Inspired by Ryan Piers' The Dry Land
Mercedes waited patiently at the plane station, not being able to focus much on anything around her. The only thing she could think of at the moment was if he would be the next one walking down those flight of stairs. Her heart was jittery in her chest and her breathing was almost ceased as she waited with his best friend, J.T who had brought her to the station.
She looked up at J.T who looked just as nervous as she was at the moment and she rubbed his arm softly.
J.T was a big guy, must have weighed something between 170 to 175 pounds pure muscle. His skin was quite dark being that his mother was white while his father was black and he always kept his hair cut at least an inch or two down.
"Look over there." She heard him say softly and she could tell that he was smiling without even looking up at him. Turning her head and her body slightly, her eyes automatically caught Sam walking towards her-smile big on his face.
He didn't run to her, he didn't walk fast; he simply walked a normal pace. It was almost like he was trying to take all of her in before even making it to her and before she could pounce at him so that the tears that were already wetting her face could find a place on his uniform jacket.
When he made it over to her, he caught her as she leaped at him just as he'd known she would-kissing his lips before burying her face into his firm chest to calm her own tears. He simply allowed her to cry while caressing her back before lifting her head to kiss her again, savoring it-reminiscing.
Pulling back from her, he pecked her soft lips once more before looking over at his friend. "Thanks man."
J.T nodded his head and walked over to his best friend to pull him into a side hug. "Anytime," He said lowly before bending down to pick up Sam's luggage. "So, how about getting on the road?" He asked after Sam had gone back to Mercedes, kissing her again and caressing her face-admiring her every detail.
"How about it." Sam answered, pulling away from Mercedes while still looking into her eyes. "Let's go home."
The 14 hour drive back home was pretty quiet most of the way. Mercedes had snuggled into Sam's side almost immediately after they'd pulled away from the airplane station and was soon sound asleep as she had stayed up the entire drive there.
Now Sam was looking down at her as she sat in the middle of him and his best friend on the front seat of J.T's pickup truck. "She must be exhausted." Sam said, caressing the soft hairs on her head, then looking over at J.T whose eyes had been glued to the road.
J.T looked over at her, "yea, she helped me drive some of the way to the station."
Sam smiled down at Mercedes before looking back up at J.T, "Thank you for everything man." He said and J.T finally looked over at him. "I mean, for coming to pick me up, for looking out for her and my family while I was away, and for just being a great friend. Thank you."
"Don't sweat it," J.T answered on a small smile while shaking his head. "You're my man, we grew up together and when Mama Evans asked me to come for you, you better believe I was thrilled. Besides, I couldn't have my honorary mother and father out on this route for all of these hours."
Sam laughed softly. "and how was my mother anyhow? I know she cried up until you two left for me."
"Yes!" J.T exclaimed with a sigh. "She even tried to get me to take her along but you know Pa, he said no. People as old as they are have seen everything and every part of the world then told me and Mercedes to have a safe trip and be sure to bring you back without any more of those damn battle scars."
Sam couldn't help the laugh that escaped his throat from hearing such a thing. "Ma and Pa." He shook his head with a small grin at the thought. "Still up to the same shenanigans they were up to when I was deported, huh?"
"You know it." J.T answered. "They call it getting old, "I call it living like no other." He chuckled softly. "I swear, if only I could live as care free as those two, I would have nothing to worry about."
"I was overseas getting shot at and getting bombs thrown at me, tell me what were you worried about." Sam laughed jokingly.
"Naw, it's just that-my Aunt, they put her back on the machine about six months ago and she doesn't seem to be getting better this time."
"Awh," Sam's expression changed immediately. "I hadn't heard much about that man, I'm sorry."
"Don't be," J.T stopped his pitying. "She's been holding on for too long anyhow and, I know it might sound rude, but I'm about ready for them to pull the damn plug. You know, put her out of her misery."
Sam shook his head, "I know what you mean. Sweet miss Agnes though." He looked out of the window of the old pickup truck as if reminiscing. "One of the sweetest women I'd ever known," He continued. "Was the one who encouraged Ma and Pa to let me go hunting for the first time, your aunt."
"I remember that." J.T laughed. "You had just turned seventeen and you were so excited when they finally said yes."
"I almost broke my neck, getting down from the porch."
"and for me to think I was about to teach you anything about how to hold a gun." J.T added. "You were a natural."
