Army Way of Life

Chapter Twenty Six

DISCLAIMER: Things you read in this chapter about USMA and the Army are purely made up to fit the storyline I envisioned and may not at all be accurate.

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I didn't hear anything from Jeremy for 5 days and I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried after he completely lost it on the phone that night. I emailed John, but all he said was that he'd been busy and hadn't really seen him. So I waited.

Macie was at work and Ryker was napping when there was a pounding on the door. Flashbacks to when my dad showed up were at the forefront of my mind and I was scared to move.

"It's me, open up!" But the voice on the other side of the door had me moving faster than I ever had before.

I flung the door open and my eyes went wide. What the hell was Jeremy doing here, in North Carolina? It was a Tuesday, and he was supposed to be in New York. At school.

"Wh...What?" I stuttered. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in West Point right now. In class."

I stared at him, waiting for him to say something; shed some light on what the hell was going on.

"Can I come in?" he asked nervously, eyes wide.

I moved back so that he could step in and closed the door behind him. I moved into the living room and sat down on the couch. Jeremy sat in the armchair and bounced his legs. I refused to be the first one to say anything because I had no clue what was going on.

While we were sitting in silence, my phone rang on the coffee table. I looked to see who it was and saw a West Point number. I looked to Jeremy and then back at my phone before answering it.

"Hello?"

A sigh of relief filled the line. "Quinn, I'm glad I got you. Jeremy's gone. He left," John's panicked voice said.

"Yeah. I know."

"You know? And you didn't try to stop him?"

"He just showed up at my door, John. I didn't know it until like 2 seconds ago."

"That fool..." he cursed.

"Look, J, you don't know everything."

"Then fucking tell me, Quinn."

"I can't right now. I think I've got bigger issues at this very moment," I reminded him.

"Right. Well call me tonight."

"I'll try," I promised. But who knew what was going to happen. "Bye, John."

"Bye, Sis," he said, sounding unsure and defeated.

I hung up and laid my phone down on the table, looking at Jeremy expectantly. "Apparently people are finding out that you're gone. Which means my dad is going to find out. And that means I need information, Jeremy, so I know what the fuck to say. Or do. John called you a fool. What's going on?"

"He doesn't know anything."

"And I told him that. But at this moment, he knows stuff that I don't. So start talking."

Jeremy sighed and put his face in his hands.

"Why'd you leave?" I asked. "It was the ONE thing I told you not to do." I said, my anger at this situation coming out.

"I know, but listen," he said desperately. I raised my eyebrows, urging him to continue. "You are my life, and Ryker is my life. My priorities cannot be on me. Yes, the timing of everything is the worst, but I have to make decisions that are the best for all of us. When your dad is making threats like he is, I can't stand by hundreds of miles away doing nothing. It is my job to keep you safe, even though you don't think you need it. Besides, what's done is done."