There Are No Words

Chapter 23B

Walker

I lean back against the inside of the I-S hall's backdoor to try to get my nerves under control.

My heart's beating so fast I think the people around me can hear its thumping from where they stand. So much rides on this night. All I want to do is hold Jenny in my arms and never let her go. It's almost painful how desperate I feel.

Right then, the door behind me swings back and I almost fall straight on my ass. It's all I can do to remain upright. Laughing, Cian and Siofra come in, oblivious to my plight.

"Oh, hey, Walker. What're you doing back here?" Siofra asks, straightening her dress. She finger-combs her hair, and bites her lip while looking at Cian from the corner of her eye. Siofra blushes as she reaches forward to wipe a smudge of lip stick from behind my brother's ear. I smile and shake my head at the two of them.

When the sound of the hall's front door swaying open reaches us, we look over in time to see Jenny come inside on the left arm of her cousin, Deaglán. Kim is on his right arm, looking very pregnant and very beautiful as well. Sage is to Jenny's left, on her leash.

Jenny's wearing a backless, ice blue dress that stops at her knee. Her silver high heels accentuate her ass just the right way and I lose all train of thought. My heart starts to hammer in my chest and I can feel the anxiety return. Cian sees my face and gets it right away.

"Hey, Siofra, give us a minute, ok? I'll be right with you," Cian says, pulling his arm out from under her.

I look at him and feel like I'm going to throw up.

Shit.

"Get it together, Walker. You can do this," he says. "It's just Jenny. You've been best friends with her your whole life."

"I'm trying," I reply, running my hands through my hair. "What if she turns me down, Cian? What if she says, 'No'. I won't blame her after the disaster that's been this past week. I don't know if I can take her rejection after all this time."

"Walker. It's all good. It's fine. Jenny's crazy about you. Just talk..."

Suddenly, there's a shout from inside and we both run into the room to see what's going on. I'm instantly furious. Unbelievably, some creep has his hands all over my girl. The man tries to grab Jenny's ass and she's not having it. I watch my Dad move in to intercept but before he can reach her, Jenny has the guy's hand in a death grip. The next thing I know, Jenny flips him over her hip, and throws him into the table behind her. Fruit punch and napkins fly everywhere. Drinks and glasses shatter around him as he takes in the disaster that is himself. Enraged, the guy jumps up to retaliate, but has no chance. In two strikes, she has him back on the ground moaning and crying like small child. When my eyes reach Jenny, I can see her dress is ripped on the side and her shoes are covered in red punch. Despite her state of disarray, however, she looks thrilled.

"Jenny, my gosh! Are you alright?" Kim's by her side and asking in an instant.

Deaglán, with Sage on her leash, runs inside behind Cian and I. Siofra isn't far behind, and comes to an abrupt stop when she sees the mess.

"What happened, Jenny? How'd you do that?" Cian asks.

I expected her to be upset but Jenny looks up at me and radiates triumph.

"Him...I...him...take down...him not hurt me. I not scared. I did it!" Jenny exclaims, laughing nervously, jumping around in her little heals.

"You did it, Jenny. You did it!" Kim echoes, clearly happy for Jenny.

"Come on, G.I. Jane, let's get you cleaned up," Kim says, holding Jenny's hand as they walk arm in arm towards the bathrooms. Deaglán hands Siofra Sage's leash and she runs to catch up with the girls.

I turn to Deaglán, who is standing by my side with Finn and Cian.

"What was that?" I ask.

Deaglán shakes his head at me, and answers, "Come on, Walker. Let's...take a walk."

While Kim and Siofra clean Jenny up, Deaglán fills me in on what'd happened to Jenny at the rehab center when she was living at his house. The near-rape makes my blood boil again. I want to hit something. The only constellation is the fact that I know Jenny's ok, and that the guy is now in jail. Apparently, his attack on Jenny was his third strike and he was therefore given time behind bars, without any chance of parole. Deaglán then explains about Sage, and Jenny's self-defense classes; how Jenny overcame her fears. And finally, how Jenny became someone who turned a bad experience around by giving back.

When Jenny moved back home she signed herself and Sage up to volunteer at the local Veterans Administration Hospital. Just like when she lived with her uncle, Jenny wants to continue to offer pet therapy to soldiers returning home and suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Jenny knows how much Sage meant to her while she was healing. With Sage, she helps our veterans find some semblance of peace, if only for a little while.

If I hadn't been in love with Jenny before, I'm gone now.

Deaglán leaves me alone to collect my thoughts and goes back inside the I-S hall.

Sitting alone on a bench behind the hall, I think back to all of the men and women I've had the honor to work with in the Marines. The ones I fought beside, the ones I came home with, and the ones we lost.

After some time, I feel a small hand tap me on the shoulder. I look up and smile.

"Walker? You...ok?"

"Jenny, yes. I'm ok. But what about you, are you ok?" I ask, standing up to rub her arms in case she's cold, and look her over for signs of bumps or bruises.

"Yes. Ok." We sit back down on the bench nearby.

"Walker?"

"Yeah, Jenny?"

"I...I l...o... I LOVE YOU."

It's like a bolt of lightning to my heart.

"Did you just say you love me, Jenny?"

"Y-Yes. I l...o...v...e you, Walker."

I jump to my feet and pick Jenny up into my arms and swing her in a circle before placing her back down. I cup her chin in my hands and look in her eyes and say, "I love you, too, Jenny. So damn much. I've wanted to tell you for so long. I was so afraid to tell you. I thought I'd lost you. I love you, Genevieve Roisin. Táim i ngrá leat! And, I am never letting you go.

"Marry me, Jenny," I exclaim. "Be my best friend and love for life."

When we go back inside arm and arm, our family and friends applaud. I hear Deaglán yell from the back, "Hooyah, Walker!"

"Ooh Rah!" I answer him, laughing, and kiss Jenny on her forehead as I hold her tight, the engagement ring she just accepted sparkling in the hall lights around us.

"I love you, Walker. Love you," she says to me.

Sensing our enthusiasm, Sage nudges my leg to let me know she needs some affection, too.

"And, we love you too, Sage!" I say, rubbing her ear.

There are no words for this moment.

I have my best friend in my arms, the love of my life, and I am never letting her go.

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Photograph Copyright 2018 A. E. F.