Winning the Lottery

Ch. 46 Military Wife

Jake and I moved things into the house a couple days later. The family came with us, helping us unpack and put everything into place.

After that, we all went to dinner.

"So where will you be staying until after the wedding?" Kelly asked.

Jake looked at me. "I hadn't thought about that."

"I told you I could've moved by myself."

"Over my dead body."

I hit him in the arm. "Don't say that."

"Oh, relax. It's a figure of speech."

"Not for you it's not."

He sighed.

"You can stay at your house," Drew spoke up.

Jake nodded and smiled, "See? Simple solution."

"And the night before the wedding, where will you two be staying? You can't be together," an aunt spoke.

Jake hesitated.

"Britt can stay with me," Kelly spoke.

We looked at her.

"I mean, I don't know the guy thing. I know girls well. I could help you get ready."

"Fine by me," I smiled.

She smiled.

A hand touched my back. "Dr. Malone?"

We looked up.

The Chief was behind me. He smiled, "Welcome back."

"Thank you, sir. Oh! While she's here, let me introduce you to Dr. Hamilton. She's the finest general surgeon I know."

"Former general surgeon. My last surgery was the other day," she smiled.

He smiled, "That's a shame. I was just on my way to a trauma. I was going to steal Dr. Malone, but you're welcome to come with us."

"What happened?" an aunt asked.

"An airplane crash. Apparently, it was military. We're all hands on deck tonight."

Jake perked up, looking worried.

I looked at him. "Do you mind if I-"

"No, go. Please."

I kissed his cheek and stood. "Kelly, you coming?"

She stood. "Of course."

We went with the Chief to the hospital, where we got right in the middle of the chaos. It was worse than the day something blew at Jake's base. There were at least three dozen seriously injured men. Many of them were dead.

Kelly and I went and changed. Then, we got back in action.

A man gripped my arm. He was tall and he had his hair cut short. He was muscular and in a white shirt and navy pants like Jake normally was. His arm was bleeding.

"Sir, mind if I take a look at that?"

He shook his head and sat on a gurney. He removed his shirt to give me better access. "We were going to war and we couldn't even make it off the land."