Excerpt from ‘To Private Ford Rayburn’

Enjoy this excerpt form the novel I’m currently working on titled To Private Ford Rayburn.

The bar was crowded even for a Saturday night. It took a good twenty minutes to get the bartender’s attention, and another ten before he came to take their orders. 

“And that’s the last we’ll see of him,” Ray warned Sidney as the bartender disappeared with their cash. “This band better be worth it.”

“You think this dingy place would be full up if they weren’t?” Sidney countered. 

Ray sighed, took a sip of his draft and grimaced. “Fuck. Pale ale. He couldn’t even get the order right.”

“He’s distracted by that nice rack over there.” Sidney nodded to where their bartender was serving a trio of girls wearing slinky low-cut dresses. Two of the girls were average but one girl was threatening to spill out every time she made a move. 

“Should I shoot my shot?” Sidney asked, not taking his eyes off the heaving bosom.

Ray eyed the crowd and noted two burly men on the other side of the bar carefully not keeping an eye on the trio. He shook his head. 

“I think they’re spoken for,” Ray muttered. Sidney followed his gaze and nodded. 

“Noted.”

Ray turned and leaned back against the bar, surveying the room. The place had once been an old warehouse that had been divided into several rooms. The room they were in was the largest, with a stage and dance floor directly across from the bar. A technician was currently setting up equipment for the band and occasionally a loud screeching sound would pierce the noise as he did sound checks.  Copious amounts of tables and chairs were spilled across the floor, all filled with patrons talking loudly waiting for the performance to start.

“What about that girl over there?” Sidney pointed at a girl in a red dress standing alone at a high top looking bored. 

“That’s her date coming out of the bathroom,” Ray informed him. 

Sidney stared as a man emerged from the back, glanced around the room, then purposefully made his way over to the girl. “Damn, Ray, how do you do that?”

“Just perceptive,” Ray said with a small shrug.

“Eerily so.” Sidney swigged back his beer then glanced around the room once more. “Well did you notice that girl hasn’t taken her eyes off of you since the moment we entered?”

“What girl?” Ray asked, squinting into the crowd. 

Sidney pointed. “There, the curly-haired one.”

Ray looked to where he was pointing. Sitting at a table a few yards away were two girls. One girl was strikingly pretty, with long, straight dark hair, olive toned skin and trim figure. The other girl though was pale and slightly overweight, with a massive amount of curly, honey-brown hair that fell just to her shoulders. She had been looking in his direction but quickly turned away when he noticed her. 

“Kinda plain,” Ray muttered, looking away.

“Yeah, but her friend…” Sidney whistled appreciatively. “And they keep staring at us. It’s an opening at least.”

“I thought we were here for the band, not to get laid.’

“Why can’t we do both?”

“Let me guess, you get dibs on the hot one and I get second pick yet again?”

“You still owe me for stealing my prom date,” Sidney said, taking a swig of beer.

“Hey, she came on to me!” Ray protested. “And she never agreed to go to prom with you. I’m not saying that girl isn’t pretty, solid six, but for once I would like to stop having to pay penance for something I didn’t do.”

Sidney shrugged. “I dunno. She’s looking our way again and she’s got some really pretty eyes.”

Against his better judgement, Ray looked again and was met with enormous pale blue eyes. 

“Wait, she looks familiar…” he said, not taking his eyes off of hers. Sensing an opening, the girl gave him a shy smile that turned into a bigger one as his eyes went wide in recognition. He would know that smile anywhere; it haunted his dreams and enslaved his heart even though he just wanted to forget she existed. 

“Shit it’s her,” Ray said, breaking eye contact.

Sidney raised an eyebrow. “Who?”

“It’s the girl who keeps writing to me.”

Sidney’s jaw dropped. “Are you serious?” He gave the girls a studied look then broke out in a grin. “Shit! You’re right, it is her. I’ll never forget those eyes. We should go talk to them!” 

Ray shook his head. “No. Definitely not.”

“Oh c’mon, what are the odds?! You have to, man. It’s destiny!”

