Shooting Reckoning (Short Story/Drama/Military/Romance)

“Gretchen!” Gretchen Atkinson’s lips quivered as the woman in uniform ran up and hugged her from among the crowd of troops. “I missed you so much, Lana!” Gotta look stronger. I can’t keep crying. Cecil’s out there somewhere. “You should see Cecil soon. Don’t worry Lana. He’s on his way.” She hugged Lana like she was a teddy bear. Lana snuggled her back. “There, there, Gretchen. You were always the youngest of the four of us.” Four of us. D… Dominic. No, don’t think about him. Think about Lana and Cecil. They’re finally back home.

“There’s that crybaby!” Gretchen jumped as Cecil patted her on the head startling her. Gretchen pouted and turned around to hug him. “I’m not a kid anymore Cecil.” He’s been doing that since we were kids. Did he have to do it in the airport and mess up my hair? “You’re looking good, Gretch!” Cecil smiled and looked towards the other troops. He waved to a few as they reunited with their families. Lana did the same as they left.

There was a big welcome party at the Atkinson family home. Family and friends ran up to embrace, chat with, and reconnect with Lana and Cecil. Gretchen stayed close to the group. I better move out of the way so everyone can at least get near them. I kinda want to hold them and talk for a little while longer. Well, they’ll be home now. So, I have plenty of time.

After the talk died down and everyone was calm with good drinks, Lana walked up to Gretchen. “So, is there any new man in your life?” She always has that Cheshire Cat smile when she’s being. “No, my architecture firm is my boyfriend. Our dates are my projects.” Lana gently poked her with a finger. “Really?” She sighed. “That’s a shame. You’ve only gotten cuter over the years since I’ve seen you.” Gretchen shrugged. “You’ve gotten that tough body you always wanted.” Lana nodded while sticking out her chest. “That’s one of the very few perks of a long tour of duty.” Gretchen leaned on Lana’s shoulder. “This reminds me old times.” Gretchen sighed holding on to Lana. "Yeah, I wish Dominic was here.” Hold it together girl, don’t cry again. Lana nodded. “Me too.” She stood up. “I want to show you something."

Lana whispered something into Cecil’s ear. They grabbed their bags and led Gretchen to her childhood bedroom. What’s going on? They're whispering about something they don't want the other to hear.

“These are the last things left of Dominic we could keep.” Lana held a singed and bloodstained glove. Cecil held out a scrap of cloth. “We kept these things to remember him by. Can’t let the military keep everything.” Lana said with a soft smile. I can’t touch these. If I do… They grabbed Gretchen’s hands and placed the mementos in them. She burst out crying in on the bed. Lana and Cecil held her. “Now, it really is like old times.” Lana said with tears in her eyes. “Yeah, we’re all here like always.” Cecil had to take deep breath to stop sobbing as tears flowed down his face.

Gretchen sat still and clutched the glove and cloth. I missed you Dominic. You were always the glue that kept our group together. You’re still doing that now. “I have something interesting to tell you Gretchen.” Lana had a wistful smile on her face. “Dominic and I started a relationship.” Gretchen handed Lana back the glove. “It was like he left the glove so he could touch me again.” She squeezed her eyes tight and let out a deep breath. Gretchen handed the cloth back to Cecil. “I was there when it happened,” Cecil's words came out through a long sigh. Lana nodded. “I was patching up the communication system. We were all kind of joking until the firefight started.” Gretchen looked to both of them back and forth. “We were fighting in an old park. You could still see the playground stuff. It reminded me of the one back home.” Cecil looked to the ground and wiped his face with his hands. “We were winning until a bastard threw an explosive.” He turned his head as tears rushed down his face. “He was aiming at me. But, Dominic…” His voice grew quiet as he paused. “He saved my life. He looked after me like a big brother, right? He did it until the end.” Silent tears rolled down Lana's checks. “Dominic said he loved us during the fight.” Lana couldn’t stop her tears. “I still remember that goddamn bastard’s face. He smiled and ran away with his buddies. If it wasn’t for him. Dominic would still be here.” Cecil said through gritted teeth. Their cheeks were wet with tears. The only sound was sniffling and breathing. They didn’t have the energy to loudly sob anymore.

After they calmed down, Lana turned to smile at Gretchen. “Hey, I heard you’re designing something for the new government.” Gretchen nodded. “Yeah. It’s their new headquarters. They’re building it on the site of the old one. It’s good to see peace there.” Cecil smiled and nodded. “We wouldn’t be back otherwise.”

A week later, they all were hanging out at Gretchen's apartment watching some movies. "Hey, the local news is on now. Let's check it out." Lana switched on to the news. That's when they heard and saw it.

"This just in! After a year in relative peace, the new capitol is under heavy attack! We're cutting now to live footage from the scene." The footage showed the fiery wreckage. Meanwhile, the camera happened to catch an armed group driving by slowly to yell at the camera. One man laughed and shot off a rocket during the broadcast. “Oh, my God! That’s him! That’s the bastard that killed Dominic!” Cecil abruptly stood up and paused the TV. “Damn it. He has that same damn cocky grin.” He paced in circles. “I can’t believe he's still alive.” Lana growled. Gretchen shook her head in silence. “I’m going back.” Cecil grabbed his jacket to walk out the door. Gretchen ran up and grabbed his arm. “Don’t go back! You almost didn’t make it out alive.” Lana ran up to them. “I can’t lose another friend. Don’t go!” Cecil’s eyes squinted in rage. “This is for Dominic! I have to kill that bastard.” Gretchen wrapped her arms around him. "I can't lose you!" She sobbed into his back. “Let everyone else get him. We weren’t the only ones who cared about Dominic.” Lana pleaded. "At least wait until they call for us." Cecil turned to them. “We’ve been friends for 20 years. You know I have to take him down." He shook Gretchen off him and turned around. "You two can’t stop me!” Cecil ran out the door.

