Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-One

" L apses in memory?" the doctor asked.

"Um, occasionally."

"How often?"

"Uh, I don't know. Once a week or week in a half, I guess."

"Dizziness?"

"A bit."

"Headaches?"

"No. Not really." Unless the headache that Josie's date with Kirk had given him counted.

The staccato questions came in rapid fire, like machine gun bursts. For every answer Corey gave he tried to be honest while at the same time making it sound like it was no big deal. Like he was on the road to recovery. Almost back to normal really.

"What's two times two?"

"Um, four." Had they reached the remedial math portion of the test now?

"Square root of nine hundred?"

Jeezus. He hadn't done square roots since school. "Uh, thirty?"

"Who is the current Secretary of the Navy?"

After a very frightening split second of drawing a blank, Corey said, "Del Toro."

Phew .

Finally, the doctor set his pen down. "I'm going to schedule another scan. But even without seeing the results of that—I see you didn't take your full medical leave."

"No, sir."

The doctor stared at Corey through his glasses. "Why is that?"

The girl he'd fallen for broke his heart. Living at home again with his mother got a little too comfortable and scared the shit out of him.

"I'm anxious to get back on duty, sir."

The doctor nodded. It probably wasn't the first time he'd heard that from a wounded sailor, nor would it be the last.

"I'm going to recommend another three weeks of recuperation. I don't want to see you back here before then."

"Yes, sir."

"Stop by the desk on your way out. She'll schedule you for that scan."

Corey nodded and thanked the man and did as he was told and got scheduled for a scan that week.

And then what? Was he going to hang around in his barracks room for the next three weeks doing nothing?

Three freaking weeks.

He knew it only made sense to go back to his mother's house. She'd be thrilled to have him for longer.

There was only one problem with that. Josie was there, right next door. With Kirk.

That thought was enough to make his brain bleed. And that was the last thing he needed.

* * *

He was on a layover at Atlanta Airport. Again.

Why did he always end up there?

He knew the answer. Because there was a quick flight directly from ATL to Albany, which was just an hour and twenty-minute drive away from Sidney.

But given Atlanta was one of the busiest airports in the world, and Albany was the capitol of New York State, he'd think they'd have more flights. With shorter layovers.

But no. Here he was again at the USO waiting out a long-ass layover. And wouldn't you know it, the same volunteer was there too.

She smiled the moment she saw him. "Corey. Nice to see you again."

That took him aback. She had to see dozens, if not hundreds of troops come through there each shift. Yet she remembered him? And she remembered his name?

Freaky.

Maybe she had one of those photographic memories. Right now, he'd be happy to be able to remember what day it was. Good thing the doctor back in Mayport hadn't asked him that question.

"Hello… Blessing," he said, reading her name off the ID tag to make sure he didn't mess it up. "Nice to see you again too."

"You're looking better. Moving better too. Back and neck not as stiff anymore?"

There she went with the freaky shit again. Knowing stuff she had no way of knowing.

It was always best to treat odd people with kid gloves so he said, "Yes, thank you. Much better."

"You know…" Blessing began. "My husband, rest his soul, was in the military."

"No. I didn't know," he said. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you. But I remember him telling me one of the most rewarding assignments he had was recruiting duty. Talking to the young people. Helping to guide them into their future. I think you'd be good at that."

"Me?" he asked, surprised and wondering how the conversation had gotten here.

"Yes, you. Don't be modest." She smiled. "You should think about it. Some things—some people too—require a leap of faith. Let's get you checked in so you can relax until your connection."

"Yes, ma'am." He was past questioning her. Best to go along with it.

He took the pen she pushed toward him, signed in and then let her guide him to an open seat, which happened to be in an area containing two sailors who looked young enough they'd probably just graduated high school last month.

Blessing told him they were life-long friends who'd joined up together and were heading to bootcamp.

"Maybe you could give them some advice. Or answer their questions," Blessing suggested, not so subtly.

Point taken. "Yes, ma'am. I'll do my best," he assured her.

He remembered that time in his own life. The excitement. The fear. Yeah, he'd do anything he could for them. It would help pass the time and keep his mind off worrying about the doctor's decision and if his career as he knew it was over or not.

But once he was on the flight and his mentor duties were complete, he'd think about that recruiting duty idea of Blessing's.

Some things—some people too—require a leap of faith.

Yeah, he'd be thinking about Josie too. And about how to win her back.