Doc, p.14
Doc, page 14
“We got carried away.”
T-Bone frowns at me and then asks, “You want me to take her home tonight?”
I appreciate the offer. It might be the best idea to keep us separated for a little while longer, before I do something stupid, like drive us to the nearest airport.
“No,” I tell him, “I’ll make it.”
“If you change your mind,” he lets the offer hang as he walks back in the building.
I walk in behind him and almost walk right back out. Loretta is bent over tying on her bowling shoes. I take a last look before ordering my own shoes. She looks up at me with a secret smile on her face. Tonight, just might be the longest night of my life.
Chapter 25: Loretta
I’m a pretty competitive person. It turns out Ava is extremely competitive as well. We start out competing guys against girls. Really, it’s Ava against Damon. It is the first time I’ve been around everyone in the club. I’ve hung out with Ava and Mina and I’ve met most everyone by now. It’s amazing to watch them interact with each other. Everyone is so different but gets along so well. Slater doesn’t say a word the whole time. T-Bone badgers Slater about not talking until Edge finally distracts him. Damon and Bones harass Ava mercilessly. Mina and I talk quietly in between defending Ava.
Doc bends over to grab his bowling ball and Ava elbows me hard in the ribs. “I heard you got a little action in the parking lot. You’re welcome.”
I glance over at Mina who also looks a little confused. “Ava the point is not to let that happen.”
“Oh, it’s not like I locked you two into a bedroom. It’s just a little kissing.”
“Ava!” Mina scolds.
“What? They are perfect for each other. I’m just helping them along.”
Before I can protest further—which would be like arguing with a brick wall—Damon is shouting over the crowd. “Quiet. Hey! Be quiet.”
Edge stands up and glares at everyone. Both of our lanes fall silent. Even the music level seems a little quieter. I’m going to have to learn how to do that someday, it would come in handy at the gym.
“As you know, today is Ava’s birthday.”
The club claps and a chorus of “Happy Birthday” starts up. Ava claps delighted in the attention. As soon as they are done, Damon starts talking again.
“Ava, I’ve loved you most of my life.”
The quiet from before is loud compared to the silence now, as everyone realizes what is about to happen. Ava’s eyes widen. Damon steps in front of her on the couch, before bending down to one knee. He’s so tall, he’s still almost eye level with her on the low couch. He pulls out a ring box, pops it open so smoothly he’s clearly practiced the move. He no longer has to yell to be heard. The club leans in anyway to be closer to the action. “This last year has truly been the best of my life and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”
She launches herself into his arms with a chorus of “Yes! Yes! Yes!” Then the club is surrounding them, squashing everyone in together. It takes a little while for everyone to stop celebrating and start bowling again. Ava shows Mina and I her ring as Damon gets up to bowl. “He did such a good job. It was the perfect proposal, don’t you think?”
“Yes,” I answer automatically.
“You’ll be next Rhett. Just wait and see.”
Doc leans over and kisses my ear gently before promising, “She’s not wrong.”
He strides back over to the guys like he didn’t just completely tilt my world on its axis.
Ava squeals and claps, “I told you.”
By the end of the night, the weather has turned cold and Ava has turned her wedding into a double wedding. I’ve tried arguing with her about it, but Mina finally advised, “Let her have the fantasy. Tomorrow she’ll realize that means sharing the spotlight and you’ll get booted.”
I nod along, even though I feel like strangling her. As we walk out the door, I zip up my lightweight jacket. Staring at the bikes I immediately regret not grabbing something warmer. Although, it has been unseasonable warm for early November, the nights are still cold. That cold is only going to be worse on the back of a bike with the wind whipping past us at sixty miles an hour.
A heavy weight covers my shoulder. Doc runs his arms down my own. “You’re going to freeze to death if you don’t have something warmer than that.”
“I didn’t even think about it,” I laugh.
