Chap 10 The Shoot-Out

by Shin

 

 

 

“We need to talk,” Matt suggested when they left.

“I think I saw that coming,” replied Sara.

He suggested that they get some McDonald's take-away and do it in a park. She agreed.

“You have to take the lead on this,” she proposed. “ It's easier with one person making sense of their experience and the other relating to it.”

“You'll have to tell me whether you are comfortable with it,” he replied.

“You have to include me in your life,” she suggested.

“I can't do this without that,” he said.

The summer sun had relented a little and was low on the horizon. The wind had picked up and blew across the field, where they sat on a bench under a tree. In the distance, the Blue Ridge mountains appeared dark and clumped together without providing a clear view of each tree or branch.

They munched on their hamburgers.

“If it would help,” she offered, “ they say in the MBA program that at thirty-five a man needs to take charge of what he is doing.”

She raised her hand to stop him from responding.

“I just need to say this one thing. It's like a mentor thing. I've had moments like this sitting with my grandad, my father and Mike. It's so....so....so....repetitive.”

They laughed.

“I need to say this,” she began. “ I think you are a natural born fighting man. It frightens me sometimes but I have to deal with it. And I'm not going to do what folks do in our societies. Pretend that there isn't a war on or that some of you who have returned should be made to feel ignored because we don't want fighting talk in public.”

She paused. They had stopped eating and left the half chewed burgers in their boxes.

“I think you are a brave man and I think I want to spend the rest of my life with you. But I believe you want to be clear about this and I want you to be clear about this. ”

She gestured with her palms.

“Here's perilous Pauine wondering where the next crocodile or lion is going to come from. Keep in mind I am a woman....,” he laughed, “ I don't store all of me in a reservoir. Its too small.”

“You said that well....thanks....it helps.” Then after a pause, continued. “There's no manual on this. It's like a Blackwater operation....I'm sorry....did that come out right?”

“I think I'll take that as a compliment,” she said.

“Some guy in the marines said that if you put your mind to it, you can know what God is. I don't want to do that....not in civilian life....that's a big part of my adjustment.”

“I like that,” she said.

“If you can handle that without thinking less of me it would be a great help.”

“I think I can relate to that,” she replied.

He continued.

“You're right about the MBA program. Life starts at thirty-five and ready or not, you have to take charge.”

She moved her body to face the field.

“What's the matter?” he asked.

“I just realized how much I'm like my mother.”

“Why? What's your mother like?”

“She hates having someone agree with her. She always said it felt like someone was patronizing her.”

“Only if you think they are at a theater,” he replied.

She smiled.

“I'm not a theater,” she mocked an anger.

“I need to say something about Mike,” he suggested.

She gestured for him to continue.

“I can't have you roping me into thinking he's good and so forth. The man's a flake. I'll appreciate if you don't bring him up again.”

“You're adjusting to civilian life and he's in civilian life making believe he's in a war.” She said it like she was reading it.

“That's it,” he affirmed.

She turned back to him. She just nodded gently but didn't say anything.

“If you mean that I'll buy you a beer,” he offered.

“You got a deal,” she replied.

Her cell rang when they reached the SUV. It was Rebecca.

“I hope I'm not interrupting anything?” she asked.

“Yes you are,” Sara replied.

“Listen if you kids are serious about your relationship you have to perform a shalom ritual.” She described it quickly.

“Yeah okay,” replied Sara and hung up.

They got a bottle of Jack Daniel's and found a motel near the railway station. She told him about the ritual and said she needed to do it.

He agreed, with the comment, “ I sorted it out my way...you do yours.”

She told him to sit at the edge of the bed. Then she put a shawl over her head and with both hands touched his shoulders and brought it to her chest. She did it three times fully focused as to meaning.

He said he wanted to do it too and followed the steps.

They drank the whole bottle and were consumed by a deep exhaustion. Then fell asleep in each other's arms.

 

 

Reviews

[Marie]

No action in this chapter, just dialogue. But good dialogue. However, perhaps it needs to be condensed a bit. A lot of dialogue doesn't easily hold a reader's interest.