Becky's Marine Ch. 06

"What do you think of my sister?" She asked softly, making sure others couldn't hear.

"She's shy, like unnecessarily shy. She sure is cute though." Becky slapped my arm and gave me a playful glare.

"Don't even think about it you horn dog. If anyone is fucking my sister its gonna be me." We had a laugh at her comment and ordered our drinks. Carl and Jeanna went to dance and Becky went to shoot pool with several other regulars. I never worried about them, mostly because they knew how I felt about her and respected that enough to not try anything. Lauren was sitting next to me, nursing her wine.

"So Lauren, tell me about yourself," I said, trying to break the ice.

"Well, I go to school at the community college right now, but I hope to transfer to a proper university someday," She explained as she sipped her wine.

"That's great. I wish I had gone to college. I never was the school type though." I finished my whiskey and ordered up another. She looked at me with pure curiosity.

"What?" I asked as a smile crossed my face. She looked so much like her sister it was startling.

"Oh, I'm just marveling," She said as she finished her wine.

"At what?"

"How someone like you winds up here, in this town, with my sister." She was prying for something, I just didn't know what. Let's roll with it. The bartender came over and before she could order, I ordered for her.

"She wants either whiskey or vodka. Her choice." She gave me a threatening glare, but she wasn't very intimidating.

"Whiskey, and get him another as well. On his tab." She never even broke the stare. So there was some fire in her after all. As with the wine, she nursed her drink, sipping on it once in a while as we talked.

"So, where should I be? And who should I be with, if not with Becky?" I asked as I finished my first drink.

"I don't know, but I can tell you've had some rough experiences in life, and as you probably know, Becky has had her share of rough boys. I just don't want you to hurt her," She examined as she finished her drink and ordered another, on my tab again.

"Well, its true that I've seen more than someone should ever have to, and it was pretty traumatic. However, I would never willingly harm Becky. Physically or emotionally. Your sister is very precious to me, and I want her to be happy, even if it isn't with me." This seemed to alleviate some of her concern. That or the whiskey was getting to her small frame.

She sat there, sizing me up for a minute, and I couldn't help but notice how pretty she was. She was small, like her sister. 5'5 on her best day and maybe 100 pounds. Her tits were smaller than Becky's, I'd have to guess either a large A or small B, but her body was proportional and her hair was short while Becky's was long. She shared many of the same facial features as Becky, like her jaw line and nose, but her lips were more full and a slightly darker shade of red.

"Well, I guess she could have picked worse. You make her so happy and I guess that makes you OK in my book." She finished her second glass and ordered a water. She must have been feeling the alcohol because I could have sworn I saw a lustful desire in her eyes.

Becky came over and leaned against the bar in between us, putting a hand on each of ours and looking at us as we looked at each other.

"Well, you gonna kiss her?" Becky asked jokingly, yet I thought she might have been serious for a moment. We chuckled and talked for a bit before Carl and Jeanna came back over.

"So, what's the plan?" Carl asked

"Well, I'm gonna get another drink and then take Andrew to sing with me," Lauren said. Becky looked about as shocked as I did. We exchanged glances as the bartender came back by us. Lauren was about to order when I stopped her.

"Kenny, can we get a mason jar? On my tab," I asked. I knew Kenny had several jars of shine he kept behind the bar, conveniently hidden inside vodka bottles, due to the legality of selling real shine. Only certain customers got to enjoy it, and since all drinks came in mason jars, it looked like vodka.

"Sure kid, but this ones on me. Call it a token of my gratitude for spending so much money in here. Y'all keep this place going," He joked as he poured us a full jar. We passed it around a few times before Lauren stood up to pick a song. She wavered a bit on unsteady legs before Becky made her sit back down.

"Y'all sing, I pick the song," She said, much to her sister's disappointment. Becky kissed me and went to pick a song for us to sing.

"Don't worry, she knows what she's doing," I said placing a hand on Lauren's arm. Her smile returned instantly, and I suspected there would be trouble later, but for the moment I went with it.

"No, she will pick something to embarrass me, like she always does." She looked so sad, I couldn't help but feel bad for her.

