Chad
Chad leaned over the steering wheel as he looked to see if oncoming traffic was crossing the intersection. It was Sunday afternoon and they were getting close to home. Isabella was sound asleep in her car seat after her morning at the pool, with Hope sleeping peacefully in the front seat. He knew that as she approached her due date, weekends like these would exhaust her. He didn’t want to interrupt her slumber so he kept the radio low and his thoughts to himself.
The road back to Norfolk was clear; the ride home was shorter than their ride to the signing. As he pulled into their driveway, and put the van in park, he laid his head back on the headrest, letting the silence sink in. He was returning to work tomorrow, where his Marine brain was turned on and his civilian brain was turned off, but until then, he wanted to cherish these moments. He looked in the rearview mirror one more time, taking in the sleeping form of his child. He smiled, knowing it wouldn’t be long until there were two children in the back seat.
He turned his head to look at his wife. Her hands gingerly hugged her belly to herself, as if she was protectively guarding the expectant child from her own dreams. He reached over and ran the back of his fingers down her arm. “Hey, beautiful. We’re home.” He spoke softly, to easily rouse her.
He watched her as she straightened up in her seat, groaning softly. Her arms reached upward as she stretched. “Well, that was fast.” She smiled as she turned sleepily toward him. “Did you get a ticket for speeding?”
“Never,” he said, feigning a shocked expression, ending in a chuckle.
“Well, good. It is a minivan and all. I’m sure it doesn’t have as much torque as your truck,” she laughed. She unhooked the seatbelt as she started to retrieve her items to get out, peeking her head into the backseat before sliding out. “Should we wake her?” Hope asked.
“Nah, I’ll carry her to her room. She fell asleep not too long after you, and I’m sure a nap now would prevent a tantrum later.” He made his way around the van, where Hope had already opened the door where Isabella was seated.
“Sounds like a plan. I’m going to put my bag in the house and I’ll come out to help unload.” She smiled at him, filling his spirit to the brim.
“No, honey, go put some coffee on, and I’ll unload the van,” Chad assured her as she walked toward the house.
“Thank you, babe. Let me know if I can help,” she turned to answer, nodding in agreement to the coffee.
Chad leaned into the van and lifted the small child into his arms. She stirred only for a little bit before resting her head tenderly on his shoulder, her arm wrapped around his neck. He took a moment and rubbed her back. He never knew he could love someone so much, as he did his own child. Hope was his wife, and he would do anything for her, and the same was extended to his child.
He carried her into the house, smiling at Hope as he walked through the kitchen to Isabella’s bedroom. He leaned over and placed her on her bed, over the pink ruffled covers. He slowly took her shoes and socks off, knowing that if he didn’t do it now, they would be thrown across the room by the time she woke up; she was a restless sleeper and didn’t like socks. He smiled as he tucked her in under the light covers. Chad caressed the girl’s cheek, before leaning over her and daring to kiss her forehead. The little girl stirred lightly and turned away from the attention.
As Chad made his way back into the kitchen to join Hope, he traced his fingers over the frames that hung on the wall of the hallway. He admired the work Hope put in their home. She featured their family pictures, and included her sister’s artwork in between. Her feminine touch was a welcome addition to his typical bachelor pad feel. It had been three years, but he always enjoyed seeing where life had taken him.
He met Hope in the kitchen as she was pouring a cup of hot liquid gold into one of his gray USMC mugs – the ones he had in his home when he met her – and a mug for herself. It was difficult for her to stick to one cup of coffee a day while she was pregnant, but she enjoyed sharing that one cup with him whenever they could.
He slid the palm of his hand to the small of her back. “Thank you,” he whispered, pressing a tender kiss to her temple. “You are my everything.” He slid his hand over hers around his mug. “I’ll get my sugar.” Chad smiled at his coy reference, before turning her body around, and stealing a kiss from her sweet, delicate lips.
Hope laughed softly in response. “I see you getting your sugar,” as her fingers clung to his waist.
“You know” – he winked at her as he reached across the counter for the sugar holder – “I like my coffee sweet... like you.” He leaned into her again and nipped her lip.
“You cheeseball.” He felt her punch his side playfully.
“You know you love it,” he replied as they both made their way to their family room. He settled on to the plush leather couch, inviting Hope to slide in next to him so they could sip their coffee together.
“You got away with something this weekend,” he chided.
“Oh? What’s that?” She sipped her coffee, hugging that mug in her trademark way against her chest.
“We didn’t have a long enough jam session with Peanut.” He stroked her arm.
“Oh, yeah, like I have the room to hold a guitar, or the lung capacity to sing, like this.” She motioned dramatically at herself.
“Of course you do,” he teased. “Well, once the Princess wakes up, we can play for a bit longer,” he suggested more stated.
“Sure,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder. “What do you think about getting Isabella a playground set out back? Kinda like a big sister gift.”
“Oh.” Chad weighed the thought for a moment. “I think that would be a great idea for her. She really likes swinging. Have you looked at any of them in catalogs?” he asked as he laid his head on hers.
“No, not yet. I was just thinking about it this weekend. She would be so surprised.” Chad could hear the smile in her voice, and he loved when she did that.
