A random “oorah” sounds in the background, making the beautiful brunette roll her eyes. “I got this,” she says, giving me a quick wink.
She turns, and I hear her get their attention. “Abe! We roll out in fifteen. You can play with Scribe, or you can talk to the pretty blonde you got over there. I’d prefer you pick the blonde because, sadly, I need Scribe. If he wasn’t my ears on the ground, I’d love to watch you kick his ass.”
Abe finally lets him go, and I see the men stagger apart.
“Jesus, man,” Scribe grunts. “Guess nobody can hook up with a girl named Julie, or Abe might kill us. We are clearly not allowed to use the name.”
“Jesus!” Mac exclaims. “Can we go check my headset please? Leave them be before you get yourself killed.”
Abe glares at Scribe until he finally retreats, but not before Mac smacks him on the back of the head.
Mac bounces in front of the screen just before she takes off. “It was nice to meet you, Julie. Put a smile on his face for us, will you? He’s been a bear since we got here.”
“It was nice to meet you too. I’ll try my best.”
She gives me a small wave before disappearing.
“Come back over here, I wanna see your face.”
Abe drops down in his chair. “He was wrong, you know.”
“Who?”
“Scribe. It was more like five times I’ve been in the bathroom with those pictures you gave me.”
“Only five?” I say, pretending I’m hurt.
“That’s all I’m willing to admit.”
I smile at him, fighting the lump in my throat. I only have him for a few minutes, and I don’t want to spend it crying. Think happy thoughts, Jules.
“I love you,” I say, reaching out and touching the screen.
“I love you too, baby.” His fingers mirror mine on the screen, and it looks as if our hands are touching. “I’m going dark for a while, so you may not hear from me for a little bit, but don’t stop writing. Your letters will get to me eventually, and I’ll keep in touch as much as I can. Even if you don’t hear from me, I’m always thinking about you.”
“Be safe.”
“Always, shortcake.”
Chapter Five
JULIE
August 2011
My dear fiancé,
I don’t think I’ve ever called you that before. It sounds so fancy! I started classes today, so I’m officially a college student! *dances around* I was even lucky enough to snag a part-time gig at the local coffee shop. I have no idea what I’m doing, but I’ll fake it until I make it. Wish you could see my dorm room. It’s the first time being small works in my favor because I need all the extra space I can get in that room. I’m even one of the lucky ones who ended up without a roommate. I’m not sure how they put two people in those rooms!
It should be okay, though. Next year I won’t need a dorm room, I’ll be happily married to my hunky Marine with our own little place. I’m thinking purple for our bedroom. It’ll have to be girly to offset all the manliness you got going on.
I miss you. God, do I miss you. I dropped my phone last week and almost had a mini panic attack when it shattered. All my pictures of us were on it. Thank God, I was able to save them. I printed them all off and saved them to a million different places, so if you randomly see a billboard with our pic on it, I’m sorry.
I love you!
Always,
Your shortcake
Xoxoxo
Chapter Six
ABE
September 2011
Mine,
You better be calling me your fiancé to every person you see. In fact, it better be on that billboard. Unless it’s one of the pictures of us at the lake. Then I’m going to tan your ass for showing the world what’s meant for my eyes.
Don’t get too comfy, shortcake. I’m coming for you, and you can paint our bedroom whatever color you want. As long as your sweet ass is naked in our bed, I couldn’t give two shits what color you put on the wall.
Keep writing me, baby. You have no idea what your letters mean to me. I don’t care what they say, even if you’re just telling me what you did all day, I’ll love the fuck out of them. Makes me feel like I’m with you when I know what you’re doing every day.
I love you.
Yours.
Chapter Seven
JULIE
November 2011
My dear fiancé,
People sometimes tell me I’m too young to get married when they find out I’m engaged. That we haven’t known each other long enough. I always just smile at them. I think I would have been one of them too if someone told me our story. It’s hard to explain love to people who’ve never really known it before.