Chapter 13 - I Called The Woman Who Had Warned Vale About Me
Vale gave me his sister’s number only after I asked.
Her name was Monica.
Fifty-six.
ER nurse in Oregon.
She answered:
“Rachel Carter.”
I frowned.
“He told you.”
“Eleven years ago.”
That stopped me.
“What?”
Monica laughed softly.
“My brother talked about you constantly.”
I closed my eyes.
“Of course.”
“He was unbearable.”
“I believe you.”
She asked:
“Why are you calling?”
“Because he said you called him an idiot.”
“Need more specific.”
I liked her immediately.
“After Fort Alden.”
“Oh.”
Her tone changed.
“Did he tell you what I said?”
“Enough.”
“Then he left out the rude parts.”
“Probably.”
I sat on the edge of my bed in temporary quarters.
“Did he blame me?”
“Yes.”
Clean.
No delay.
“What did he say?”
“That you had folded when the board pressured you.”
My jaw tightened.
Monica continued.
“I asked what he had wanted you to do.”
“What did he say?”
“Tell them the program was toxic.”
I laughed.
“Of course.”
“And I asked whether you had joined the program to fix the Army.”
“What did he say?”
“Something stupid.”
“What?”
“That good soldiers speak up.”
I stared.
Monica continued.
“So I asked whether good sergeants punch captains.”
I almost laughed.
“Thank you.”
“He didn't enjoy it.”
“Good.”
Then her voice softened slightly.
“He cared about you.”
“I know.”
“He also made your loyalty a test.”
I stared at the wall.
“Did he say that?”
“No.”
“Then how—”
“I know my brother.”
Fair.
I asked:
“Did he really keep my stance?”
Monica laughed.
“Is that what we're calling it?”
“What?”
“He used to practice some weird hand position in my kitchen after Alden.”
I covered my face.
“Please stop.”
“He told me one of his recruits had figured out a better angle.”
“Did he say my name?”
“Yes.”
My chest tightened.
“Even when he hated me.”
“Especially then.”
That hurt in a different direction.
Monica continued.
“He wanted to be angry cleanly.”
“Couldn't.”
“No.”
“Why didn't he write back?”
“He showed me the first letter.”
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
“Not the whole thing. He read one line.”
Which?
Do you hate me?
“I told him to answer.”
“He didn't.”
“No.”
“Why?”
Monica paused.
“He said if he answered while angry, he'd make you carry his career.”
“And instead he made me carry his silence.”
“Yes.”
No defense for him.
I appreciated that.
Then Monica said:
“Rachel.”
“Yes?”
“Don't make me the person who explains my brother to you.”
I stopped.
Of course.
She continued:
“If you want to know him now, ask him.”
I smiled despite myself.
“Apparently your family shares one good sentence.”
“Rare event.”
We spoke another five minutes.
Nothing dramatic.
Weather.
Her shift.
Whether Vale still over-salted eggs.
He did.
When we hung up, I stared at his contact in my phone.
I did not call.
May you like
Not yet.
That decision felt different from waiting for him to earn it.
