480 Hours

11 | He Can't Quit Her

Staff Sergeant Hogan

I was a selfish asshole. A happy, selfish asshole.

For whatever reason, when I was around Maggie the terrible images that plagued my thoughts during the long days spent at the hospital ceased to exist. She was a ray of light in the darkness that was stage four-breast cancer. Even though I felt guilty about it, I wanted to spend all of my time with Maggie.

I was determined to redeem myself after the horrible meal I had made for Maggie the night before. So, I woke up Marine Corps early and snuck out of her room, trying not to wake the mutt in the process. Unfortunately, it was only after I was in the thick of things that I realized I was making enough pancakes for my entire battalion overseas. I knew Liam could put food away like an ogre, so I didn't panic until he appeared in the kitchen around six, informing me he was on his way to Ariel's.

I could tell that Bailey still had a lot to say to me in regards to the feelings I had towards his sister, but he also seemed to be in a hurry. Thankfully, his want to see Ariel seemed to outweigh his need to yell at me. This of course was beneficial for me because I still had yet to come up with a sensible reason as to why I had excluded him in the first place.

Bailey and I had drifted apart since his discharge from the marines and although that was not entirely my fault, I had stopped putting effort into our friendship three weeks after he refused to take my calls. Three weeks was all it took for me to give up on a friendship I otherwise believed would be life long.

The grocery store really had been right around the corner and I would have made it in and out in record time if it had not been for the remarks the kid at the register made about my haircut and how the military was tearing our country apart. Usually, I would have proudly defended my career choice, but that morning I was in a rush to get back to my girl who was sitting alone in one of my t-shirts a few blocks over.

So, instead of standing up for the very institution that helped keep this young hipster free and safe, I nodded my head awkwardly and informed him I was not in need of a bag for my eggs and bouquet of flowers. That would have been the end of our interaction if not for the grey haired veteran standing three costumers behind me in line.

"I think what you meant to say to this young hero is, thank you for your service!" Again, I was never usually one to shy away from confrontation. However, I had a finite amount of time left that morning to spend with Maggie. It was already almost nine thirty, which meant I only had an hour left at the Bailey's house before I left for the hospital.

I tried to take my receipt from the checker, but he refused to hand it over, instead making direct eye contact with the old man who had pushed his way up in the line and was now standing beside me. "No, I guess what I meant to say was that the military is going to end up getting everyone in this country killed." As the kid spoke with obvious conviction, his very specific haircut flopped back and forth.

Of course, at that point our interaction had drawn the attention of numerous onlookers and management. The manager of the store, a short and stout woman, quickly marcher her way in our direction before asking in a very authoritative tone, "What is going on here, Colton?" The checker, who smirked in my direction before answering, claimed the old man and I had been harassing him.

Trying to keep my emotions in check, I attempted to keep calm when following the manager out of the building. The angry woman asked the old man and I never to return to the store, before swiftly returning to consult the other costumers behind us.

I turned to walk back to Maggie's car; eggs and flowers thankfully still in hand, only to be stopped by the old veteran. "Sorry about that marine, I just can't stand when this millennial generation disrespects the military like that."