"Then we will be embarrassed together won't we? I won't leave you high and dry up there, I promise." I moved my hand from her arm to her hand, bringing back that smile. Oh yeah, trouble was a-brewin.

"OK, you two have a song, then him and I have one, then Carl and Jeanna have one," Becky said leaning on my back.

"Wait, what! Who said we were singing?" Carl exclaimed. If Lauren thought Becky would embarrass her, she was wrong. Carl and Jeanna would be the target of anything embarrassing now.

I grabbed Lauren and we went to the stage. Lauren was shaking with nervousness, but proceeded anyway. The DJ switched over to the machine and the music started playing. I recognized the song right away, and judging from the smile on Lauren's face, so did she.

"On a 3 hour flight from Memphis to LA

I was silently celebrating my first class upgrade

Laughing at my jeans and my boots

Beside those high dollar shoes and Armani suits

When the gentleman next to me said the drinks up here are free

So if you'd like the first one can be on me

He said I'm heading back from business, in New York and Rome

Tell me son where do you call home

"I said I'm from the front pew of a wooden white church

A courthouse clock that still don't work

Where a mans word means everything

Where moms and dads were high school flames and

Gave their children Grandmothers maiden name

Yes, it may not sound like much

But its where I'm from

"So we Drank that round and then another

There wasn't a topic in this world we did not cover

He said I headed out west when I was barely 19

Just a kid chasing my dreams

And I said I'm flying out here to pick up my big brother

He's been fighting the cancer they discovered

But he called last night and said I think this is the end

So come take me home to my family and my friends"

By this time the crowd was singing along and almost drowned us out. Becky knew just what songs to pick to get the crowd going. I looked toward Lauren, she greeted my gaze with a smile as we continued the song.

"Where the quarterback dates the homecoming queen

The truck's a ford and the tractor's green

And amazing grace is what we sing

Where theres a county fair every fall

And your friends are there no matter when you call

It may not sound like much but its where I'm from

"And as we stood to claim the bags we checked

He said ill pray for your brother and did I mention that

Italian suits havent always been my style

See I was the quarter back of my high school team

We took state back in '63 and my wife well she's still my homecoming queen

Cuz I'm from the front pew of a wooden white church

A courthouse clock that still don't work

Where a mans word means everything

Where moms and dads were high school flames

Gave their children Grandmothers maiden name

Yes, it may not sound like much

I said it may not sound like much

But its where I'm from"

As the music faded we received a round of applause, then went back to hit the mason jar again before I had to go back up with Becky. We headed to the stage as the DJ selected the song. The music came on and I laughed hearing the tune. It was an old song, but one of my favorites.

"There's an Elvis movie on the marquee sign

We've all seen at least three times

Everybody's broke, Bobby's got a buck

Put a dollar's worth of gas in his pickup truck

We're going ninety miles an hour down a dead end road

What's the hurry, son... where you gonna go?

We're gonna howl at the moon, shoot out the light

It's a small town Saturday night

It's a small town Saturday night"

"Lucy's got her lipstick on a little too bright

Bobby's gettin' drunk and lookin' for a fight

Liquor on his breath and trouble on his mind

And Lucy's just a kid, along for the ride

Got a six-pack of beer and a bottle of wine

Gotta be bad just to have a good time

They're gonna howl at the moon, shoot out the light

It's a small town Saturday night

It's a small town Saturday night"

"Bobby told Lucy, 'The world ain't round...

Drops off sharp at the edge of town

Lucy, you know the world must be flat

'Cause when people leave town, they never come back'

They go ninety miles an hour to the city limits sign

Put the pedal to the metal 'fore they change their mind

They howl at the moon, shoot out the light

It's a small town Saturday night"

"They howl at the moon, shoot out the light

Yeah, it's a small town Saturday night

It's a small town Saturday night

It's a small town Saturday night"

Another round of applause followed us from the makeshift stage they had put in. Carl and Jeanna sipped some more shine before heading up to the stage. Carl stopped by the DJ booth, probably asking about the song. He got up on stage with a grin on his face, "This is for you, old buddy. Thank you for everything you've done!"

When I heard the music my heart almost stopped, and I was thankful that I didn't have to sing this song. I ordered another whiskey, knowing I was gonna need it.