"I was huh?" Sam smiled, still thinking back to that day, out in the woods. "I really believe hunting is what made me want to go to the army in the first place."
"I always figured that," J.T answered softly. "I'm just glad you're back man, finally coming home."
"Me too." Sam smiled, looking down at Mercedes who had started to stir a little to find a better position. "I am too."
Sam and J.T had spent the rest of the drive, switching between the passenger's seat to the driver's seat and reminiscing, while Mercedes hadn't so much as opened her eyes to see the slight rain that had started to hit the window pane of the pickup only to stop shortly afterwards.
It wasn't much longer before they were pulling up to Sam and Mercedes' home, rocks hitting the side of the old pickup as J.T drove down the trail and up to the two story brick house.
People were everywhere. There was Sam's family, Mercedes' family, J.T's family, and friends of the family all standing on the porch of the home-smiling and chatting anxiously as Sam patted at Mercedes to wake up. "We're here, Baby." He said softly and she immediately sat up and squinted her eyes.
J.T had already started to unload the things off the back of his truck and as soon as Sam got out of the truck, the voices of their friends and family members grew louder as Mr. and Mrs. Evans found their way out of the crowd to greet their only son.
"Oh, son!" Lisa Evans smiled widely as she ran over to touch her son's face and Sam only stood there-holding back tears as he stared down at her before pulling her into a tight hug.
"I've missed you so much," He whispered into the woman's hair, looking at his father who was standing close behind.
Let my woman go, you damn womanizer!" His father talked loudly-his accent deep.
Sam laughed then kissed his mother's hair before gently stepping out of her embrace to hug his father.
"You didn't even give me a chance to charm ya ole' lady." He joked, patting his father on the back, hard.
"I don't think you want my woman anyhow," His father laughed, the only thing she's good for now is feeding me."
"Horace, shut the hell up and let Sam go up and speak to the others!" Lisa chuckled, holding back tears before turning to help Mercedes with her things.
"You know I was just joking Honey," Horace laughed softly. "You're perfect." He walked over to where his wife was gathering bags and took them from her hands. "I'll help Cedes' and J.T. You go ahead up now."
Sam had never felt more loved in his entire life. Being a part of the army, there was a sense of love most definitely but to come home and to have your people waiting for you to shower you with hugs and kisses and I love yous-there was something about it that made his heart light up.
"Wait, wait, wait." One of Sam's younger cousins of about eighteen years old tried to speak over the crowd who were now asking Sam a billion different questions about his journey. "So you mean to tell me that you were not able to have sex at all while you were away." The young boy asked and Sam couldn't help but laugh at the boy's question and expression.
Yes, Langston." He answered. "I was not able to have sex." He looked back and up at Mercedes who was standing behind him with her arms wrapped around his neck as he spoke. "Because my wife wasn't there with me."
Mercedes smiled softly and leaned down to kiss his lips softly, receiving sounds of approval from those around them. "and how do you know about sex anyhow?" Sam asked, breaking the kiss and looking over at the boy.
"I'm eighteen, Sam!" Langston answered, seriously and everyone laughed when another boy about Langston's age smacked him softly on his head and told him to shut up.
"Chill, Stevie!" Langston argued. "I'm just trying to see what's up before I join."
"Were there ever a time you felt that you wouldn't make it back to us, Sam?"
Sam looked over at a young girl who was sitting on the floor with her legs crossed. She was frail but one could tell that she was a lot older than she looked by the way she carried herself.
"All the time, Stacie." Sam answered in a low tone. "There was never a day where I wouldn't have those thoughts." His eyes had stopped moving as he stared off-thinking.
"Boom! Pop!" He imitated the sounds that he was now more than familiar with. "Get down, get down!" He was loud and even acting out things now as his family watched him intensely.
"Man down!" His eyes watered. "but they said to never leave a fallen comrade. No! He's gone, no pulse, leave him." Then he was quiet, looking down at his trembling hands.
Mercedes eyes were wide and full of fear as she looked around at the others who displayed similar expressions. She leaned over to say something to him, but an older guy spoke up.
"No, give him time." It was Sam's uncle, a veteran to war over twenty-three years ago. "He'll come through. It used to happen to me all the time before I started going to therapy. It's gotten better for me, but I still experience it all every once in a while. Just…give him time."
And just like that, Sam began to speak again. "I thought about it all the time, Stacie," he answered again and much calmer this time. "and I thought about you guys." He added then looked up at Mercedes again. "I thought about you."
