I startled awake to the very vivid dream about my Chief. What the hell is happening to me? Let me start from the beginning. My name is Bree Lee. I am a Petty Officer 1st Class in the United States Navy, and I just transferred to my new command. I have been in the Navy for 6 years now, and I plan on making a career out of it. I was on an Aircraft carrier for the first 5 years of my time in service, and now I am being stationed on shore duty. Not something I am really looking forward to. I am an engineer in the Navy, my job is called Machinist Mate. So, I am known as MM1 (SW/AW) Lee. I am 25 years old, from the lovely state of New York, but now stationed in Florida…. Again, not something I am looking forward to. I’d rather be back in California, where I was stationed for the past 5 years, on the USS Nimitz. And this is the beginning of my story.
***72 hours earlier***
I arrived at the airport in Jacksonville, Florida, after a grueling 7-hour flight from San Diego, California. I was not the happiest of people, when I stepped off the plane, in sunny Florida. It was hot, and humid, and my hair was going to hate me for taking these orders. Yet, I had no say in the matter, because I am part of the Navy, and I had no choice. My only other option was Norfolk, Virginia, and there was no way in hell, I wanted to be stuck there. So, here I am… in Florida. The only good thing about calling this place home for the next 4 years, is I can go to Orlando, and go to Disney World, and, to visit my favorite Aunt and Uncle, who don’t live too far from Orlando. Also, that I am in the same time zone as most of my family, who all still reside in New York. It has been years since, I lived in the same time zone as any of my family, and trying to remind myself, when I am off work, and trying to call them, I either interrupted dinner or my niece and nephews’ bedtimes. So now that I am in the same time zone, it will be easier to facetime with my family. I don’t have kids of my own, so my niece and nephews mean the world to me, and I love spoiling them. I also don’t have a significant other because I am married to my military life. It has been a dream of mine ever since I was a little girl and got an anchor necklace as a gift from my one uncle who was a sailor at the time. I wanted to follow in his footprints, and so far, I have succeeded. Although, he got out after 4 years, I chose to keep going. I am making a life out of it. At least that is the plan.
I went down to baggage claim, to collect my seabags, and garment bag, and suitcase from the carousel. I saw a fellow sailor, in his NWUs, or Navy Working Uniforms, the unmistakable blue digit camo. He had a sign that said “MM1 SW/AW Lee” in big bold letters. Great, I get to travel in civies, and I get picked up by a junior sailor in uniform… Not how I wanted to start the newest adventure of my life. I had several people, who were also collecting their luggage, looking at me like I was insane for having a seabag, or two. People still think that women don’t belong in the military. “Uncultured swine” I grumbled to myself, as someone was staring daggers at me. I stared right back, not giving a flying fuck what they think about me. I collected my bags and walked straight for the sailor. He was a little shocked at me, as I extended my hand and to introduce myself. He looked me up and down and was confused for a split second. I tilted my head and asked him if he was ok. “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting you to be a female. They don’t tell me anything. They only said here is the sign, go pick up the new petty officer at the airport at this time.” He blushed and looked down, ashamed and embarrassed. I laughed. “It’s cool, no one expects someone with my good looks and small stature to be in the military, but here I am.” I tried to lighten to awkward situation. “My name is FN Gabe Haller.” He introduced himself, after gathering his thoughts and bearings. I am sure he was grateful for my light attitude and joking manner. Haller helped me carry my things to the car parked outside the terminal, and he loaded them into the trunk. Considering I was stationed in Cali for 5 years, I didn’t have very many things. Well, that’s not true. I sold almost everything from my previous apartment, before moving here to my new command. I had a car, but I knew it wouldn’t make it on a cross-country drive, so I sold it, and put the money into my bank account. I can always buy a new car here. I have to get a new driver’s license anyways.
