Love After War

Chapter 2

I sat in the hospital bed the next morning and waited for my parents to answer the video call. "Hey Sweetheart," Relda smiled before frowning. "Where are you?"

"Nowhere important," I said.

"He's in the hospital," Ace spoke up.

"Why are you in the hospital?" She asked me.

"I just got a little beat up," I told her. "Nothing too serious."

"Alright," she said, but I knew she wasn't going to let it go that easy. 

"Nate, Nate, Nate!" I heard my little sister, Jamie, say before she appeared on the screen. "Look! I got an A on my math test."

"Good job," I smiled at her. "You're going to be the smartest out of all of us."

"Nuh-uh," she said, shaking her head. "Sky is a computer genius. And Nick is a teacher. Teachers are super smart."

"Well, between you and me, I think they're a couple of dumbasses," I told her. And then heard Relda clear her throat. "I mean stupid heads." She giggled at me being reprimanded. Twenty-three and she still parented me like I was twelve some days.

"When are you coming home?" She asked with wide eyes.

"In about a week," I told her. We hadn’t been given definite arrangements yet but they would be probably coming today or tomorrow. Communications were always slow it seemed.

"Ok!" She grinned. "Well my shows on. I'll talk to you later!" With that she ran off.

"So when will I hear about what happened?" Relda asked, arms crossed. 

I sighed. "I got shot in my back in three different spots. But I'm fine. They're talking about releasing me probably tomorrow." Much to my irritation. Ace joined the doctor in telling me to stay in bed and not fight them and to ‘let my body rest and heal’ and whatever other nonsense they decided to tell me. If I wasn’t injured I probably would have fought Ace on it and might have won. But I knew he had the upper hand and I would lose after a few seconds of struggling.

"Nate!" She fussed. "You didn't think to have them call me?"

"You would have scared them more," I said.

"She's just a worried mom, Nate," Ace said.

"You should listen to your friend, Nathaniel," she said, making me flinch at hearing my full name. "But at least you're okay."

I relaxed a little, knowing the worst of it was over. "Where's Dad?" I asked.

"He had to work late," she sighed. "Behind on some paperwork and cases piling up and what not. Same old, same old."

I nodded. "So how is everyone?" I asked.

"Nick is doing fine," she told me. "I think he might have something serious with this new guy he's been dating. He is just so happy. Ari seems a little upset about it." I nodded not knowing who this Ari person was but I was sure to meet him when I got home.

"And Sky is an IT lead at some big tech company. Though he doesn't seem to have settled down with anyone yet. But his friend Kai is doing good. Sky got him a job as a receptionist." She took a sip from her mug, most likely tea.

"That's good," I smiled. "Not much has happened over here besides the recent."

"Good," she nodded. "What about your friend?"

"Ace?" I blinked. "He's just my right hand man."

"No right hand man sits around with his boss," she scoffed. "You can be so oblivious to your own life, Nate."

"She's right," he said. 

"Then I'm friends with assholes," I huffed. 

"All your friends are so sweet," she said in her motherly way. "And I'm sure Ace is the same way."

Ace walked over and peered into the camera. "I figure since I am an asshole, as he so eloquently put, I should introduce myself," he smiled at her. "Hi, Mrs. Johnson. I'm Ace."

"Nice to meet one of my son's soldier friends," she smiled. 

"And if it is alright with you Mrs. Johnson, I don’t have any family to really go home to,” Ace said. “Could I perhaps stay with you?”

“Of course,” Relda beamed. “Well I need to jump off and get dinner started. I’ll talk to you when you have your travel plans.” 

“Bye, Relda,” I said before she ended the call. “Finally figured out how you’re spending your couple of months home?”

“Figured I should keep an eye on you so you don’t do something stupid,” Ace said. I wanted to make a retort but he was right. I would probably do something to tear my stitches before I was fully healed knowing how stubborn I was. Not that I would admit it. “Besides, it’ll be fun knowing where Corporal Hardass grew up.”

“Corporal Hardass?” I questioned, raising a brow.

“That’s what all the new guys call you,” He snickered. “Apparently when you assign punishments, you are strict.”

“They shouldn’t be showing up hungover and late,” I argued. “Besides, I got told if I wanted to keep my little high end missions, I had to watch over the new guys three times a week.” I really tried to get out of having to do paperwork and what not but they put a firm ‘no’ on that.

“Is that why you accepted the position?” he asked.

“Of course,” I said. “It’s more fun than just patrolling and hoping I don’t get blown up in my jeep. Now, I hope I don’t get blown up in a building, too.” Ace rolled his eyes as I got out of bed. “I’m going to take a smoke.” Ace sighed and followed me.