dog somehow turned green and he assumed it was because the dog was sick?”
My mom nodded and turned to Matthew with raised eyebrows. “ You did that?”
Matthew was laughing so hard he couldn’t answer so Sydney did for him. “We caught him on the side of the house with the kiddy pool full of food coloring. But he threatened to tell everyone we stuffed our bras if we snitched.”
Matthew’s laughing was infectious and I started laughing too. “He’s such a pain. But at 14-years-old that would have been devastating to us.”
“Having little sisters was the best part of growing up.” he leaned over the table and attempted to give me a noogie.
“Wish I could return the sentiment,” I smirked, dodging his hand.
My brother and I had always been close, and I wasn’t sure if it was because we were only two years apart, or because we had unknowingly banded together to show our united support for mom. I could always count on Matthew to be the first one to pick on me, but I could always count on him to be the first one to defend me as well.
When he decided to enlist in the Army at just 18-years-old, I was proud but devastated. He was joining in the middle of an active war, and I spent nights trying to convince him otherwise. I told him about different college degrees he would be great at, and at some point I even tried to guilt him into staying, telling him he couldn’t leave mom and me alone. He would just hug me tight and tell me that he was born to help other people, and that the thought of a desk job made him want to die of boredom.
The first time he deployed I spent a lot of time online, reading the news and making sure he wasn’t hurt. Any time I’d hear something negative from oversees, I’d panic and worry until we found out details. We breathed easier when he came back, but the second tour showed up sooner than anyone would like. By the third tour I considered myself an old hat with the Army life, and although I still worried about him every second of every day, I understood why he made the choices he did, and I was so very proud of him.
We finished eating and I stood up in search of the restroom. Grinning to myself as I walked across the restaurant, I realized that I’d smiled more tonight than I had all week.
When I walked out of the restroom I ran right into someone who was walking out of the men’s room.
“Oh, I’m so sorry! I wasn’t paying attention.” I grimaced and took a step back to give him some space.
My breath caught in my throat as he turned, and when he recognized me a smile ghosted his lips.
“Madelyn.”
I couldn’t help the grin that stretched across my face. “Hi Josh.”
“You look good,” Josh said, as he looked me over. “Are you here with the girls?”
I looked at him too. How anyone could look so good in a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt was beyond me. I cleared my throat and looked back up as his face. The ghost of a smile had transformed into an actual smile as he caught me checking him out.
“Just one of them. My brother is on temporary leave for a couple of days and so Sydney and I joined him and my mom for dinner.”
“Ah,” he said, running his hand through his hair. “Where are you sitting? Mind if I say hi?”
I inclined my head in the direction of our table. “No, not at all. We’re over here. Are you here with someone?”
A shadow fell over his face, and his smile disappeared as he dipped his head. “Yes, she had to step out to take a phone call really quick.”
Disappointment lodged in my throat. “Well, come say a quick hello before you have to get back.”
I led him to our table and Matthew immediately stood up, shaking his hand and then pulling him into a man-hug. They talked to each other quietly for a few moments before they separated and Matthew gave Josh a pat on the back.
My mom stood, greeting Josh like a long lost son, and pulled him a tight squeeze. I couldn’t hear what she was murmuring to him, but when they broke
My mom nodded and turned to Matthew with raised eyebrows. “ You did that?”
Matthew was laughing so hard he couldn’t answer so Sydney did for him. “We caught him on the side of the house with the kiddy pool full of food coloring. But he threatened to tell everyone we stuffed our bras if we snitched.”
Matthew’s laughing was infectious and I started laughing too. “He’s such a pain. But at 14-years-old that would have been devastating to us.”
“Having little sisters was the best part of growing up.” he leaned over the table and attempted to give me a noogie.
“Wish I could return the sentiment,” I smirked, dodging his hand.
My brother and I had always been close, and I wasn’t sure if it was because we were only two years apart, or because we had unknowingly banded together to show our united support for mom. I could always count on Matthew to be the first one to pick on me, but I could always count on him to be the first one to defend me as well.
When he decided to enlist in the Army at just 18-years-old, I was proud but devastated. He was joining in the middle of an active war, and I spent nights trying to convince him otherwise. I told him about different college degrees he would be great at, and at some point I even tried to guilt him into staying, telling him he couldn’t leave mom and me alone. He would just hug me tight and tell me that he was born to help other people, and that the thought of a desk job made him want to die of boredom.
The first time he deployed I spent a lot of time online, reading the news and making sure he wasn’t hurt. Any time I’d hear something negative from oversees, I’d panic and worry until we found out details. We breathed easier when he came back, but the second tour showed up sooner than anyone would like. By the third tour I considered myself an old hat with the Army life, and although I still worried about him every second of every day, I understood why he made the choices he did, and I was so very proud of him.
We finished eating and I stood up in search of the restroom. Grinning to myself as I walked across the restaurant, I realized that I’d smiled more tonight than I had all week.
When I walked out of the restroom I ran right into someone who was walking out of the men’s room.
“Oh, I’m so sorry! I wasn’t paying attention.” I grimaced and took a step back to give him some space.
My breath caught in my throat as he turned, and when he recognized me a smile ghosted his lips.
“Madelyn.”
I couldn’t help the grin that stretched across my face. “Hi Josh.”
“You look good,” Josh said, as he looked me over. “Are you here with the girls?”
I looked at him too. How anyone could look so good in a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt was beyond me. I cleared my throat and looked back up as his face. The ghost of a smile had transformed into an actual smile as he caught me checking him out.
“Just one of them. My brother is on temporary leave for a couple of days and so Sydney and I joined him and my mom for dinner.”
“Ah,” he said, running his hand through his hair. “Where are you sitting? Mind if I say hi?”
I inclined my head in the direction of our table. “No, not at all. We’re over here. Are you here with someone?”
A shadow fell over his face, and his smile disappeared as he dipped his head. “Yes, she had to step out to take a phone call really quick.”
Disappointment lodged in my throat. “Well, come say a quick hello before you have to get back.”
I led him to our table and Matthew immediately stood up, shaking his hand and then pulling him into a man-hug. They talked to each other quietly for a few moments before they separated and Matthew gave Josh a pat on the back.
My mom stood, greeting Josh like a long lost son, and pulled him a tight squeeze. I couldn’t hear what she was murmuring to him, but when they broke
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