Dog Tags

Chapter 8

Quinn's POV

I slowly awake up the next morning feeling awful and still feeling the effects of last night. This always happen to me the day after I get a letter from Brenton, I spend most of the next day just feeling run down by the mental and emotional stress that I bring on myself. I roll over in my bed and look at the tiny LED alarm clock to see that it is'12:05' in the afternoon, which isn't uncommon for me when I have the day off from the diner, I sit up and somehow find the will to drag myself out of bed, but when my feet touch the floor I hear the sound of crumpled up paper under my feet, I look down to see that Brenton's letter is on the floor.

 I let out a huge sigh as I bend over and pick it up, I stare at the letter thinking about last night and how the last thing I remember is falling asleep on my dad's chest and how I would have to thank him when he got home tonight. I place the letter on my desk before opening the drawer underneath my bed and I pull out my keepsake box for Brenton, everything in this box has every letter Brenton has ever sent me along with something that had to special meaning to our relationship. I gently place the letter in the box as I look at everything in the box for a moment before shutting the box and placing it back in the drawer under my bed and close the drawer. 

I stand back up onto my feet and look at my reflection in the mirror to see that my cheeks are stained with tears, my hair is messy, and my red eyes are puffy,my attention is drawn to my phone that has a red and black case with Harley Quinn on it and is sitting on a pile of book plugged into the charger, the phone lights up and I pick it up to see that I have lovely text from dad that he must have sent before going off to work, and I have a new text that was sent only a few minutes ago from Chris. I grab my phone off the charger and unlock it to read Chris's text message. 'Going to the mall with Anthony and I thought that you might want to tag along.' I smile at the text knowing that Chris and Anthony are exactly who I need to snap me out of my funk, I text him back telling him that I would love to go and it is exactly what I need today. 

Ina split second Chris texts, me back saying that he and Anthony would be over to pick me over around 2 which gives me plenty of time to clean myself up. I send him a simply okay message before putting my phone back down and I walk out of my room and head downstairs. Once I make it downstairs I see that my brother and my grandma are both in the living room, Jared is on his phone texting away and Etta is looking through a magazine with the TV on low volume. "Afternoon,sweetheart." Etta says as she takes my hand into hers and I know that it is pointless to hide what I am really feeling due to the fact that grandma is still an active therapist to some cases at the hospital. 

"Jared,would go you go into the kitchen please, I would like a private word with your sister." Jared looks from his phone to me but I can tell that he also knew what was going on with me. "Alright grandma." Jared hops off the couch and walks over to Etta and gives her a kiss on her cheek before hugging me as he wanders into the kitchen leaving grandma and me alone. "Sit down baby." I sigh as I sit on the couch and Etta places her hand on my knee, "How bad was the letter this time?" She asks me and just like that it is like an old wound has been reopened as I feel tears fill my eyes, "It was nothing bad grandma, it was just how he wrote the letter that just makes me miss him." Etta just nods her head as he places her finger under my chin and tilts my head to make me look at her,"There is something that you aren't saying." I just lightly smile at her knowing that I could never hide anything from her,

"It is just getting harder and harder everyday grandma, and it is days like this that I don't think it is worth putting myself through all of turmoil." Grandma smiles at me, "Honey, you and Brenton have been together for a while now and I think that you are at the stage in your relationship where you need to take a step back for a moment and contemplate on rather or not military life is right for you." I nod my head knowing that some people in military families make it seem so easy and I know that grandma is right, for a long time I have putting off having that conversation with Brenton. 

"Him doing this line of work honey will bring certain unique challenges, I suggest that you think if you really love him enough to fully embrace military life." I just nod my head really taking in grandma Etta's advice, "I love you grandma,and as usual you give me wonderful advice that not only made me feel better but also put things in perspective for me." Etta takes my hands before standing up and bringing me up with her, "You are a Callahan, and with that last name it means you can handle anything in your path." Etta gives me a hug and I hug her back very thankful to have a wonderful and wise grandmother like her in my life.

We pull out of the hug, "Thank you for everything grandma, but I should get back upstairs and get ready for my mall trip with my friends." Etta smiles at me as he nods her head, "By all means dear." I kiss her cheek before heading back upstairs to my room to get ready for the mall.