this morning,” Charlie announced. “He says he’s having a good time. Dylan sounded happy or happier than I’ve heard him in a while.” There was a touch of sadness in his dad’s voice. Dylan never talked to them about what happened during his tours, but they knew he always came home and spoke to the therapists the Marines supplied.
They were all worried about his twin, but Dustin was hoping that whatever had his brother happy was something that would last a long time. Dustin was hoping it was a woman, and if it was, well, good for him. Dylan was due back in a week and a half, so he’d have to have a talk with his brother. He couldn’t remember the last time they had a heart to heart.
There was a comfortable silence while everyone ate their pizza. Dustin loved that they didn’t have to fill the silence with mindless chit chat.
As they finished up, Luke’s phone went off. He looked at it and burst out laughing. He handed the phone to Dustin and he couldn’t help but laugh, too. It was a picture of Bell and Stacy; they had bows all over their heads and their makeup was so bright they almost looked like clowns.
Their faces were close together and they had the biggest grins on their faces. Just then another pictured popped up and it was Chloe holding Carrington. The little girl looked just like a fairy princess, with a head full of big curls and light makeup and lip gloss.
Carrington must’ve been blowing spit bubbles because her lips were covered in them. Dustin handed the phone back to Luke, who looked at the picture, his eyes so full of love for his little girl.
Sometimes Dustin didn’t know if he wanted a family of his own or not. He wanted it many years ago with Emily, but that went south. But now, seeing the look on his best friend’s face made him want to consider it.
***
After they finished eating, all three men walked out to the parking lot. Dustin hugged his dad good-bye and then Luke. He decided to stop by Stacy’s so he could see what was going on.
Dustin could see her living room light on from the street. He hopped out of his truck and walked to the front door, ringing the doorbell. He could hear a little voice from the other side and then Dustin was held speechless when Stacy opened the door. Her head was still covered in bows and pigtails and she was still wearing the crazy makeup.
“Oh my gosh! I must look like a crazy person,” Stacy said, her voice laced with embarrassment.
Dustin grinned. “You look beautiful, Stacy.” He loved the deep blush that crept up her neck to her face.
He noticed a little face peeking out behind Stacy. “Hi, sweetheart, are you Chloe?” Dustin asked.
He watched as the little girl looked up at Stacy, waiting silently for the okay to answer. Stacy nudged the little girl’s shoulder. “Yep, I’m Chloe. Are you Tay Tay’s friend?”
Dustin gave Stacy a smile and then looked back down at the little girl. “Yes, I am.”
“Well, come on in and visit with Tay Tay. I’m watching a movie.” The little girl waved him in. Stacy stepped back so Dustin could walk through the door, winking at her as Chloe grabbed his hand and led him to the living room.
Dustin heard Stacy shut the front door as he sat down on the couch. Chloe chatted away happily about the movie she was watching as Stacy joined him on the couch.
“How was work today?” Stacy asked as she picked up her water bottle from the end table.
“It was good. We got a new client today, so Luke and I went out for pizza and beer with my dad,” Dustin said. He couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him. “This look suits you.” He reached out, fingering one of the many bows in her hair.
“I’m sure it does,” Stacy said with a smirk.
Dustin watched Chloe come over and whisper in Stacy’s ear. Stacy nodded at the little girl who went back to sit in front of the TV.
“What was that about?” Dustin asked.
“I just wanted to thank you for the flowers. They’re
They were all worried about his twin, but Dustin was hoping that whatever had his brother happy was something that would last a long time. Dustin was hoping it was a woman, and if it was, well, good for him. Dylan was due back in a week and a half, so he’d have to have a talk with his brother. He couldn’t remember the last time they had a heart to heart.
There was a comfortable silence while everyone ate their pizza. Dustin loved that they didn’t have to fill the silence with mindless chit chat.
As they finished up, Luke’s phone went off. He looked at it and burst out laughing. He handed the phone to Dustin and he couldn’t help but laugh, too. It was a picture of Bell and Stacy; they had bows all over their heads and their makeup was so bright they almost looked like clowns.
Their faces were close together and they had the biggest grins on their faces. Just then another pictured popped up and it was Chloe holding Carrington. The little girl looked just like a fairy princess, with a head full of big curls and light makeup and lip gloss.
Carrington must’ve been blowing spit bubbles because her lips were covered in them. Dustin handed the phone back to Luke, who looked at the picture, his eyes so full of love for his little girl.
Sometimes Dustin didn’t know if he wanted a family of his own or not. He wanted it many years ago with Emily, but that went south. But now, seeing the look on his best friend’s face made him want to consider it.
***
After they finished eating, all three men walked out to the parking lot. Dustin hugged his dad good-bye and then Luke. He decided to stop by Stacy’s so he could see what was going on.
Dustin could see her living room light on from the street. He hopped out of his truck and walked to the front door, ringing the doorbell. He could hear a little voice from the other side and then Dustin was held speechless when Stacy opened the door. Her head was still covered in bows and pigtails and she was still wearing the crazy makeup.
“Oh my gosh! I must look like a crazy person,” Stacy said, her voice laced with embarrassment.
Dustin grinned. “You look beautiful, Stacy.” He loved the deep blush that crept up her neck to her face.
He noticed a little face peeking out behind Stacy. “Hi, sweetheart, are you Chloe?” Dustin asked.
He watched as the little girl looked up at Stacy, waiting silently for the okay to answer. Stacy nudged the little girl’s shoulder. “Yep, I’m Chloe. Are you Tay Tay’s friend?”
Dustin gave Stacy a smile and then looked back down at the little girl. “Yes, I am.”
“Well, come on in and visit with Tay Tay. I’m watching a movie.” The little girl waved him in. Stacy stepped back so Dustin could walk through the door, winking at her as Chloe grabbed his hand and led him to the living room.
Dustin heard Stacy shut the front door as he sat down on the couch. Chloe chatted away happily about the movie she was watching as Stacy joined him on the couch.
“How was work today?” Stacy asked as she picked up her water bottle from the end table.
“It was good. We got a new client today, so Luke and I went out for pizza and beer with my dad,” Dustin said. He couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him. “This look suits you.” He reached out, fingering one of the many bows in her hair.
“I’m sure it does,” Stacy said with a smirk.
Dustin watched Chloe come over and whisper in Stacy’s ear. Stacy nodded at the little girl who went back to sit in front of the TV.
“What was that about?” Dustin asked.
“I just wanted to thank you for the flowers. They’re
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