See You Again

Chapter 12

We were walking to where our platoon was meeting in the airport until we heard someone calling us 'Jarheads' and let's just say it wasn't a friendly calling, we would know. I turned around and signaled Connor to keep going, I think he knew what to do because of my clenched fists. "Yes?" Right as I turned around I got ice cold water in my face, I wiped my face then opened my eyes "really what did that accomplish for you, well my actual question for you is why? Just why would you do this?" I swear some Texas guys were assholes. "You think your all that and your invincible, you think your doing good but all you do is kill children" I only killed two children and they were holding RPGs "have you gone over there, someone in your family?"

I heard marching behind me and I knew what Connor had done and this put a smile on my face. The man finally spoke once my platoon was finally behind me "my son was but yet no one could save him because they wouldn't drag him back to safety" now I know why this guy is mad at us, he blames us. "This is my sixth time going over there, there are decisions made and you have to think about everything before doing anything, I've made life or death decisions and guess what I fucked up a few times but don't think I won't do what's best for this team before I think about myself, now if you don't mind we have to go and make more of those decisions" me and my platoon walked with our arms around eachother's shoulders and walked towards our fate, getting applause from people that watched the whole thing, I hated humiliating him like that but I just spoke from the heart.

Our plane taxied into the gate and all of us grabbed our bags to get ready to board, I was about to go until I felt a familiar thing attached to my leg. I bent down and picked up Eric "hey little man shouldn't you still be in school? And who brought you?" My answer was questioned when someone jumped on my back. I heard laughs from my platoon and my family which made me smile "we wanted to send you off the right way oh and Carter can we talk over there" Casey pointed away from the group and I nodded but I knew I didn't have long before I boarded.

"What's up?" She stood up and kissed me taking me by surprise "what was that for?" The last time she kissed me like that was when I first got back from my first tour and I told her I liked her. "Well I'm going to miss you, it was for good luck and that way you know I'll never forget or move on from you no matter what" I nodded then chuckled a little. We stood there awkwardly for a moment until I realized that I had to go and that why am I so nervous to kiss my wife, I bent my head down and brought our lips together. "I'm sorry I hurt you every time I leave, but I still love you" she nodded then gave me a quick peck on the lips before I turned around and gave Eric one last hug before I left.

***

"Hey captain you ever gonna stop being awkward around your own wife, you looked like you just started dating, damn" I laughed, I really did love these guys they always knew how to lighten the mood. I started saying the math aloud that way they could get the point "Let's see, two days plus two days plus two weeks plus two months and three days plus three months, I've been dating her for five months and three weeks, I've been married to her for five months, a week and three days, but that's just how long I've been in the states with her" i smiled remembering our first date that was at a carnival, i wonder if she still has the gorilla. I pulled out my phone and called Casey, it rang a couple times then she finally answered, i didn't even say hello I just asked her if she had the gorilla still, she laughed and then hung up, twenty seconds later she sent me a picture of her students holding a gorilla, she must have went back to school.

I never took my time home for granted, I made sure that everyday and every minute went to Eric, Casey, or getting to know Connor better, I know I'll miss a lot when I'm gone but I just hope that Eric won't hate me because I'm gone for four years. I always wondered what fathers said to their kid before they left for war, I said "why aren't you in school?" does that make me sound like a jackass, i don't know, hopefully he isn't mad at me.