96

The next day comes quickly enough, and you're in your room doing some push-ups when a voice message reaches your phone. It plays automatically and Lamesha's voice reaches your ears: "I'm on my way to get you. I'll be there in twenty minutes so be ready by then." You quickly get to your feet and get a quick shower first. By the time you're done, you have another five minutes left, so you go through your closet and put on some clothes.

By the time you're done, you get a call from Lamesha and you answer it. "I'm about to turn in and…" she starts to say as you hear a car pull up at your house. You peer outside the window and see it in the driveway. Your friend gets out of the car, a short, bespectacled young woman of Jamaican descent and dressed in club-wear. You hurry down to meet her and as you step out of your house, she gives you a friendly wave and walks over to you.

"Oh my god, Wendell Dumein! It's been so long!" she says with a huge smile on her face and grabs your hands. "What's life like, being in the army? Was it all you ever thought it would be?" You grin and give her a quick hug, telling her that it's been a good ride so far. She nods her head and says with a tinge of sarcasm in her voice, "Come on. We don't want to keep Alex waiting for us. You know how cranky he gets if we're late for his chance to get it on with the ladies."

You laugh and agree with her, getting into the car with her before she starts the engine again and speeds off. As the two of you sit in the car, you…