Epilogue
“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” - e.e. cummings
Avery
Six months later
MCRD, Parris Island, SC
I couldn’t believe I was here.
Finally.
I hadn’t seen Bryce for thirteen weeks. It seemed more like thirteen years. I got the occasional letter (for every three I sent) from him, but I understood that military basic training was no day in the park. He was exhausted from the grueling training and he studied at night, sometimes getting only two hours of sleep before it all started up again.
Yeah, that’s right. My Bryce was graduating tomorrow as a U.S. Marine. I’d thought he was joking when he gave me the news he’d enlisted. Not that I had anything against the military or his choice to join, it had just been so unexpected.
Let me backtrack.
The best part of last year was seeing Mandy and Carter arrested. The embezzled money had been returned to the company, Baron had come home to stay, and Becky Johnson was still held in high esteem at the ranch. She’d even passed the audit once a procedure that Dawn Childers wrote had been put into place. It was something about requiring a background and credit check be performed prior to hiring permanent or temporary help.
Mandy and Carter ended up taking a plea bargain to avoid a trial, so both of them were now behind bars for the next five to seven years depending upon their behavior while incarcerated. It had taken a load off of our minds knowing we wouldn’t have to go through the stress of protracted litigation.
Life continued on as it was before, with my schooling and Bryce continuing to work at the ranch. He turned nineteen at the end of December, and I turned twenty a month later. We settled into what I thought was a very comfortable relationship. I was truly looking forward to having the summer off and being able to spend more time with him at the ranch.
Then he dropped the bomb on Valentine’s Day. He took me to what I thought was going to be a cozy romantic dinner. He’d bought me a card, and a dozen roses. And then, over a special chocolate soufflé he’d ordered for our dessert, he shared with me that he’d enlisted in the Marines. He would be leaving in mid-March for boot camp.
Needless to say, I couldn’t finish my dessert. It wasn’t one of my proudest moments, I admit. I kind of whined, whimpered, sobbed and then blubbered all the while he drove us back to the manor, wiping my cheeks of the tears that wouldn’t seem to stop.
He did his best to allay my fears and insecurities about his decision, but in the end, he didn’t capitulate. “This is what I want to do, Avery. It has nothing to do with my love for you, but it has everything to do with my need to be a man.”
“But you are a man, Bryce. In every way. You’re a good man. You’re the man I love,” I argued. “Being a Marine is just your way of being macho. But it’s dangerous, don’t you see that?”
“I didn’t go into this without giving it a lot of thought, babe. I need your support. I need you to understand that it doesn’t mean the end of us. I love you, you know that. I’m doing this to be the man I want to be; to carve a future I can be proud of, and hopefully, you’ll be proud of too.”
What could I do? I loved the guy. Of course I was going to give him my support, no matter how much it hurt to be apart from him, and no matter how much I would worry while he was gone.
And so for the next few weeks, I was glued to him as much as possible. It was during my college spring break that he left for Parris Island. I’d driven him to the airport in Blountville, Tennessee where he’d take the short flight to Savannah, Georgia. From there the military escorts from Parris Island would meet the incoming recruits.
I held it together the whole way there. We’d kissed and held each other for a good ten minutes before he finally had to check in at the gate. “I’ll write, Avery. I promise. I just don’t know if I’ll be able to call you right away, but as soon as I can, I will. I love you.”
“I love you Bryce,” I whispered. “I’ll be thinking about you every minute, I promise.”
I was proud of the way I’d held it together in front of him. But I’d bawled the whole way back to the ranch.
And now here I was. I was meeting his parents and his brother for the first time. His mother had called me a few times, the first being when she’d received a phone call from him the day after he arrived at boot camp. She said it was some scripted message, not a real conversation.
I’d checked into the hotel this morning where they were staying. They’d been here since yesterday for Family Orientation Day. I’d delayed coming in until today since it was Family Liberty Day so we’d actually be able to visit one on one with Bryce.
He’d sent me pictures, so I already knew how super buff he’d gotten and how hot he looked even with his head shaved. He had a killer tan going on as well.
There was a knock on my door. It was Samantha. We hugged one another as if we were old friends, and in a way, that’s how it felt for me. “Are you ready?” she asked beaming. “Eric and Sid are waiting in the lobby for us. I’m so excited to see him again. It seems like it’s been forever. We’re so darn proud of Bryce.”
“I’m proud of him too, Samantha. And I’ve missed him like crazy. But I’m surprised he chose the Marines. I know his dad was in the military, so I presumed he was also a Marine, but Bryce said differently in his last letter to me.”
