings again. “Oh, Treeny,” she said, but her eyes were snapping with laughter and glee.
“I did good.” Treeny scooped up a bite of chicken.
“Yes,” Mitch agreed, and he high-fived her. Treeny liked the way he looked at Lainy. As though she were some treasure that had been dropped unexpectedly into his lap.
“Janine mentioned Ben has been gone for a few days?” Lainy sent her a commiserating look.
Treeny suddenly didn’t want any of the remaining food on her plate. Her stomach lurched in protest at the very thought.
She set her fork down. “Yes.”
Mitch’s eyes softened. “He’ll contact you as soon as he’s home, you know that, right?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Trust us; you’re the first person he’ll find.” Lainy’s voice held a conviction Treeny wished she possessed.
Mitch set his own fork down after staring at her for a few moments. “I can tell you from experience, Treeny, that his mind might not be on you the entire time he’s been gone, but he’s thinking about you.” He picked up his fork again. “And he’s counting down the minutes until he’s got you back in his arms.”
“Thank you for that.” Treeny swallowed before she turned to Lainy. “Does it get any easier?”
Lainy reached out to cover Treeny’s hand with her own. “No.”
Treeny’s heart plummeted to the floor. “I was afraid you’d say that.”
“You’re always going to worry about him. You’re always going to hate every minutes he’s away from you and you don’t know when he’ll be back.” Lainy swallowed, hard. “Or if,” her voice turned husky and cracked, and Treeny realized Lainy understood exactly what she was suffering. “Or if he’ll be back.” Mitch caught her close and pressed a gentle kiss to Lainy’s lips.
Treeny brushed a tear away. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
“Treeny,” Mitch leaned toward her and covered Lainy’s hand which still covered hers, “if it’s Ben’s time, it won’t matter where he is or what he’s doing. It will be over for him. But you have to trust him. Trust in his skills.”
“I don’t even know what his skills are.”
“We have some books you can borrow. After you read them, you might appreciate a little more what Ben and his team can do.” Mitch sounded confident so that made Treeny’s stomach stop protesting so violently.
“I hate that I don’t know where he is or what he’s doing.”
“That will be something you’re going to have to work through. Maybe Ben can help you figure out some techniques to help you endure.”
Treeny turned to Lainy. “How did you cope when Mitch left for those long periods?”
“I worked. I took pictures for him, made videos, sent him a ton of emails with little thoughts I wanted to share with him.” Lainy turned her hand so she was holding Mitch’s.
“It’s not easy, and we military folk understand what we’re asking of you, but Ben has a job to do, one few others are capable of.”
How true. She hadn’t thought of that. “Not many other people get through SEAL training, do they?”
“No, they don’t.” There was a wealth of understanding in Mitch’s eyes. But also a silent plea for her to work through this in a way that wouldn’t burden Ben.
But how to do that? Treeny didn’t know. Yet a firm resolve wrapped itself around her to figure out some way to cope. She owed it to Ben.
“Yes, I will do that.”
It wasn’t until she turned to face her lunch companions that she noticed she didn’t have their attention any longer. Mitch’s hand reached out to run lovingly over Lainy’s face. Lainy turned to kiss his palm. Her eyes grew warm and soft. Treeny’s eyes rolled.
“Hey, now, guys. Quit the mooney-eyed stuff,” Treeny exclaimed and snapped her fingers at them. She pointed to their plates. “Eat!”
But in the back of her mind was the pertinent fact that they’d survived nearly the same situation she faced. There were similarities, at least. Look where they are now, a little voice piped up in the back of her mind. And Treeny did look, long and clearly.
Happily married with a toddler and another baby on the way. Both of them so in love with the other it was heartening (and a little sickening) to watch. She wanted that. Treeny wanted to be in love like they were. With Ben. Even if that meant she’d have to live with a fear so great it was paralyzing.
The biggest question was could she?