No Man Left Behind: A Veteran Inspired Charity Anthology by Elizabeth Knox (black authors fiction TXT) 📕

Wait what? He has land? Where?

“You have more land? You want to build a house?” I’m really trying to wrap my head around what he said.

“Yeah, for you.” Dad smiles.

“What?” I repeat. I might be having a stroke since I can’t seem to form words.

“We want you to have your own space.” Mom pats my knee.

“In fact, Chance already has a crew started,” Dad says. He’s already started building me a house?

“What?” I whisper, it’s too much.

I don’t know what to do but run and I do, right out the house into the barn, straight to Thunder, my rock.

Thunder puts his head on mine and I breathe.

This is why I want to do this, to start this. This will give other veterans something to do, to look forward to and a reason to live.

“Sienna?” Bear asks.

I can’t deal with him right now as well so I ignore him and keep stroking Thunder’s muzzle.

“I want to see if you want to go on a date with me?” he asks and my spine straightens.

He’s asking me out?

“What?” I don’t seem to know any other word right now.

“Go out with me,” he says, holding a hand out to me and I just seem to stare at it.

“Where are we going?”

“We can bring Thunder.” He winks as he saddles up Tex, another horse.

He then puts a halter on Thunder and attaches a lead to it, tying it to the saddle of Tex’s.

He mounts and holds out his hand to me and I blink, not sure if I want to take it.

“Where are we going?” I ask him, not sure if I should trust him. But I take it anyways, taking a leap of faith.

“You’ll see,” he says as we start through the forest and hit the trail. One I know well.

There’s a lake out here that kids go to and drink.

I see a fire ahead and know there’s a party.

“Bear?” I turn in the saddle to look at him.

“Just a few friends,” he says, but that doesn’t help, I’m nervous.

What will people say now? Do they think I’m a failure? Will they laugh at me because I pined for a guy that was shacking up with my best friend?

“It’s why I brought Thunder,” he whispers in my ear, his breath a caress and I shiver, feeling things I haven’t felt since before I left for the military. I’m screwed if I keep hanging around Bear.

“Thunder?” I ask him.

“I knew you would be nervous,” he says.

“Thank you,” I say as we dismount. Thunder always calms me so it was nice of Bear to think of bringing him.

“You got her to come,” Chance says while he hands me a beer.

“I didn’t know this is where I was coming,” I say as Chance chuckles.

I can see it’s a small gathering. Mostly people I grew up with, a few are from the circuit. Again, I follow most of them, some of the guys still ride, Chance and Bear don’t as often, but they have many championship belt buckles so they don’t really need to.

“Hey, Sienna,” Gladys calls out and I wave. She’s always been nice to me.

“Hey.” I take a seat next to her and she smiles.

“This is Mick,” she introduces the guy holding her hand.

“Nice to meet you,” I say and he nods.

“We met online,” she clarifies.

“Years ago, sweetheart.” Mick kisses her cheek.

“So it’s true? You met on one of those dating apps?” I ask her.

“It is and best decision I made.” She grins and I can’t help but smile. I’m happy for her. Guess those dating apps work for some people.

“We’re here,” I hear a male voice call out, “let the party begin.”

Hawke, holding Ava’s hand, rounds a group of guys and I freeze. And now everyone is staring.

Gladys glances at me and I just shrug, I don’t want anyone to see that him being here with her affects me in any way. I have to stay strong.

“Didn’t know this was a welcome home party,” Hawke states as he glances over at me.

“Don’t start asshole,” Chance says.

“I’m just welcoming the soldier home. Kill any babies when you were in?” Hawke sneers.

“What’s your problem?” I snap, jumping up from the log I’m sitting on, really wanting to punch him in the face for just breathing the same air as me.

“You are,” he yells at me.

“Don’t know why. Seems like you have everything you want.” I gesture to Ava.

“And you’re ruining that,” he growls at me.

“How?”

“By being here,” he yells at me, like a five-year-old. I have every right to be here.

“Grow up, Hawke,” I snarl back.

“Ava didn’t want to come, she thought you might be here. Guess you had to find out anyways. But now she wants to leave, to give you space. Like you own the town or some shit,” he shouts as Ava tries to pull him away from me.

“Fuck you,” I yell at him.

“You wouldn’t, virgin,” he yells at me, and I feel like I’m back in high school again. I should have stayed home.

I don’t have anything else to say to that, I think I need to go home, to where I feel safe.

“Good to see you, Gladys.” I nod at her. “I’m happy for you.”

I turn and walk off, Thunder following behind me, ignoring the protests as I walk the trail I know so well. I can hear Chance and Bear arguing with Hawke but fuck it.

So really, he was pissed because I wouldn’t put out for him. Wow, that’s immature.

What a dick I can’t believe I loved him at all.

When I’m far enough away, I collapse on the ground, sobbing. It seems we can never leave high school behind.

Thunder nuzzles me and I look up at him.

“Thanks, buddy.” I rub his nose and stand up.

He stands there as I hug him. “Let’s go home.”

Once inside his stall he lays down and I curl up next to him, telling him stories of my soldiers.

Soon I fall asleep, but it’s nightmares that come.

Chapter Twelve