Not on my Watch

Chapter 6

                                 This chapter is my very favorite of the entire book.  It was a long time coming, without giving away any spoilers.  I really hope any readers enjoy it as much as I do.  If you like it, please let me know.

Being a good friend to another can be a challenging and ennobling undertaking. --Bushmaster, from Of Mice and Magic.

                                           Chapter 6           

                                          June 2012

                            Salt Lake City, Utah U.S.A.

           Rowan stared morosely into the throng of people walking by, dropping tips into Clay's guitar case.  She was at the Salt Lake City weekly downtown Farmer's Market with her son, who was busking.  The sun warmed her face and body on the outside, but her heart felt cold and heavy.  She didn't think it would ever get over the losses she'd suffered this year.   The thought of spending the next 40-50 years of her life without a soul mate was unbearable.  And then there was the baby.  She had to try not to think about that right now, though.  She needed to be happy for her son, who was thoroughly enjoying himself.  Clay was so young he hadn't actually learned many guitar chords yet, but he threw himself into singing and playing with such enthusiasm that people gave him tips just for being so cute.

           Mike, I wish you could see our son.   He's grown so much.  He misses you, but stays happy. He's so much like you.  I wish we could have added a little girl to our family.   I miss you, too.

           She was planning to back to Pine Valley in July.  Although hurting, she'd recovered enough to deal with working full-time.  Her fellow airmen needed her help in moving the base, and she felt that getting back to work would help her heal.  She'd found a location that was a perfect location for defense, as well as offense.

          Thinking of that made her think of Vin, who was surely keeping the whole base busy with their preparations.   How was he? she wondered.  She'd been in regular contact with Captain Howard via email, so she knew Vin had returned from his mission a month or two ago.   When he left, he'd told her he'd contact her after he got back, but she had yet to hear from him directly.  As a matter of fact, she rarely heard from any of her friends on the base.  She was getting bored here, so she'd emailed all of her friends from the base, but she didn't hear back from them, hardly.  When she did get emails, they were loving and positive, but didn't relate much of the news from Pine Valley.   She'd reached out to Amelia a few times, but the woman hadn't responded.  Howard was her main contact with her military unit, and they only discussed work.

          She'd thought of emailing Vin herself.   In fact, she'd had a letter almost completely typed, but just before she was ready to send it, she'd received a brief note from Howard stating that Captain Frost had told him he'd be in communication with her soon, and not to worry.   Since his return to base, he'd had a few personal issues to deal with, but now that they were almost wrapped up, he had time to reach out to her.   That had been a week or two ago.  Did he really plan to email her, as he'd said?   She missed him.  She'd been thinking about him more since she knew he was back.  He was married to Amelia, and she sincerely hoped things were better for the couple, yet at the same time, she wondered what path she and Vin were meant to take together.  Why had there been such a strong bond between them when they first met?   Why did life keep bringing them together, and then yanking them apart?  There must be some reason in it she couldn't yet see.