Thunder Storms (#1 - Semper Fi Series)

Part III

Renee stepped out of the shower and pulled on her favorite sweats. “Ahh! Much better!” Her bed seemed to be calling her.

Resting her head on her pillow and closing her eyes, Renee began to relax. Dreaming came swiftly.

Jaden.

His dark hair and dark eyes seemed to stare at her. His strong arms engulfed her and she relaxed into his embrace. His kiss was sweet on her lips, and his endearing words rang in her ears. Then a blast from a shotgun rang out, and he disappeared.

Screams erupted and Renee looked at her hands, covered in Jaden’s blood. She stood over his limp form, staring at him, and alternating her gaze between his body and that cold, hard, blue-eyed stare. “What is wrong with you?”

Breathless, her eyes opened. Tears ran down her face. That was not what she wanted to happen when she fell asleep. He had been tried for Jaden’s death, but it was a mistrial. Renee knew the truth. Maybe that’s why today’s surgery was a little harder than she’d let on.

Renee had dated him during high school, and they were engaged. After high school, the relationship dissolved. When Renee joined the Army, she met Jaden. He immediately became a love interest, and they were soon dating. The night before he died, he had proposed to her. Her ex was a jealous man, for sure, but she didn’t think he’d go that far. She was assigned to a Post in a different State and wasn’t even aware that he had found her.

Since leaving the Army, she’d not returned home, but came here so as not to go back where he would be ever-present. She couldn’t stand the thought of him. He was the reason she didn’t want a man now. He had ruined her chances for love and happiness. If she never saw him again, she knew it would be too soon.

She stood and went to get some water from the bathroom sink. She drank it and went back to bed. Now her mind was racing and she was having trouble closing her eyes.

Finally, she succumbed to the fatigue, and drifted back into sleep.

This time the dream was different.

 It was a hospital: an Army field hospital. A soldier had come in with a missing leg that had been blown off by an I.E.D. She worked frantically to stop the blood, using a tourniquet and other measures, all the while talking to him to keep him conscious. “Doc, he’s bleeding out. We have to stop it! I don’t want to lose another soldier today! We’ve already lost three from this attack!” She was breathless, and sweating. She looked at the soldier’s face. It was Jaden’s.

She was awake again! This is the worst. “Can I get a decent amount of sleep please?” She said into thin air. This time, she decided to turn on the radio and have some noise. Normally, she didn’t sleep with it on, but right now, she needed the distraction.

An hour later, sleep took over again.

Adam. His smile and a cup of coffee greeted her. The rain was coming down, but she relaxed up against his chest, both gazing out into the rain. CRACK! Thunder. But instead of his arm coming around her, he fell to the floor. A form was standing in the rain with a gun pointed at Adam.

“UHH! Really? I am so tired I can’t sleep.” Renee walked into the kitchen. Actually, she’d slept almost five hours. She didn’t feel like she’d slept two yet. She opened the refrigerator and stared at the food. Nothing jumped up and asked to be put on a plate, so she closed it again.

Coffee sounded good. So did water for that matter. She started the coffee and changed over a load of scrubs, then started a load of towels. Feeling good about having accomplished something, she went to turn on her computer. A knock sounded at the door.

“Who is it?” She asked.

“It’s Adam. Want some pizza?” He replied from the other side of the door.

She opened it and smiled. “Perfect timing. I just looked into the refrigerator, but there were not volunteers for supper. I just put on some coffee. Come on in!”

He laughed at her comment as he walked in. “Glad to be of service. I figured you’d get hungry after sleeping for a little while. Did you get some shut-eye?”

“Actually, it was nothing but nightmares.” Renee said, walking the pizza to the kitchen and taking two plates from the cupboard.

“Sorry to hear that! Anything you care to talk about?” He asked with enough concern in his voice to make her feel like someone cared.

“Thanks, but no. It’s just the past rearing its jealous head.” Renee immediately regretted saying that. She did not want him to know about Jaden. He didn’t deserve the hand Jaden had been dealt, too. And, he didn’t need to know one of the dreams was about him. A tear slid down her cheek. She tried to turn so he wouldn’t see, but he just reached up and wiped it away.

“Sorry. I am not trying to pry. I just worry when I see a pretty lady crying over nightmares. Call it my chivalrous side, if you will. I hate seeing a woman distressed.” 

She smiled through the emotions choking her voice out, and took a bite of pepperoni pizza. “Fantastique! Thank you!”

“You speak French too?” Adam’s half grin was accompanied by one intrigued eyebrow up when he asked this.

“Yep! Fantastique is the extent of it, though.” She laughed and took another bite. After swallowing she continued. “I was fluent in sign language when I was younger. I have a cousin who is deaf, and we grew up together, so I learned it pretty quickly. I remember most signs, but don’t ask me to interpret for anyone. You speak any languages?”

Adam laughed out loud, and replied, “Yes, actually. I speak Italian. But, that’s because my mom’s family is from Italy. We spent a couple of summers vacationing with them.” He took another piece of pizza out of the box then filled his coffee again. “I learned some Arabic overseas, but that was only what was absolutely necessary. I don’t remember too much of it now. “

“Italy, huh? I’ve never been. I’ve actually only gone out of the country on deployment. I did enjoy R&R in Oman. It was so hot, the ice cream melted before we could eat it.” She giggled before finishing her last bite and grabbing a second slice.

Adam had a very thoughtful look in his eye. Renee was a little nervous when she saw it. “Why aren’t you married, Renee? You’d make some man very happy.”

Renee’s face clouded. She stood and walked to the window. “I’m not ready to answer that, Adam. Drop it, okay?”

He stood next to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry. I feel like I’ve said that a lot to you since yesterday. But I am. If you ever need a friend, please remember me.”

“Adam, that’s really sweet! Thanks again! I feel like I’ve been thanking you for the last two days. I appreciate your friendship and neighborly kindness.” Renee turned around and hugged him for a long time. As she pulled back, a look in Adam’s eye made her catch her breath. Awkwardly, she backed away. “Sorry, Adam. I didn’t mean anything personal. Just, thank you. That’s all.” Renee felt she had to clarify.

“No harm, no foul! You can hug me anytime, Renee.” He said with a wink.

“More coffee?” She offered, hoping to ease the tension in the room.

“Sure thing, beautiful!” He said teasingly. She kind of liked it, but wouldn’t let on. No matter how attracted she was to him, or how sweet he was to her, she couldn’t subject another man to that kind of wrath. If this meant she was alone for the rest of her life, she would do it to protect him, or any other man.