Page 84 of Ebbing Tides

“And I already knew that I was always going to die a little more every day that I wasn’t with you. That was always going to happen. But at least now, I have some really, really great memories to keep me company.”

She nodded, sniffling as she lifted her hand to brush away a tear. “Really,reallygreat memories,” she agreed before coughing and clearing her throat, easily brushing away every wave of emotion like a seasoned professional. “Well, I guess we should go corral those little monkeys and get the circus on the road.”

She opened the car door and climbed out, and as I watched her start to walk up the cobblestone path to the front door, I thought,Oh, what I would give to be her ringmaster.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

We decided to take separate cars after determining that there wasn’t much room for all of us and an eighty-pound black Lab in Melanie’s SUV. Now at Sid’s place, I was heading up the driveway with Melanie, her boys, and Lido when Sid made his presence boisterously known by throwing the front door open and stepping onto the porch with a loud whoop that carried through the night.

My chest tightened at the sight of him. It had been two, maybe three months since we'd seen each other, due to my schedule with my father and his schedule as a stay-at-home dad. But, man, seeing him now, grinning at the sight of me like it'd been two years and not two months … I realized just how much I'd missed him, just how much my life depended on the stability of our friendship, our brotherhood.

At the sound of Sid's excited shouts, Lido took off running up the porch steps as the three boys stopped short and huddled around their mother, startled by the loud and raucous man in the doorway, who was, for some ungodly reason, wearing a T-shirt and gym shorts in the middle of winter.

“Sergeant Max Tailor, as I live and breathe!” Sid cried in the worst Southern accent I'd ever heard.

“You're scaring them, you psychopath,” I scolded, despite the laughter in my tone.

“Come on, guys,” I encouraged the boys, unable to contain my smile at the sight of my friend. “He's not gonna bite.”

Sid was already jogging down the porch steps when CJ whispered, “Mommy, his leg weird.”

“CJ,” Melanie gently reprimanded. “It’s not nice—”

All chatter came to a halt when Sid reached me, wrapped his arms around my waist, and hoisted me up effortlessly.

“Oh my God,” I uttered breathlessly, the wind knocked out of me as he squeezed me tightly.

He dropped me unceremoniously, and I steadied my feet before I could topple over.

He reached out to pat my stomach with a loving grin. “Are we expecting, or are you just getting pudgy?”

I brushed his hand away. “Asshole.”

“Gotta hit the gym, Serg. Don't want you getting soft in your old age.”

“Max isn't fat,” Luke commented, unamused.

At the sound of the young kid's voice, Sid turned to him with a scowl. “Who says?”

“I do,” Luke replied, glaring.

“Oh, yeah?” Sid crouched, resting his elbows on his knees—real and artificial. “And who areyou?”

“Luke Corbin,” the boy answered, acting every bit the tough guy, and I glanced at Melanie's smile with a smile of my own.

“He's my brother,” Danny chimed in, standing beside Luke with his arms crossed over his chest.

Sid nodded as he peeked around Luke to find CJ standing between his mother's feet. “Are you his brother too?”

CJ just nodded, keeping his wide eyes on Sid's mechanical leg.

“Hmm,” Sid grunted, steering his gaze back to Luke. “Well, Luke Corbin, since your brothers are here to back you up, I'll let you off easy. But the next time I catch you defending this guy at my house, I might not be so nice.”

He smiled to show them he was kidding and extended his hand to the oldest boy. “Corporal Sidney Sprague, young sir. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

He shook each of their hands before rising to his full height to finally address Melanie with a bow of his head. “Miss Melanie, I presume.”

She extended her hand to him. “Corporal.”