The Baby I Never Knew

Chapter 2

It's been a week, and I'm finally starting to learn everyone's names here. Gunner does not like me. He gives me the side eye whenever we are near each other and grunts at whatever I say. I don't understand what I did to earn his dislike in the first week, but I need to clear the air before this worsens.

"Miller and Gunner, you're on bathroom duty." Our drill instructor announces before continuing to give out the daily responsibilities.

Great, just who I want to be scrubbing toilets with, the guy who doesn't like me. We enter the bathroom after grabbing our cleaning supplies. "So, should we split the tasks up? One of us washes the toilets, and the other cleans the sinks and floor?" I suggest.

"Listen, Pretty boy, we were told to clean the bathroom together, and where I'm from, that means we both scrub the damn toilets and get the job done. I don't intend to chit-chat with you while we're here, either." Gunner snaps, grabbing a spray bottle and moving towards the stall furthest away.

"I'm sorry, but did I do something?" I asked.

"Grab a spray bottle and get scrubbing." He answers.

"Why do I get the sense you don't like me?"

"Simple. You think you're entitled; I noticed it when you just jumped into our ride on the way here, then you act dumb when someone calls you out. Now, we're in here, and you wanted to have the easy part of the job. In here, your parents' money won't get you anything. We are all equals in here, meaning you aren't any better than the rest of us." Gunner states with a sigh. "Now, we need to get busy and stop wasting time talking about our feelings." The snarky tone in his voice when he said feelings rubbed me a bit wrong, but I decided to ignore it and set to work scrubbing toilets.

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9 Weeks later

10 weeks of hell, and I'm ready to get on a ship. Today we graduated from basic training and received our orders for the next mission. We ship out tomorrow for a couple months, then we will be docked stateside for a few weeks before going to a dock overseas for a year. I'm ready to see the world, but part of me wants to go home to my girl. I've thought about Mia during my time here, and I'm looking forward to hearing her voice.

"Hey, Ricochet, do you mind taking my picture before we leave? I want to send it to my girl now that we can use our phones for the day." I ask, handing Barker my phone. It's funny he's one of the few that got a nickname we all use instead of his name. It started when he fired a gun for the first time, and the bullet ricocheted off his target and hit another. Then we realized he was the bunks gossip queen and spread information until everyone knew it like his ricocheted bullet.

"Sure." He took my phone, and I posed for a picture to look professional.

He hands me back my phone, and I send the picture to Mia before texting her. 'Hey babe, I did it. Graduation day! We'll be stationed stateside for a couple months before shipping overseas. I hope to see you before long. I miss you, Mia.' I got the notification that my image failed to send, which tends to happen with this old phone, but when I hit send on the message, it comes back as my number has been blocked, and unable to send messages to this number; my heart broke. 10 weeks… it only took her 10 weeks to forget about me?

"You good man? We're going out." Ricochet called me. I look up and force my feet to move. I'll have time to process this s**t after I graduate. I worked my ass off to earn this ceremony with my unit, and I'll be damned if I miss it over a woman.

After the ceremony, my mom found me in the sea of people and hugged me. I know this is all for show, considering she's barely hugged me since my sister Bella died. "I’m so proud of you.” She murmured as she hugged me. Part of me wonders if she’s just repeating what she’s hearing other people tell their loved ones or does she honestly mean it.

“Thanks.” I sighed.

“So, how long before I don’t see you again?”

“We’ll be stateside for a few months,” I replied, half listening. Now that the ceremony is done, I can’t help but let my mind wander to Mia. Why did she block my number?

“A few months, meaning you’ll be here for Christmas, or will you ship out beforehand?” My mother pressed.

“Honestly, I’m not sure. Even if we are stateside for Christmas, I may not be able to leave the base. I need to wait for orders or request approval for leave.” I explain. I have no intention of seeing my mother for Christmas because Mia is the only person I want to see for Christmas, but I can’t just leave. I must pack up my things and be ready to go directly after dinner.

“I’m planning to be in Colorado for Christmas; if you can leave, I’ll have a special present for you there.” She smiled at me.

“There is nothing I want,” I mutter. Mia isn’t a thing, and she’s more than just a person to me. She’s my future, and I need to figure out how to get her back before I lose her for good.

“I’ll let you invite anyone you want for Christmas.” She insisted. “Is there anyone you’d like to see besides your mom?”

I looked at her, confused, wondering what she was up to. “What are you playing at, mother?” I ask cautiously.

“You just seem a bit distracted today, that’s all. I assume it’s to do with a certain person.” She continued.

“No, just trying to remember everything I need to do this evening before we ship out to the base.” I lied. I’m so used to lying about everything when it comes to Mia that I don’t even need to think of an excuse anymore. It bugs me, but probably not as much as it should because I’ve been doing it for three years now, and it’s second nature to me now.

“I see.” She gave me a sly smile that gave me a queasy feeling. She gives me a look before she drops a mother of all bombs on me or pulls the rug out from my feet with information. “We’ll talk around Thanksgiving. No need to worry about Christmas so far off.”

“Okay. I’ll talk to you later.” I comment before finding the perfect opportunity to duck through the sea of people and get away from my mother. It’s sad how I can barely stomach being around my own mother, but the way she has always controlled my life makes me sick to think about it. Joining the Navy was a desperate leap for me to escape the woman.

As I enter the barracks, I sigh, thankful to finally be alone for a bit today. These barracks are never this deserted, but everyone else is out celebrating with their families and loved ones. I pull my phone back out of my pocket and call Mia this time. It rings once and then drops the call. That’s it, no voicemail options, nothing. I try two more times, thinking it’s just bad service on my end, but after three calls of the same experience, I dial one of my old high school friends. “Hello?”

“Hey Logan, how’s it going?” I ask. Out of the group of friends, Logan is the less likely to blab to my mother about me trying to contact Mia Tremaine.

“I heard it’s your graduation day. Congrats, man.” Logan replied.

“Thanks, but I’m calling for a favor.”

“What can I do for you?”

“I need you to promise you will not tell my mother I’m asking you to do this for me. Understand? She can not find out, or she’ll make everyone’s life a living hell.” I insist.

“Sure, no problem.”

“Have you seen Mia Tremaine around lately?”

“Mia Tremaine? The dorky girl whose mom works at the salon with your mom?”

“She’s not dorky; she’s just smart.” I defended, rather annoyed with him.

“What about her?”

“When you see her next, can you tell her my orders are to be stationed stateside for six months and then ship out overseas for an undetermined length of time? Also, tell her I’d like to speak with her personally.” I request a bit hopeful.

“I got it. I will do that for you.”

“Thanks.”

“Anything for a friend,” Logan replies.

I hang up, feeling better; at least she’ll be told what my orders are. Hopefully, she’ll call me while we’re stateside so I can see what’s going on. I cannot believe she blocked my number, so I cannot even send her a message. 10 weeks with very limited phone privileges, and I lose the woman I’m in love with? It just doesn’t add up to me.