He helps me navigate into his jacket. Standing in front of me, his hand grabs the zipper and slowly pulls it up to my neck. It’s torture how slow he’s moving. The way he’s staring into my eyes, I can’t remember if he’s pulling the zipper up or down. What’s worse, I don’t really care.
“Son, are you putting that jacket on her or taking it off her?” T-Bone’s voice echoes behind Doc.
Doc, whose hands had completely stilled, sighs deeply. He lets go of my jacket and turns to T-Bone. “Follow us.”
T-Bone nods and they both start moving. I’m still frozen to the spot, too overwhelmed by the number of emotions I’m having about being so close to Doc. I was—and was not—joking earlier when I said I have thought about us just eloping. My parents would be so upset. My mom would rant for years about not getting to plan her only daughter’s wedding. My dad would be disappointed that he hadn’t been there, but I think he would eventually forgive me. It’s not practical. We’ve only known each other for a very short time and only been around each other for an even shorter time. Doc’s been gone on a trip most of our relationship.
Still, there are times when I feel like I know everything I need to know about him. He loves God. He wants kids. He believes marriages are something to be worked on and not just something that happens. That sounds like the foundations of a good marriage to me. Everything else can just work itself out. None of the sexual tension can be worked out until we are married. Which leads me right back to eloping. Now, preferably. We could hop on the first plane out to Vegas and be married by morning.
Ava throws her arm around my shoulder knocking me out of my thoughts. “He’s a fine specimen,” she drawls slowly, her eyes looking over Doc.
She wrongly assumed I was staring at Doc who is standing with his back to us in deep conversation with T-Bone. His arms are crossed in front of him, making his shoulders look like they are huge. Without his jacket, his t-shirt cuts a perfect line to his narrow hips. His jeans are the perfect fit, hugging his strong thighs. My mind reverts back to trying to figure out why we aren’t eloping.
Ava laughs, “Man, you’ve got it bad.”
“Oh, shut it, Ava,” I tease her as Doc turns to check on me over his shoulder. He grins and winks at me. Edge appears near the group and shouts, “Load up.”
Instantaneously, people drop their conversations and move toward their bikes. There’s a blur of people putting on helmets and gloves. Bikes start up everywhere, warming up in the cold night air. Doc kicks his to life and then holds his hand out for me. I snuggle into his back my hand wrapping around his torso. The group moves out, somehow knowing that they are all ready. Maybe they just know that they have to be ready by the time Edge is moving. I’m not sure, but the group seems to do that a lot. They move together as if there is some invisible chart telling them exactly what they are supposed to be doing.
We follow the club halfway home and then veer off the road to go to my apartment. T-Bone breaks away with us, following behind Doc as he weaves through the streets. “Thanks for bringing T-Bone with us,” I tell Doc.
He shakes his head but I can feel the smile in his voice as he says, “It’s more for me than for you. You just look so damn tempting tonight.”
At my apartment, Doc kills his bike and dismounts. “Listen,” he says, taking my hand and stepping us a few steps away from T-Bone, “I think it’s time you met my parents and that I met yours.”
I raise my eyebrows at him. Of course, it’s time. I wonder why I didn’t think of it first.
“Thanksgiving is coming up next week. I’d like us to make plans to go together.”
I nod dumbly at him. Of course, we should go together.
“Alright,” he says, as if he’s glad that he got that off his chest. I wonder for a half a second if he was worried that I would tell him no. That worry is pushed out of my head as he leans in and kisses me. Before it can build into something that could tempt either of us, he steps back. “I’ll call you tomorrow and we can figure out the details.”
I lean around him and wave at T-Bone. “That’s for coming along,” I tell him honestly.
He blushes and harrumphs something that sounds like no problem.
Chapter 26: Doc
When I call Loretta the next day, we realize that Thanksgiving will actually be easy to plan. She and her dad are doing a video call on Tuesday. My parents are doing Thanksgiving at noon, which will give us plenty of time to make the club’s that night. Then her mom is doing Thanksgiving on Friday so the step kids can be a part of the dinner.
