The Soldier Next Door

I have just shattered my mom’s heart, and I fear this time it is beyond repair. It is not that we planned for this on purpose; it is just what is best for our son. Yes, I am being rather ambitious, but I do believe that this is a boy. Yesterday my biggest worry was what would happen if we get back to base camp. Today my only worry is for the future of my child. I just hope that everyone shall see it that way.

Now my dad has come up with an idea, and to say that I am not curious would be a lie. But we all know that my father and his plans never end up well. That is why I am even too scared to ask, and to make things worse; he is going to have to run it past my mom. And right now, she is not doing well at the receiving end of any news.

So I am waiting patiently for my dad to tell me what this idea is that he has, “So what is the plan?”

“Well, I don’t know how well your mom is going to take this.”

“If it is going to break her heart, then I am guessing not well at all.”

“I think we need to get her here to listen to it.”

“Well, I am not the one that is going to try and get her out of the room.”

“And believe me, I do not want to be that one also.”

“Guess it just leaves you old Matty then.”

We both turn to Matt, know full well what a difficult task this will be; my mom is stubborn, and there is no way that she is just walking happily out of her room.

“Why can’t Ana do it?” Matty looks at me desperately as he asks.

“Because it is not her mother, you chomp.”

“It is going to be real soon; she might as well start to practice.”

We all turn to face Ana that has been sitting quietly eating her flapjacks. She has heard not a word that we said. All she does is stare at us, happily chewing away. And, of course, I am the one that has to tell her, which makes me the one that gets slapped.

“Boo, can you please do me a favor?”

“Sure, soldier, what do you want?”

“Please, can you go get my mom to come out of the room?”

“What is wrong with you? Why can’t you do it?”

“I am too scared.”

“And these two grown-ass men?”Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

I look over to where Matt and my dad is standing. I cannot help but chuckle as they look like two little schoolboys that are begging not to go to the principal office. And believe me, this principle is one you want to stay away from when she is mad.

“Boo, they are scared too.”

“It serves you all well; you should be scared of a woman. Why do you not just wait until she is ready to come out?”

“That might take a whole day, two if she is really mad, and I believe this is a mad that is going to take more than two days.”

“Ugh, you men are absolutely useless.”

She quietly carries on to eat her flapjacks while we all patiently wait for her to finish. After dragging it out on purpose, she finally makes her way to my mom’s room.

…Ana POV…

I cannot believe these three are sitting and hiding in a corner waiting for a woman to do their job. It is not even my mother; what on earth do I even say to her. I am not one that sits well with conflict, and now I am the one sent in to raise the white flag. Ethan is so dead when I get a hold of him later for making me do this.

I walk up to the bedroom and stand at the door. I am fully expecting to hear Mary crying at the top of her lungs, but instead, I hear the television blaring. She is either sitting there with a tub of ice cream and pissing her eyes out, or she is happily sitting and watching her favorite show.

I take a deep breath, and with a rather trembling hand, I knock on the door.

“Go away, Ethan. I don’t want to speak to you.”

Her voice does sound strained as I hear it come through the door. It is hard to say if she is crying or if she is even mad. I am still not going to take a chance and make it worse. I wait for a few seconds before I finally speak to her.

“Mary, it is me.”

Much to my surprise, she bursts out laughing.

“I can’t believe they had the nerve to send you here. Go tell them to do their own dirty work.”

“My god, it looks like I am going to walk up and down playing messenger the whole day.”

“Well, they should not have sent you in the first place. Tell Ethan to come to fix his own mess.”

“I will do that, but I am sure I am going to be back here in a minute.”

Reluctantly I turn around and make my way back to the kitchen, where I find the three of them happily having a cup of coffee.

“Soldier, your mother says you must go fight your own battles.”

“But boo, you are a woman; you should know how she feels.”

“Yes, the same way that I am going to slap you if you make me walk up there again.”

“But Ana, you are so much better at listening.”

“Yes,” I hear Matt agrees, “You women understand each other.”

“If we understand each other, why did she send me back to you three little cowards.”

“But boo, please just tell her to come out.”

“Soldier, you are going to pay for this. I don’t know how yet, but you will see.”

Very annoyed, I make my way back to her room, “Guess what, Mary, I am back. Now please, can you come to the kitchen.”

“No. Go call Ethan.”

“I just did! He does not want to come.”

“Well, I am sure you can get Ethan to do anything?”

“Ugh! I am sure I will be back.”

I turn on my heels and make my way to the kitchen again. This is ridiculous; not even Katarina acts like this. And to make it even damn worse, the three of them are smiling.

“Ethan, your mother, is calling you.”

“But boo…”

“Don’t but boo me, go to your mother.”

“She is just going to fight with me and get all upset again. Can’t you just ask her to come out?”

“I did. I am not going back there; your mom is difficult. I can now see where you get it from.”

“Please, just one last time?”

“This is the last time; after that, the three of you can play ping pong.”

I take my sweet time to walk back to Mary, for I know I am just going to waste my breath.

“Mary, he does not want to come. Please, will you just come out of the room?”

“No. Please call John.”

“And what if he does not want to come?”

“Then call Matt.”

“We both know Matt won’t come.”

“Well then, I am just staying here.”

“I will be right back.”

Now I am getting furious, I am damn tired, and now I have to walk up and down. Ethan is now going to get it from me.

…Ethan POV…

As I see Ana come walking around the corner, I can see that she is really mad. And I can also see that my mom is not with her, which means now that I am going to get it from her.

“Boo, what is wrong now?”

She ignores me completely and turns to my father, “She wants you, John.”

“No, I am not going near there.”

“Yes, that is what I thought, which leaves you Matt, and there is no way you are going to go.”

“Then what now?” I ask her, looking somewhat defeated.

“You and your brother and your father are lifting your asses off those chairs and coming with me.”

“But…”

“I don’t want to hear it. Get up!”

By the look in her eyes, we know not to protest. We all get from our seats and fall in behind. In one single row, we nervously make our way to my mom’s room. Then totally unexpected, she swings open the door.

“Here they are! Your boys, or should I say, babies.”

The moment I see my mom’s tears, my heart immediately breaks, “Mom, I am sorry.”

“I don’t want to hear it, Ethan.”

“Then at least hear me out then,” my father steps forward and tries to reach out for my mom’s hand.

“John, how can anything you got to say possibly make this better?”

“At least just hear me out.”

“Fine, you have five minutes, then I want all of you out.”

“Mary, you have been saying for many years that you want to get out of this town. What do you say we sell up and move over there?”