The Baby I Never Knew

"Promise me that you'll wait for me," I whisper as I kiss the top of her head as we lay together in the backseat of my car. I gently stroke her light brown hair as we hold each other, trying to catch our breaths.            "I will." She replied, lifting her head off my chest.  "I love you, and I will always wait for you." A smile pulls at her lips as we lean in for another kiss.            "I love you too." I hate having to sneak around just to be with her. Usually, when two teenagers sneak around, the girl's parents cause it, but in our case, it's my overbearing and controlling mother. Ever since my dad died, my mom told me I'm not supposed to have anything to do with the Tremaine family, but I've been in love with Mia Tremaine since we were 6. She was my first real kiss when we were 12, and I was her first s****l experience. I wish I had waited, but my mother kept me away for years, and I tried hard to move on and forget Mia, but here we are, 18 and 20, completely in love.  "When I come back, we'll get married. I don't care what my mother says." I state.            "Okay." She smiles, knowing deep down my mother will always be in our way, trying to control everything. I wish I could figure out something sooner, but I need to start making my own money and set up a bank account out of my mother's control before I can actually be with Mia openly.            After what feels like a lifetime, an alarm sounds, telling us it's time to get moving. Reluctantly, we untangle from each other's embrace and pull our clothes back on. I drive us back into town and discreetly drop her off in a private area where she'll walk home.  It's kind of shitty when you think of it, I drop her off and leave her to hike her way back home while I drive off, but this is what we've been doing for three years now ever since I came back into town. I genuinely hate sneaking around like this, but my mother practically runs this town even though she only owns and runs the beauty parlor here in town.             Back home, I finish packing for boot camp. The next six months are going to be hell, but I'll be proud to serve my country. Once all my things are packed and squared away, I freshen up before joining my mother for dinner one last night. This was the most surefire way I could get away from my mother and out from under her thumb, which is why I enlisted in the first place. Then we moved back here, and I came to finish high school before boot camp started. I was 17 when I enlisted, but because I failed a few classes in my freshmen year, I didn't finish school until this year and wanted to finish High School. I screwed up and knew I needed to own my mistake to move forward. I turned 20 last month when I received my letter telling me where I'll attend boot camp and which barracks I need to report to tomorrow.  I'm taking a red eye to Michigan tonight.            I sit down at the table, feeling a mix of emotions. I cannot wait to leave and get away from my mother, but the idea of leaving Mia for six months to a year is eating me up inside. I know if I'm gone longer, the likelihood of her waiting for me is slim.  I'll call and text her whenever I get to; I'll do anything to keep Mia.             "Did you hear what I said?" My mother's voice sounds annoyed as I turn my attention back to her. Her brown hair is cut in a short bob that's shaped around her face with her blonde highlights. Her brown eyes are narrowed at me as she waits impatiently for my response.            I'm sorry, what was that?""            ""I said I expect calls as often as possible. If you are local, then I will expect to see you as often as you can get away.""            ""I know, mother," I murmur before taking a bite of my food.             ""I will attend your graduation in 10 weeks and see you before you ship off to your first assignment" She smiles at me.            ""I look forward to seeing you there," I lie. I want to say that I'd rather see Mia there than my mother, but I won't chance having some backlash land on Mia when I'm gone.  *****************************************            As soon as my plane lands, I send Mia a text.  ''Just landed in Michigan. I miss you already. Take care; I'll call or text when I'm able.”  I hit send before putting my phone in my pocket, taking my carry-on out of the overhead compartment, and exiting the plane. I catch a ride to the navy base with some others who are heading that way too.            ""Totals $30, everyone needs to pay $7.50 for the ride," One of the guys announces got sandy-blonde hair with green eyes and a face that gives off the vibe that he's annoyed he even needs to tell me this.            ""Right, do they accept cards?" I ask, pulling out my wallet to dig out my credit card.            ""I'll cover him." Another guy says. He has curly red hair with blue eyes and gives me a friendly smile as he hands the driver $15. As we grab our bags from the trunk, he looks at me.  "You can pay me back whenever you can. My name is Richard… Richard Barker. You can call me Rich for short."            "Barker is what you'll be called." The guy with the sandy-blonde hair corrects.  "Everything is going to be last names only from now on. Try not to forget your first names." He smirked at me.            "Miller." I nod, reaching out a hand to Barker.  "Ryan Miller."            "Is that a southern twang I hear in your voice?" Barker asks excitedly.            "I'm from Texas," I answer.  "You?"            "Ohio," Barker answers as we walk across the parking lot to the barracks.             We meet our commanding officer in the barracks, who goes over the basic rules, expectations, and tasks we will all be expected to do each day for the next ten weeks until graduation. Once he dismisses us, I change and curl up for the night. Hard to believe I'm thousands of miles away from Mia tonight instead of just the 50 miles we usually are.