Casual Affair

Seven

Monday morning was something I had dreaded the entire weekend but I knew there was no way to avoid facing the team after what had happened the Saturday night before with Bradley, Sienna, and I.

To my shock, nobody had said anything about what had happened except for Mickey, who seemed to apologize at least a million times since then. I wasn't angry at him though. I mean, how could I be when it was mine and Bradley's doing and nobody else's?

As I took a seat and we were about to get started for the day, Mav was interrupted by Admiral Simpson who entered the room with a much more stern than usual look on his face as his eyes scanned the room, only to stop on me.

"Lieutenant Cain, come with me."

I swallowed hard and grabbed my things before following him to his office where he slammed the door behind us, causing me to jump slightly.

"How can I help you, sir?" I questioned as Admiral Simpson sat down at his desk.

"You're grounded, lieutenant."

"I'm sorry. I'm what?" I questioned, my eyes wide in question.

"Grounded," he echoed.

"And why is that, sir?"

He didn't answer me but we both knew exactly why he was grounding me and it wasn't something I could actually be grounded for.

"Sir, if this is regarding the personal matter that occurred over the weekend, it's just that. Personal. And it is unethical for you to ground me based on your personal feelings that surround the situation just because your daughter is involved," I explained. "I mean, how would you feel if Sienna were a pilot and the roles were reversed and my grandfather grounded her? Wouldn't be fair, would it?"

He looked up at me with narrowed eyes and it was apparent that he didn't like anything I had to say. It was also very clear that Sienna got her attitude from her father.

"Zip it, Lieutenant."

My nostrils flared and my heart raced, anger consuming me as I realized that I was the only person being blamed for the entire situation.

"Is that all, sir?" I questioned through gritted teeth.

"Go home, Lieutenant because come tomorrow, you will be so far away from the runway and any aircraft that you won't be able even smell the jet fuel anymore."

I fought from rolling my eyes, my heart racing from the frustration I felt against not only Admiral Simpson but his precious Sienna and even Bradley.

I left Admiral Simpson's office and marched outside where the others were luckily headed outside in the opposite direction. I couldn't hold back my frustration anymore and tears began to fall, leaving little black rivers down my cheeks from my mascara.

"Ry! Ryder!"

I whipped around and faced Bradley who had jogged to catch up to me.

"Don't speak to me," I replied and he tried to reach out to cup my cheek but I pulled away from his grasp.

"Ryder, what happened?"

"I told you the night you kissed me that we didn't need to be anything more than friends and still you thought with the head between your legs instead of the one on your shoulders," I spat out, stepping backwards from Bradley. "So because of you I'm grounded!"

"Me? Because of me?" Bradley asked in shock, his jaw dropping slightly.

"That's exactly what I said," I replied with narrowed eyes.

"Last time I checked, you were begging for it, Ryder. You're not as innocent as you want everybody to think that you are," he scoffed. "You want to know one thing worse than a preachers daughter? An admirals."

Bradley tried to step towards me but I put my hand out, pushing him away from me before walking to my car as I shook my head, in disbelief by what Bradley had said to me.

Was I innocent? No. Did I make it clear that we made a mistake from the get go? Yes.

Bradley was a big boy who made his own choices but those choices directly affected me and my career and unless I got my grandfather involved in this the way that Sienna got her own father, I was stuck.

As I got into my car and left, Bradley stood and watched me and I saw him through my rearview mirror before he sulked back to where the rest of the team was.

Not knowing what else to do, I went home and peeled my flight suit off before laying it over the back of the kitchen chair before picking my phone up and calling one of the only people who could help me.

"Honeybee, shouldn't you be at work?"

"Yeah," I sighed with a frown. "I should be."

"What's wrong?"

"I got to work this morning and Admiral Simpson grounded me. He sent me home for the day and was sure to let me know that, and I quote, I'll be so far from the runway that I won't be able to smell the jet fuel anymore."

"Ryder, what did you do?" He questioned, a hint of sternness in his voice.

"He's blaming me for issues with Bradley and his daughter," I explained.

I knew I lied to my own grandfather but the absolute last thing I was going to tell him were the intimate details that surrounded Bradley and I's little affair.

"She got angry when she found out that Brad and I have a past and, in front of the whole team, chastised him and made him choose between me or her. To my shock, he chose me and now I'm the one that's suffering."

"Let me get back to you, honeybee."

"Yep. Talk to you later," I muttered before hanging up.

I moved to my bedroom and sat at the foot of the bed before burying my head in my hands. I was so stupid for allowing my own feelings to get in the way of what Bradley and Sienna had and I knew I'd have a difficult time ever being able to forgive myself for the mess that came as a result of mine and Bradley's carelessness.

Not having anything else to do, I crawled up my bed and pulled my blanket over myself before taking a nap to pass the day, hoping I'd wake up and all of this would be a bad dream.