"I was there in the winter of '64

When we camped in the ice at Nashville's doors

Three hundred miles our trail had lead

We barely had time to bury our dead

When the Yankees charged and the colors fell

Overton hill was a living hell

When we called retreat it was almost dark

I died with a grapeshot in my heart"

I was starting to break. This song hits home pretty hard, though I don't expect Becky knew it would have this bad of an effect.

"Say a prayer for peace

For every fallen son

Set my spirit free

Let me lay down my gun

Sweet mother Mary I'm so tired

But I can't come home 'til the last shot's fired"

Becky was holding my hand, squeezing it for dear life as if letting go would let me fall into a bottomless pit.

"In June of 1944

I waited in the blood of Omaha's shores

Twenty-one and scared to death

My heart poundin' in my chest

I almost made the first seawall

When my friends turned and saw me fall

I still smell the smoke, I can taste the mud

As I lay there dying from a loss of blood"

Lauren took my other hand, probably at Becky's silent request. I was thankful, even though it was a bit awkward having both sisters, who I'm sure both wanted me, holding me like this.

"Say a prayer for peace

For every fallen son

Set my spirit free

Let me lay down my gun

Sweet mother Mary I'm so tired

But I can't come home 'til the last shot's fired"

"I'm in the fields of Vietnam,

The mountains of Afghanistan

And I'm still hopin', waitin' prayin'

I did not die in vain"

"Say a prayer for peace

For every fallen son

Set our spirits free

Let us lay down our guns

Sweet mother Mary we're so tired

But we can't come home 'til the last shot's fired

'Til the last shot's fired"

The audience sang as the choir. It was all I could do to keep from crying, even though I had Becky and Lauren holding my hands.

"Say a prayer for peace (for peace)

For our daughters and our sons

Set our spirits free (set us free)

Let us lay down our guns"

"Sweet mother Mary, we're so tired

But we can't come home (No we can't come home)"

Again, the audience sang the part of the choir.

"'Til the last shot's fired"

The room was booming with cheers and yells, calls for encores, all enjoying what we had done. When Carl came over, he hugged me as a brother hugs his brother and bought us all a round. Becky and her sister went outside for a brief moment as Jeanna put down fresh drinks in front of our seats.

"That was great guys, really. I know I'm crying, but that song hits home hard for me," I said through whiskey soaked thoughts. Jeanna hugged me and kissed my forehead.

"It could have been worse. It could have been 'Arlington'," She said as Becky and Lauren came up. We sat and had a few more rounds, talking and laughing, with Lauren still being a bit shy around Carl and Jeanna.

As the night wore on, the bar started to empty, leaving a few regulars and our group still there. We gathered our things and headed for the parking lot.

"So, what are your plans tonight Lauren?" Becky asked as we got to our cars.

"Not sure, probably go home and rest. What about you guys?"

"We are going to bed," Carl said with a yawn. I looked to Becky, who had an ear to ear grin on her face.

"Not sure, the night is still young. Any suggestions?" I asked Lauren with a smile.

"You could come back to my place. My roommates shouldn't be home." She offered.

"Roommates? Oh no, we can go to my place then," Becky said. Something told me she had plans that wouldn't work with roommates there.

Lauren looked a bit downcast. Something said she had things there she wanted us to enjoy. Carl and Jeanna headed home, leaving the three of us together. I went and hugged Lauren, feeling her warmth return to her.

"Go get whatever it is you wanna show us, and meet us at Becky's, it'll be worth it," I said with a wink. Sure, I could have gotten in big trouble for that, but I figured something was up, so I took a chance.

Lauren agreed, so we went our separate ways, meeting back at Becky's that night. Becky and I went to my house to get some clothes and hygiene supplies before going to Becky's. We had been there nearly an hour before we saw Lauren's headlights pull into Becky's driveway. We went to help her unload anything she may have.

"No, go away Andrew. For Becky's eyes only!" Lauren said stopping me only feet from the front door. I sighed a dramatic sigh and went back inside. I sat in front of her TV while they brought in clothes, shoes and bags full of God-knows-what. Becky and Lauren came out to sit with me, laughing as if they were in on some giant secret that I wasn't privy to.

