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Jill's phone vibrated in her pocket and she pulled it out to read her big brother's text message. We've been at the baggage claim for twenty minutes, where the fuck are you? She rolled her eyes and huffed out a sigh; did she have any control over the delay in disembarking the plane? She furiously pounded on the keys of her phone. Patience, grasshopper. I'll meet you there as soon as I can.
"Come on!" she muttered under her breath, resisting the urge to make her way up the aisle of the plane by throwing elbows. Her cell vibrated again and Jill clucked impatiently under her breath, though she was grateful for the temporary distraction from her frustrations. You're going to put Casey into early labor and your nephew will never forgive you when he's too small to play hockey like his dad.
You're such a drama queen. She's not going to go into early labor just by standing.
How would you know? Not many babies being born in Iraq, are there?
I'm sure there are plenty being born there, but none in the Army. If you're so worried, find your wife a seat.
His wife ... it was still difficult to wrap her head around the fact that Jason had gotten married. Maybe if she had been at the wedding, it would be easier to believe. But the military had denied her request to leave theater for his big day. It was part of the reason she didn't reenlist when her four years of service ended.
Jill was sidetracked from her thoughts as a little cheer erupted from her fellow passengers. The large man in row five that had somehow gotten stuck was free at last, and the line resumed moving forward. We're moving now, see you in a few, she quickly texted, before hiking her bag higher on her shoulder and making her way down the aisle.
Minutes later she was finally at baggage claim, her eyes peeled for any sign of her brother and new sister-in-law. A few seconds after reaching the carousels she heard someone shout, "Jilly Bean!" and her face broke into a grin as she recognized Jason's voice.
Smiling and waving, he ran to lift her into a giant bear hug that threatened to knock the wind right out of her. "Jesus, Jase!" she croaked out before he finally set her back on her feet. Jill steadied herself, and turned to face the very pregnant woman next to her brother. "You must be Casey." Jill pulled her into a hug before she could think twice.
"It's nice to meet you too," Casey chuckled out as Jill tried to avoid squishing her large belly. "Maybe now Jason will relax a little now that he has one less person to worry about," she said with a smile.
"You weren't worried about me, were you big brother?" Jill asked with a grin. "Didn't I kick your ass enough when we were kids for you to know that I can take care of myself?"
"There's a big difference," Jason commented gruffly, "between wrestling with me and dodging shrapnel."
Jill felt his eyes lingering over the couple of new scars on her face and reddened under his stare. The marks weren't anything too noticeable, a few small cuts on her cheek and forehead from an unexpected IED that her convoy had encountered. She had been lucky that all of her wounds had been superficial. It could have been much, much worse. Jill had seen that first hand working in the Army field hospital.
"Well, I'm home now, so you can stop your pretty little head from worrying," Jill commented casually, trying to keep the exchange light. The last thing she wanted to get into were her experiences overseas. "Speaking of that head, thank God you cut those golden locks; you were starting to look like me."
