The Former Lover [Sequel To Military Minds]

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was late afternoon when Rebecca awoke the following day. Moaning groggily, she turned on her side to see the digital clock displaying 2.04 pm. Her body had urgently required sleep, being in her own warm and comfortable bed was a bonus.

Rebecca swung herself up into a sitting position and rubbed the sleep from her eyes with a yawn. She pulled on her favourite sweater that hung over the foot of her bed, before trodding downstairs.

Glenn glanced up when she entered the kitchen, flashing her his million dollar smile. "Good morning sweetheart."

"Morning dad," Rebecca grumbled, still groggy with sleep. She lousily dropped her arm around his shoulders. "where's your fiancé?"

"Over here!" Miranda enthused from the couch. Rebecca had failed to notice her up until then. She had one leg folded over the other, deeply consumed by the puzzle book lain across her thighs.

"Why don't you go and get dressed honey?" Glenn kept a steady eye on the bacon he was cooking, but made sure Rebecca knew he was talking to her.

Glancing down at her panther sweater and grey briefs, she made a face. She had forgot to make an effort before coming downstairs.

With that, she jogged back up the stairs and into her room, hauling the gigantic drawers open. Her jeans were arranged by favouritism, something Glenn had respected. She smiled to herself and grabbed her pair of thin orange jeans, almost falling over as she pulled them on. She fixed her brown waves and put on a little mascara and was about to leave, when the torn open envelope on her desk caught her eye.

The reunion.

She scrambled over and picked it up, skimming over the details. It was today.

Rebecca bravely swallowed the knot in her throat, before trodding back downstairs to where Glenn and Miranda embraced in the lounge room. She had never felt more empty inside. Thinking about the letter, and seeing how happy they were, made Rebecca crumble inside. If Megan were still alive...

She swiped the oncoming tears away and cleared her throat, attracting at least her father's attention.

"I have to go to the reunion," Rebecca affirmed, tucking a loose strip of hair behind her ear. "I hope you didn't make me any lunch."

"No honey," Glenn shrugged. "I didn't know what you wanted. Do you need a lift?"

Rebecca considered this. It was a twenty minute walk, the time she walked down Barkley St and then into the Main Street. Her body wanted to just relax, after all of the stress it had endured during the past five years.

"Alright," she nodded. "Thanks."

"I'll take her," Miranda chimed in happily, flashing Rebecca a smile.

Great. Rebecca thought to herself. She was uncertain of Miranda: could Rebecca trust her? They'd only met last night. Somehow, though, she couldn't shake the apprehension that had been brewing in her since last night. Miranda was uncanny, but Rebecca couldn't tell her father that. He'd think that she was being paranoid and give her this lecture about how war affects mental health.

Rebecca admitted that Miranda had a nice car. It was a Hyundai Getz. Nothing Rebecca would ever buy, but it was nice anyway. She pulled open the door and dropped in, right beside Miranda.

"So," Miranda smiled, turning the key in the ignition. The car vibrated to life. "I bet you're looking forward to seeing your old friends."

Rebecca folded her arms across her chest and averted her gaze out the window. The subject of her Military Minds colleagues was sensitive, and private. "Whoever's left, I guess."