I Hate the Way...

Part 19: "Come Back Home"

The following morning, Josie wakes up to the sound of a faucet squeaking and running water.

Her eyes flutter open, the clock on the nightstand being the first thing she sees:

4:35 a.m.

She rubs her eyes lightly as she rolls over to face the other direction, towards the side of the bed where her wife laid as she fell asleep the night prior, also in the direction of the opened bathroom door, where she sees Hope standing at the sink.

She groggily asks the Tribrid, "How long have you been up?"

Hope turns off the sink and turns to face the brunette, who remains loosely covered only by a single bedsheet.

"Since about 3:00 a.m. I went for a run."

Josie chuckles lightly, propping up on an elbow as Hope reenters the bedroom, "You went for a run at 3 in the morning?"

Hope nods, "I couldn't really sleep."

"What?" Josie's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Last night was easily the best sleep she's ever gotten, and she figured Hope would've felt the same.

"I um—I didn't really sleep at all, so..I went for a run. That's kind of what I do."

Josie's a little thrown off by the lackluster tone Hope uses. Back to the way she was towards Josie before last night.

Josie scoffs lightly, "So you're that person? The person who just pretends last night didn't happen?"

Hope turns her back to Josie again, putting something into her bag, "I don't know what you mean. I just have a lot on my mind—"

Josie senses the change, though. No matter how Hope denies it.

She dismissively cuts off her wife, "Okay."

Hope only exhales a short, defeated breath, "We've gotta go to deployment, so we should probably start getting ready."

Josie mumbles unenthusiastically, "Great."

Josie knows part of her annoyance is only fueled because her wife is leaving her today, and despite their rocky, brief history, Josie really meant it last night when she told Hope that she would miss her.

The other part of her frustration is because Hope seemingly just flipped a switch between last night and the morning.

She seemed so loving and perfect last night, but Josie guesses that was just so that she'd get to have sex on her wedding night.

It was fake, just like every other part of their arrangement.

———

Josie sighs as she looks out the window of the car as Hope shifts the gear into park.

Neither of them say a word.

Hope glances over to the brunette, wondering what she's thinking as she observes their surroundings.

"I've lived here my whole life, and I've never been on base."

There are helicopters flying. Soldiers everywhere.

They walk into the building where Josie is to receive her military spouse I.D. for base clearance, and it's a simple enough process.

And then on to the dreaded part...

They make their way over to the area where there are four busses, surrounded by soldiers and their loving families telling them 'goodbye.'

Josie sees Hope's friends/coworkers in their uniforms as well, saying goodbye to their loved ones as well.

Hope once again glances over to her wife before reaching out to intertwine their hands and guiding her over.

They stop not to far away as Hope takes her backpack off her shoulder and sifts through it for something, while Josie only looks around at all the people, spouses audibly crying, children grasping their parents, and so many 'I love you's.

"Jo?"

Josie snaps out of her trance, finally turning to her wife after being called a few times.

She sees a small notepad with a few things written down in Hope's hands.

"If anything happens to me—"

Josie mumbles, "God forbid..." involuntarily.

She doesn't even think she believes in a god, but she pleads to whatever entity might exist out there somewhere that nothing happens to her wife.

Hope wears a sympathetic look, looking down to the notepad in her hands to relieve herself of any intense eye contact.

"If for some reason, I don't make it home, I—I've left the house to you and Lizzie."

Josie is very overwhelmed by every part of that sentence, but she doesn't get the chance to really process it before Hope continues.

"I've left many assets to my nephew, but the rest goes to you. I've listed the addresses to my family's houses and their contact information...If something should happen to me, they'll need to know you're my next of kin. But please, don't contact them unless you absolutely have to."

Josie sees almost desperation in Hope's eyes, and the only thing she can do is nod and take the note from her wife.

"And remember, we'll need to appear as a couple, even while I'm away. Emails, video calls, everything."

"Yeah...got it," Josie nods again. She doesn't know where the sudden melancholy is coming from in her own tone.

Hope puts her bag back on her shoulder, glancing around as Josie does.

Soldiers are starting to board the busses, kissing their kids and spouses one last time.

"We should probably..."

Josie's words fade as Hope nods in agreement, "Yeah..Can I—"

"Yeah," Josie's words escape her quicker than they probably should've, but she doesn't have to dwell on that thought for long, as Hope begins to lean in and Josie follows suit.

The kiss gives Josie mixed feelings.

Memories of their night prior rush back into her mind, reminding her of the hoax of love she was such a fool to believe in so eagerly and naively.

But as foolish as it was, and is, she still feels that glimmer of longing and endearment.

For a fake marriage, their arrangement breeds some realistic moments of mutual affection, and it's all too confusing for her.

It's over quickly, but a tingling sensation lingers on Josie's lips as she whispers with her eyes still shut, "Come back home..."

———