Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
Thwarted - 16. Chapter Sixteen
“Hand me that, will you?” Trey pointed at the cell phone lying on Mark’s night stand.
Mark palmed the phone and slid from the bed, grinning as Trey’s gaze followed him during the short trip to the dresser. He dug through the drawers until he found a pair of workout shorts and slipped them on.
“Got time for breakfast?” He closed the distance between them and slid Trey’s phone into his lover’s front pocket before giving him a quick kiss. At least, it would have been quick if Trey hadn’t grabbed him and turned the quick peck into a much more satisfying meeting of lips and tongue. Trey groaned after a moment and pulled away.
“Wish I did, but I’m already running late.” Trey glanced around the room. “Any idea where my shirt ended up?”
“Nope, but you can just grab one from my closet if you want.” He left Trey to pick out a shirt, or find his own, and headed for the kitchen. While waking up with Trey definitely started his day on the right foot, he still needed coffee. Luckily he’s set the coffee maker up to automatically brew before they’d gone to bed. He’d just taken his first sip when Trey came up behind him.
“You have a mug I can take with me?”
“I think I bought some disposable ones for the rare times I need one, if I can just remember where I put them.” Mark opened one cupboard after another before grinning in triumph and handing Trey one of the styrofoam cups and a lid.
“What are your plans for today?” Trey filled the cup from the pot and snapped the lid on before turning to face Mark. He leaned against the counter and took a sip.
“Not sure, thinking I probably should go and talk to Jackie.” He hadn’t heard from her since he’d told her to back off and while he was glad he had, he hadn’t needed to be so blunt about it. The last thing he wanted to do was alienate his sister.
“Probably a good idea.” He glanced at his watch. “Shit, I really need to get going or I’m going to be late.” Trey pushed away from the counter and kissed Mark quickly. “See you tonight?”
“Sounds good to me.” Mark wasn’t going to refuse. He wanted to get as much time in with Trey before he left as possible.
“Good.” Trey rushed out the door, only pausing long enough to pull on his jacket and slip his feet into his shoes.
A glance at the clock told him it was still a little too early to call Jackie so Mark headed for the bathroom. He’d get cleaned up and then just head over, maybe take his sister and nephew out for breakfast. Once he got things squared away with her, he really needed to sit down and take a look at his finances. He’d been serious when he told Trey he was planning to go to school, but he needed to figure out if he’d saved enough during his stint in the service that he’d be okay financially, with the help of his GI Bill. If not, well, he’d figure something out.
Whether the look was only because he’d shown up on her doorstep or because he’d actually waited for her to answer the door, he didn’t know and didn’t ask. He stepped inside and smiled at his sister.
“I thought you might like to go to breakfast.” He followed as she led the way into the kitchen and looked around for his nephew. “Where’s the little guy?”
“Brent dropped him off at his sister’s house this morning to give me a free day.” Jackie picked up her coffee and took a sip. “Do you want a cup?”
“No thanks, I’m good.” He settled on a stool. “So what did you plan to do with your child free day?”
“Actually, he took him over so that I could come and talk to you.” Jackie sighed and set her cup in the sink. “I’m sorry. I’ve felt absolutely horrible about the other night. You were right, it’s your life and I need to butt out.”
“I shouldn’t have said that to you.” Not that he didn’t feel that way, he did to a point, but he also knew why his sister had acted like she did, and he told her as much. “I know you’re worried, and I understand why. I’m worried too. Not so much about whether or not I can build something with Trey, because we’re already pretty close, but about what’s going to happen to him while he’s gone.”
“I could already tell it was serious, and I couldn’t get past what would happen if he got transferred somewhere else and you went with him.” Jackie shook her head. “I was being selfish.”
Mark smiled. “I wouldn’t say selfish, but, you won’t have to worry about that. After his tour, he’s done. He’s not re-enlisting.”
“Seriously?” Jackie brightened considerably.
“Yep, we talked about it last night.” Mark shuddered as he remembered their talk. “I told him some of what it was like when I was over there.”
“Oh shit, you okay? I know how you feel about talking about it.” Jackie moved towards him and wrapped him in a hug.
“I’m okay, it was rough, but if it helped him decide it was worth it.” He sighed and pulled back a bit. “Now we just have to make it through the next year.”
“You know we’ll help you in any way we can.” She hugged him again.
Mark nodded. He knew. They might fight, but he knew he could count always count on Jackie. He pulled away.
“Now, how about that breakfast?”
- 17
- 1
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
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