Chapter 14 Then
I woke up staring at a bright white ceiling. It hurt to blink, and the lights shining above me stung my eyes. My throat felt dry, and scratchy, like I'd swallowed sand paper. I tried to clear it, but the pain was too intense, and I found myself gasping for breath. I heard beeping all around me, and then, a rush of footsteps, and a few familiar voices. I tried to speak, to ask the voices where I was, but my mouth didn't seem to understand my brain's request.
“Check his IV line.” A woman's voice said. “He's maxed out on morphine.” Another said. I tried to lift my hand, to get someone's attention, but my arms felt like they were restrained. I tried to see if they were, but my vision was blurry. I tried to move my feet next, and my right foot made contact with the end of the bed. The noise was enough for someone to notice me. “He's awake.” One of the voices said. “Mr. Cruz, can you hear me?” She asked, shining a small light in my eyes.
I nodded yes, and she smiled brightly. “Do you know where you are?” She asked, and I shook my head again. “Don't try to speak just yet alright. You were in an accident. The reason your throat is sore is because you had a breathing tube in. I'm going to go grab you some water, and the doctor will be in momentarily to update you. Your family is just outside, I'll send them in.” She finished, and I nodded that I understood.
A few moments later, Zoe entered the room. She was moving so slowly, I thought she'd forgotten how to walk. The look on her face was something I hadn't seen since our parents funeral. She was terrified, and it was my fault. I gave her a weak smile, and tried to motion her over. Tears began to fall down her face, and she rushed towards me. “We didn't know if you were going to wake up.” She cried, grabbing my hand, and squeezing it tightly. “It's been a week. You were in some hospital overseas, they moved you here when you were stable enough. You're home now, in California.”
I tried to speak, to ask her about Wes, and Adams, but my voice wouldn't let me. I made a writing motion with my hand, and she quickly hopped to her feet in search of something to write on. Pulling a pen from her purse, she grabbed the white paper bag hanging from my meal tray and ripped it off, handing both to me. “Wes?” I wrote, and held it out to her.
“Wes is fine. He was thrown from the humvee, he had a couple of broken ribs, but he's on the mend.” She said cheerfully, knowing it was what I needed to hear, but her face grew somber once more, and I knew before she said the words that Adams didn't make it. “Adams is missing.” She said quietly.
“Hey Zoe, I brought us some cof- Jake! You're awake!” Evie said, dropping the two cups she held. Coffee splashed onto the white floor, and splattered her legs, and the wall behind her. “Shit!” She squealed, stepping over the mess, and hurrying onto the bed beside me. “I thought I lost you.” She said, a bit calmer now, as a tear escaped from her eye. “Don't you ever pull this kind of shit again do you hear me!?” She said, only half teasing.
I crooked my finger for her to come closer, and whispered in her ear. “I love you Hermosa.” Before the drugs pulled me under, and I was asleep once again.
The doc's made me stay for a week, and when they were sure the cognitive part of my brain was alright, they gave me a clean bill of health. I had a cracked rib, and a lot of bumps and bruises. Turns out my hard head took the brunt when the humvee flipped over. My helmet could only protect so much, and I'd undone it when I got in. A mistake, I wouldn't be making again.
My home coming consisted of Zoe, and Evie making my favorite dinner. Lasagna. It had to be over ninety degrees outside, but here these two were baking lasagna in shorts and tanks. I was getting around alright, but I'd been having these intense migraines since the accident. The docs said they'd work themselves out in time, and to take things slow. My brain had to heal from it's injuries, and they didn't have a definitive timeline for when I'd be able to go back out into the field.
In the four years that I'd been enlisted, this was my first real accident. It was enough to scare Zoe into begging me to leave, but Evie didn't even try. She knew me better than I knew myself. As soon as I was able, I'd been joining Wes, and my team back at the base. I missed my apartment there, even though I was grateful for this time with my favorite girls.
I just flipped the television onto a football game, when Evie came and sat down beside me. “How ya feeling?” She asked, carefully running her hand over my mostly bald head. The docs had to shave it to repair the brain bleed that put me in my time out chair.
“Tired.” I said honestly.
“You want me to help you upstairs?” She asked, genuinely.
“Only if you'll stay.” I said, raising my eyebrows up and down.
“Jake.” She warned. “We talked about this, remember?”
I sighed, taking her hand in mine. “I know. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked. I just, I missed you Hermosa.” I said softly.
“I missed you too Jake.” She sighed back, her defenses dropping. “You really scared me.” She added, as she stood. Reaching for my hand, she helped me stand slowly, and the two of us made our way upstairs to the bedroom. “I'll be right back Zoe.” She called down the stairs, when we made it to the top.
I sat down on the end of the bed, and Evie sat beside me. “What are your plans?” She asked. “After this. When your better?”
“You already know the answer to that.” I said, turning to face her. “I've got a job to do.”
“Will you always? I mean what do you want from the army? To make General, Colonel? When does it stop?”
“I think, when it feels right. Then I'll know. Does that make sense?”
“Only for you.” She smiled. “I wish I could be more like you.”
“How so?”
“I wish I could just... live. No over thinking, no over planning, just living in the moment. That's what you do to me Jake, you breathe life into me.”
“Come here.” I whispered, reaching for her waist, and pulling her onto my lap.
She sat, straddling my thighs, her core rubbing against my ever growing erection. “One more time Hermosa?” I all but begged. Her reply was a whimper, as she crushed her lips to mine, and I reached my hands under the back of her shirt. I unclasped her bra, and lifted her shirt over her head, our kiss only broken by it's removal. She reached for the hem of my shirt, and tugged, making me lift my arms in assistance.
I laid back on the bed, taking her with me. I took a sharp breath, forgetting about my bruised ribs. Her weight was a welcome one though, so I fought through it. My hands ran down her back, reaching for the band of her shorts. I gave them a little tug, as I arched my hips, a glimpse of what was to come. She pulled herself away, and stood then, leaving her panties in a pool on the floor, before unbuttoning my jeans. In an instant, we were flesh, on flesh, my cock filling her completely.
She moaned my name, as she rid me slowly, every move intentional. It was like we had never stopped. The chemistry between us enough to start a fire. I gripped her ass, pulling her against me. I could feel her shudder around me, as she became closer, and closer, to letting go. My depth, matched her speed, and we came together in a series of loud moans, and whispers. Each of us holding on, but at the same time letting go. Knowing that this was really the last time we'd be together.
She didn't have to say it, but I knew. I knew that she couldn't live the life that I lived. She deserved a stable life, where there were no surprises. No twelve AM knocks on the door, no phone calls in the middle of the night. Just safe, and normal. A nine to five life. And that was fine.. for her, but it wasn't for me. I wanted more. I craved it. And maybe that was a bad thing? Maybe I was a complete idiot for letting Evie out of my life. Only God knew, and I hoped it would be a good long time before I had to speak to him.
I held Evie in my arms that night, and in the morning, she left. We agreed to stay friends, and promised to meet up when I was home again. I took solace in the fact that I'd still have her in my life. Even if it wasn't in the aspect I really wanted. Zoe had returned to her own routine, and resumed her classes. And I, was heading back to Fort Hunter Liggett. It was time to find out what exactly it was that I wanted from the army, and it took a five foot five brunette with big brown eyes to show me that.