Chapter 13
I’ve been deployed twice. I’ve been under fire and have returned fire. I know fear. I understand fear, and sitting in this salon chair getting my hair dyed and highlighted scares the shit out of me. We started with a walnut brown color, and Brett wanted to add a low light darker brown and then highlights that that will go two shades lighter. While he went to pick the products for this magic potion, Adam came to say, “Hi.”
“What’s wrong,” he asked.
“What makes you think something’s wrong? Did Jason say something to you?” I asked.
“No,” Adam said as he sat in the chair next to me. “He didn’t say anything. It was the look on your face that told me you’re troubled, and the fact that you brought up Jason tells me he has something to do with it.”
I was hesitant to say anything but since Adam was apparently clairvoyant… “What the hell?” I thought. “We kind of got into it today at lunch. I was hoping to talk to him but he’s on a ten-mile hike.”
“Ooooh, that’s not good,” Adam said with a scowl.
“What’s not good?” I asked.
“Jason has this thing where he goes on a ten mile hike when he needs to think. It’s childish, really. It’s much worse for the poor bastards he forces to go with him. So tell me, what upheaval has occurred to send my brother scurrying for the hills of Fort Jackson? You can trust me, I won’t say a word. Promise,” he crossed his heart with his hand to emphasis the point.
“I guess I freaked out,” I admitted. “And Jason freaked out about my freaking out.”
“Well that’s as clear as mud,” he said. “Let’s start with your freak out.”
I took a deep breath and then chickened out. “I’m afraid to say.”
Adam shot me a look that I could only describe as condescending contempt, as if he knew I was going to spill anyway, so I might as well get it over with.
“Fine, we had sex and didn’t use protection. There, I said it. I suck!”
“I don’t mean to alarm you,” Adam said, alarming me. “And you can take this any way you wish, but Jason does not forget…not that anyway.”
“It was a heat of the moment thing,” I explained. “I mean…God, it was fantastic…sorry. Then I messed it up.”
Brett returned and began to work his magic. “What did Jason say to you?” Adam asked.
“He said I should take the morning after pill. Like I said it was the heat of the moment. Then he stormed out all angry. I sent him a text telling him I was not going to take the pill. I have to find a better birth control for those heat of the moment…moments.” That brought a chuckle from both Adam and Brett.
