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Chapter 28

"Avoiding Collateral Damage"

Max was grumbling as he came through the front door. All eyes were on him and Grace clutched her hand to her chest. Elvis drew Georgie closer and whispered into her ear, "Why couldn't this have been a champagne and skittles day?" In turn she abruptly elbowed him in the ribs. Fortunately it was on his good side. Elvis gave her a little squeeze, "Oi! I'm injured remember?" "Then don't make it worse!" Georgie said softly and pinched him on the arse. "I'm gonna remember that!" Elvis said. Max looked around at everybody, "What's all this?" "Marie's gone wonky again!" Lulu said sitting down on one of the steps. "Shut up!" Marie tossed at her. Max looked at Marie, then to Grace as if he just happened into an asylum.

"What the hell is wrong with this family?" Max said in utter frustration. "I was wonderin the very same thing," Elvis said under his breath. Georgie looked up at him and hoped he read her meaning loud and clear. He did of course but smiled at her anyway. He was so done with this madness. Max lumbered towards the lounge. All he wanted to do was sit down in his chair and get those damn shoes off of his feet. Georgie and Elvis moved aside for him. Max looked at them as he passed by, his expression screamed "You have got to be kidding me!"

Elvis wanted to keep moving and head upstairs to get their luggage but knew this unfortunate scenario had to play out. As Max settled himself in, Grace went to the kitchen to get a beer for him. She did not bother to offer Elvis one. "Are we done here?" Marie said to her mum. "Ya could put yourself to some good use and help me in here," Grace retorted. "Anything to get away from those two," Marie said thrusting her thumb towards Georgie and Elvis. "You're unreal!" Georgie said. "Oh. Right. You're the golden child," Marie said with a tone of mock flattery. "Here we go again! What's your problem now Marie?" Georgie said tightly. "Well it's certainly not me!" Marie shot back. "Fuck sake!" Elvis blurted out. "Nah, you're not a problem. You're a fuckin lunatic!" "Hey!" Max yelled, "Knock it off you three!" "See how he talks to me?!" Marie said throwing her hand up. "Stop it!" Georgie snapped. "Why should I? I'm being made out to be a monster!" Marie screamed. "Well….." Elvis shrugged. Marie moved to strike him and Georgie grabbed her arm, pushing her back. Marie grabbed Georgie's wrist and tried to twist it and push her back. "Stop it!" Grace shouted. Although Elvis was fully aware Georgie could easily take down Marie he was not having any more of this. He grabbed Georgie around the waist and as he pulled her back he swiftly pried Marie's hand from around her wrist. His actions startled Marie causing her to back pedal. She looked like she could spontaneously combust at any moment.

Elvis was locked and loaded now. "So, you're not a problem Marie, eh?" Elvis threw at her. "Let's review. Ya come on to me like some slag and when I ignore ya I start gettin tarred with your brush. You kept me from contactin Georgie and ended up hurtin her as well. Ah, and what ya said about the beatin…You'll be 'appy to know they beat me within an inch of my life and I welcomed takin that beatin," Elvis said drilling a finger into his chest, "I had hoped it would have kept my soldier alive because he had a wife and son at home waitin for him. They killed him anyway."

Tears were trickling down Georgie's cheeks and she tried to grab Elvis' arm to calm him down. He only stopped long enough to push the hair out of his eyes. Grace had tears in her eyes and so did Lulu. Lulu was now standing on the stairs gripping the railing so tightly her knuckles were white. Max was sitting there limp with his mouth agape. Marie was stood like stone.

"Your sister put her life on the line to help save someone and payed dearly for it. So the thanks she gets comin home to her family is ya continuin to stir this pot of shit! Ya better take a hard look at yourself Marie, cause what we're seein ain't much. I may have accepted your apology but you do not have my respect. You'll have to earn that!" Elvis was spent and wiped his hand down his face. "Max, Grace, Lulu… as much as Georgie and I wanted this to come out differently, I have no choice at this point but to tell ya. I'm leavin and I'm takin Georgie with me. "

"Like hell you are!" Max bellowed but still reeling from what Elvis had just shared. "Dad! Dad. It's true. I'm leavin." Georgie said taking hold of Elvis' hand and looking up at him. "Georgie! No!" Grace cried. "With or without Elvis I'm leavin. The army accepted my request to re-enlist. I'll be headin out to Syria with 2 Section in a couple of weeks." "So you're leavin for Syria. I thought you meant now," Grace said wiping her hands on her hips, glancing at Max. "I'm sorry mum, dad. I do mean now. We mean now. We were gonna tell ya after dinner, but I really think it's best we go now. As much as I love you, I need to spend this time with Elvis. I need to heal and that's just not possible here," Georgie reached out and took her mum's hands in her own. Max's emotions were overwhelmed and he had to admit his household was like a war zone. Lulu went to Elvis and hugged him. She always liked him. In her eyes he was like a big brother to her. "I'm so sorry Elvis. For what happened to you. I know ya did your best," she said to him and he held her warmly, "Thank you Lulu."

All appeared to be heading in the proper direction…. then, "We never had these problems until Elvis came here!" Everyone looked over at Marie. She stood there with her arms across her chest. Georgie felt like she would faint. Would this ever stop with her? Grace marched over to Marie. "It's not Elvis' fault!" "Everything was fine until you started acting up missy!" Grace raised her finger at Marie, "You are gonna find some way to straighten yourself up. You're a disgrace to this family!" Marie was trembling, "That's not what you said upstairs!" "That was an hour ago. I don't give a toss what I said then. And you came down here acting like…"

"A bitch," George answered, filling in the blank. "If it weren't for Elvis, Marie, I wouldn't be alive. Maybe think about that. Maybe think ya had a chance with someone earlier and you blew it. You need help. Lay off the drink and get yourself a prescription for Prozac. Hopefully when I get back home on leave things will be different."

Georgie gave her parents hugs and kisses. Max shook Elvis' hand and Grace hugged him, "Keep taking good care of our girl!" She said to him. "I will," Elvis said smiling. They took Lulu into a group hug. She was crying. "I can't send any pictures, but I'll let ya know how things are goin with Pyro. As much as I can anyway," Elvis told her. Lulu beamed. "I know, I know. Classified," she said sing-songy. Elvis laughed, Yep!"

Elvis and Georgie left the lounge and as they walked passed Marie, Georgie said, "Please take care of yourself. I'd like to talk to that best friend of mine again someday." Marie was defeated.

Elvis had his car packed. He was sitting in the driver's seat waiting for Georgie to come out.

When she did and saw him intending to drive she gave him the eye. He grinned at her. "Got a problem Corporal?" He said opening the window. "Just you!" She said laughing. As she got in and closed the door, Elvis leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I love ya," he said softly. Georgie turned completely so she could face him straight on. "I love you too!" She said and they kissed tenderly before he started the engine. "All set?" Elvis asked. "Affirmative!" Georgie said. "Let's move!" Elvis said. They both grinned and Elvis pulled out of the driveway.