My Navy Specialist

New Beginnings

I am living in a small town called Maysville. I have been living here my entire life until I went off to college. I did my degree and now I am a certified surgeon. I have decided that the big city is not for me and wanted to have a fresh start in life. I have signed up to be a doctor with the Navy Seals and I am deploying next week. I decided to spend my last two days with my family and my hometown boyfriend.

I took the train home. The roads to my hometown are close to hazardous territory but then again, I should probably get used to having danger in my life. My mom meets me at the station.

"Honey! Honey! Over here!!"

My mom is on the platform waving at me. I jump out of the train and we both start running to each other. My mother and I are like best friends. We would talk until late at night and discuss everything.

"Mom, I have missed you so much!"

"Me too honey, me too!"

We hug each other and walk to the truck.

"Where are Dad and Angie?"

"Oh, honey, you know your father he is always busy on the ranch and your sister is following his every footstep. We will meet them at home"

My sister and I have been different from the very beginning. I liked the finer things in life and she always just wanted to grow old on the ranch and take its legacy to the next generation. We ride down the all so familiar road. How many times I have driven this road late at night together with my friends and now, now I am leaving this all behind.

"Honey, you are so quiet, what is going on in that mind of yours?"

"Oh, nothing much. It's just I am definitely going to miss this place"

My mother approves of me leaving for the Navy Seals and understand where my heart is at.

"There's just no place like home"

"That's true....Ah, here is Angie"

Angie rides on her favorite horse and waves at me.

"Hey! I'll meet I at the house, I'll tell dad you are here"

She rides off and I stop at the house. I take my luggage to my old room. Everything is still the same nothing has changed. I pack my things away. Suddenly, there is a knock on the door.

"Honey, you descent?"

"Yes, come in, dad"

"Look at my baby girl all grown up and ready to go to the Navy Seals? Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Not again dad...come on. You know I want to do this for me but I'll always stay your baby girl..."

We hug each other and walk downstairs. Everyone waits in the living room.

"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in!!"

Angie runs to give me a tight hug. Her hugs have always been a bit tighter than that of an ordinary girl-grip but I don't want it any other way and I am drinking in every moment. I want to remember everything because once I am over there, I won't be seeing them for another two years.

"I'm going to miss this"

Everyone comes in for a hug and we all laugh, squeezing each other. My mom wipes away her tears

"Now let's stop with all the sappy stuff and let's have some homemade milk tart? Who is game?"

We all shout as one and move to the kitchen. Angie grabs my arm and lets me walk next to her

"Are you in for tonight?"

"Tonight? We going somewhere?"

"Hell yeah! We're celebrating your last day with us at the pub and of course, John will be there.."

"John will be there?"

"Yeah, you want him to be there right?"

"Yeah, it's just going to be horrible to say bye to my boyfriend of ten years, that's all"

"I know I am sorry...Do you want to cancel?"

"No…I should probably face it but thanks for thinking of me, nonetheless"

We sit around the table and chat till late. Then I get ready for the party at the pub.

"I am ready! Tell me you are ready.... let's go already!"

I call out to Angie from my room.

"I'm coming! I'm ready, let's go"

We get into the truck and go to the local hang out, Crawlies. I walk through the doors and I try to take in every smell and every sound, to not forget a single thing. I find the first table and take a seat. I enjoy the company and everyone laughs and cheers to my departure. Then I look at the door and see John, my boyfriend, for over ten years. He walks over to my table and I give him a big hug. I hug him tight and I don't let go, he doesn't let go of me either.

"I'm going to miss you so damn much. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"We've talked about that, John. We've agreed not to talk about it anymore, we'll only fight"

I pull away and see tears in his eyes. My heart breaks in a thousand pieces but I know that I have to do it. I have to do it for myself. My parents always taught me to be part of the solution and this is the solution to help the men defending my country, my hometown, my people.

"Then let's get a drink and celebrate the beauty that stands before me"

"Aaahhhh baby, I love I so much!...and we know, long-distance will work for us, right?

"Of course it will, of course, it will..."

Both of us don't say the unspoken words that are hanging heavily in the air. Long-distance doesn't work. We walk back to the table hand in hand and enjoy the rest of the night. I am about to leave and then I turn to John.

"I don't want you to come..."

"I don't understand, don't want me to come? Where?"

"Tomorrow, to the train, when I leave. I wouldn't leave when you are there. I won't get on that train...I just won't"

I feel the tears falling down my cheeks as I imagine leaving my hometown, leaving John...

"Okay, baby, don't cry, I won't come but you must know that I'll miss the damn out of you"

We embrace each other and kiss passionately and I know this is the last time I'll be feeling his embrace and love. He's been my rock and safety, and now I am leaving him. I turn around crying and disappear into the night.

The next morning I sit on the train with my family standing on the platform waving. The train rides off and I get lost in my mind. I cry and cry for, it seems like hours until I decided that was enough mourning and I should get a grip.

I wipe away the tears. I am ready to take on the world. Then I arrive at the ship that I'll be working on for a while and then I'll be taken to the base. I stand around trying to see where I should go.

A woman appears out of the crowd and walks straight to me.

"Hello"

"Oh, hi"

"Are you, Dr. Alice Mitchell?"

"Yes. How did you know?"

"Oh, it's my job to know who you are and welcome the new doctors. I'm Dr. Nita Naidoo, please to meet you"

"Same here. Thank god for you, I didn't know where to go..."

"It's not a problem at all. Is that your luggage?"

"Yes...is it too much?"

"Nothing is too much for us doctors"

We laugh together. I then reach for luggage but she grabs my arm.

"Oh no, no, no...not on your first day...Liam!!"

"Yeah!"

"Please come and help us with the luggage? You know us doctors have fragile hands..."

I turn and see a man like no other, his black hair falls perfectly in place and his piercing blue eyes meet mine. Every muscle in his body sings in perfect harmony as he moves. He smiles at me with his perfect chiseled jaw and I feel some form of excitement burning inside of me.

I open my lips slightly to relieve the fascination built up inside my every fiber. He comes closer and his scent ignites the blood rushing through my veins.

"Of course, I do. I'm Liam Turner, please to meet you and you are?"

He stretches out his hand for a handshake. I shake his hand and he holds my hand for a moment too long, staring into my eyes. I feel his rough and muscled, yet gentle hand holding mine, something stirs in me.

"Please to meet you too, Liam. I'm Alice Mitchell..."