After much catching up, many games, and dinner people had started to slowly leave.
"The cake and macaroni were delicious Mrs. Jones." Sam said to Mercedes' mother as she was starting towards the door with her husband now. "and so was the bar-b-q Mr. Jones."
They both smiled at Sam, "we're glad you enjoyed it, Mr. Jones answered first. "and we're glad you're home." Mrs. Jones added. "My baby wouldn't stop talking about you." She smiled, moving in to hug Sam tightly before kissing Mercedes on the forehead as she was standing right beside Sam.
"We're all glad you're home, Son." Mr. Jones said, hugging Sam as well and then kissing Mercedes. "We love you," He said, looking down at her.
"I love you too," Mercedes smiled softly-looking from her mother and her father.
Mr. Jones looked up at Sam again. "I don't think I have to tell you to take care of my baby girl, my only girl." He chuckled softly and Sam shook his head.
"No sir, you don't."
"Alright then," Mr. Jones smiled, helping his wife into her jacket and waving goodnight to everyone."
After what seemed to have been a million hugs, kisses, and goodbyes later-only Sam, Mercedes, Stevie, Stacie, J.T, Sam's uncle Melvin, and Sam's parents were left.
"Well, me and Stacie are gonna help Mercedes with this mess." Mrs. Evans started off of the couch and Mercedes held up a hand to stop her.
"I got it." She assured them but they had already started to pick up water bottles and beer cans from the living room surfaces so she just went on to help.
"You have a great woman there, Son." Sam smiled at the words coming from his father, words that he'd heard plenty of times before but he couldn't help but smile every time he heard it all. "She's something beautiful too with an amazing family."
"She is, huh?" Sam replied, smiling down the hallway as the women all disappeared into the kitchen.
"She is." Stevie agreed. "You couldn't have picked anyone better."
"I do agree." Melvin nodded his head before sucking in his thin lips. "But I have a question."
"Yea?" Sam answered, pulling at his fingers.
"Are you gonna go to therapy?"
"Therapy?" Sam looked around.
"You." His uncle pointed at him. "You're gonna need it because, that, what you did earlier." He paused. "You're not gonna be okay from the type of trauma you've experienced for a long time so I think it would be best if you seek help."
"I don't need help." Sam replied lowly, trying not to be offended with what he was hearing. " He had gone to war, not to an asylum. He was fine. "I'm not crazy, Uncle Melvin."
"He's not saying you're crazy, Sam." Horace defended his statement. "but don't you remember when your uncle first came home from war himself?"
"Ya," Sam shrugged.
"I shot my dog." Melvin admitted and Sam said nothing.
"I remember that." J.T and Stevie both chuckled but then became serious when they saw that none of the others were laughing.
"I was in denial for a long time, wouldn't listen to what anyone had to say about what was going on in my mind because I really believed that I was okay, when in reality I was losing my mind." Melvin spoke again.
"I don't need therapy." Sam reiterated, more serious than before. "I'm fine."
"About earlier then, Sam." Horace spoke.
"I was thinking about a battle of mine, that's all."
"That's how it all starts." Melvin responded. "Then you start to think about your own wounds and about them getting worse and every sound you hear that's not of the norm, you think something or someone is out to get you-then the next thing you know, you're taking your frustration out on your family."
"I said, I'm fine," was all that Sam responded with.
"Maybe you should just go to therapy." J.T said all of a sudden, "you know just to-
"So, you're with the shit too, huh?" Sam cut him off, looking over at his best friend. "You think I'm crazy?"
"Look man, I didn't say you were crazy. I'm just saying, if your uncle feels that it's what will be best for you; I think you should do it. After all, he did go through the same thing."
"Exactly." Horace agreed with J.T.
"You know what, leave." Sam said, calmly. "All of you get out."
Sam's glare was serious as he looked between the three older men and J.T couldn't' help the amused look on his own face.
"So you're putting us out?" He chuckled softly, looking over at Sam from his seat.
"Yes, get out. Now!"
"This isn't gonna change the fact that you need to talk to-
"Get out!" Sam cut his uncle off, getting up from the chair he'd been sitting in to walk towards the door. He opened it just as the women came hurrying out of the kitchen. "Go!" He yelled loudly.
"Sam," Lisa spoke in nearly a whisper, walking towards her son. "What's going on?"
