Pistol: A Stepbrother Romance (6 page)

              Emily came towards me.  I opened my arms and swallowed her up in a big embrace.  I picked her up and twirled her around.  Setting her slowly back down on two feet.

              "You look great."

              "Thanks.  You do too."

              "How are you holding up."

              "Good all things considered.  You?"
              "Good.  Lots of work, but I'm enjoying it."

              Abby said, "Pete.  Are you ready to go home?"

              "Yes.  Take me home."

              "His name's Jake."

              Jake took the apple from my hand.

              "Her name's Jennifer."

              Jennifer took an apple from Emily's hand.

              "You didn't mention them in your letters."

              "I know.  I wanted to surprise you.  They're like us."

              "How so?"

              "They were together on a farm in Wyoming.  Jake got sold and moved here to Colorado.  He wasn't doing so good.  I found him wandering around in the hills.  When we tracked down the owner he said we could have him.  Said he was young and strong and too hard headed.  I did some research to get  the papers for him.  Tracked down his original location and talked to the vet that worked that barn.  She told me about Jennifer and Jake.  How they worked so well together and was surprised when they were split apart.  I called to ask about Jennifer and within 24 hours she was on her way down.  Jake's been a different horse ever since."

              I smiled.  "Why does this not surprise me?"

              Emily smiled and held back a laugh.  3, 2, 1.  She erupted into laughter.  I couldn't hold it either.

              I grabbed her in an embrace.  It had been five long years.  Five years of separation.  Five years of longing.  Five years of wanting.  Five years of lusting.  Five years of needing.
              I kissed her hard.  She dropped the other apple in her hand.  Both hands grabbed my face as she pressed her lips hard against mine.  She backed away.

              "We're gonna get you all fixed up.  Some Rocky Mountain air.  Hikes.  Swimming in the -."

              "Shhh."  I put my finger to her lips.  "The minute I saw you everything was perfect again."

              "Maybe not everything."
             

              "What do you mean?"

              "Well.  There is one thing.  Abby and Jonathan are married now.  So we're officially step brother and step sister.  Is that a problem for you?"

              "I fought for my country at 18.  I swore to protect it from all enemies foreign and domestic.  This is my country.  In my country I do what I want.  I want to be with you.  Forever."

              I reached down and kissed Emily with everything I had.  I wanted her then and there.  She pushed me away.

              "Wait.  Remember the first day we met?  When you took me on your bike?"

              "Are you joking?  Of course.  How could I forget?"

              "How we spent the whole day together, but didn't get each other's names until the end?"

              "Yes."
              "How we skipped right past all the formalities?  How we said it was better to be straightforward and things would work out better?"

              "I remember."

              "Do you still feel that way?  Do you still not care about formalities?  Still want to be together even with Abby and Jonathan together?"

              "I don't care.  I want you.  That's all that matters."

              She looked up at me.  She was calm, but had an excited look on her face.

              "What is it?"

              "Jonathan finished all the property development work here in Colorado.  He spoke with Abby and they're moving to the Sierra Nevadas.  They're going to develop there.  Around Mammoth Lakes.  There are lot of Chinese buyers.  Really good friends and business partners of my Jonathan's.  They got priced out of the Vancouver market, and wanted to stay on the West Coast.  They know there are a lot of other people from Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing that want to come over.  Even other parts of China.  The demand is huge.  My dad wants to develop there, but also help foreigners see the opportunities available in the U.S.  The country you helped keep safe."

              "So they're leaving.  Wow.  Do they know about us?"

              "Yes, I told Jonathan after he told me he and Abby were leaving.  He was supportive.  He said in life when you find people that mean the world to you, hold onto them with everything you got.  They don't come along very often.  Sometimes never.  A good business partner is extremely hard to find.  A partner for life, even harder."

              I didn't say anything at first.  Just took it in.  Still surprised, but of course as a Marine I was prepared.

              "Jonathan and Abby even offered us the house and property."

              I couldn't believe it.  While I laid in a hospital bed in Iraq, Emily had taken care of everything.  What an amazing woman.  Words couldn't do it justice.

