U.N.E.

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

Lake Crystal, Minnesota. The town that Angela was both born and raised in was a small community of  a little under three thousand residents on the edge of two pristine lakes. It was a nice small town, where most people knew most other people and they looked out for one another. As Angela grew up she dreamt of leaving the small and sleepy town, but as she was arriving back home for the first time in nearly four years she couldn't believe how much she missed it.

The smell of the air, the cool end of summer breeze on her cheek, and the small town roads that she used to travel on every day of her life were like a balm to her slightly battered soul. After being on a battlefield and seeing the carnage that war brought she couldn't help but smile a little at the peace and tranquility of her home.

The smile didn't last long though, as the person sitting in the seat next to her in the rental car was a dejected and slightly depressed looking Alex. It had only been four days since they had left the carrier and stored their Mechs at a NATO base in Germany, and they were just beginning their first day of their two week leave. The situation was not something either of them seemed very comfortable with.

Angela had been hoping for a few weeks off where she could just putter around her childhood home and relax; with nothing to worry about and nothing to do. That had been snatched away from her the moment Sarah declined to accept the prize of taking Alex to her home town with her, instead forcing Angela to do it. She could have declined the chance as well, but that only left two other people who would end up doing it. Michelle would quickly jump at it and Angela was sure that Lisa would eventually agree as well. Either of those situations were not something she wanted though, and she couldn't bring herself to take the chance.

Alexander himself seemed just as against it as Angela was, and she couldn't really blame him. He was being forced—no, ordered—to go off with someone he barely knew and spend two weeks with them almost entirely alone. He probably would have been better off staying in Germany where he could be close to the action, but Kimberly wasn't having any of it. She even got signed Orders from a General to make sure he couldn't back out at the last second.

Putting the situation with Alex out of her mind, Angela pulled onto East Humphrey Street and turned towards her home, coming to a stop outside a two story house on the very edge of Lake Crystal. The trees on the sides of the road shaded them from the sun and she quickly turned the engine off, taking a long moment to take in the white house in front of her. Her mother's blue four door car was sitting in the driveway, but her father's pickup truck was missing. He was probably out running weekend errands and she hoped she would seem him soon.

Together with Alex she got out of the car and once more looked out over the lush green grass of her large front yard as a pit of nostalgia hit her like a tidal wave. The moment the front door opened and her mother stepped out onto the porch with a big smile on her worry creased face she broke into a run and was quickly swallowed up in a hug that she never wanted to end. It had been so long since she had seen her mother and she wanted to memorize everything about her before she ever even thought about letting go.

"Welcome home, sweetie!" her mother cried into her hair and Angela tightened the hug as her own tears threatened to spill from her scratchy eyes. "I've missed you!"

"I missed you too, mom!" she finally broke down and cried out, forgetting that she was probably being watched by Alex, who she had forgotten even existed. "How is everything?"

"Oh, same old same old. You and I have a few things to talk about though; like that News program I saw with you on. But that can wait until later! I'm just glad you're back!"

Angela and her mother continued to hug for a few minutes longer until someone clearing their throat behind them broke the moment. Quickly turning, Angela found Alex standing at the bottom of the stairs with her bags in his hands, a tight smile on his face as he looked up at them.