Sam didn't look down at his mother as he stood there waiting for the three men and young man, who had now started to gather their things, to reach the door.
"What happened?" Lisa looked to every guy in the room-wanting answers.
"Your son needs help," Melvin was the one to speak up. "but he doesn't want to hear it."
"Get out!" Sam yelled again, causing Stacie to jump at the sound of his voice.
Lisa didn't say anything else, only looked over at Melvin then to her husband with worry before going to gather her things as well.
When she made it back to the door, all of the men had already started to their vehicles, leaving Stacie who was now leaning up against the wall-looking up at her oldest brother.
"We'll talk tomorrow, okay?" Lisa said, looking up at Sam and he finally looked down at her and nodded his head.
She grabbed his face and kissed his cheek, speaking an I love you by his ear.
"I love you too." He responded, raising his head to look over at Stacie. "Come here." He motioned for her, holding his arms out and she walked over to him with a smile.
He hugged her thin body to his and she hugged him back even tighter. "I love you, Bug."
"I love you too, Sammy."
He smiled down at his youngest sibling then kissed her cheek before letting her go to help her with her jacket zipper. "It's a little cool out there, don't you think?" He put her hood on her head as well, causing her to laugh.
"It's not that cold." Stacie laughed, snatching her hood back down from her head and kissing his cheek before walking over to Mercedes to hug her as well. "Take care of him." She whispered to Mercedes and Mercedes nodded-hugging her back.
After Mrs. Evans had said her last goodbyes to the couple, Sam closed the door and locked it before turning to Mercedes who simply looked up at him with questioning eyes. "I love you." He whispered softly after pulling her to him and backing them up towards the wall opposite the door and kissing her lips softly.
"I love you too." She whispered back, her head tilted upwards towards his. Pecking his lips once more, she pulled away from his hold, "I'm gonna go finish cleaning up this mess," she reached up to smooth her hand over his nicely shaved head. "You should go run us a bath and I'll be up in a few."
Shortly after Mercedes had finished cleaning most of what needed to be cleaned downstairs, she headed upstairs where Sam was now sitting on the ottoman at the foot of their king sized bed.
She walked over to him and almost didn't notice the way he seemed to be pulling at his fingers before he reached out to hug her to him, his face against her soft stomach.
Looking around, she noticed that the television was blank and that he was still fully dressed. "How long have you been waiting?" She spoke softly, rubbing her hands up his arms then to his face to lift his head so that he was now looking up at her.
Sam shook his head, "not long." He stood up suddenly, causing her to step back. "I ran us a bath."
Grabbing her hand, he lead the way to the bathroom where he had ran them a full bubble bath. The lights had been dimmed and he'd even taken the time out to light some of her favorite scented candles around the bathroom. "Sam.." she said softly and he could tell that she was smiling before he even looked back at her. "How thoughtful."
Sam said nothing as he began to undress in front of her, his eyes glued to hers.
Mercedes kept telling herself that she should probably be doing the same but she couldn't help herself as she stood there, watching him undress before her. The last time she'd seen Sam like this, he'd gotten approved to come home for Christmas. Now it was nearly six months later and he seemed to be even bigger.
He had been big then, a little over 175 pounds pure muscle but now he must have weighed something over 180 pounds and all of him belonged to her.
She admired his biceps and abdominals and the way his muscles flinched slightly as he began to mess with the button on his pants.
"Are you gonna get undressed or not?" He broke the silence all of a sudden, a smile spread across his face.
She looked up at him, her eyes dark and he simply turned around as if to give her privacy.
"What are you doing?" She asked and she heard him unzip his pants.
"I thought that maybe you wanted some privacy." He said, looking over his shoulder at her.
His back was strong and Mercedes wanted nothing more than to run her hands across the muscles there.
"Sam, I don't need privacy." She chuckled. "I was just admiring you." She pulled her shirt over her head in one swift motion when he turned back towards her. "Your body.."
He pulled his pants down his strong legs and Mercedes bit her lip when he started to walk towards her again, now in nothing but his briefs and socks. Reaching around her, he undid her bra clasp and stared at her face as her bra fell to the floor. "Now finish undressing." He spoke lowly, leaning forward to pull his briefs and socks off.
As soon as he was done, he turned his back to her who was still undressing and climbed into the bath-leaning back and allowing her to settle in between his parted legs when she at last joined him.
