Jenna Mindel - A Soldier's Prayer

Cash exited the cabin onto the deck. The sun hung low in the sky, but it wouldn’t set for another couple hours. He turned on the gas valve, then lit the grill and shut the lid.

Leaning against the railing of the deck, Cash wondered why Monica would come up here by herself. He’d have to ask her later, if she stayed beyond dinner. Part of him hoped she would. The other part worried that being around Monica for very long was asking for trouble.

* * *

“Thank you, Owen.” Monica’s heart melted when the boy smiled, then walked the plate of hamburgers outside for Cash to place on the hot grill.

He might not speak, but the little boy was a charmer, with rich red hair and thick eyelashes that framed dark gray eyes. Eyes a lot like his uncle’s.

Through the sliding glass door to the deck out back, Monica watched Cash cup his nephew’s cheek as he took the plate from him. Despite his rough-and-tumble ways, Cash was a gentle guy. Even though he’d been Matthew’s friend, he’d always taken time to talk with her. He’d made her feel awkward, sure, especially the year she grew to be taller than him by a couple inches or so, but he never made her feel unwanted. Never the annoying tagalong that she’d often been.

The last time she’d seen Cash Miller was two and a half years ago, at her brother Matthew’s wedding. There hadn’t been any dancing and Cash had pretty much ignored her after a brief greeting. He’d hung out with her brothers and then left before she’d had a chance to really talk to him. She wouldn’t mind spending a little time with him now, just to make sure he was okay, and hear what he’d been up to.

“How do you know Uncle Cash?” Ethan climbed onto the stool on the other side of the island.

“Your uncle is friends with my brother. I’ve known him since I was a little older than you.”

Ethan gave her a haughty glare from golden-colored eyes. He, too, had a mop of red hair, although lighter than his little brother’s. “I’m eight.”

“I was ten when I first met your uncle Cash.” Monica grabbed the bag of spring mix she’d purchased, along with some veggies.

She would never forget the day Matthew had brought Cash home with him from school for the first time. Cash had taken one long look at her and called her a stork. She’d been furious at that moniker because it had been far too accurate. She had been a skinny kid with even skinnier legs, crooked teeth and a big nose. She still had the big nose.

“There’s frozen french fries in the freezer.” Cash entered the kitchen, opened the fridge and grabbed a can of pop, snapping open the tab top with a fizzy click.

“Yeah, so?” Monica tipped her head.

“So, I thought you could make them.” Cash winked at Ethan.

The boy looked at her, then back at Cash with a grin.

“Why can’t you make them?” Monica wasn’t giving in that easily. Especially in front of an eight-year-old watching them with too-wise eyes.

“I’m manning the grill.”

“You’re in here now, with plenty of time to take care of the fries while I set the table.”

“The boys and I eat in the living room.” Cash completely evaded her comment.

“Yeah,” Ethan added, with challenge in his voice.

Monica glanced at Owen, now lying on the couch watching a cartoon on TV, then back at Cash. “What would their mother say?”

Cash rolled his eyes.

Monica had her answer. She wasn’t the boss of any of them, so she merely took plates and set them on the island, while Cash grabbed the bag of frozen fries.

Ha! She’d won that round.

The space between the stove and island was limited. Her breath caught when she turned to fetch the silverware and collided with Cash leaning to throw the empty fries bag in the trash can under the sink.

Cash straightened and gestured for her to go first. “After you.”

Despite her hot cheeks and Ethan’s giggle, she managed a sarcastic-sounding retort, “Why don’t you get out of the kitchen?”

He winked at her. “Exactly what I was hoping you’d say.”

Monica tried to ignore him. She tried even harder to ignore the pesky increase in her heart rate, but that was a lost cause and had been ever since she was twelve.

She opened the fridge to gather condiments, then whipped around to set the bottles on the island. Cash was in her space once again. She dodged left, but he lurched the same way. Bobbing the opposite direction, they did an awkward dance that ended with her dropping the ketchup bottle.

Cash bent to retrieve it at the same time she did and they bumped heads.

“Oww!”

He laughed and gently touched her forehead with his fingers, rubbing where they’d hit. “I’m so sorry.”

She looked into his dark gray eyes filled with mirth and the truth slipped out. “You’re dangerous, Cash Miller. That’s what you are.”

His gaze darkened as it swept her face.

And there it was—that sting of awareness she knew well. Monica could barely breathe as she recalled the one kiss they’d ever shared. It had been her eighteenth birthday party and her parents had hosted a huge cookout. She’d walked Cash to his car because he’d had to head back to base. There, he’d given her the most beautiful crystal stork. To thank him for such a lovely gift, she had hugged him, and that embrace had soon turned into the most wonder-filled kiss she’d ever received.

Did he remember it, too?

She shut down that train of thought quickly. She couldn’t go there. Not now, not ever. She had a nasty medical battle ahead. One that had already chased away one guy she thought she could rely on. There was no way she’d let another man, especially this man, mess her up when she was plenty worried about her future as it was. If she even had a future long enough to enjoy.

Tamping down the panic that crept upon her ever since she received the bad news of her biopsy, Monica set the bottles on the island. Ketchup, mustard, squeezable mayonnaise, ranch and Thousand Island salad dressing all toppled over.

Ethan reached out to help her right them.

That’s when Monica saw the smoke. Glad for the diversion, she hid behind her trusty sarcasm. “Uh, Cash? You better check those burgers.”

He dashed for the deck and opened the barbecue lid. Flames shot up as he flipped the burgers over.

Monica looked at Ethan. “I hope you like yours well done.”

Ethan shrugged.

Monica got busy grabbing cups and the gallon of milk. Anything to keep her focus away from Cash. No way could she stay here the whole weekend. She’d never functioned well around him and it looked as if that still held true.

She’d stay tonight and tomorrow morning tops, then she’d be on her way. Maybe she’d head for a motel in Marquette. It was a pretty college town on the shore of Lake Superior. But Monica didn’t need pretty. She needed to think things through, do more research and jot down a million more questions. She needed to find some kind of inner strength to deal with what lay ahead. Other than her family’s support, she faced this disease alone. Could she beat it? Monica wasn’t sure.

All she knew was cancer waged a war inside her and she was scared. Really scared.

Monica felt a soft touch and looked down into the pleading eyes of Owen. “What is it?”

He pulled on her hand.

“He wants to show you something,” Ethan offered.

No kidding. Monica bit her tongue and played along, following the little boy.

Owen led her to the TV, which had gone blank even though the satellite box dials glowed blue, showing it was still active. The TV was old and the picture sometimes grayed out, needing to be reset. It usually came back on after someone turned the whole thing off for bit, but maybe this time it had burned out for good.