A Solder's Tale (Book 1 of Something Series) (Completed)

Chapter 6 (Edited)

Anna got out of my arm and looked at me with her eyes tearing a little. "You look good," she said. She ran a hand through my hair. "Scruffier than usual." A laugh filled her voice as she started to tease me.

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "Meanie," I said narrowing my eyes a little. I looked her up and down.  "You haven't changed a bit."

Anna laughed a little. "That is an understatement," she said. "I have changed."

Not as much as me, I thought, bitterly. I cleared my throat as Patrick jabbed me in the ribs. "This is Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Harris and the man that who had insisted on carrying my stuff is Private Michael Ward."

"She's even prettier in human," Patrick teased, making me roll my eyes. He looked at Anna and smiled. "He kept talking about his girl back home and kept getting excited when she wrote to him."

Anna looked at me and raised her eyebrow, feigning hurt. "Oh?" she asked. "Who is this girl that you talk about? And, do I know her?"

I smirked a little. "Jealous. Are we?" I asked teasingly. I rubbed my chin, thinking about it. "Hmmm, she has brown hair and gray eyes..."

"Go on," Anna said as I stopped. A smirk appeared on her face as she looked at me. She tried feigning hurt, but it wasn't working out for her.

"She has a nice a- uh..." I glanced at the girl besides her, who looked at me expectantly. "-butt. And she is good with horses."

Patrick started to laugh at our bantering. "You two sound like a married couple. And I know that you aren't... yet." He shot me a knowing look before looking at the girl besides her. "They do, don't they?"

The girl nodded her head and started to talk in sign language. 'Hi, my name is Addy and I am 8 years old. It is nice to meet you all. And yes, Sir, they do sound like a married couple.'

Patrick's face fell and he looked uncomfortable. I could tell that he didn't know sign language, because of the way he was acting. "I- I ummmm."

"She said, 'Hi my name is Addy and I am eight years old. It is nice to meet you all. And yes, Sir, they do sound like a married couple'," I translated, my voice cracking a little. I shot her a teasing look. "And we do not. We just drive the other person crazy."

Addy's face lit up and she started to sign faster. 'So do you know sign language? Can you still sign? How do you know sign language? Are you deaf?'

I started to laugh a little at the deaf part, before shaking my head. "No, I am not deaf. My sister was mute and deaf. I was the one that took her to her classes, because our father wouldn't. Yes, I still know sign language. I learnt it while I was with my little sister. And no, I can't sign words that use two hands." My voice cracked again about my deceased sister.

Addy frowned a little before she went over to me and hugged me.

I stiffened in surprise a little before I knelt down and hugged her back. I knew that this was her way of saying she was sorry.

Patrick cleared his throat a little. "Well, I think we should get you settled in, Captain. Private Ward needs to get back to Florida."

I nodded my head and went to stand, however, Addy tightened her grip around my neck. "You're not going to let me go. Aren't you?" I had to chuckle a little when she shook her head and held on. I sighed sarcastically. "Alright. Hold on tight." With that, I stood to my full height, placing my hand underneath her butt, to keep her from falling off.

Anna shook her head, smiling a little. "Still good with children," she said teasingly. "Come on, I have your old room set up." With that she walked to one of the barns, with me following behind her. Patrick and Private Ward followed behind us.

***

"It looks cleaner, than the way we had left it," I said looking around the room where Amelia and I slept in if things had gotten bad back at home.

"I had it cleaned," Anna said shrugging her shoulder as she looked around. "I was debating on whether or not to have it rented, but I decided against it, because you and Amelia had clothes here and I could still hear the music you played for me." Her eyes darkened a little as she thought about the good old days.

I nodded my head, still feeling the lost of my little sister. "She would be 20 in a few days, and everyday, I regret not being there to stop him from killing her." I clenched my hand into a fist, trying to control my breathing. Amelia had taken off my hat and placed it on her head. She patted my head comfortingly, holding onto me tightly.

Anna grabbed my hand and squeezed it. "It isn't your fault, Ry. Don't say that it is. You've protected her more than anyone."

I sighed and nodded my head a little. However, I didn't believe her. If I had been there, she wouldn't have been killed. I wanted to walk her down the aisle, tease her boyfriend, and tease her. All I wanted was her to be here, with me.