MASON AND SAGE

Chapter 14 ~ Mason

The call came at 9:30 at night, surprising me, even though we'd been trained to always be prepared. Maybe I had just been hoping in the back of my mind that I could have some more time sitting around home with Cashew, moping, contemplating my fucking bleak future without Sage before I had to become a functioning military operative again.

In the two days since I'd fucking cried like a baby in front of her and walked away, I'd barely been functioning. I'd wake up, walk Cashew, come home and sit around until Cashew needed to go out again. While I remembered to feed my boy, food had lost its luster to me, but I did manage to drink a couple of beers, even though the taste repelled me. I figured a few beers was practically like eating bread.

But my luck ran out after two days and we got a call mobilizing my team fast. That meant something hot was happening for such a quick call up. We were taking off in an hour, which meant I had just enough time to grab my go-bag and break my promise to leave Sage alone.

She answered on the first ring while I was backing out of my driveway. 

"Mason?"

I'd have time to rethink the way she said my name later. In fact, I'd go over and over the way her voice was both breathless and hopeful and curious all at the same time. Right now, though, I just had time for business as I drove through the dark streets to get to base.

"Hey, kitten," I greeted her without thinking, then mentally sighed at my carelessness. "Hate to bother you, but I've got a meeting right now," and she knew what that meant. 

When we'd first started dating, I had told her I might be called up suddenly and could not disclose any information to her, even if the line had been secure. So I told her I'd tell her I had a meeting;  if it was a meeting right now, that meant I was leaving immediately on a mission and could not say anything more. "Could you please watch Cashew?"

"Yes," she said right away. I knew she had a hundred questions, but she also knew not to ask. Or she would have had a hundred questions; I don't know if she did any more.

"And I have no idea how long the meeting's going to last, so don't wait up."

That was also code I had warned her about. Since we never got information until we were almost in the air, at which point we'd be debriefed on specifics, I never had an inkling if I'd be gone three days, three weeks or three months. It was usually on the shorter end of the spectrum, but you never could tell if it was going to be a more complicated mission with a greater risk of things going sideways.

"OK, Mason."

"Thanks. Feel free to stay at my place; I know it's easier for you. You still have the key?" 

"Yeah, I'll stay there, and I do have the key," she said softly. Then Sage hesitated and gave me her old sign off.  "Hey...have a good meeting, Mason."

Be safe, Mason. Be careful. Watch yourself. Come back to me. She had given me her own code of what have a good meeting meant.

The most important one, though, Mason, is come back to me.

"Thanks." And then, because I never knew if I would be coming back home to her, I had to say it. 

"Take care, kitten. I love you."

I hung up before she could protest or respond or tell me to fuck off and not think that just because she was willing to watch my dog that it meant anything. I felt bad for asking her to take care of Cashew, but I hadn't thought I'd be called up so soon, so I hadn't made alternate arrangements in the last two days. I'd have to take care of that as soon as I got back so I wouldn't have to ask this of her again.