Love Is in the Air

The water was cold as I laughed and ran through it to get away from Zach. The moon’s reflection off the ocean was beautiful. It was the perfect night. We had dinner with some friends and decided to take a walk on the beach before going home. Zach had it all planned and surprised me with wine and cheesecake under the full moon.

“Caitlyn, you can run, but I’m always going to catch you!” he yelled after me, laughing.

“Don’t be so sure of that. It did take a long time to catch me!” I responded playfully.

I ran back into his arms and we embraced in a long passionate kiss. “I love you, Caitlyn. Marry me. Marry me and let’s do it fast. I have to leave for the war soon and I don’t want to waste any more time.”

Wrapping my arms around him, “Yes!” I yelled. “I’d marry you a million times, Zach!”

He was leaving for Iraq soon. He didn’t know the exact date he would leave, but we both knew it was coming. I was upset about it, but I tried not to show him. I knew when I met him that he was in the Army and if we got serious, I would have to deal with deployments. I honestly didn’t expect to fall in love with him.

I grew up near the base. I always swore I wouldn’t date or get involved with any military man. I heard some of the wives talking from time to time about how hard it was on them when their husbands deployed. It wasn’t being alone, it was the unknown. It was the unknown of whether they were hurt, dead, or just unable to contact them.

Thankfully, we live in a time where they can video chat and get in touch with each other easier, but it still didn’t help brush away those feelings when they weren’t able to contact loved ones.

We had been dating six months, and after five months he got the news. I almost broke up with him because I didn’t want to deal with all the emotions that I knew military wives felt. I didn’t want to enter the unknown, but my heart wouldn’t allow me to break it off.

Zach pulled a small box from the front pocket of his jeans and opened it. Inside was a ring with the most beautiful diamond I had ever seen. It was perfect. It wasn’t large, but it wasn’t small. I wouldn’t have cared if it was only a band. Seeing this ring told me he knew me well enough to know, to not buy me anything big or flashy.

He placed it on my finger and kissed my hand. “I can’t wait for you to become Mrs. Larens. Tomorrow, let’s get the license and plan to get married at the courthouse this week.”

“We should go and tell my parents and I think you should call yours.”

My parents loved him. They thought he was the most polite and respectful man they had ever met. My dad was also in the Army and it made him proud that I was dating Zach. He would be ecstatic with a marriage.

Walking hand in hand to his truck, I looked at him and took in every inch of him and felt nothing but love throughout my body. I looked him over from his dirty blonde hair, brown eyes, and muscular body. I couldn’t help but want to hold onto him and never let go.

When we pulled up to the driveway, dad was sitting on the porch having a beer and smoking a cigar. He stood up and greeted us.

“Zach, do you want a beer? I have the cooler over there by my chair. Help yourself son.”

Zach stood tall in front of my dad, “Sir, thank you, but first I would like to ask your permission to marry Caitlyn. I love her and I’m close to deploying and I would like to marry her this week.”

Dad sat back in his chair and puffed on his cigar. He didn’t look happy. My heart started to ache with fear. I watched as he looked us both up and down. Dad took a long swig of his beer and leaned forward placing his elbows on his knees. Cupping the beer in his hands he looked at both of us and let out a long sigh.

Anxiety was taking over my fear. I placed my hand in Zach’s and squeezed. He looked at me and I could see the fear in his eyes for the first time.

“Caitlyn, you’re only 19. That is the same age your mom was when I married her. We struggled a lot and I don’t want that for you. I wanted to see you get ahead a little bit in life before you got tied down. Jocelynn come out here. I think you need to be in on this also.”

“What is going on?” she asked as she opened the screen door. “Is it important? I have my mom on the phone.”

“Put her on speaker phone. She might want to hear this also,” Dad replied with sternness in his voice.

“Harlem, is this serious because my sister is taking stuff out of my parent’s house again? She’s drunk and my folks are afraid to confront her. I may have to go over there and deal with it.”

“I’ll do one better…”

I cut Dad off before he could say anything. “Dad, it’s late and I know you’re thinking we should all go over there.”

“You’re right. Zach, you drive. Jocelynn lock up the house.”