I’m a pretty traditional guy. I was raised by a strict military father and I believe you can tell a lot about a man by the way he shakes your hand. Which is probably why I’m pulling at my button down shirt. I don’t know how to make an immediate good impression on Loretta’s father if I can’t shake his hand.
Loretta giggles as she sets us up with breakfast omelets, courtesy of Mina. We decided we shouldn’t be alone in her apartment for the video call, so we are at the clubhouse. Surrounded by people and also very alone in one of the unused offices. I’ve made sure to prop the door open like we are still in high school, but that isn’t really going to stop anything. At least it didn’t in high school. Right now, I’m too nervous to even think about kissing her.
“It’s going to be your turn in a just a few days.”
“I know,” she smiles, “But I might as well enjoy it while I’m on the other side.”
“Remember that on Thursday when I’m laughing at you.”
She just keeps smiling. She has her laptop set up and plugged in to the wall. It rings suddenly while she is in the kitchen getting our coffees. Why didn’t I think to help her? Then I wouldn’t be sitting here and wouldn’t hear the phone ringing.
I click answer and a man’s face appears. It’s covered by a thick beard but Loretta’s brown eyes are looking back at me. “Doc,” he says.
“Yes sir. Loretta ran to grab coffee.”
“Chris tells me you and Loretta are already talking about getting married.”
I feel a bit like I’ve been slapped by a man sitting across the world from me. “We’ve talked about what we want out of a marriage. Our expectations and such, but I would never propose to Loretta without talking to you.”
Mr. Waller takes a sip from a mug and demands, “Is that what you are doing now?”
“Well, I planned on waiting a little while longer before asking her, but yes, I hoped I would get to talk to you about it.”
He glares at me through the screen. See, this is why I needed the handshake. I’m crap at first impressions unless you’ve gotten the handshake.
“I know you don’t know me, but I love your daughter. I want to spend the rest of my life with her.”
“Doc, is that your real name?”
“No sir, it’s Travis.”
“Then what is with the nickname?”
“I was a medic in the military. They nicknamed me Doc on our first deployment and it just stuck. When I joined Edge, they hired me on as their doctor and the nickname just kept following me.”
He’s still glaring, but then his expression brightens, “There’s my girl.”
“Hi Dad, sorry about that, Ava caught me in the hallway and wouldn’t stop talking. What did I miss?”
“Oh, nothing, just getting to know your young man,” Mr. Waller smiles brightly at his daughter.
“Dad, stop with the third degree,” Loretta tells him, instinctively.
“It’s my right as your father to interrogate your young man.”
“Maybe if he was asking your permission to marry me. We are just sitting here eating breakfast. There will be plenty of time for questions later. Are you coming home for Christmas?”
“Not this year. Hopefully, next summer. The local rebels are getting a little rowdy. Someone needs to stay behind and protect the building and all of our work. I volunteered so others could go home.”
Loretta’s shoulders slump imperceptibly. She manages to hide any other sign of her disappointment. “I saw the video of you at the tournament. You whooped up on that girl.”
“Dad! You make it sound like we were in the school yard,” she chastises him but I can tell she’s pleased that he watched her video.
They slip into an easy conversation. It’s clear that they have a great relationship with each other. Loretta easily pulls me into their discussions, not for a second leaving me out of any inside joke. The hour passes quickly and finally her dad says, “It’s that time, Rhett.”
“I know,” she swallows down a lump in her throat.
“It was nice to meet you, Doc,” Mr. Waller addresses me.
“It was nice to meet you, too, Mr. Waller,” I parrot back.
“Trevor,” he says, “you can call me Trevor. I love you, Rhett.”
“Love you too, Dad.”
Loretta reaches for the end call button and her dad says, “Wait, one more thing. Doc the answer to your question. Yes.”
“What? What question?” Loretta asks her dad who has already hung up.
“I asked him if he was involved with the stuff going on in Fallujah. He told me that information was classified, but I guess he decided to let me know anyway.”
