Getting Settled

It was Friday, June 15, 2018, when I arrived on base. I drove to the base exchange which we called the BX. I had a small cooler with me as I walked inside looking lost. She saw me before I saw her, "SSgt Wilkes?" I heard a voice inquire, I turned to see a woman slightly shorter than me and thick. She filled out her uniform nicely and was sharp. Her skin was deep mahogany, her almond-shaped eyes shined with life just below her perfectly arched eyebrows. Her hair was cut short and even all-over colored jet black.

"Yes," I replied as I looked at her name tag, "SSgt Hernandez. Hola. Como estas?"

She chuckled, "Girl, I Don't speak any Spanish beyond una cerveza por favor."

I laughed, "Oh okay. I thought you were Hispanic."

"No, my husband Diego is. He's deployed right now. I'm here with our son, oh look you brought the good stuff."

I handed her the cooler, "You can keep the cooler it's an early birthday gift."

She smiled, "Real early my birthday isn't until December. So, are you married, husband, wife? What's your story?"

I chuckled as we walked over to a table and sat, "I'm single."

She grinned, "You won't be for long. There are a lot of guys around here and when they sense fresh meat, they'll be all over you."

I shook my head, "Um, not looking for anyone."

"Oh, you don't have to be. How do you think I got caught up? Shucks, girl, I was wifed up, barefoot, and pregnant in a year of being stationed here."

"But you're happy right?"

"Yeah. I love my guys. They're great. So where are you staying?'

"I got a condo down off Highway 98 in Okaloosa Island."

"Oh, you fancy..."

"It was a good price and by the water. I love the water."

She kept looking at my hair, "Is that all you?"

I nodded, "Yeah."

"Girl, I wish my hair grew like that, what you got some Cherokee or Choctaw in your blood?"

I laughed so hard, "No, girl, you're so crazy."

We shared another laugh. "Yass hunty all that pretty hair and that shape, you gone be busy in no time. Well, let's eat something and then head to the orderly room to start your in processing. We ain't in no rush. Whatever we don't get done today, we can do Monday."

*******

Ro and I turned out to be compatible. I hadn't had a cool girlfriend since high school. We would laugh for hours about everything. She was so funny and I loved her son. I had only heard her husband's voice over the phone whenever he called from an undisclosed location.

One day we were having lunch when this guy walked up and spoke to her. "Hey SSgt Hernandez," he said as he looked at her briefly and shifted his gaze to me.

"Relax TSgt Wilson, Jackie is not interested," she joked.

He stood six feet tall with brown skin, dark brown eyes, and a nice smile, "I haven't said anything to the young lady yet."

"Girl, just say, no. He works with Diego, they stay deployed."

He laughed, "Diego stays gone. I might do a trip here and there if I want to. 'Cause I got it like that."

"Oop," I said.

She laughed, "Um, well, you need to teach Diego your ways."

"If you convince this pretty lady to go out with me maybe I will."

I made a face. She laughed, "She is not having it. She has turned down about thirty dudes already."

He invited himself to our table, "And why is that? Don't tell me you're one of those independent, I don't need no man—"

"I don't need a man. But if I want one. I can certainly get one."

She pointed at him and laughed.

"Okay Miss Independent," he stood up, "you'll be singing a different tune later when that biological clock catches up to you." He left the table.

"Girl you are hard on dudes."

"Not really. I'm still kind of not completely over someone so...it's, I don't know; plus most of these men are misogynists and I hate that shit. After three phone conversations, I can usually rule them out. All they want is someone to fuck and pay half the bills while they bark orders at you. Like sir, sat the fuck down."

"Damnnnn Jackie, vicious, but, you know there are a few good ones out there."

I sighed, "The one I left was a good one."

"Why aren't you guys together?"

"Well, my mom says she wants her grandbabies to be black, black."

She nodded, "Oh you were over there in New Mexico swirling?" She nudged me with a huge smile, "Okay chick I ain't mad atcha, Shit I got me a Hispanic one so... you think your moms would be okay with you dating a Hispanic dude."

I rolled my eyes, "Hell no. She be tripping. And be all up in church praying over folks and whatnot. I'm like Mom, you're a mess but she doesn't see the hypocrisy in it."

******

Fourth of July weekend, Ro and I went to New Orleans for the Essence festival. She had left Little D in Fort Walton Beach with Diego's sister Hannah. Her husband was not returning from deployment until late August. During that time, I got to know her son very well.

I'd pick him up from daycare on days she had to work late, I'd take him out for his favorite ice cream, and we'd hang out at the beach.

One day in August, Little D and I were walking through the BX when I saw...sir. I had not seen him since that afternoon I dismissed him from our table at lunch in June. "So, you do like kids?"

I scoffed, "Of course I like kids."

"Um, how you gone have a kid of your own if you keep shooting brothers down without giving them a chance?"

Diego looked at him, "Who are you?"

"You know me, lil man. I work with your dad."

He looked at me, "He knows my dad?"

"Yeah," I replied as I rubbed the top of his head.

"Won't you let me take you out?" he asked as people walked around us.

"I'm busy."

"Not right this minute—" he searched for my name in his head.

I laughed, "You don't even remember my name."

He snapped his fingers, "I know it." He looked at Diego, "What's her name?"

"Auntie J."

"So, it starts with J."

I laughed, "Good day, sir." We walked off.

********

It was a bright Saturday afternoon when I sat out on the balcony with Ro. We were wearing our two-piece bikinis with cover-ups and sipping on frozen drinks. She was saying something but my mind was gone. I stared out at the beach where people walked, jogged, and played.

"So, what do you think?" she asked.

I looked into her questioning eyes. "Um sounds great."

"Which part?"

"Um, sorry I –"

"Are you okay? You've been a little off lately."

I stood, "Yeah. I just have a lot on my mind. I'm taking some leave next weekend."

"Will you be back before September 1st? I'm throwing a party for Diego and some of his friends coming back home."

"I should be."

"Going to SC to see your parents."

"Naw. I'm going to New Mexico."

She smiled, "Trying to see if that old flame still burns?"

"Something like that."

********

When nightfall arrived and I was home alone sitting in my room looking at the flight I had just booked to New Mexico. My phone rang, and I jumped to answer it. It was my mother, "Hi sweetie."

"Oh hi, Mom."

"Um, that's all I get?"

"Sorry. I'm in the middle of trying to pack."

"Pack for what?"

"I'm going away next weekend."

"On a military trip or what?"

I rolled my eyes, "It's just to visit someone."

"So, have you met anyone there yet?"

"I told you I met Rochelle and her son."

"Girl, I'm talking about a man. You're my only child. I'd like a few grandbabies. All my girlfriends post pictures on the Look Book and whatever and they keep asking me when is that girl of yours going to have a baby. When Jackie?"

I sighed and laughed all at once, "Mom. I'll put an ad out and see if anyone wants to knock me up so you can have some pictures to post on the Look Book as you call it."

"Girl, let me get off this phone with you. If I was there, I'd knock you upside your head."

"I love you."

"Yeah, whatever."

I knew that would get her off the phone. I laughed and continued to pack.