“Talk to that whiny schoolgirl? I’d rather see combat.”

“C’mon, you owe it to her. You’ve never once responded and she’s written to you regularly for the last…what is it now? Two years?”

“Sid, she’s a spoiled, rich girl. I have no interest.”

“I don’t know, she always seemed sweet to me. Also isn’t her dad famous or something?”

“Yeah, even more reason to steer clear.”

“Or get a leg up,” Sidney said, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. 

“Sid…”

“Fine, I’ll go talk to her.” Sidney gave him a sly grin and started pushing his way through the crowd. Ray groaned, but followed. The girls, watching them approach, sat up straighter, and the curly-haired one blushed her eyes darting around, careful not to look at him too long.

“Don’t do this…” Ray pleaded.

Sidney came to a stop at the girls table and they stared up at him expectantly. 

“Marnie?” Sidney said.

The curly-haired brunette gave him a puzzled look. “Do I know you?”

Ray sighed and held out his hand. “Ford Rayburn.”

Marnie’s eyes went wide and her jaw dropped to the floor. “No…Are you serious?” She covered her mouth and turned to her friend, her face a bright red color. The other girl was giggling uncontrollably.  

Ray inwardly cringed. “Yes. This is my squad mate and friend, Sidney.”

Marnie took his hand and shook. She had surprisingly dainty hands, with long, slender fingers. 

“I can’t believe it…You’re actually here and a real person!”

“Very real,” Ray muttered. 

“Can we…?” Sidney nodded to the empty seats and sat down next to the dark-haired girl before either could respond. Ray sighed again and sat down next to Marnie. 

“I’m Gigi,” the darker girl introduced herself. 

“Pleasure,” Sidney replied, turning his attention toward her. The two started to talk pleasantries, carefully cutting off the other two from joining. Marnie didn’t seem to mind. She kept sneaking glances at Ray and then turning away to blush when she caught his eye. 

“So, what brings you here?” he asked for want of something to talk about. 

“Gigi wants to see the band,” Marnie said. “I wrote you about it a couple of weeks ago.”

“Right.” She had written and he had told Sid who was a fan. It was the whole reason they were in the city instead of taking their leave in their home town in Virginia. “I should have remembered.”

She gave him a bashful look. “So you’ve been getting my letters then?”

“Yep. You’re very persistent.”

“Why don’t you ever respond? You do read them, right?”

He shrugged. “I don’t like writing…”

“Not even to your own family?”

“Haven’t got any.”

“Right.” She gave a small laugh. “I’ve just been wondering about you for so long and to see you here…” She blushed and took a sip of her drink to cover up her confusion. 

“Why do you keep writing?” 

“Do you want me to stop?”

“I…” He was about to say yes, and then stopped himself. He had started getting used to her weekly letters and the idea of never receiving another one made him feel somewhat dour. 

She grinned, biting the bottom of her lip as she did so. “You like getting them?”

He scowled and did not answer. 

“I’m glad you do! I really hoped they were making a difference and I wasn’t just being annoying.”

“You are annoying,” he muttered. “Seriously, do you have no filter?”

“Can’t help it,” she said with a small shrug. “You don’t respond and I don’t know, it felt more like journal writing…”

“I know way too much about you,” he said, a hint of warning in his voice. “You know nothing about me except my name.”

“And you have really nice green eyes,” she murmured. She covered her mouth, shocked at what she had just said, and turned bright red. 

He blushed and turned away. Sidney caught his eye and raised an eyebrow. Next to him, Gigi gave Marnie a knowing look. 

“Look the bands starting!” Gigi said. “Want to go to the mosh pit?”

Sidney grinned. “Yes, lets.” The two stood up.

“Sid, Sid…” Ray said desperately. 

“I know you don’t care for the band so why don’t you just stay here and keep Marnie company?” Sidney winked and took Gigi’s hand, disappearing into the crowd gathering around the stage. 

“Fuck him,” Ray muttered, slouching back in defeat. 

