(chapter revised 6/14/22)
Chapter 6: Apologies
After Sean was rendered unconscious from the sedative, Donovan found Julie in her room, going through the makeshift desk. Stacks of papers, receipts from daily expenses, and military agendas hit the floor. Donovan had never seen Julie so unorganized, and it was like she no longer cared. He realized that the orderliness of these things was no longer a necessity. In another hour or so, they might end up in the trash. He hoped his friendship with Julie was not headed in the same direction.
Julie shot him a, not now, look, as if he might be bringing bad news about Sean, requiring her attention. He tried to lighten her mood.
"Did you find Chris and Ham's number?"
"Still looking." She let out a breath.
"I wanted to apologize for Sean's behavior."
Julie did not reply.
"I didn't know Diana…" he paused, looking for the right term.
Did Diana put Sean in the conversion chamber again? He wondered. Why would that be needed? He had already shown her his loyalty. How did he become so brutal since I last saw him?
"What do you want me to say, Mike?" Julie asked.
"Tell me I'm forgiven… that we're still friends."
She shook her head. "There's nothing to forgive. It's not your fault."
"And about what I said yesterday, about you and Maitland."
"Okay, fine." Julie continued to dig through the paperwork and lifted a sheet of notebook paper.
Donovan noticed it not only contained Ham and Chris' numbers but Robin Maxwell's too.
"Found it," Julie announced. "I may make some phone calls while I'm out this afternoon. I'll need to borrow your truck again."
"Who are you going to call?"
"Maybe I can set up an appointment for Sean's psychiatric evaluation."
"Still planning on going to K-Mart?" He reached in his pocket and pulled out his billfold.
Julie nodded.
"Phillip gave me another grievance payment."
"Maybe you should save it for Sean's care."
But he knew the second grand he had been left with would not make a dent in the kind of care Sean really needed. He wanted to help where he could, to make Julie and the others comfortable.
"I want you to take Thelma with you and get her some civilian clothes. I guess Willie and her are planning on staying. And get us some decent coffee if you can." He handed her three hundred dollars. "Anything will be better than that sludge we've been drinking."
"Maybe they'll have Folgers." She grinned.
"Anything," he agreed.
"Do you need anything else?"
"Yeah. A Hershey bar for you. The biggest you can find." He tried to remember the last time she had her favorite treat. It must've been the little bag of kisses he had put in her Christmas Stocking.
She smiled again. "Thank you, Mike."
He wished he could go a step farther, and pay for the parts to repair her car, but first, he needed to know exactly how much it was going to take to get himself and Sean settled.