Steele Promises

Signatures

Chapter 7

 

July 15, 2011, Annapolis, MD

 

“What do you mean the paper work won’t be going through?” Jaxon screamed into the phone at the clerk.

“I’m sorry Mr. Steele, but since all of the signatures aren’t in the proper place we aren’t able to process the paper work. The house will be seized by the government as it was purchased using a serviceman’s grant. If no soldier is living there the grant is recalled. Also Mrs. Kelley will not be receiving any of the other marital benefits, unless we are able to procure those signatures.”

“Preston Kelley is dead, how the hell are you going to get those signatures?” Jaxon asked angrily.

“I’m sorry Mr. Steele…” The rest of the clerk’s sentence was cut off when Jaxon hung up the phone. “Crap.”

“So what are you going to do now?” Albert Ocean asked looking at his friend. He’d served with Preston and Jaxon, they were on the same team and when Jaxon had called asking him to come to this house he’d thought it was some kind of prank. The moment he saw the sleeping pregnant woman laying on the couch it all came crashing down on him that his friend had left behind a wife and child.

“I don’t know,” Jaxon said. “At least we know that she won’t have to pay for a funeral. That much will be taken care of without her having any rights. I can talk Sarge into giving her the flag at the funeral. The house is going to be the biggest problem.”

“Maybe she has some family she can go stay with,” Bert said.

“No, Preston’s letter said he was all she had. She’s an orphan like he was.”

“Did you spend the night here?” Chey said coming downstairs. She was still wearing the same clothes she’d worn the day before and both men could tell she’d cried this morning.

“Yes, I was afraid to leave you alone. This is Albert Ocean,” he said motioning to the other man sitting at the table. He had dark auburn hair and soft brown eyes. “He was another team member. I had him move you to your bed last night because I wasn’t able to with one arm.” She finally noticed that his arm was in a sling.

“Oh what happened?” she asked coming forward. She touched his shoulder gently.

“It’s nothing it was fractured about a week ago. It’s well on its way to being healed.”

“You got hurt the same time Preston died.” It sounded like a question but they all knew it was a statement.

“Yes ma’am.” Jaxon answered. He watched as she slowly lowered herself into a nearby chair. “Listen I’ve been making some calls, to find out why you hadn’t been notified when it happened. From what they tell me…some of the paper work was filled out incorrectly.”

“But, Jax and I are going to get everything straightened out,” Burt said interrupting Jaxon. Jaxon just turned to look at him like he was crazy. “You should go upstairs and take a bath, relax and he and I will take care of everything. I know this stress probably isn’t good for the little one.” When he mentioned to baby he looked at Jaxon.

“Okay,” Chey said standing up. Jaxon rushed to her side to help her up. “Thank you both. I really appreciate your help. I’ll be okay, really just as soon as I can wrap my head around this…I’ll be okay,” Jaxon and Burt both looked at each other unsure if she was trying to convince them or herself. They watched as she left the room and listened until they heard the water running upstairs.

“She’s hanging on by a thread,” Burt said. “She’s not going to take it good when she learns that the Marine Corps won’t recognize her marriage.”

“And she’s going to take losing the house even worse. What are we going to do? We can’t just leave her blowing in the wind. From what Preston told me, she has nowhere to go and no one to turn to. Not to mention that she’s not working so she can’t have any money.”

“You could always marry her yourself,” Burt said only halfway joking.

“Don’t be stupid, I need real ideas.”

“Well, why can’t she just come live with you? You’ve got that big house and no one to fill it.”

“My parents bought me that house as a hint for me to get married. I don’t even stay there when we aren’t deployed. It’s probably not even fit to live in right now.”

“Yeah, but you could get it ready to live in with the help of the team. You know they would help if you tell them it’s for her. A couple of the guys are married too, so they would help if only to know that there would be someone to help their wives if something happened to them. We get the house fixed up and she’ll move in with you. You can stop paying for that crappy apartment you insist on living in. I mean for a trust fund baby like yourself you really do slum it a lot.”

“Thank you for your insight into my life Dr. Phil,” Jaxon said regretting the drunken night he’d told Burt about his family. His father was the CEO and Owner of the top security firm in America and his mother was a Supreme Court judge. You would think with their deep political and patriotic beliefs they would be proud of him, however they weren’t. They’d both hoped he would become a lawyer; they got their lawyer later from his younger sister. He would inherit the family business when his father passed and he was keenly aware that his training would come in handy. “Are you sure that is a good idea?”

“You got a better one?”

“Yeah, let her stay with you.”

“Bad idea, you’ve been put on leave until further notice. She looks like she’s about to pop and someone needs to be here to help her when that happens. I could be called away at any time.” Jaxon ran a hand through his hair. “Psych said since you were closest to Preston that you needed the time and I agree.”

“Fine, I’ll talk to the guys tomorrow and hopefully they will agree with you.” They sat there talking and brainstorming to make sure they had everything covered for things to go smoothly for Chey. She was in the position that no woman should have been in.