Taken from chapter 34 of The Thin Line
Man last night was hell, bullets flying, men attacking us everywhere, it felt like I was back in my old unit. I don't know why I'm up right now, we got home pretty late and we all are banged up but I just can't give up and go to sleep. Finally giving up on the sleeping idea, I sat up on the side of my bed and ran a hand down my face, snagging the stitching with my finger over my eye. Opps forgot about that. Grunting and groaning as I stood, I no longer forgot what had happened.
"I'm getting to old for this shit" I say as I struggle to get my clothes off, hoping a shower will improve my situation.
Stretching to turn the shower on proved to be very difficult. The pain I felt doing so reminded me of the son of a bitch who thought he could stop me with a two by four to the back. I grin at the memory of taking the asshole out. His actions only caused me to get madder than I already was which was the wrong thing to do. Guess he found that out the hard way.
After my longer than normal shower I went over to the sink where I shaved and then looked at my face in the mirror. It was the first time I had gotten to see what kind of damage had been done and it wasn't pretty. The biggest issue was my eye. After the two by four guy, I was attacked by some goon for a little hand to hand combat. I don't know how it happened but my eye was spit open and a lot of blood poured out. I don't so much care about it now; Tank sutured it since Bobby got hit also. When it heals it will be like a badge of honor, something to look back on and remember a job well done. The only other visible injuries are the bruises on my cheek and torso. They hurt like hell but ill heal the other guy not so much.
Managing to finally get some clothes on after telling myself to suck it up soldier, I slowly made my way out of my room to the elevator. Normally I'd take the stairs but thank God today for elevators because right now I couldn't make it. Arriving on five I slowly and easily walked down to the kitchen. I wasn't expected to be here now but not being able to sleep, I just came to hang out. When I made my way into the door of the kitchen, I saw her. I wasn't what you say in a bad mood, I mean we won but when I saw Stephanie my mood seemed to brighten. She had that affect on all of us. We could have the worst day, come in, and see her or be around her and we felt a lot better. I stood and watched her a few minutes, one of my secret indulgences since she is with Brown. She is making herself a cup of coffee because I can see her arm moving and hear the little clink sounds of her spoon hitting the sides of the mug. She was so beautiful, I just wanted to go over to her and wrap my arms around her and let her heal all my wounds, todays and otherwise but I know I can't.
"Hey Beautiful" I call out ending myself inflicted torture
I watched as she went still and her shoulders drop. It was a sign of relief, she had been worried and why wouldn't she be? Bobby had come to the take down smelling all girly so I know he was with her, she had to know something since he had to leave. I watched her turn around with a smile on her face relief evident but as soon as she saw me her face fell and worry slid over it.
"God Les what happened to you?"
"I'm ok. Just a rough night, don't worry" I said stroking the cut above my eye
"Bobby?" she said panic in her eyes and voice as she held her stomach
"You don't need to worry about him" I told her and then looked down and saw she wasn't wearing her boot " what you need to worry about is when he finds out you drove here yourself , wearing shoes, and not your boot"
"You know I don't have any broken bones and he didn't tell me I had to wear it anymore"
Stephanie sat down at one of the tables we have with her coffee. She watched as I poured myself a cup and limped over to her. Pulling out a chair I bent to sit but that action pulled groans and grunts from me as I eased myself down.
"Les what happened last night and where are the guys?" she asked
"Beautiful we had a bad take down last night. It was some drug lord holed up in a large house outside of Trenton. We got there and as soon as we did all hell broke loose, it was like being back in the Military again. Men running everywhere, gun fire, and hand to hand combat. I was hit with a board across my back and got my eye split open. Cal got shot in the shoulder, Hal in the leg; they are all down stairs sleeping it off"
"MY GOD LES" she said her eyes showing fear and concern for her friends
"We won though Beautiful" I said to ease her mind "we took out more of them and surged forward and got the king pin"
"Where's Bobby?"
"In his exam room getting cleaned up" I told her
Stephanie shoved back in her chair and jumped up. When she walked past me without another word I knew she was done, she was going to Brown. I knew that Steph loved me, maybe a little more than most but I wasn't the one she was in love with. Sighing on that thought, I drank my coffee alone.