“Is my company really so undesirable?” Marnie said softly.

In the background the guitarist struck a chord and the show started, speakers blaring EDM music.

Ray sighed. “I’m sorry, I just think you’re a tad silly.”

She nodded grimly. “I’m sorry, I guess…I just…I…” She stumbled over her words and finally just stared dejectedly at the table. She looked so pathetic it reminded him of a quote from his favorite book series, one which he knew was her favorite too.

“Come now, Ophelia, as cruel as human’s can be the world is not…” he started.

Marnie’s head whipped up and her eyes lit up in astonishment. “…And there are a thousand and one places to go. Surely somewhere we will feel at peace!” She finished for him triumphantly. “You’ve read the Kinder series!”

He stared down at the table sheepishly. “Yeah, I’ve read them. They might be my favorite book series.”

“Cause of me?” she asked eagerly. 

He shook his head and smiled. “I’ve liked them for forever. Tried to get Sid to read them, but he’s not into historical fantasy. You’re the only one I know who’s ever heard of them let alone read them.”

She grinned stupidly at him. “…And to think you could have written back and told me! Right, favorite book in the series?”

He looked up at the ceiling. “Depends on what’s going on. Right now, it’s four but used to be two.”

“Three is mine…”

They spent the next half hour reminiscing over the series and when their voices grew hoarse trying to talk over the band, they retreated into a quieter room to carry on the conversation. 

“I can’t believe you think Ophelia should have ended up with Edgar. She was obviously meant for Victor,” Marnie scoffed.

“Victor was an ass to her the entire series. The only reason she went for him was because he was edgy. Edgar was much more noble. Honestly, I think the romance almost ruined the whole series.”

“Why? What’s wrong with romance?”

“Don’t believe in it.”

She cocked her head, looking at him quizzically. “You don’t?”

“Till death do us part? What does that even mean? No one can keep up the charade so long. You either die young in lust or grow old and resentful.”

“Sure, if you only think in terms of warm fuzzy feelings. But romance isn’t about warm fuzzies. It’s about loyalty and trust and caring for someone more than yourself.” 

He regarded her. “You’ve thought about this pretty hard, haven’t you?”

“I want to be in love. I want romance, real romance, where we bicker and fight but at the end of the day we make up and say sorry. I want to know someone cares about me and would do anything for me. That’s what Victor was to Ophelia. Edgar was more practical, but not exactly romantic. He wouldn’t die for her like Victor almost did.”

“I guess that’s why it’s fiction,” he said with a small shrug. 

“You ever been in love?”

“No, and I never will be.”

She gave him a look. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because to be in love would mean I would have to know someone so intimately that I…I don’t want to ever be that vulnerable.” He turned away wondering why he was saying any of this. He had never been so open with any one, not even Sidney. It was her letters, he realized. She was so frank and open in her letters he almost felt like he had to respond in kind.

“You know me pretty well,” she said as if reading his thoughts. 

“Yeah, and that’s a problem.”

She touched her lips with her index finger and squinted at him. “How old are you?”

Startled, he answered automatically, “Twenty-one.”

“Where were you born?”

“Middle of nowhere Virginia,” he said, narrowing his eyes. 

“Why don’t you have any family?” 

“No, you’re not catching me out that easily.”

She kept squinting at him.

He sighed. “My parents died in a car crash when I was eight.”

“My mom died in a car crash when I was three! What a coincidence!”

“Yeah, you’ve told me multiple times.”

“Right, though I suppose your parents’ death wasn’t as suspicious as my mom’s.”

He glanced around quickly. “You really shouldn’t say such things in public,” he chastised. 

“Sorry. Did you end up in foster care?”

He looked at her for a long moment. “No. My great-aunt Maia took me in. She’s really old though so I had to do a lot of things for myself.”

“Do you write her letters?” she asked pointedly. 

“No.”

“And what about Sidney? You meet him when you enlisted?”

“No, we grew up together and decided to enlist together. Neither of us had money for college. Anything else you’d like to know, Ms. Wanna-be reporter?” he sarcastically added. 

