Loving A Marine

2. Enzo

June 19,2020

I squinted as the sun's brightness hit me, and I quickly shielded my eyes with my hand before looking down at my watch to see that it was just after 2 in the afternoon. I looked down when I felt a nudge on my leg to see my dog, Blade, to see him tilting his head. I patted his head and smiled.

"Come on, boy, our rides here," I said as soon as I spotted my friend's car pull up to the curve of the airport.

"Dude, I'm sorry," Carson, my friend, and former marine, said when he parked the car on the curve, making me shake my head.

"It's all good," I said as I put my duffel bag into the car's trunk before holding the back door open for Balde to get in and then got into the passenger seat with him, resigning the driver's seat.

"How was the flight?" He asked, peaking out of the airport, and not long, we were on the highway making our way towards our hometown.

"Long and tiring," I said, running my fingers through my hair, "thanks, by the way, for coming to get me on short notice."

"Dude, it's all good. I know how important it is for you to surprise your family." He said, exiting the highway before taking a left onto Oak Street. I smiled and rested my head on the headrest as he drove towards my sister's school.

"How's everyone?" I asked, and he grinned. He and his boyfriend of 4 years had recently gotten engaged two months ago when he returned from Afghanistan. I still had a good three months left before I was done with Marines. And to be honest, I was going to miss it, but I couldn't wait to be done so I could spend more time with my mom and sister.

"Good. Max wanted to have you over for dinner once you've settled in," he said, and I nodded.

"That'd be nice. I don't remember when I last had a good home-cooked meal," I replied as he pulled into Bailey's school. The parking lot was packed. It didn't even surprise considering that today was the school's last game of the year, with graduation being in two weeks.

"Come on, Max saved us a seat," Carson said as he turned the car off once he found a space. The car pulled into the packed parking lot, and I got out with Blade at my side on his leash and the bouquet of roses in my other hand. I followed Carson towards the football field, where it was clear how excited everyone was.

"Welcome home, Corporal Matthews," Mrs. Lewis, the principal, greeted when she saw me standing beside Carson. We exchanged a few words before the principal asked me to follow her.

"Go, I'll watch Blade," Carson said as he took the leash from me, and I thanked him before following the older woman towards the field where I stood behind Bailey, who had no idea I was behind her. The stances had fallen silent when they saw me, but Bailey probably took it as anticipation for what was to happen in the next few minutes. I looked over when I saw one of her friends look at me with wide eyes, but I put my finger to my lips to keep her from saying anything, and she blushed before turning away.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Saint Stephen High School's final game of the year," the announcer said, making the bleachers erupt in cheer at his words, "But before we start, we have a special guest joining us today."

The bleachers had again fallen silent as the announcer continued just as I tapped Bailey on the shoulder, making her turn her head towards me and gasped before throwing her pom-poms on the ground as tears instantly filled her eyes.

"Please join me in welcoming Corporal Enzo Matthews home." The male announcer said as Bailey jumped into my arms and wrapped hers around my neck as she began sobbing into my neck.

I could hear clapping and cheering from the audience as they watched the scene before then of Bailey and me.

"God, I missed you so much big brother," she whispered as she held onto me, and I smiled, wrapping my arms around her and saying that I missed her just as much. I could faintly hear the announcer asking the audience to stand for the anthem as Bailey remained in my arms.

"Go do your thing, kid," I whispered as I set her back on her feet, but she refused to let go making me chuckle, "I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

*****

Mom and I were sitting in the living room talking when there was a knock on the door making us exchange like. We had gotten home not that long ago as the game had ended at 8 and then we went to get something to eat with Mom stating as a 'welcome home' dinner. Bailey had taken a liking to Blade and demanded he sleep with her in her room so the second we arrived, she and Blade went up to her room for bed. I had shaken my head as I watched them go.

"Were you expecting someone?" She asked and I shook my head, "I'm not expecting anyone until tomorrow afternoon," she stood up and walked towards the door with me trialing behind her. She frowned when she looked through the peephole before pulling the door open.

I never thought I'd see Jenna, my ex-fiancée, again after our break up three years ago, yet here she was standing before us holding a sleeping child in her arms.

"Hi," she greeted as she struggled with her hold on the sleeping boy.

"What are you doing here, Jenna?" I asked

"To leave you your son," she said making me frown as she handed me the small child and before I could even say anything she was walking away. I handed the toddler to my mother before following after her.

"Jenna," I pulled at her arm making her swirl around and glare, "what the fuck? You can't just come here and leave a baby on my doorstep and claim them to be mine and walk away without an explanation."

"Just keep him, I don't want nothing to do with him. He's brought me nothing but trouble since he was born," she said making me clench my jaw.

"Why didn't you tell you were pregnant?" I asked crossing my arms and she rolled her eyes

"And then what? You would've left the Marines and become a full time dad? Give me a break, Enzo. You and the Marines are two peas in a pod and there was no way you would leave just to be a family man."

"I don't need to leave the Marines to be a 'family man' as you say," I said, "I could've still helped you raise him and be in his life even if I was overseas. But instead of telling me you kept it a secret and just now yon show up claiming him as my son. Is he even my son? Or are you just lying, which wouldn't be a surprise as that's what you've always been good at."

She clenched her jaw but said nothing making me scoff, "You know what? Just go. You've made your decision in walking away once I'm not stopping you from doing it again. But know that if you ever come back and want to take him back, I won't let you."

She turned on her heels and walked away but before she was out of sight I said, "Remember, Jenna, you are the one who's walking away and leaving him. So don't act hurt or shocked or anything  when he's older and you come back asking him to forgive you."

I walked back to the house once she was out of sight and looked at my mother who looked upset and not at me but at Jenna for leaving behind our son.

"His name is Declan," Mom said as she handed the baby over to me along with his diaper bag. I raised a brow as it asking how she knew when she pointed to the side of the bag where his name was etched. "What are you going to do?"

"Raise him as best as I can," I replied, "But first I'm going to do a DNA test to prove that he's mine before anything." She nodded, "I'm going to bed, today has been a long day."

"Okay, sleep well, sweetheart," she said as she pressed a kiss to cheek and doing the same to Declan who cuddled even closer to my chest but didn't wake up.

I laid the boy on my bed before climbing in beside him, tomorrow is going to be a long fucking day. But something told me that it was going to be filled with a lot of surprises from here on out.