I was sitting on the small two-seater outdoor setting on my bedroom balcony, with warm spring sunshine on my face, feeling relaxed with the world. I'd had a full day's sleep which helped to reset my body clock. The comfort and quietness of my new townhouse that -
massive thanks Julie and Adam for completely moving me in.-
Everything was set up! Damn, I'm spoiled blessed even. I did feel somewhat refreshed, maybe a little punch drunk but not too bad, my mind well that's another thing.
"Okay Spence, time to get dressed and head out the door for a quick run," nothing like a few hills and almost puking to get you fully awake. Okay, the truth! It's to get my mind of Ben.
I went back into my bedroom grabbed my trusty Nike's and ran downstairs, passing through the quote and spotlessly clean apartment and headed into the garage. As I walked through, there she was, my sweet girl. Love my F-truck, "I'll be back for you soon honey," I ran my hand along the side of the tub walking past.
Stepping outside on the sidewalk, the crisp cool air caught my attention for a second, it was a typical early spring morning. Some frost on the grass, the mournful callings of the local magpies and the odd kookaburra, I think it was laughing at me because it knew in fifteen minutes I'd be almost dying, smart-ass bird. Adam had left me a map showing me the run he takes when he 'stays over,' and the time to beat... Okay so we're still competitive as ever, and you'd think that with all the meetings, office work and running about he'd be thirty pounds heavier than he was, but nope. He managed to go for a run three-four times a week, said it kept him sane a good way to get in some me time. The route was pretty good not too long, not too hilly, about a five-mile round trip. Although by the end of it I well knew it was fucking five miles.
Falling back through the garage door I staggered upstairs to the shower and got cleaned up. Okay sure I wasn't thinking about Ben for all of three minutes, that was because I'd just ran up a steep hill and was oxygen deprived for a bit from almost hyperventilating, oh god I'm an idiot.
A quick hot shower then grabbed my uniform out of the closet. I fluffed about for five minutes then walked out of my bedroom, dressed and ready for another day. I snatched the keys off the hallstand, double checked that I looked okay in the mirror turning side on and doing a little flex pose... hmm, not bad Jamie, that suntan and few pounds I'd lost looked good on me, at this rate I might have to audition for the firefighter's calendar next year.
"Shit the time," I looked down at my watch, "better get a move on." Quickly I moved along the corridor to the main room, I was taken by how nice my new place really was. I guess with the jet lag and stuff I'd not even really looked other than it's all so nice and clean. I slowed and just took it all in, Jules had done such an amazing job on setting the place out, it almost looked like a display home. But it just didn't feel much like home, anyway I headed to the garage door and out to my truck, clicking the unlock and seeing it all light up, I jumped in and turned the key, "hey they took you for a bath while daddy was away."
My god, I'm talking to my truck, but it was beautiful and clean, inside and out. Either it was used heaps and the had to dispose of the evidence or someone was just super nice. I found out later it was Adam, just being a great guy, he had the detailer come over and clean his work car and Julie's car too and decided that mine needed a wash as it had been sitting in the garage for almost the entire three months not moving with a cover over it. Apparently, the guys wanted to borrow it but the old man said no and had Adam bring it here and park it, love ya dad.
..o0o..
The drive to the G-Mo,
Government Medical Office
, was uneventful I just plugged the address into the sat nav and away we went, it hit me how similar this truck was to the one in the states that we killed, obviously there were a few more features and finishes, but still made me think about all of that. I did stop once and clam my thoughts, no flashbacks just feeling a little nervous I guess.
It was the moment of truth, walking into the G-Mo's for my exam which lasted ninety minutes. Then into HQ for some pre-season briefings, that wrapped up my first day back on duty, hoping I'd escaped being back at HQ the next day, but that idea quickly vanished with one of the admin staff from HR shooting me an email noting that I was required back there tomorrow. I'd been assigned desk C three-eight where ever the hell that was, I pushed the next day out of my mind and focused on the next hour of reading rainfall data, pre-summer briefing notes and chatting to various people that happened by, so I guess as for a first day back was chilled.
I'd spoken to Ben once since arriving home, we'd agreed on letting each other have a few days on return to get back into it, I guess to get our feelings under control and mind focused on the job. Plus he'd promised to send me his work roster, which he did and I'd done the same, I was counting down the hours till we could talk later that night.
I meant it when I said I'd make it work, the whole long-distance thing, I will even if it kills me. After locking in our call times for the next couple of weeks, the Ben decided that I needed to have a few beers with my friends and not mope around at home, although as nice as the apartment felt, it wasn't home yet, also I needed to talk to Ty and Sam and make sure we were okay.
'Ty it's okay buddy,' I messaged back, 'we need to do this mate.' There had been a little of the-I'm not sure if we're free, and stuff between Ty and me. That's been our universal way of being polite, kinda saying are you sure? I'd known him long enough to read that one, but it was time we needed too.
So, I did as instructed by Ben, after explaining their reluctance to meet up; Ben made me see some sense in trying to sort it but pointed out that if they really don't want to talk then don't force them else it could all go south real fast. So, following my movement orders ha-ha I made the calls to Ty and Sam, finally yes we met up but fucking hell!
To be honest the first twenty minutes were the hardest since waking up in the ICU, we all were feeling a little uncomfortable but we'd had some good times at 'Check Point Charlies' in the past, thankfully it didn't take long for us to warm up and deal with the demons of the past, Ty and I go way back so I wasn't going to throw away our friendship over this, plus I still liked Sam a lot and wanted to be friends if we could, he's a great guy, they both are!
..o0o..
After coming home just after midnight, my friendship with Ty and Sam intact, the sound of my cell beeping got my attention. '
You have a new message from Command.
' I logged in and there it was, results of medical and works clearances. I just sat there for thirty minutes, staring at the screen unable to click on the message, if I didn't get the clearance I'd be off the course for another year or two, that would put my career plans back on the backburner, where they'd been for years now.
Finally, I got up the strength to do it. I was about to hit the button when there was a quiet knock at the front door. Who the hell calls in at 0115, I walked down and opened the door quietly, so I didn't wake Julie, stupid as the bedrooms are all the way down the other end. My surprise was the face that greeted me, it was my big sister Steph.
"Hey, Jamie can come in," as she pushed straight past me kissing my cheek as she walked off down the corridor to the kitchen.
"Yeah sure," I closed the door and followed her to the kitchen meals area, I guess she's been here a few times know the layout better than me. "You want a coffee or something is?"
"A beer would be nice, I left some in the fridge for you the other day."