“Well, how about when I finish my coffee, I’ll finish unloading the van and you can start peeking at the flyers to see if you see one she’d like?” he offered.
“That sounds like a great plan.” She sat up and shifted her weight, sitting cross-legged on the couch, facing him. “So, birth plan. Baby is coming soon. We need to talk about how you want to be involved, as Dad.” She was inquisitive and excited. Chad loved how pregnancy made her glow and how excited she was to be a mother again.
“Well. I don’t want to catch the baby.” Chad stuck his hand up, referring to his hard limit. “I want to be there for you, but I’m not the biggest fan of blood and guts.”
Hope nearly choked on her coffee. “Wait. You’ll go out on the battlefield, but birth isn’t your thing?”
Chad chuckled at her comparison. “Well, I wouldn’t exactly put birth and war in the same equation.”
“Do you want to cut the cord?” She raised her brows, still amused by the conversation. “I know you couldn’t do it for Isabella, because she was so early.” Chad watched the creases form in her forehead as she recalled the memory.
“Yes. I can do that.” He nodded confidently, raising his mug as if he was closing on a contractual agreement.
Hope shook her head, laughing. “Well, then you can just stay a Coach.”
“Deal. Will Harper and Ben be here for the birth?” He thought he knew the answer but plans may have changed.
“I’m not sure about Dad, but I know Harper will. I want her in the room. She was there for Isabella, and it would be weird if she wasn’t for this one. Isabella will be going over to the Lelands next door since she is friends with their little Lily.” she said, while patting her stomach.
“Of course. No argument there.” He laid his hand on her knee, stroking it in small circles. “What if Ben is here?”
“Well” – Chad watched as Hope weighed the option – “I don’t know. Maybe it would be weird, but he is Dad.” She shrugged.
“We can leave that up to him.” Chad nodded. “What are you going to do about the epidural?” He laid his head back as they discussed their plans.
“Give me all the drugs.” Hope didn’t leave a moment to have that be considered.
Chad laughed, patting her knee. “Fair enough, no argument there either. I’m not the one pushing a baby out.”
Their discussion went on for about an hour; it was easy and comfortable. They knew how each other reacted to certain situations. It would be surreal to be present for the birth, to hold their child. He was excited that they were waiting to find out the gender, that he was going to be able to coach Hope through labor. He was excited to be a father again and there was no other person he wanted to be on this journey with, but Hope.
Chad leaned over Hope on the couch, his arms pinned to the back cushion and arm of the couch, cornering her body to where she was. He smiled, seeing the twinkle in her eyes, as he lowered his lips against hers. Their kiss lingered, he always enjoyed tasting her sweetness. He leaned over to whisper in her, “I want to sneak you into the bedroom, before our mini-human wakes up.”
Chad leaned back to gauge her reaction. His grin grew when he saw the smile beaming across her face. “Good idea,” Hope said as Chad stood and slid his hands to hers to help her off the couch. He pulled her close to himself. Chad felt Hope wrap her arms around his waist. He lifted both hands and cupped her face to his and pressed a passionate kiss on her lips. The kiss was intoxicating, and he didn’t want it to end, but he wanted more, he wanted all of Hope.
He led Hope down the hallway, quietly entering their room, closing and locking the door behind them. Chad smiled as he pressed Hope up against the door. He craved the soft sigh she gave when he showed his desire for her. Hope naturally ran her hands down Chad’s stomach, sending shivers down his back.
He found the hem of her shirt and slipped it deftly up and over her arms and shoulders. His lips found her neck and soft flesh at the nape, slowly making their way over the tops of her supple breasts. He nibbled softly, as he quickly pulled his own shirt off. His hands found the clasps of her bra, exposing more and more of her. After he finished removing all of Hope’s clothing, they slowly made their way to the bed. Undressing her was one of his favorite things to do. He left a trail of his own clothing. He couldn’t wait to have her.
Chad pulled the comforter and sheets back, guiding Hope on to the bed. He followed by crawling in behind her. He relished the soft moans she gave him as he ran his hand over her hip, dragging his fingertips over her sensitive skin. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, “You are so beautiful.”
Chad felt Hope’s hand reach back and caress his face. He caught her fingers in a tender kiss before letting go. He lowered his head and nuzzled his face in her hair as he lined his hips up with hers. His hand dragged down her side and outer thigh, lingering over the top of her thigh. He teasingly drew up her inner thigh, urging her legs to open. He slid the arm under him to under her shoulder so he could kiss her neck and whisper how much he loved her, and the other hand perched over her thigh. She always fit and stirred perfectly against him.
“Hope I could take you all day,” He said in a low growl.
“Then take me,” Hope whispered back.
Chad pulled into the security lane, behind several cars. He prepared his military identification and made his way down the path to his turn. He pressed the button to lower his window, but before he could flash the identification, the military police officer offered him a salute, recognizing Chad’s rank. He returned the salute and drove forward to the building where his office was housed.