              Emily was smiling.  She was holding my arms tight.  "You're awfully quiet.  What do you think?"

              "First.  I think you're amazing.  But you already know that.  Second, it's incredible how things are working out.  The incident in Iraq really got me down, but it may have somehow turned out to be a huge blessing in disguise.  Third, there is something I didn't tell you."

              "Oh no.  Do I want to hear this?"

              "You do."

              "Sure?  Everything seems so perfect right now."

              "We're both outdoors people.  We need the fresh air, the animals, the tranquility."  I paused.

              "And..."

              "In that hospital in Iraq I was in the cot next to a Marine from Pennsylvania.  We got to know each other really well.  Did some rehab together.  And of course lots of ping pong.  Once I knew I was getting discharged he volunteered to make some calls.  Help get me set up."

              "Set up for what?"

              "I really appreciate Jonathan and Abby's incredible offers, but I am my own man.  I need to put my own stake in the ground in this life.  I took my hazardous duty pay and bought us a piece of land along the Appalachian Trail.  I may not be fit for the Corps, but I can still ride bikes, jump out of planes, swim in the lakes, and get my adrenaline kicks in other ways.  More healthy ways even.  Like how you make my heart race when we're together.  I thought we could build a little cabin there.  You and me.  I can run a little adventure resort and rehab center for Marines and other service men and women coming home that need to sort through some issues and you can practice environmental law.  You're already dialed in with all your connections from the property development permits and such.  And I know how much you love animals.  Of course I'll have to get special training to properly assist the veterans, but being a veteran myself I think I'll be able to relate to what they're going through.  Build that bond and hopefully get them up and running again.  Transition back to civilian life as quickly and productively as possible.  I know it's going to be tough.  Real tough.  But I'm ready for the challenge.  And I'm ready for us."

              Emily closed her eyes.  When she opened them again a tear streamed down from the corner of her left eye onto her cheek.
              "I love you.  You are the most incredible man I've ever met.  I want to be with you forever."

              "And me with you."

              I got down on one knee.  Emily put both hands to her face.  The tears were streaming like a waterfall.

              "Oh my God.  Oh my God.  Oh my God, yes.  Yes!  Yes!  Yes!  Yes a million times and forever."

              "But I haven't even asked you?

              "You never needed to.  I was yours from the first time I saw you."

              I pulled the little box from my pocket.  Emily extended her hand.  The ring fit perfectly.

              "It's so beautiful.  Where did you get it?"
              "I bought it in Iraq.  Or should I say attempted to buy it.  The village nearby the base had a lady who handmade jewelry.  She was 82 years young and still going strong.  Noora Bata was her name.  When I told her the story about you, about us, she listened to the whole thing.  A tear formed in her eye and she just looked at me and said, for you.  Take.  I will accept nothing for it, just your promise to love this woman forever.  I agreed, of course.  She smiled and made a motion towards the door.  For me to go.  I smiled and left.  That was it."

              "How did you know my size?"

              "I didn't.  When I was looking at it I put it between the fingers of my hand.  Imagining we were holding hands.  I always remembered what that felt like."

              "You are amazing."

              "I found the diamond when I was nine.  I was up in the old Kelsey Lake Diamond Mine.  I was just messing around.  A boy and his imagination.  I stumbled across it and put it in my pocket.  Took it home.  I never showed anyone.  Until today."

              "It must be worth a small fortune."

              "The diamond.  I wouldn't know.  Honestly I wouldn't care to know.  The real treasure is the beautiful young woman on who's hand it rests now and forever.  She is priceless.  One of a kind, just like that stone."

              Emily grabbed me by the shoulders to lift me up.  She was crying.  Tears of joy.  I grabbed the underside of her thighs and lifted her off the ground.  Her mouth hard against mine.  I steadied her with my right hand and with the left grabbed the bottom of her white dress, which was now somewhere around her waist and lifted it up over her head.  It had been five long years, but I hadn't forgotten a single curve on that bottom.  All those curves and edges.  I wanted to take them all in.  All at once.