"OK you two, what's so damn funny?" I ask sarcastically. Becky and Lauren exchanged glances as they sat on either side of me. They giggled a bit more and then both kissed me on the cheek.

"That was nice, what was that for?" I asked.

"I want to ask you something, but I'm not sure how you will take it, so I need you to do something for me first," Becky said, her voice soft and uneasy as if someone else was listening in.

"What's up babe?"

"I need you to tell Lauren why you cried when Carl and Jeanna sang that song. Tell her about the IED blast and the names on your ribs, then you will be rewarded." The words were hard for her to form. She didn't want to put me through that, but whatever she was worried about was obviously pretty big.

"OK, but you owe me," I said with a bit more anger than was needed, and intended. Lauren looked at me a bit shocked.

"It's hard for him to relive the memories," Becky told her, as if reading her mind. She went to the kitchen to get a bottle and some glasses.

"OK," I said when she returned. "Before I begin.. Becky, I love you, and Lauren, you're Becky's sister, so I love you like a sister. Now, please keep your hands and arms inside the nightmare at all times." I told the story as I had told it to Becky and a dozen different doctors before her.

Lauren hung on every word, fixated on how much suffering and pain I had been through, both mentally and physically. She cried several times, hell, we all did. When I finished Becky moved to sit on the opposite side of Lauren, putting her in the middle of us.

"Thanks baby, I know that wasn't easy. Now we have something to ask of you," Becky said as she gazed hard into my eyes, as if judging a reaction to something she had yet to say. The anticipation was killing me.

"Go ahead, I won't judge you guys," I said, choosing my words carefully.

"Well, you know about my previous choices regarding men. Lauren has worse luck. Once they find out about her, they just want a quick fuck and then to take off," Becky said.

"See, Lauren is still a virgin. She is saving it for someone special and every guy that finds out just wants to claim her V card. So she wanted me to ask you to hook her up with one of your friends, since you keep good company. I was going to ask if you could hook her up with Ryan or Tyler."

It didn't surprise me that she was still a virgin, to be honest. She seemed so reluctant and shy that most guys would be driven away. I was surprised to hear of her choices in friends. Sure Tyler and Ryan are good guys, but they are still Marines at heart.

Tyler has a laundry list of women who he has ruined, either by breaking their hearts or sexually corrupting them. I have no idea about Ryan, though I believe be has been more gentlemanly about his exploits. I don't know much about him, so its hard to make a judgement.

"I don't know, Tyler might not be the best choice. He's left a pretty large debris field of broken hearts and ruined women. Ryan, on the other hand, is a complete mystery. I haven't known him long enough to know his previous exploits," I informed them.

"I wouldn't be opposed to dropping hints at Ryan, but Tyler might hurt her. In his own, special way."

"OK, its worth a try I guess," Becky agreed.

"They will be out here in a few weeks, we can figure it out then," I added.

Lauren was looking at us curiously. I'm sure she had all kinds of questions, but I wasn't in a position to answer most of them. I gave her a hug and a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, we'll make sure you're in good hands," I told her.

We talked for a bit, mostly about my military service and about Tyler. Soon we were all getting tired and decided to call it a night. Lauren took the guest bed while Becky and I slept in her room. We kissed and snuggled for a while before Becky broke the silence.

"Would you?"

"Would I what?" I asked.

"Fuck Lauren."

"Yeah, she's really cute. Though in the current situation I wouldn't be able to."

"Why's that?"

"Because she's your sister. It would be too awkward having her clinging to me while I try and pursue our relationship."

"Oh I don't know, it might be kinda cute."

"But in the end, it would hurt her. I'd hope that one day we might get married, and that would mean I'd have to stop being with her. I may be a Marine, but I'm still a one woman man at heart."

"Aww, you're sweet."

"I try. Besides, one nagging woman in my life is enough."

She hit me with the pillow, laughing while she did it. As she prepared for another swing, I grabbed it and used it to pull her in for a kiss. She got halfway to me before she gave a devious smile and let go of the pillow. It hit me square in the face, causing more laughter.

We cuddled for a few more minutes before I heard her softly snoring.