As we walked towards the truck, I whispered, “Zach, I’m scared. I thought he would be thrilled to have you as a son-in-law. Now I’m not so sure.”

“I bet it’s because of your age, or maybe it’s because I’m on alert to deploy. I do have to get back to the barracks soon or I’ll be in trouble.”

“How much time do you have?”

“An hour.”

I turned around and as my parents walked down the porch steps, “Do you mind driving your car? Zach has to be back in an hour or he’s in trouble.”

Mom waved her hands at us to go on in a frustrated way. I knew that was because of Aunt Penny. She took advantage of my grandparents in any way that she could.

Like Zach and me, my parents had a short dating relationship before Dad deployed. My mom grew up here and Dad was stationed here. Thankfully, our family wasn’t like most military families and had to move around a lot. We stayed right here. I don’t know how my dad did it, but he did.

He’s now retired from the military and has worked as a civilian on base for the last couple of years. My dad still deploys once a year, but it’s not the same as when he was in the military. He can call us whenever he wants.

On the way to my grandparent’s house, I jokingly said, “Maybe we should make it a family affair and invite my sister, my nephew, and brother in law.”

“Caitlyn, that’s not funny. I’m feeling nervous enough with adding in more people. Not to mention going to deal with family issues.”

As I playfully punched him in the arm, I said, “Welcome to the family.”

“Normally, that would be funny, not this time.”

We pulled up in front of my grandparent’s little yellow house. They moved her from the farm when I was little. It was a little one-bedroom home that was perfect for them. Dad and I took care of the yard work for them, when grandpa would let us. He and grandma were in perfect health, and they get angry when we try to help them. They tell us not to make them old before they need to be.

I could see through the window they were arguing with Aunt Penny. She was throwing her arms in the air and stomping around the living room. I felt bad for my grandparents. They didn’t deserve the problems she caused them. A few months ago, she stole grandma’s checkbook and wrote over 13 thousand dollars in checks. She refused to press charges because she didn’t want to bring shame down on the family.

Mom and Dad pulled in behind us. Dad got out of their car and ran into the house. As we walked up, I saw in the window, Dad dump out Aunt Penny’s purse on the coffee table. As we walked in he said, “Penny, I’m making sure you’re not taking a dime of their money. They have to have it to live the rest of their lives and be comfortable. If this doesn’t stop, I’m involving the police.”

I sat on the couch by Grandma and held her hand, She was shaking and upset, but not so upset that she didn’t notice the diamond on my hand. She looked up, smiled, and kissed me on the forehead. Tears welled up in her eyes.

In a scratchy voice, Grandma said, “Penny, leave. Leave now. This is done.” Penny was standing behind the couch and Grandma’s back was to her. She walked over to the couch and leaned in to look at Grandma.

“I don’t want to leave. I have nowhere to go. I’m homeless and broke.”

“But you have money for alcohol. Go.”

She sat on the floor like a child and pouted. Dad walked over and picked her up and sat her outside. He shut the door and locked it. She pounded on the door and screamed to be let in.

Mom pulled her cell phone from her purse and called the police. Dad stood at the window watching her pound on the door and scream. “Olive, don’t you drop the charges. She needs to sober up and learn a lesson.”

“Harlem, I will. It’s hard, but I know that George and I have to put a stop to this.”

“Yes, you do.”

It didn’t take long for the police to show and they had Aunt Penny in handcuffs. Dad went outside to talk to them and my grandparents were in the kitchen doing something. My nerves were still on edge. I could tell by the smile that Grandma gave me, she approved. Grandpa never said much. If grandma said it was fine, then he knew it was fine.

Dad came back in and sat on the arm of the chair next to mom. “Now on to the next business we have to address. Zach has to get back to the barracks soon.”

Mom looked confused. “What other business?”

“The business I called you outside for at home. Zach, do you care to inform your future mother-in-law?” Dad said with a big smile. “Welcome to the family son.”

“Grandma walked in with cups of coffee on a tray and cookies. “It’s time to celebrate. Finally, something good. Love is in the air!”

Photo Credits: Image from Pixabay