He was planning to join the other officers for PT this morning before attending his first briefing. As he entered the building, he greeted several sailors and marines as they walked by. Chad unlocked the door to his office, and hung his cover on his hook before sitting behind his desk. His office phone was flashing, and as he went to pick up the phone to listen to the voicemail, he heard the familiar ping of his email, telling him he had new messages on his computer as it turned on. He glanced at the subject line: Early Briefing: Mandatory Attendance.
Chad sighed. Early briefing meant he probably wouldn’t make PT. He clicked the message to read as he listened to the voicemail. Before he hung up, he closed out his email and stood at his desk. Damn. This wasn’t going to be good news. He was surprised the command hadn’t reached out to him during the weekend.
He caught a glimpse of a Major walking passed his office, calling out his name to get his attention, “Burke!”
The man grabbed the door jam, as if it was his way of slowing him down, and took three steps backwards to return the greeting. “Hey, Colonel.”
“Looks like there isn’t any PT this morning, huh?” Chad grabbed his cover off his hook and made his way out of the office. He was sure that Major Burke was heading to the same briefing.
The men walked from their office building to an adjacent building. They could see that other officers and unit leadership were beginning to trickle in. Few words were exchanged between the men, as they knew that briefings like these typically didn’t carry good news. It could be about an incident that occurred over the weekend, new unit transitional teams being announced, where the ranks were mixed – which led to chaos, typically – and, even worse news, if they were making a last-minute deployment.
Chad and the Major made their way into the briefing room. They weaved between the clusters of men and women to their respective seats. Only small murmurs and soft chatter could be heard. No one in the room knew what the subject matter was, which was a rarity. Higher-ranked officers typically were briefed prior to meetings. This must be coming down from the top, Chad thought.
The Major General and Brigadier General entered the room, greeting the members, as they rose to greet the higher-ranking officials. “Please be seated.”
“As you know, when we typically hold these meetings, it is never about good news. This weekend, we got news that a duty station was targeted by a terrorist sect in Afghanistan. The unit is surrounded and the area has become unsecure. Units on the ground, and in the air, are attempting to reclaim the territory, and our station. There are casualties; the numbers are unconfirmed. As a result of this incident, we are moving troops to assist in securing and developing that area. All units in this room are being deployed in twenty-four hours. All members of the units are to report to their stations at 0700 tomorrow. Officers, you are to report at 0500. Details to be forthcoming.”
The voices around the room rose in an uproar. Unanswered questions, and concerns were being raised. The Major General raised his hand, commanding silence. “No questions right now. We will have another briefing on mission news at 1200. Be prepared. Go inform your troops. We are deploying.” With that statement, the Major General and Brigadier General walked out of the room.
Chad looked over at the Major, the look of shock on his face etched in his dark toned skin. He took a deep breath and scanned the room for his officers; they were doing the same. The room began to divide by units and groups as assigned. He informed the officers of how and when to inform the platoons that they were leaving in twenty-four hours. Chad was releasing the battalion in groups to handle their personal business and acquire their belongings they needed for the deployment. Chaos was about to ensue on base, and he had to take the step of one of the battalion leaders. He informed his Majors, and Sergeant Majors, on how to dismiss the men and women, and have them report back before the call tomorrow morning. He knew there would be questions – questions he didn’t have answers for – but this was an order, and he had to follow through.
After leaving the briefing, he rushed over to his office. The first person he needed to call was Hope. He knew she was going to be devastated. He could feel the weight in his chest, crushing his heart, as he turned the key to his office door. After the phone call, he was going to be responsible in assisting in the smooth transition to deployment, and again attend briefing after meeting, after briefing after meeting.
Chad closed the heavy door behind him, commanding the privacy he needed to call his wife. He lifted the phone up from his desk, and dialed the memorized number. He was looking forward to hearing her encouraging voice, but he dreaded breaking the news.
When Chad heard the click through, the signal that Hope picked up. “Hey, baby, it’s early. Did you forget something?” Hope’s voice broke him.
For a brief second, he had to regroup and return himself back to “Marine” face and not “Husband” face. “Hi, dear. I can’t talk long, and I don’t have a lot of answers. We are deploying.”
Hope’s voice broke the flow. “What? When? How long?” He could hear her voice was filled with concern, not panic… yet.
“We are to report by tomorrow 0500. I don’t know for how long. I need you to collect some things for me. I will not be able to leave base until I know everyone from my battalion has returned.” He took a deep breath. Leadership was difficult, but he had responsibilities. He went on to explain to her what items to gather, and how to pack them. Chad requested for certain financial and personal files be organized, which he knew that Hope already had prepared. After the long list of items, he paused.
The silence between them was brief, but it was heavy. Hope finally broke the silence. “I love you, Chad.”
“I love you, Hope,” Chad said. “I will call after 1200 briefing. I hope to have some answers then.”
“Okay, honey. Be careful. Let me know if you need anything else.” Hope’s voice was, as expected, filled with disappointment, but also a sense of confidence. Chad knew Hope was transitioning her mental state into “military wife” mode and would be coping with her own emotions later. He hated that he had to do that to her, but it was the demands of the job. Demands he’d signed up for.
“Thank you.” Those were his last words to her before they hung up. He took a deep breath and ran his hands through his short hair. This was going to be a rough day.