Haller and I loaded into the car, and started off towards the base, the new base, I was going to be calling home for the next 4 years. I sighed as I got comfortable in the front seat. Haller glanced at me out of the corner of his eye and bit his lip. I felt he was nervous about something. “What?” I asked, not rudely, but more out of curiosity. “Why didn’t you pack more stuff than 3 bags?” Usually when I am sent to pick up new sailors, they have a shit ton of things, and I get stuck carrying mostly all of it for them.” At that, I laughed, whole heartedly and shook my head slightly. “I sold basically everything. I can start over. I know I am staying at the Navy Lodge on base until my apartment is ready and didn’t want to have to move everything from a hotel to an apartment, when the time comes. So, it is easier just to pack my clothes and uniforms, rather than everything else. Besides, I don’t really get attached to material things. I gave that up when I joined the military at 19.” He could tell, my demeanor had changed, when I said about the time, I joined the navy. It’s not like it was a bad thing. I wanted this. This is what I chose for my life. Unlike all my former friends. They all wanted families and babies, and the whole marriage thing. Gag. That is so not me.
He nodded at what I said but didn’t press the matter. We arrived at Mayport Naval Base about 45 minutes later. Stupid Florida traffic. He pulled the car up outside the Navy Lodge, the hotel I get to stay at until my apartment is ready for me to move into. Good thing for me, the apartment will be furnished, so I do not have to buy any furniture. I can buy my own things, and change it up to make it my own, but at least I will have a couch and a bed and dressers and a dining table and kitchen appliances and my own washer and drier in the unit. And air conditioning! Good God, I need it. I am a drowned fucking rat right now and I have only been in the state for just about an hour. Haller helped me load my bags onto a trolly and pushed it into the lobby for me. I checked in, and he offered to push the trolly to my hotel room for me. I was grateful. He is only sticking around, because he has to take me to the command to check in and meet my chain of command.
My hotel room is on the 3rd floor, and we had to take the elevator and then walk all the way to the very last room of the hotel. For that, I am extremely grateful and annoyed at the same time. Too far away from the stairs for a quick escape, and pretty far away from the vending machines and ice machine. This was going to be the death of me, until I move to my apartment. But at least it seems like the quieted part of the hotel. That was the only perk. Hopefully they don’t put any obnoxious sailors who want to get away from their commands, in the rooms near mine. Sailors like to get hotel rooms, just to be able to sleep in real beds, occasionally. I was the same way, whenever I was in port after being out to sea. Haller helped me drop my bags in my room, and he stepped out, to give me a few minutes to freshen up before taking me to the command. I changed into fresh clothes, black leggings, and a fitted t-shirt, and my sneakers. I splashed cool water on my face and r
We got to the work center; I would be working out of. My new command. Haller knocked on the office door, within the work center and a gruff voice called out to enter. Haller and I stepped inside, shutting the door behind us. Automatically, I went to salute, but I wasn’t in uniform. “Sir” stated Haller, “This is the new MM1, to our work center.” He motioned to me. The Lieutenant, looked up from his computer, over his glasses at me. He grinned. “MM1 Lee, we have been expecting you. Welcome to Mayport, and to your new home for the next few years. Was your flight, ok?” I nodded. “Yes Sir, it was fine, early but fine. And thank you for the welcome to the command. I am not entirely sure what to expect from shore duty, considering I am an engineer and have only ever been on ships.” I chuckled. The Lieutenant nodded and laughed and introduced himself. “I am Lieutenant Arron Mays. I am the work center officer, and the highest point of your direct chain of command here. You usually won’t have
0730 rolled around, rather quickly, and it felt like I didn’t get any sleep at all. I don’t remember what time I fell asleep. I don’t even know if I slept at all. My eyelids felt like sandpaper, and I was groggy and irritated. I forced myself out of bed, and into the bathroom, to do my normal routine. While the shower water got hot. I twisted my hair up into a tight bun on top of my head, so I didn’t have to get it wet again, I washed it last night. This shower was just to wake my ass up, to get ready for whatever adventure Katie had planned for us today. I quickly showered, and let the hot water massage my tired shoulders, into a relaxed state, to the point where, I wasn’t groggy anymore. Once I stepped out, I wrapped a towel around me, and brushed my teeth. I wiped the mirror from the fog and steam of the bathroom, and quickly applied my eyeliner and mascara. I put on lip gloss, knowing, damn well, we were going to breakfast before we headed to her apartment, and then out for the
