D-day
Emily looked around her office. It was nearly empty. Eric had already put the box containing her personal things in her trunk.
Even though it was a thought-out decision and something she wanted, she felt it was surreal. Just like many Marines, this was the only thing, the only job, she had known. She knew that she was closing a huge chapter in her life and had many more to write, but she hadn't imagined she'd feel the pinch in her heart.
Sonny stuck his head in. "You need a tissue?"
She gave him a dirty but amused look. "I'm fine."
He leaned against the doorway. "Now, I ain't saying you ain't fine, but I think I know you well enough to say that it isn't all peaches and cream to walk away from something like this."
"You're right, but I know that I'll still live this journey through you, Eric and the guys."
"Are you really going to be able to live this through the sidelines?"
"I guess there is only one way of finding out."
He looked at her desk.
"You got your shadow box?"
"Lindell and Goodwin brought it an hour ago. They're stuck in a meeting and they didn't want to not be able to say goodbye."
"What did they say?"
"They said that I could always come back if civilian life ended up not being what I expected it to be and they'd take me back in a heartbeat."
"Well, that's comforting."
"Yeah, but you know it's not that easy." She paused for a minute. "Besides, I'm done with all this hiding. Tomorrow, you and I can live out in the open and that is a major relief. I can't believe we managed all this time."
He raised an eyebrow. "Neither can I, but just like you, I am relieved. But technically, as of 5pm today we can live all of this out in the open. Come to think of it, the minute you drive out of the parking lot, I can kiss you without getting in trouble!"
She beamed. "Well, that will definitely be nice for a change."
Her phone beeped and she looked at it.
"Alright then Captain, I'll let you focus on what it is you still need to do before 5pm"
"Sonny?"
He turned around and looked at her intrigued. It was the first time she was calling him by his first name on base with a door open.
"Oh, come on, I'm two hours away from being resigned. I can deviate a tad from protocol."
He raised an eyebrow. "Emily."
She smiled. "Eric is hosting a barbecue tonight."
"I know. He invited me."
"I know. He invited the whole Bravo team, which was really not necessary. I would have been just content with spending the evening with you and officially celebrate the fact that we don't need to hide anymore."
"Oh, I think it is necessary. You deserve to go out in style with your blood brothers wishing you a pleasant sailing ahead. We'll have more than enough time to celebrate on our own."
"I think the seas that I'm about to wonder on are more than favorable."
"I'm sure they are," he answered as he winked and walked away.
Emily entered through Eric's backdoor a half an hour before everybody else was meant to arrive. As she walked into the kitchen, Eric was MIA.
"Eric?" she called out as she headed toward the living room.
As she entered it, she froze as she saw Eric and Sonny sitting in the living room.
She looked at them not quite sure what kind of attitude to adopt. "What's going on?" she asked a bit nervously.
Sonny and Eric stood.
"Being a man from Texas and having been raised right by my mother before her passing, it was only natural for me to talk to Eric," said Sonny as he looked at her.
She turned her head slightly to the side in uncertainty. "Talk about what?"
"About us."
The minute he finished the words, Emily shot a look at Eric. He looked at her with an intense look. She had seen that look on his face before and it usually meant he wasn't too thrilled or worse, that he didn't approve.
Eric turned to Sonny. "Sonny, will you give us a minute?"
"Take as much time as you need," replied Sonny as he walked, simply letting his trademark hand touch hers as he passed her. Once again giving this insignificant gesture plenty of meaning.
Once Eric heard the back screen-door close, he looked at Emily.
Emily may have rehearsed this moment over and over in her head the past months and weeks, it wasn't the same thing when actually faced with the moment. Also, the fact that Sonny had taken the liberty to precede her, even if it was honorable and understandable, didn't make it any easier. Or did it?
Eric dug his hands in his jean pockets and looked at her. His face was closed off, but suddenly it softened, much to her surprise.
"Look, I know that you always felt like you'd never get a second chance after Jack and I very often enough told you that you should keep an open mind, that it would hit you when you least expected it and that you were an amazing woman that any man would be lucky to have in his life. It's what I always wanted and wished for you sis."
Emily simply listened paralyzed. He was touching a sensitive string and he knew it. Bringing up Jack and their failed marriage, a marriage he had never really approved of and the fact that Emily had spent many years refusing to be with anyone, was hard.
"What you guys did was extremely irresponsible, dangerous and against the Navy code and you could both have paid the ultimate price if it had been found out, especially for a fling."
Emily was about to stand up to that last comment when Eric put his hand up to stop her.
"That is what I initially thought when Sonny told me you were together. He then went on to tell me for how long and everything you lived together in secrecy, and I realized it was far from a fling. It's serious. Even if it is the case, I still can't say that I agree with what either of you did in regard to the Navy, but I know that it wasn't for nothing. I know that you must love each other a lot if you've managed to, not only last this long, but also try as hard as you did to keep it quiet and not let anyone even have a hint or suspicion. That takes a lot of work and respect for one another. People wouldn't just do that for anyone."
He walked up to her.
"As you are officially no longer part of the Navy and the fact that Sonny advised me post your retirement, I guess I'm technically OK to keep the Navy side of this out of the equation."
She searched his eyes. "What are you saying?"
He smiled. "I'm ok with this. Sonny is a good guy and I know that he will travel to the ends of the world and fight every war for you, if it means that you are safe and happy. I know he respects you and loves you, that's more than obvious from everything I've seen and heard. I just want you to be happy, no matter what you do in life or who contributes to it. You deserve every ounce of happiness, sis."
Emily smiled and Eric noticed that her eyes were watery. He took her in his arms for an embrace.
"This means a lot to me. I love you, Eric."
When they separated, he looked at her.
"Not sure how mom and dad will react."
"Why?"
"Come on Em, he's Texan and a Seal, I think that says it all."
They both laughed.
"On a more serious note, you guys are going to come out in public about your relationship, you both need to come to terms with the fact that not everyone will agree with what you have done."
"Sonny and I are well aware of that."
Her mind drifted mainly to Ray and Jason. When it came to Jason, she technically knew that if he gave her a hard time it wouldn't be about the Navy thing, they had done the same. It would solely be because she was with Sonny and he had been replaced, so to speak.
Ray was a different ballgame entirely. He was really hung up on protocol, but then again, they were best friends and just as Eric, he too had only wanted her happiness and well-being over the years they had known each other.
Her mom and dad, joke aside would not really give her hard time. Sonny was the complete opposite of Jack and she knew that in less than fifteen minutes they would like him.
As for Zoe and Julia, well that was still a bit of unchartered territory, but she too hoped that as for her parents, they would quickly like Sonny.
"Alright then," said Eric. "Since you and Sonny are here, why don't you both help me finish to prepare things before the rest of the guests arrive?"
Emily nodded and watched as Eric headed to the kitchen, opened the screen door, and called Sonny in.
"Hey Sonny, we could use an extra set of hands."
Seconds later Sonny opened the door and looked at Emily. She looked at him and smiled meaning that everything was fine.
She took him into her arms, as Eric discreetly spied on them. "You are something else you know that?"
"Well, it only seemed fair that I do my part and not leave the entire responsibility to you to explain what has been brewing."
She kissed him. They then separated and helped Eric continue the preparations.
