Read Corpsman and the Nerd for Free Online Page A

Ryan’s
favorites would be recorded. He would have a hard enough time
adjusting to the chaos of them moving.
    She refused to think any more about
the prospect of her not returning home to him.

 
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 6
     
    Max, his three brothers, and his
brothers-in-law all showed up at her door at eight on Saturday
morning. His cousin Ben pulled up as the other men were filing into
her apartment.
    Ben was a Morrison through and
through, she had long ago discovered. One could be fooled by his
African-American good looks, but after watching him with his family
for about ten seconds, one realized he was all Morrison. He, more
than any of the other children and grandchildren, resembled their
grandfather. They looked alike, walked alike, held themselves
exactly the same way, and Max had once mentioned they even thought
alike.
    Ben was easily one of the more
handsome of the Morrison men. KC figured she probably felt this way
because he was a military man, and thus carried himself as such.
She obviously respected anyone in the armed forces, since she
shared a part in that noble profession, but Ben was Navy, like her.
That could be why he was one of her favorite Morrisons. That and he
also reminded her a lot of Max.
    Smiling at each man as he made her
little kitchen that much smaller, she offered coffee, doughnuts,
and cookies which were accepted with matching smiles. Much foolery
occurred as the men teased one another, but she noticed Mitch
Monahan, Lainy’s huge, handsome husband, took most of the teasing
this time.
    “ So, Mitch, four months after the
wedding?” Ed, Max’s crazy brother, started the proceedings. He
stroked his beard and adjusted his gold framed glasses. Ed was the
epitome of absentminded inventor, easily as knowledgeable in
electronics and as successful as Lainy with his
inventions.
    “ Yeah, what’s this with four
months?” John, Max’s sister Dory’s husband, continued.
    “ There’s nothing wrong with
Lainy being pregnant so soon after our wedding. She’s not in the
least bit upset by it.” Mitch calmly sipped coffee. He narrowed his
eyes at the hecklers. Another military man, albeit a Marine, in
their midst. He had brown hair and dark brown eyes, and was tall
and muscular. He was quite an attractive man.
    “ Yeah, well, Laurie was
pregnant before we got married,” Greg, another sister’s husband,
said. Or rather, crowed. It was Greg and Laurie who were the
legends of the linen closet in the lake cottage. KC wasn’t certain
she believed all eight of their children had really been conceived
in that closet.
    All the men sputtered into their
Styrofoam cups and one thumped Greg on the back.
    “ Yeah, and we wish you’d
quit making babies,” Max said.
    “ Or at least quit making
them in my closet,” Will, Max’s largest brother, informed him. Will
was the eldest of the siblings, a fact he enjoyed making certain
everyone knew. He also enjoyed the dubious honor of owning the
cottage containing the infamous closet.
    “ Is there anyone here who
hasn’t made a baby in Will’s closet?” Tom, Max’s youngest brother
asked. His shirt was extra loud this morning with hot pink
flamingos, a neon blue background, and chartreuse circles. Upon
further inspection, KC wondered if the odd circles were actually
supposed to be palm trees. She hadn’t decided when Tom’s question
finally registered.
    Max and Ben both raised their hands.
And grinned at each other.
    “ Ben’s been in my closet
with a woman,” Will stated, glowering at their cousin.
    Max turned to him. “Really? Treeny
went into a closet with you? Wow.” He shook his head sadly. “Poor
tricked woman.” Treeny was Will’s wife’s younger sister. It was a
well known secret that Ben didn’t date, and the family speculated
that he was waiting for Treeny to finish her medical
training.
    Ben mock punched him.
    “ So, Max, how many times
have you taken a woman into Will’s closet?” Ed slurped coffee. He
wore of ring of doughnut