She drove around to her side of the building and told me that there were actually quite a few other military personnel who lived in this apartment building. Not all though. It wasn’t on base, and it wasn’t one that the military set up for us, usually. But when the normal apartments weren’t available, this was the go-to. “I’m on the top floor. But there is an elevator, so it’s not bad. There are 5 floors, and I think the only apartment available, is also on the top floor, but it is the one of the last apartments on the floor. It might be yours. There is the apartment, at the very end, the open one, and then the one on the other side of. I know 2 guys live in the very last apartment and guys live on the other side of the open apartment. So, if it is yours, then you are sandwiched in between 4 guys. Good luck.” She laughed at me. My reaction was not the most pleasant. I rolled my eyes and sighed. “Lovely” I stated thick with sarcasm. Her apartment was halfway down the hall from
This bitch took me to Universal Studios for the day! I was like a kid in the candy store. I have the greatest best friend in the world. We had a great time. I mean the ride was not too long, but long enough that I was complaining by the time we showed up at the park. But it was well worth it. We are both huge Harry Potter nerds, and so naturally, she took me to Harry Potter World. The part of Universal Studios that is like you are in the wonderful world of wizards. I bought a wand, that makes certain areas seem like you are doing magic. It was great. I had a blast. We went on some rides, and ate some good food, and spent the entire day just having fun. “Katie, we need to do the harry potter marathon again!” I squealed. And she laughed. “Yes, we do, with pizza and wine. Just like old times.” She agreed with me. Spending my first full day in Florida turned out way better than I expected, I thought I would be miserable, but instead, I had a blast. It wasn’t something I was expe
We are going to be working the same building but different work centers, so we had to go meet up with our work centers once we made it to the area where the picnic was. Katie and I separated as soon as we got to the ball field where the damn thing was going down. She went one way, and I went the other. I was surprised to see bounce houses, dunk tanks, popcorn machines, cotton candy machines, sumo bubble suits, where 2 guys were trying to wrestle but were laughing their asses off and trying to knock each other over. It seemed like fun. Better than my last command with mandatory fun days. I saw Haller and he waved me over. I started to head towards him. “This is something.” I said as I reached him. He laughed. “Yeah, how long did it take you to find me? Because you don’t know anyone and I know you want to get to the muster sheet, to check in so you can dip out, like everyone usually does expect those who are on duty and can’t leave” he said knowingly. I nodded and he ushered me to whe
After about an hour and a half of going through my clothes, Katie found a little slinky black dress I had, and deep red heels to go with it. She knew I had deep red wine-colored lipstick that can match the heels perfectly. “Sis, you will look killer in this, and the heels will make you taller. I mean, I love ya and all, but your short ass, needs heels. You are barely 5 feet tall. Heels will make you seem a normal height.” She joked and I chucked a pillow at the back of her head. “Leave my height out of this. You already know I am part Asian. And I take after my grandma’s height. She was only like 4’9.” I Katie laughed and I rolled my eyes. She was always making fun of me for being short. Then again, she wasn’t super tall, but she was taller than me. She was 5’6. I was used to being mocked for being short. There was a point in time where I always said, “I am not short, I am fun sized.” After a while of her trying to convince me to wear the outfit she picked out, I gave in. Si
After a couple of rounds or shots and drinks, I knew I was feeling tipsy. Katie was on the dance floor with some very cute, but very fake cowboy. You could tell by how clean his boots and jeans were. I chuckled as I watched. Real cowboys have jeans that have stains that won’t come out, and boots that are scuffed up and broken in. But hey, she was having fun dancing. That’s another thing I don’t do. I don’t dance. I am way too self-conscious to put myself out there. I was about to slam down the rest of my drink when someone cleared their throat behind me. I turned and met glorious green eyes. I mean, they were vibrant and beautiful, but I could tell he could be trouble. The rest of his face matched the glorious green eyes. He was handsome, with dark hair, I couldn’t tell if it was black or brown. His jaw line was sharp and well defined, and his lips, full and curved into a devious smile. He knew he was handsome. He knew he could probably get any woman he wanted. And I knew, this coul