Gretchen sighed at her desk in her home office. I can’t do this right now. Cecil’s out there and what am I doing? Sketching some buildings for some rich companies. Tears filled her eyes. I couldn't stop him from volunteering to go back. I'm useless. She dropped her pencil as she went to wipe her eyes. Sometimes Gretchen preferred the feeling of drafting on paper before using the computer. It helped her to get head in a different space sometimes. The pencil rolled across the floor to go under a chair. Forget picking that up. I need to get back to work. She reached into the draw to get a new pencil. Her fingers found a folded up piece of paper.

It was a letter from Cecil. “Gretchen, I was always waiting for the chance to say it. But, I never could get the guts up to do it. I promised Dominic I would say it when I got back. So, I’m doing it now. Gretchen Atkinson, I love you. I’ve loved you since high school. Dominic and Lana knew about it all this time. Let me say it again. I love you, Gretchen. In case I don’t make it back, at least you know.”

Cecil… loves me? Her legs shook as she tried to hold onto her chair. She ended up sliding down to the floor. Cecil? That goofy Cecil that Dominic always paired me up with to play games with? The Cecil that always hugged me when I got off scary rides. Lana and Dominic would always pair off leaving us together.

She clutched the letter to her chest. I felt lonely the entire time he was gone. I constantly checked to see if he left me any messages. I couldn’t wait to chat with him online. He’s that Cecil. Oh, my God. I’m in love with him too!

Just then, her computer lit up with a video call from Cecil. She almost fell again getting into her chair to answer it. “Hey Gretchen!” I never noticed how his eyes sparkle when he talks to me. “Cecil! I,” she had to catch her breath. “I found your letter.” Cecil’s eyes flew wide open and he dropped his jaw. “I’m in love with you, too!” Right after she said the words, the video feed cut out. Did he hear me? I head gunfire in the background. Please, let him be alright! She went to sleep crying and holding his letter.

Gretchen waited at the airport again. She was speechless as she watched Cecil walk slowly over to her. She cried as he gave her a long hug. “I missed you!” Cecil smiled, “Me too!” He winced. “I gotta get used to walking with this new leg.” Gretchen gasped. “You have a new leg?” Cecil patted her on the head. “I’ll tell you about it when we home.”

Cecil relaxed in a large recliner at his parents' house. “Yeah, so I got demoted and a medal. How crazy is that?” He tried to laugh it off. “What happened for you to end up like that?” His mother asked with worry in her voice. “If it’s okay, Mom, I want to tell Gretch first. It’s about Dominic.” His mother nodded. “I understand. You two kids go ahead and talk.” Cecil watched her close the door to make sure they were alone.

Gretchen and Cecil took a long drink from their beer cans. Cecil emptied his as winced to stand and get another. “I’ll get it for you.” Gretchen tried to smile as she handed it to him from the cooler in his room. “Well, here's the story.” He said after a gulp. “I was out there and I saw the guy. He was right there.” Cecil slightly crushed the can. “I had to get him Gretchen. It was for Dominic.” He took in a deep breath. “I had him right there. My commanding officer wanted us to retreat. I had a little argument for him. There’s where my demotion comes from.” He looked down and to the side. Then, he looked back at Gretchen with a slight smile. Classic Cecil. you can't stop him when he puts his mind to something. “There was a guy who decided to stay with me. He reminded me so much of Dominic. Anyway, I told him not to go with me. So, he’s demoted too now.” All Gretchen could do was nod. “The bastard set off another bomb right as I shot him. As it came over my head, I could think of one thing.” Gretchen’s voice was quiet. “You got revenge for Dominic.” He smiled and nodded. “Precisely. At that moment, I didn’t care if I lived or died. But, that other guy,” he looked to the side. “He pulled my shoulder to make me run at the last second. He made it out. I was glad of that.” Gretchen nodded again. “But, the damn thing got my leg. The guy had to drag me back to my pissed off commanding officer.” He started laughing. “He had the nerve to yell at me while I was bleeding.” Gretchen nodded. “At least I got revenge for Dominic.” He said as took his last gulp.

As Gretchen went over to get another cold one, he grabbed her arm. “Did I hear what I thought I heard that day the signal cut out?” Gretchen dropped the beer from her hand back into the cooler. “What did you hear?” Her heart pounded in her chest. “That you,” he mumbled. “That you loved me.” They both blushed. “Yeah, I said that.” Just then, he pulled Gretchen down to give her a passionate kiss. “So, do you really love me?” They both laughed. “As Dominic used to say, ‘Does grass grow in the field?’”

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Image References

Glove: Wolfgang Eckert from Pixabay
Cloth: Giorgio Giorgi from Pixabay
Wooden surface: Дарья Яковлева from Pixabay

Living Room: chien than from Pixabay
Woman: Анастасия Гепп from Pixabay
Globe Background: Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

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