“Oh,” her eyes narrow and I can tell she doesn’t really believe me. I hate lying to her, but this once, I think it will be acceptable.
“Well, one down, two to go,” she says after a minute.
“Are we counting Thanksgivings or parents?”
“Clearly parents. I’m not worried about the club Thanksgiving. In fact, I’m supposed to come over Wednesday to help Mina prep.”
I love that she has so easily integrated into the club. While I was gone, Mina and Ava took Loretta under their wing. They visited her like she was actually married to me and not just a girl I was dating. Now, she’s just a part of the group. There’s been a couple of times since I’ve been home, that I find her downstairs talking to Mina and Ava and I never even knew she was planning on coming over.
“What do you have planned for today?”
“We have classes tonight, so I’ll be there for that, but that’s it.”
I stretch my muscles. After being gone for so long, I’m feeling extra sore from last night’s workout. Her eyes dart to me and then away from me. The blush blooming her face makes the small room we are in suddenly seem even smaller. I stand up so fast I knock over my chair. The sound causes both of us to startle and we stare at the chair. She finally leans over and picks it up. Her eyes staring at me the whole time like she’s seeing right into my soul. It’s the same look Ava gets when she’s trying to figure out your weakest spot. Did I say I enjoyed Loretta being with Mina and Ava? I lied. I like her not being able to read every thought that crosses my mind.
“I’m going to work,” I tell her. Then like a coward I practically run out of the room.
Chapter 27: Loretta
After Doc runs out the door, I don’t see him again until Wednesday. Disappointingly, he doesn’t come train Tuesday night. I suspect that he wasn’t asking my dad anything at all about Fallujah and that whatever he was asking him caused him to run out of the room yesterday.
I walk into the clubhouse without knocking now. For a place with such tight security measures, they leave the back door open pretty much all the time. Mina gave me the code to the gate, so I don’t have to text her every time I pull in to the house.
The kitchen is oddly quiet. Normally at least a few people are milling around, looking for whatever goodies Mina is making and drinking their coffee. I look around and call out, “Mina? Ava?”
When no one answers, I start up the stairs. I texted both of them and they both replied. Afraid that the rest of the clubhouse is still sleeping, I don’t call out again. It’s not like it’s early morning. It’s closer to brunch than anything else. Still, some of the guys are scary and I’m not going to risk waking them up.
I creep up to the third floor and find Ava sitting on the couch. She looks up from her phone and smiles. “Hey, Girl.”
“Hey, where is everyone?”
She shrugs, “I don’t know. Dad closes the shops this week. No one should be working. It is pretty quiet, huh?”
We hear a cry. Almost instantly, the door opens and closes. Edge looks between Ava and I, his face grey. He drops Maddie into Ava’s arms. “Loretta,” he barks, “In the kitchen there is some ginger chews something or other. Can you grab those? Ginger ale, too. Some crackers maybe?”
“Sure,” I say, starting back downstairs.
“Oh,” he says, “In the closet on the second floor there are some extra towels, grab a few too.”
“Do you have some that need to be washed? I can get those started,” I offer.
He steps back in the room and comes back with a laundry basket. Every time the door opens, we can hear poor Mina being sick. “She wasn’t sick like this last time,” his voice is full of worry, “Maybe she has a bug.”
I decide that figuring out what Mina has can come after we get her a little better. I dump the towels into the washer and turn them on. After wiping out the laundry basket, I fill it with ginger ale, ginger chews—that I find in the pantry—crackers, and Mina’s glass filled with water. On the second floor landing, I realize I have no idea where the closet is located.
I walk up and down the long hall, hoping something will stand out. Each door looks exactly the same. White and shut. I grab a handle, knocking lightly as I open a door. It’s an empty bedroom. I repeat the process over and over again, stumbling into a few rooms that someone clearly lives in but isn’t currently in the room. It feels like I’m invading their privacy, but I just peek before exiting. I knock and open another door, expecting it to be unoccupied like the others. “Hold on,” I hear too late.