“Nope,” she said with a laugh, “Eric was in the Army. Special Ops. I think Bryce chose the Marines specifically because of its reputation for having the toughest military training of all the branches. I think he still has something he wants to prove to his father. But truthfully, there’s no need. Eric couldn’t be prouder of his son.”
And once we’d gotten to the base and observed the motivational run of the recruits as they sang cadence, and then listened to the military brass and their speeches, there was no doubt in my mind that Eric Slater was indeed proud of his son.
I immediately had fallen in love with Bryce’s younger brother, Sidney, the perfect one. He looked just like his mother, while Bryce favored his dad. Sid just finished his junior year of high school and was looking forward to his senior year.
“Did you ever think Bryce would become a Marine?” he asked me as we spotted Bryce in his Alpha Company platoon.
“No, it came as a surprise, but don’t you think he wears it well?” I replied.
“Yeah, no shit,” Sid remarked.
“Sidney,” his mother warned, “Language?”
And finally, the recruits were released for liberty and I felt my cheeks flush when Bryce made a beeline for me, scooping me up in his strong arms, and pressing his mouth to mine.
“I think he likes her,” Sidney commented, and I heard his father’s chuckle follow.
Bryce put me down, and immediately pulled his mom into a warm hug. He then moved to his dad and it did my heart good to see them man hug one another. He ruffled Sidney’s hair and gave him a playful one-two slug on his shoulder. “How ya doing Scrappy-Doo?” he teased.
The rest of the day had been spent with Bryce giving us a tour of the training camp, including the obstacle course and then the barracks which I swear looked cleaner than a hospital. Everything was spit-shined and in its rightful place.
We all had dinner with the rest of the recruits and their families and friends. Too soon it was over, but we’d see him again the following morning at the graduation ceremonies.
Bryce lingered outside with me until his father cleared his throat. “Will see you in the morning, son,” Eric said, “Better catch up with the rest of your platoon.”
The following morning we sat in the grandstands as the outdoor graduation ceremonies began. The pomp and circumstance was overwhelming, as was the heat and humidity. Samantha and I sat next to one another, fanning ourselves with the event programs we’d been given upon entering the park.
Finally, it concluded and the recruits were officially Marines. Bryce would have a ten day leave before reporting to Camp Lejeune for amphibious assault training. That was all I knew up to this point. As far as I knew, he hadn’t received his permanent orders yet.
Back at the hotel, I showered and dressed for dinner. We’d decided to have dinner at the hotel. Bryce was leaving with me the following morning to go back to Bristol. We’d have a couple of days together and then he’d drive his truck back to his family’s house for the rest of his leave.
I relished the time we would have together, but I knew it wouldn’t be enough. And then what? I knew he’d said over and over that we’d be together, but how was that supposed to work?
He was going to more training, and then he’d be assigned a permanent base which could be anywhere in the country, or even overseas. I had another year of college to finish. I couldn’t help but wonder what our future would be.
I didn’t have to wait long to find out. At dinner Bryce proudly announced that after his training his orders were to report to the Marine base in Quantico.
His father dropped his fork as the news registered. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying Bryce?”
Bryce grinned. “Not entirely, Dad. I tested well enough to start Officer’s Training School there. After that, well who knows. But I’m leaning toward becoming a part of the DEA.”
I looked at Eric Slater. It was clear he was choked up. “Close enough, son,” he murmured, the pride in his voice evident.
Samantha was beaming, and Sidney was grinning ear to ear. “Way to go, dude,” Sid piped up.
And then Bryce’s eyes locked with mine. “And what about you, Avery? Quantico isn’t all that far. Lots of places around the area in need of Equestrian Science majors. And at least one guy I know there who’s in need of his best girl to be close by if she’s got a mind to, that is.”
I smiled broadly. This was the best news I’d had in a long time. “No, you’re right,” I replied, “I think it’s fantastic news, Bryce. I love your plan. And I always thought how cool it would be to have a ‘G-Man’ as my boyfriend.”
His family laughed. I felt him reach for my hand under the table, and he gave it a gentle squeeze. “I couldn’t have done it without all of you,” he replied. “Thank you for your love, your patience, and not giving up on me. I’d like to toast it.”
We all picked up our water glasses, and clanged them together. “To G-Men,” Bryce said. “And to not letting your past define your future.”
“Cheers,” the rest of us replied.
The End