“Yes! Favorite color? Favorite food? Favorite music…?” She startled to rattle off a list of things.

He sat back, looking at her bemusedly. When she finally stopped for breath, he cut in, “You’re trying to trick me. I’m not falling for it.”

“Ah, but now I know a least a little about you and I’ll be more considerate in my letters from here on out. Now will you please write me back?”

He stared at the table for a long minute. “My favorite color is green. Food is anything not from the mess hall. I like old folk music from the ‘60s and ‘70s. And I make no promises.”

She smiled and he had to concede that her smile changed her fairly average features into a thing of beauty. It went all the way from her small rosebud lips to her pale eyes and made them crinkle. 

“Excuse me, but it’s closing time. Didn’t you hear the announcement?” 

They both startled and stared up at the bartender who was staring down at them impatiently. The room was empty and quiet. Ray quickly glanced at his watch. The watch face read 00:30, the band had ended it’s set an hour ago. 

“Shit, we lost track of time.” He handed the bartender a wad of bills to cover their tab and rose to leave. “Where the fuck did Sid go?”

“And Gigi?” Marnie said, rising as well. They left the bar but the street was empty of their friends. 

“Let me walk you home,” he said graciously, eyeing the local vagrants milling around at this late hour.

She looked up at him uncertainly. “If it’s not too much trouble? It’s a little far…Do you have somewhere you need to be tomorrow?”

“It’s fine,” he said waving his hand dismissively. “And no, we’re on leave for a week.”

She smiled at him gratefully. “Thank you! This way…” She turned left and he protectively tucked her arm into his, steering the way past garbage and sleeping homeless. 

“I thought the college was back that way?” Ray asked when they made another turn. 

“My dad is having us use the family apartment while we’re in the city,” Marnie explained. 

“Right, you mentioned it,” he murmured. “Who’s us?”

“Me and Emilie. She’s not going to school or anything, she’s a model-slash-socialite with the emphasis on socialite. But I like living with her. She’s better about emptying the dishwasher then I am.”

“Never had a dishwasher,” he snorted. “Or I should say, I am the dishwasher.”

“What did your parents do?”

“My father was in the military; my mom was a homemaker. Actually, I come from a long line of military folk. Back in Virginia I have a musket from the Revolutionary war that belonged to my great-whatever grandfather.”

“That’s so cool!” 

“Yeah, one day I’d like to display it properly. I’ve been trying to collect old weapons like that but it’s a little hard when you’re broke and overseas a lot.”

“Do you not write cause you don’t think you’re interesting? Cause you are, Ford. I would have loved to known this about you.” She stared up at him wistfully. 

“No one calls me Ford, it’s Ray,” he corrected.

“I was wondering,” she laughed. “This whole time I kept thinking Ford was too stuffy for you. Ray is perfect. I like Ray.”

He gazed down at her wondering why it felt so special to hear her say his name like that.

“Here we are!” 

He was jostled out of his reprieve. He stared up at the ten-storey apartment complex they stood in front of. The building was old, at least one hundred years if he was to guess and boasted original stone work, including gargoyle balustrades on the corners of each floor. Through the glass front door, he could see a foyer that was all marble and gold. A doorman in a rich red coat and cap was standing by the door regarding them quizzically. 

“What are you doing for the rest of the week?” she asked, stalling for time. 

“Uh, not much, we were going to just play tourist for a few days and then we have to get back to base by next Sunday.”

She bit her lip. “Maybe I could show you around tomorrow if you’d like?”

Instinctually, he almost refused but seeing her hopeful face made him pause before answering. “I don’t see why not…”

She beamed at him. “Great! Why don’t you meet me here at nine tomorrow and we can get brunch!”

“Sure.”

“See you tomorrow!” With one last smile, she turned and all but ran into the building.  

He watched her skip across the lobby to the elevator, gave a nod to the doorman who was still staring at him, and turned to head back to the hostel he and Sidney were staying at.