mistake||h.s

01

-

home.
I was finally going home.

My head rested against the window of the bus as I stared off into the fields. I held my baby's stuffed animal in one of my hands, and the other held my duffle bag.

I sighed and let a few happy tears go. 2 months.

2 months without my baby.
2 months without my best friend. 2 months without a fucking real bed and something other than my camo uniform.

The bus came to a stop. First drop off.

Miles and Felix, two of my squad team members got up.

"Aye aye aye" Miles chanted as he milly rocked down the isle. I gave him a big smile, and he returned one.

"Say hi to mama bear for me, soldier" I told him.

"Will do, will do. Drop by sometime, you know my momma love you. Carajo, I think she like you more than she like me, y eso que soy su hijo." He said while chuckling.

When he was next to my seat he gave me a hug. I've known miles since I joined the military. Both 17 and with nothing else to go to. Except I already had my baby.

"Take care of bug for me. Say hi to ash, and take care of yourself baby girl."
I chuckled and nodded as he let go and continued down the bus.

Felix gave me a warm smile, "take care, Palacios. Say hi to baby boy for me, yeah?"
He smiled and gave me a warm embrace.

"Sure thing, Rodriguez. Come by sometime, ash could use some company other than bug." I smiled as he let go and agreed. I watched his figure go exit the bus.

Felix and Miles were my two best friends in the military. Felix an attractive little white boy and Miles a mixed Afro Latino- black and dominican. The three of us entered together, and have been stuck with each other since. They lived together while I lived with Ashton, my childhood best friend.

The bus continued after they got off.

I fell asleep halfway home for about 20 minutes, dreaming of my bedsheets.

When my stop appeared, I got up. Sargent Brock, the leader of my squad, saluted me as I got off the bus.

The sky was gray, but I loved rainy weather and the cold. As my feet landed on the concrete, I took a deep breath in.

I walked toward the garage that my car had been kept in for these two months. I greeted Albert, the garage keeper.

"Good morning, palacios." He saluted, smiling. I walked up to his desk and knocked it.
"I'm done with my term-" I sighed "- and I'm tired of hearing my last name. How's it been ?" I told him while resting my arms on his desk. He got up and opened the door behind him where he kept all the keys. 

"It's been alright, not very exciting. Your boys came by last week - bug is getting bigger by the minute- they took the car out, dropped me off some McDonald's. Other than that-" he came back "- boring."

He handed me the keys to my car. I took them and patted his hand.

"Thanks albert. I gotta run, I miss my boys and I need to get out of these clothes. Take care, maybe I'll be dropping of some McDonald's these days." I said while walking backwards into the garage. He chuckled and nodded
"Bye, palacios. See you later." I gave him a thumbs up and went into the garage.