Acquiring Trouble

exciting, but it’s not. You don’t have time to see what that fishing would be like. Every minute is scheduled. All you see is the airport, the inside of a car as it drives through the city , and then the hotel. You don’t do much else but shake hands with politicians and try to fig ure out what everyone is after.”
    “Sounds like a game of Clue,” Dinky said to Noodle who just nod ded. Miles even smiled at that.
    Mo just shook his head and raked in his winnings. “I fear it’s getting late,” he said as he and Ahmed pushed back from the table. “It’s been a pleasure. Congratulations Marshall. Katelyn is a wonderful woman and I wish you both all the happiness in the world.” Mo shook Marshall’s hand and gracefully slid his suit coat back on. At least Miles wasn’t the only one there in a suit. “Goodnight everyone.” Mo waved and Ahmed gave a nod to them before heading out the front door.
    “ It’s time I headed out too.” Noodle rose and shook Miles’ s hand as he thanked him. “Good luck at the weddin ’ boss. Just one more week to go.”
    “It’ll be here before you know it.” Dinky clasped Marshall on his back as he got up to leave too.
    “As much as I hate to admit it, I need to go too. I need to get up to put ha y out for the cattle tomorrow , which you all should be thanking me for , by the way, since most of them are technically yours.” Pierce slapped his dark brown cowboy hat against his jeaned - clad leg as he got ready to leave.
    “Aw, you’re so cute. W e thank you by paying you —n icely at that —f or managing our farms.” Cade ruffled Pierce’s hair as if he was a little boy.
    “You’ve done a good job with our farms. I hope you won’t leave us when you start your own farm.” Marshall gave him a hug and walked toward the door.
    “Na h . I wouldn’t leave you all like that. Congratulations. Katelyn is a great girl. Just remember, I get to plan Mi les’ s bachelor party —i t’s not like Cy will be back anytime soon to usurp him as the next brother to fall.” All the brothers nodded in agreement and then looked at Mile s with smiles full of mischief.
     
    Miles tossed the last of the uneaten food in the trashcan an d held it open for Cade to toss the empty beer cans. Everyone had gone home except Cade who had off ered to stay and help clean up.
    Miles still couldn’t believe Cade was a new father . He seemed so calm and secure in his new rol e . How had he let go of everything that happened to him during the war ? He envied Cade and Marshall for that . To feel that kind of love, to feel safe and secure in life again —i t was a fairy tale for him.
    “Miles , t here’s something I think we need to talk about.” Miles grew worried when Cade talked into the trashcan instead of looking at him. “We need to talk about you. I can tell you’re not sleeping. Is it nightmares?”
    “It’s nothing. I assure you, I’m fine,” Miles said stiffly and even he cringed at the harsh tone in his voice.
    “It’s not fine. You’ ve been pushing yourself for too long. You need to get professional help —o r at least talk to me about it. You haven’t talked to anyone about the war. I don’t even know what happened to me after I got knocked unconscious that day. You’ve never told me. All I remember is the beginning of a fierce beating and the feel of a gun being pressed to my head. The next thing I knew I woke up at Ramstein Air Force Base in the hospital.”
    “You won’t be able to understand what it was like. I don’t want you to know what it was like. You won’t be able to handle it. No one can handle it,” Miles trailed off.
    “I can, trust me. I can handle it. Talk to me Miles. Or I can give you the name of the professional I saw when I got back home.” Cade took out a business card and placed it on the table next to Miles.
    “You went and saw someone?”
    “Yes. You know what I went through. I was waking up with nightmares of the feel of the gun to my head. I’d jump at sounds. I started to isolate myself and then I started to drink —h eavily. I was afraid I had post - traumatic stress disorder . So I went and talked to someone who helped me cope. They helped me relearn how to f unction outside of a war zone.”
    Miles looked at his brother with new eyes. No, no one could understand the horrend ous things he went through with his brother and young Mariah Brown. He learned that he had a dark side —a dark side that could kill with no feeling.