"This is lovely, Sam." Mercedes said, sighing softly and laying her head back and onto his shoulder.
He let his hands find hers underneath the warm water and brought both of their hands up to her chest, linking their fingers. "I've missed you."
She sighed again, "I've missed you too." She responded, rubbing her thumb across his fingers. "and I'm happy you're home, finally."
She could feel Sam's face by her hair now and she wondered if he was taking in her scent. "Me too," He replied. "and I'm happy you waited for me."
Mercedes was awfully quiet before speaking again, "What's that supposed to mean?" She asked, her thumb no longer grazing over his fingers. "You know I'd always wait for you."
"I know but I'm also sure that men have thrown themselves at you these past years that I've been away."
"I've had a few encounters," She answered honestly. "They never mean anything though."
He sighed in her hair, "Why?"
"Because I only want you."
"I just like to hear you say that," He responded and she could tell that he was smiling behind her.
"Sam?" Mercedes called after they had both become quiet, enjoying only one another's presences and the sounds of their own soft breathing.
"Yes?"
"About earlier today, what made you put your father and the others out?"
"My uncle, you know how he gets to talking sometimes and he just talks too damn much."
"Your uncle has always talked a lot, Baby." Mercedes was serious even though she chuckled.
"Yeah, but this time it pissed me off."
"What'd he say?"
"He thinks that I should go to therapy and some other bull, that's not going to happen."
"You think it's a bad idea?"
Sam sat up slightly, causing Mercedes to sit up as well. "You don't?"
"I'm just saying, if your uncle thinks that it's something that will be good for you, I think you should listen to him on that. After all, I've heard how the war affects people sometimes after they come home." She rubbed some soap on her hands then rubbed it onto his firm chest and biceps. "I wouldn't know what to do if something like that were to ever happen to you."
"Great, you think I'm crazy too." Sam was looking up at her who had turned almost completely towards him now.
"You know I don't think you're crazy," Mercedes stated honestly. "I just..I want what's best for you, that's all."
"Well, I don't need therapy," He replied. "and what's best for me is us dropping this..completely, kay?"
She shrugged her shoulders after that, "Okaaay," She sang, still running her hands up and down his chest.
Almost an hour had passed before Sam had climbed out of the bath, leaving Mercedes who had come into the room shortly afterwards.
She entered, a pink towel wrapped tightly around her frame only to find Sam sitting on the edge of the bed-pulling at his fingers again.
She watched him closely and had even thought about asking him about the action, but had let it go and instead walked over to her dresser to get some lotion.
"What're you thinking about?" She asked when she made it back over to him while climbing onto the bed with the lotion bottle-squirting some onto her hand and rubbing it onto his back.
"Nothing." He shook his head and Mercedes climbed off of the bed, securing her towel.
She squirted some more lotion onto her hands, rubbing it across his chest and abdominals this time. "Something is definitely on your mind, Sam."
He sighed softly before responding, "Did J.T seem weird to you today?" He asked all of a sudden and Mercedes stopped her movements.
"Weird how?" She asked, looking down at him.
"I don't know." He shrugged. "I just know that something wasn't right with him today. He just didn't seem like J.T."
"He could've just been worried about his aunt." Mercedes stated, starting to move her hands again.
"Yea, you're right." Sam agreed, "but even then, there was still something a little off about him. Like, every time I would catch him looking at me, he would either turn his head or he wouldn't look at me at all." He shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just looking into this too much."
"I didn't notice anything," Mercedes shook her head then leaned forward to kiss his jawline. "I do know that I'd rather not talk about J.T right now though," she leaned down further to kiss his neck, "or anyone else for that matter," she kissed his lips and he let his hands run up and down her sides-liking the feel of the soft pink towel wrapped around her body.
"I've really missed you, Soldier." She let her fingers graze his nipples and he immediately reached up to undo the tuck of her towel-watching it fall off of her body and onto the floor in a heap around her.
"I've missed you too." He pulled at her until she was straddling his strong legs and she kissed him again.
*smiles widely* Heeeyy! What do you guys think of this story Idea? Would you like for me to continue it? Should I? I'm aware that I need to be updating my other two stories but this is an idea that I've had saved to my flash drive for a while now so I decided to go ahead and finish up the outline as well as this chapter so here it is. I hope you guys like it or love it and I will definitely be updating my other two fics very soon, so please stay alert.
