Ollie
Someone explain to me how one minute I’m meeting with Jackson and Mark because my meddling sister pulled in some favors, and then next I’m on a private plane heading to Virginia to stay at Jackson and Catherine’s beachfront property to ‘check out and visit’ the facility they have down there. My head is still spinning and I’m not sure how this happened. It all started out so innocently, and I never caught on until halfway through. Onyx and Charlie set me the fuck up. And Half-Pint knows how pissed I am for her getting in my business. We didn’t leave on the best of terms when I left her house. Before we could talk, I had to get in a limo that was sent to pick me up for the airport. What the ever-loving-fuck universe am I in?
After the three hours, yeah, a three-hour meeting, at their office Mark took all of us to lunch and we met Jackson’s wife, Catherine. What a riot the four of them together are. And Onyx fit right in with those crazy-ass women. All the back-and-forth was hard to follow, especially after about an hour when my head started to ache. It’s the most activity with people I’ve had since I returned Stateside. Jackson must have noticed because he’s the one who called an end to our lunch and told me they’ll expect me in Virginia in a week, if the doctors clear me. Then he informed me that his people will continue my care if the doctors again give the okay. Shocked beyond belief, I sat there with my mouth open wide until Onyx leaned over telling me to shut it or I’d catch some flies.
Once everyone said their goodbyes, after both men gave me their business cards and I got hugs from their women, Onyx and I made the trip back to her place. I grilled her the entire way because out of everyone out there, there was no way that Cole Security Forces would be looking so far down on the ladder that they would not only find me but want to offer me a job. For a while, she didn’t say a thing until I kept pounding at her until she screamed in her car.
“Enough, Olls, for God’s sake. Do you ever just shut up and breathe? I had to do something, and after giving it much thought, I figured this was a better option than calling in the family because you know how that’d go. Our parents and our brothers would’ve come storming in onhorseback, demanding you come back to the ranch so they could take care of you. Brenna would probably bring all her biker bitches from that MC and then there’d be a fight on who would drag you back. And God only knows what the last sibling of ours would do, some voodoo or witch shit, who the fuck knows? She’s a crazy one. So, after that, look me straight in the eye and tell me I made the wrong choice? Besides, I don’t want all those lunatics at my house at the same time, my neighbors would lose their damn minds. Not to mention all those Stetson hats and biker doo rags out here in Cali, damn, it might bring on some kind of gang war.
Laughing at her attempt to lighten the mood, I realize she’s right. Son of a bitch, if the folks came out that’d be it, I’d be done for sure. They would demand and guilt me into returning home to Montana, where I would slowly die in my old room in the family homestead. No, there’s nothing wrong with where my family lives, it’s just not something I want to do the rest of my life. The ranch is beyond beautiful, all that ‘Big Sky Country’ bullshit and all, but no—just no. Onyx is right, only the Lord knows what Brenna would roll into town with. Damn, need to call that girl and find out what the hell kind of bullshit she’s gotten herself into. But right now, I have an apology to make, and I need to show some gratitude to my sister, who went the extra step and took the time to try and help when she was worried.
“Onyx, uhm… well yeah, you’re right. This all just took me by surprise, honestly. I was just wrapping my mind on the idea of meeting Jackson, then finding out Mark was going to be there too, blew my mind. When the team was out on missions and had some downtime, the stories that flew around about those two guys who ran and worked at Cole Security Forces was like something out of an action flick. Never in my wildest dreams did I think not only would I meet the two men who own it, but also get the opportunity to—I don’t know—visit or tour at where it all started. Didn’t mean to take it out on you though. It’s just I’m getting itchy ‘cause I forgot to bring my meds and I’m way past due. That’s all. Gotta say, this is the first time I’m excited about anything in a long, long time so again thanks, Half-Pint.”
She leans over and then punches me in the arm. Goddamn, she’s got some power behind that. Then she laughs until she snorts, which has me laughing along with her. The rest of our ride home is just the two of us goofing around like kids, like we usually do when we’re together.
* * *
After Onyx dropped me off so she could go run some errands and work out, the first thing I do is take my damn meds. Not only am I itchy but my mind is starting to play tricks on me, that’s why I came back here instead of going with her. Just the noises on the ride home and the lights, horns, and shit were driving me fucking insane. I wanted to pull my hair out. It’s weird how with PTSD you think everything is good then one word or noise can set you off. Ten minutes before Onyx dropped me off, I had a mini meltdown. Out of nowhere, a siren started, and my mind snapped back to Bahrain. I had no idea where I was or with who, except one minute we’re joking around and having a great time, and the next thing I know we are in some parking lot with Onyx leaning over me actually holding me in the car. I was pushing her to get out and run. To where? No fucking clue. And I can’t run for I’m getting around in a damn wheelchair, for Christ’s sake.
It took some time, but eventually I calmed myself down enough for her to tell me she thinks the siren was a trigger to some bullshit stuck up in my mind. I was trying to catch my breath as my heart felt like it was gonna jump out of my chest. Onyx grabbed my face and started to count backward from one hundred. After each number she would squeeze my face until I could feel it. Then, slowly, I came back to my body and mind, here in her car in Cali. I could feel the sweat running down my face, back, well shit, my whole body. Feeling embarrassed, I tried to pull away when she yanked me back.
“Bro, you’re not the only one with nightmares. Been there, done that, so get your shit together. We ain’t moving ‘til I know you’re good. Don’t give a fuck about anything else, you hear me? Right now, you’re the most important thing.”
Damn, have I been so self-absorbed over the years that I didn’t know my baby sister had her own issues? I never even gave it a thought when she left the service, but thinking on it this minute, she planned to be a lifer too. That’s all she ever talked about besides being a corpsman. Medicine and the service were her lifelong dream. How did I forget that? She must read me because she shakes her head.
“That’s for another time, Olls. Here, drink this water and just chill. We’re good, no worries. Remember when we were kids and we all said it was us againstthem.Well, back then them was our asshole brothers and sisters, but now it’s us against the world. You with me?”
Feeling like that little kid again, I look deep into her eyes seeing demons I never saw before. She’s right, it’s us against the entire fucking world; so, I give her a small smile and nod. Onyx smiles back and slowly lets my face go finally.