Roach

Chapter 8

Cal and Kristy had finally settled on a date. It would be later in the year, just around the start of summer. They figured that having the wedding in June would work out the best for them. I'm just happy that I'll be able to make it. Sure we've had a lot of work to do, missions upon missions of recon or handling other problems, resulting in us being out all the time. Though finally, with the wedding right around the corner, I've finally gotten a chance to take some time off.

Kempson is off doing who knows what with some of the other SAS captains. The rest of us have gotten some down time and I'm making sure everything is in order for me to make it to the wedding. Cal and I have been texting back and forth, which has been nice since I don't feel like talking right now. I think that the phone has really been the best gift he's given me. He told me, back in January, that he'd cover it as long as I didn't die. Which was really a win win for me since I don't plan on dying anytime soon.

The second rec room is just as quiet as it always is, there's actually no one in there which is really nice because I can have the game on and not have to worry about guys who don't want to watch. Cal is working on getting my tux rental all figured out, even though I told him that I could just wear my formal uniform so he doesn't have to worry about it. A light groan escapes me as my finger hovers over the call button. I should call him. Sort it out now but at the same time I don't want him and I to be practically yelling at one another.

"Whatcha groaning at Roach?" Ghost says, seeming to materialize out of nowhere. It causes me to jump a little, moving to a sitting position instead of laying on the couch like I was. He climbs over the couch and sits next to me.

"My brother mostly. He thinks I need a tux when I told him not to worry about it."

"Tux? Oh right, he's gettin married soon yeah."

"Yeah."

"What would ya wear instead of the tux? Your uniform? Doubt that'd fit in with what they're going for." Ghost chuckles a little after he says that.

"I wanted to wear my formal uniform, thought it would be a nice gesture but he doesn't think it is."

"Then let him get you the tux. Especially if he doesn't think it's that big of a deal."

"It's the premise of it Ghost," I sigh. "I just feel like it's something that I should do."

"And why's that?" Ghost lowers his sunglasses. "Hm? There an ulterior reason why that you're just not telling me?"

"Ah well..."

"Roach."

Another sigh escapes me, "Because of our dad."

"Your dad?"

"Yeah... he was in the military and he would of probably went in his military uniform. It would feel like he was really there. I thought Cal woulda been more on board but he's not. He almost seems frustrated that I even brought it up."

Ghost nods, "Was your brother close with your dad?"

"Course. Hell we both were. It's not like I'm telling him to get over anything, just asking him to let me honor him in my own way. He's practically wearing the same suit dad was when he got married."

"You both wanna honor him. That's respectable, though it seems like Cal wants to do it in his own way. As if one of ya honoring him is enough." He moves a hand and pushes his sunglasses back up to cover his eyes.

"I mean... I guess so..."

Ghost nods, as I start to think about it. I'm sure dad would have been okay with whatever we did. He might of even found it funny that this is what Cal and I were fighting over. Taking my phone back out, I text Cal saying that the tux will be fine. He questions why the sudden change, which gets me to say that I gave it some more thought. Cal says something about how the tux will be ready when I get home and that he'll handle anything else.

"If you need anything else then just tell me." I text him, then put my phone away.

"It work out?" Ghost questions, glancing over to me.

"Yeah, and I think he feels better about it too."

"That's good." He looks back at the game. It doesn't look like he's fully paying attention to it, just mindlessly watching it. My attention returns to the game, remembering that it was the one thing I was actually looking forward today.

It's about halfway into the match. We're up by twenty but New Zealand isn't far behind. They're just two points behind us. I hope that we win, it'll be nice especially after our win last time we played—which was against Ireland.

Ghost leans back, glancing over towards the hallway. "Ya hear that?" He asks.

"Only the game. What was I supposed to hear?" My eyes break from the tv for a second to look at him.

"Thought I heard voices..."

"Maybe its the ghosts gettin' to ya."

"Ha, ha, very funny Roach, but I'm serious."

"It's probably some of the other guys."

Ghost sighs, dropping the subject, despite still acting a little paranoid. I nudge him, telling him that it can't be anything threatening since we're on base. He waves my comment off, keeping most of his attention to the hallway.

Voices are soon heard, much like Ghost was talking about. They sound like other SAS, though I don't immediately recognize any of them. Turning away from the game, I watch as three men walk in. They're talking about something or other though the context of their conversation is lost on me. It almost seems like this was the last place on their list, like some of the other guys pointed them here because they didn't want to deal with the FNGs.