Beyond the Horizon | Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw

Part Two - The Hard Deck

Hours later, I've thoroughly exhausted myself with unpacking, I lay down on my freshly-made bed and grab my laptop. After spending a few minutes scrolling around, deciding what to watch, I land on one of the ultimate classics, 10 Things I Hate About You. Barely five minutes into the movie, I hear my phone buzz beside me and I lean over to my nightstand to get it. A pending call from Phoenix awaits me.

"Hey! What's going on?" I answer the phone and grab my watch to check the time.

"Get your uniform, we're going drinking," she all but sings through the phone.

"The hell does that mean?" I laugh as I close my laptop. Tossing the blankets off, I crawl out of bed and find my Service Khaki uniform.

"I met some guys who're here for the same mission and they said we're all meeting up at the Hard Deck, and I'm not letting you sulk in your room all night. Meet us in the dorm lobby in 30." I open my mouth to counter her 'invitation' but before any words can get out, Phoenix hangs up the phone.

I chuckle to myself, put my phone down, and start to get dressed. My hair gets pulled back masterfully into a tight bun that sits at the bottom of my head. I carefully gel the loose hairs that would risk the bun looking anything less than perfect. Sitting at my desk, I pull out a foldable desk mirror and my small bag of makeup. In compliance with Navy uniform regulations, I never wore noticeable makeup. I only ever wore natural and clean looking makeup. Tonight was not going to be an exception. I touched up my concealer and added a bit of blush. I brush on some lengthening mascara to help give my eyes some hint of life.

When I'm finally satisfied with my makeup, I give myself a once over to make sure I'm not missing anything. Before heading out, I pick up my name tag from where it sits on my desk. I stare at it momentarily as my fingers brush over the letters spelling 'Cortell'. I think about my father and brother who wore tags that presented the same name when they too were pilots for the Navy. Despite the three of us all sharing similar careers in the Navy, the one thing that differentiates us, however, is the fact that I am now a Top Gun graduate. And for personal reasons, neither one of them could ever say they held that achievement.

Crystal clear tears start to form in my eyes, and that all too familiar ache pinches the back of my throat. I bite my tongue, just hard enough to bring that metallic taste to my mouth. Pulling myself out of the past, I pin the name tag to my shirt, then make my way down to the lobby. Once I get to the elevators, I don't have to wait long before I'm walking towards a talkative Phoenix and two men.

"Hey!" Phoenix waves as she notices me. The two accompanying her turn and smile at me. "This is Fanboy," he offers his hand out and I shake it, "and this is Payback." The latter smiles and waves in a sociable way.

"I'm Dice, it's good to meet you both," I say with a smile.

"We all good to head out?" Phoenix asks us. The three of us nod our heads in mutual agreement and we start outside. "Should we take my car?" She holds up the keys to her car and starts walking out of the building as if the three of us have already answered her question. Chuckling at her eagerness to drive, we follow her out to the parking lot.

~

Walking beside Phoenix with Payback and Fanboy behind us, we enter the loud, busy, and familiar bar. The nostalgia of being back at this bar is enough to send a warm electric feeling all throughout my body. A smiles sparks on my face in response. Back in our Top Gun days, we frequented here enough to be on a first name basis with the bartender. The many memories I've made at this bar flash through my mind like a movie reel. Music is blaring from the jukebox that sits in the back corner, adding to the homey, old-school vibe that we so loved (and continue to love) about this bar. The further in we walk, the more we can see the energy and happiness that's emanating from the bar patrons, most of whom are members of the Navy. People are laughing, smiling, dancing. It relieves me to see that these people, despite the severity of their jobs, can catch a break and have some fun.