3

A few days later, I was heading out to class, when I saw another email. I decided after going out with Lucy that sending emails wasn’t working for me. Then, I had a notification, so I checked my phone and became completely distracted. 

To: KK

Subject: Wrong email

Hey,

Just wanted to say that it made me laugh getting such an email in a critical situation, even if it wasn’t meant for me. It’s a bit tough out here in Iran, and seeing your email put a smile on my face. 

Pretty hard to do that when you’re a SEAL on duty.

Take care, and I hope that your email finds Adonis.

Chaz

I re-read the email about three times as I slumped in my chair and pondered on whether to go to class, or skip it. It was the nicest email that I’d ever received. He was polite, even if I put the wrong name the first time, and he had asked if I meant to write in Japanese. He must have felt guilty for writing it. He had no reason to feel that way when I was the idiot, putting the wrong name and doing a copy and paste. 

Subject: Sorry wrong name

Hi Chaz,

Nearly everyone in my family has been a SEAL, apart from me. When we were given the opportunity to write to a SEAL in battle, I took to the opportunity like a duck to water. I may have been nervous and put the wrong name.

Sorry about that.

Anyway, I’m glad that you wrote back. If you want someone to talk to, then I’m your girl. 

I’m a superb listener. I’m at Stanford, and I’m surrounded by people, but it gets lonely. 

If you need a friend, then don’t hesitate to contact me. 

I’m off to class. 

Wish me luck.

I hate literature, 

Kiara.

Yep, I was definitely late as I hit the send button and jumped up as if the chair was on fire. I should have left twenty minutes ago. I would have been able to get to class and for sure someone would stroll in after me. 

This time, for sure, all eyes would be on me. It felt nice writing to Chaz. I would like to get to know him better, and I hoped he would feel the same about me.

I rushed to class as if my life depended on it. It was the last class of the day, and the rest of the semester would be exams and submitting my thesis. I knew I had to concentrate, but I couldn’t stop thinking about Chaz, wondering if he would reply. It was as if he read my thoughts as I opened up my MacBook as I reached class and tried to sneak in. A new email had been sent by him. 

I wanted to look, but I had to concentrate on the lecture.

Concentrate!

Don’t think of anything else, I said to myself, but it was a lie. I couldn’t stop thinking about him, even if it was the first time that we’d communicated. I wanted to talk to him, let him know I didn’t send sexy emails to every SEAL. Well, I’d sent three and so far and had replies from two. Maybe sending emails wasn’t a bad thing after all. It could work out a lot better than I’d hoped.

***

I was just about to get to bed when my phone rang. I looked at it, and then as tired as I was, knew that I had to speak to mom. There were only three people that called me, especially at night: one was Lucy when she wasn’t around, another was Nan and occasionally mom.

“Hey, mom.”

She replied, “Oh no, it’s late. You’re in bed. I thought you students stayed up all night long. I’ll go. It’s just that I finished up for the night.”

I nodded, knowing that she couldn’t see me, and thinking that she must know that I was far from the typical student. A leopard can’t change its spots and all that. 

“It’s OK. I had an assignment to hand in tomorrow, and it took the wind out of me. You’re right. It’s only ten. Too early to go to bed.”

“It’s just that, well, I haven’t heard from you in a while, and now I feel bad for bothering you.”

“Mom, don’t feel that way. It’s my fault. I should call more often.”

It was as if she was waiting for me to say more. I turned on my side-light and sat up in bed. I wanted to give her my full attention, even if I felt as if I was falling asleep.

“How’s Nan doing?”

She laughed. “You mean Judy. Remember, she doesn’t like to be called mom, let alone Nan.”

I joined her as I laughed and realized that as much as I hated to admit it, I missed my family. They were my only living relatives that were close to me and alive, and I didn’t treat them well. Not at all, because I didn’t keep up the communication as much as I should.

“She’s still walking around asking everyone if they want her autograph.”

“Hey, don’t knock Judy. She may be retired from Days of the Week, out all-time favorite soap, but she was still famous.” 

The

name of the bed-and-breakfast that they jointly owned, Judy Walsh’s B&B, was in bright letters to let everyone know who owned it. Even if mom’s name wasn’t officially there in lights, she was the one that did most of the running around, and, in exchange, Nan’s name was on the door. Nan felt it would help give the place a little publicity and oh my, how much she did love to do a photoshoot. 

“She was right. Sometimes people did come to hike, fish or just be part of nature. But especially during the quiet season, when it’s windy and there’s not so much snow for snowboarders or skiers, or the weather’s not that right for the hikers, well, people come from all around just to see her. She talks, tells a few jokes about life on the set and they tell their friends. It keeps me busy in the kitchen.”

My mom loves to cook. Damn my stomach started rumbling at the thought of her homemade apple pie.

“I’m glad that it was a good business move to buy the place.”

After dad died, and his little pension came in, and with me going to college, Nan used the money to fully support me in college, and the rest to buy the B&B. I wasn’t sure how much she got from the settlement of the soap, but with the apartment that she once owned in NY that she sold, she claimed to be more than comfortable and wanted us all to be the same way.

“I just wish that you were here. I miss you, Kiara.”

“Oh mom, I feel the same way too. Don’t worry, as soon as I graduate, I’ll be coming back home. I can’t believe that it’s happening in a few months. Four years really flies by. How about the extension? Was that a good move?”

I could hear her smiling as she said, “It was an expensive renovation and an excellent move. We have bookings more for that than we do the rooms. It offers exactly what people want, a home-away-from-home style. Kiara, are you there?”

“Mom, I just have a big smile on my face. You were a bored, unappreciated secretary, and now you’re a successful businesswoman. I’m so proud of you.”

She laughed. “You need to sleep. I just finished for the night, and said no matter what, I had to speak to you today.”

“The thing is, the best time for me is during the weekend, and the problem is that is your busiest time. So, it’s kind of difficult. But no matter how tired I’m feeling right now, one thing’s for sure. I’m glad you called, and even happier that I picked up the call.”

“Go to sleep, Kiara. Good night. I love you.”

“Mom, I love you more than you know.”

With those words, I hung up. I could have told her about Adonis and Chaz, but it felt good to listen and hear her good news. She sounded happy. I couldn’t remember the last time I heard joy in her voice, but then memories reared their ugly heads. The part of me that was upset about leaving home, the home that I grew up in, would always wait for dad’s returns. When mom told me she was selling and moving to Oregon, I wasn’t happy at all. I didn’t have many memories of him, but the few that I had, whenever he returned home from being in the field, felt as if they were stolen away. Mom was alive and wanted to keep living. I shouldn’t have been selfish thinking about dad and hating her for wanting to move on with her life. I had to support her and stop being mean about wanting to hold on to him. 

I had to let go, for my sanity.

I turned off the light and smiled at the idea of mom being happy. I knew what would make her even happier, having a love in her life. It had done that for me. I hadn’t even reached out for Rambo lately. Chaz was such a tease even though we’d only been writing to each other for a few weeks, his emails were always sexual orientated making me hot and wet every time I received them. I hadn’t even met them, but knowing that they were at the touch of a button, made me feel they were part of my life. Tomorrow, I’ll give them my number. I did like the idea of email at first, but it was time to move on. Time to get to know the guys on a different level. 

It was a shame that I never got to know Mateo; I wondered what he was like. But then with Chaz and Adonis, they kept me occupied, so much so, that I didn’t need to keep in contact with anyone else.