Just A Kiss (SOON TO BE PUBLISHED)

Chapter 17

I smiled. "You can count on that."

"I know she deserves your undivided attention. She's one lucky woman."

I kept smiling. "She sure is."

"Can you do me that favor?"

I nodded. "I sure as hell can."

***

I was driven back home by a kind nurse. She offered to drive me home after I told her that I had no ride and I told her about Martha. Martha must've gotten to her because the next thing I knew she was grabbing her keys and handing me my cane.

I almost didn't go home right away because the wound in my leg was pretty severe and they wanted me to be in rehab a little longer but I told them I wanted to continue my treatments at home. In North Carolina. I just wanted to go home; start a family, and continue living my life. But most of all I couldn't stand the thought of being away from Martha any longer.

"North Carolina?" The nurse said beside me as she continued down a deserted highway. "That's where y'all are from?" This lady had a very strong Texan accent. I wouldn't be surprised if she grew up on a ranch or something similar.

I nodded, not really in the mood to have a conversation. The injury led me into a depression for a while and at this point I was still recovering from the depression and PTSD. I had nightmares in the hospital about the battlefield and images of when I got shot. I would get panic attacks because of them. I have gotten help at the rehabilitation center and it's helped me a lot but I can sometimes still hear the sounds of screaming in agony and the sound of shots being fired. I could sometimes see red. "Yeah." I simply said and stared out the window.

"My husband's from Beaufort. You ever been to Beaufort?"

I looked at her and nodded before turning back to the window. "Yeah."

Through the corner of my eye, I saw her give me a glance before she focused back on the road. "Are you okay? You seem a bit quiet."

I frowned and leaned my head on the glass. "Well, I've never been much of a talkative person."

"Somethings on your mind."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Is it post-traumatic stress or something? Are you depressed?"

"Is it that noticeable?" I said with almost zero emotion.

She nodded. "It really is." When I didn't speak she continued. "I don't know what you saw out there or what you're dealing with but what I do know is that through all that there is still something important on your mind. And I'm not talking troubles either. Something good."

"Yeah."

"Is it Martha?"

At the name, I turned my head to her. "Yeah."

"I can tell that she's something very special to you."

"How can you tell?"

She chuckled. "I just know. By your expressions, I knew that the one person who could be on your mind is Martha. I realized it after you told me about her earlier."

"Yeah," I said again. "That's it."

We didn't talk much the rest of the drive home. But that was okay. I continued the whole way, looking out the window, thinking about what it will be like when I got home.