Burt parked his truck at the cable box that fed the neighborhood, which was a few houses down from Loretta Mullins' house. Nate told him Jess was staying with her mother, and that, like clockwork, Jess watched her soap operas. Pulling up the Xfinity website, he found the local schedule and waited until a few minutes after noon, when he knew her favorite show must be on.
Wearing an Xfinity logo work shirt, he removed the casing and shut the neighborhood cable off. Then he walked to the Mullins' house and knocked on the door. A very angry-looking Jessica opened the door.
“Good afternoon, Ma’am. I’m with the cable company. We had a few reports of outages in your neighborhood. Is your cable currently working?”
“No! It’s not, and it went out at the worst possible time!”
“Would you mind if I take a look? I’ll check your outside connection first, and then I’ll need to check your master box in the house.”
“Do whatever you need to do, just get it back on!”
Jess slammed the door in Burt’s face, and he smirked, shaking his head.
What a bitch.
Walking around to the junction box on the house, Burt opened it up, pretending to take a look. After he waited long enough to make it seem legit, he went back and knocked on the door again.
The door flew open, and she practically screamed, “It’s still not working!”
“Everything seemed fine outside the house. Can you show me where your master box is?”
Turning, she stomped into the living room. Burt immediately memorized the layout of the room. Jess’s cell phone sat on the coffee table in front of the TV. Opening his phone, he started an app, and his screen went dark. Setting his phone beside hers, the app cloned her SIM card and stored all the data in her phone's memory on a private, secure cloud server.
Getting on his knees, Burt pulled the TV stand out a few feet to give him access to the back, and attached a tiny listening device that could transmit it to a receiver up to three hundred feet away.
After pushing the TV back into place, he picked up his phone, opening it to check if the app was finished. Seeing that it was, he couldn’t wait to get back to his truck and start looking at her texts.
“Ma’am, I believe I’ve identified the issue. I’ll reset the box at the street corner, and your TV will restart; everything should return to normal. It will take about fifteen minutes. Thanks for your patience, and we appreciate your business.”
Jess sat in front of the TV to wait, giving no indication she would show him out, so he left, walked back to the street corner, and reconnected the feed. He quickly secured the casing around the wiring, got in his truck, and found a shaded spot under some trees one block over.
<><>
Marc had been a liaison specialist in Afghanistan, working with locals to support US interests and gather intelligence. Utilizing his skills, it didn’t take him long to learn the names of Jess’s four brothers, where they worked, and where they liked to hang out. Two were at work, and two were off. They typically drank a few beers every afternoon, so he went to their favorite bar to wait. If they followed their usual pattern, the two who were off would start around lunch, and their brothers would join them after they got off.
His information was correct, and a few hours after lunch, Kurt and Ben Mullin arrived together. He waited another hour before entering to give them time to have a few beers first.
“Rooster’s” was a local hangout with a good kitchen and bar, so he grabbed lunch and ordered a beer. The place wasn’t crowded yet, and he got a table near Kurt and Ben to overhear their conversation.
Another man came in by himself, and Kurt called out, “Randy!” Marc hadn’t seen Randy Tate’s picture yet, but he was the man Jess was sleeping with and who had accused Jeff of attempted murder. Randy sported a prominent black eye.
Coming in from the bright sun, Randy squinted, searching for Kurt, and once he spotted the two brothers, he made his way to their table and sat down. The three of them fist-bumped each other. Marc started recording on his phone, pretending he was scrolling.
Randy said, “Hey, fella’s.”
Ben smirked, “How’s your eye? It still looks like shit.”
Randy retorted, “If you hadn’t hit me so hard, it wouldn’t look like this.”
Ben chuckled and said, “Well, you said to make it look convincing!”
Kurt whispered, “Keep your voices down!”
Randy continued, “At least that fucker’s gonna get what’s coming to him. Who’d a thought he was a fag?”
Kurt said, “You think Jess is gonna get his VA income?”
Randy said, “That’s the plan. The lawyer is gonna work that shit out. As long as Jess and I live together and don’t get married, she should get half his income. Maybe more. He just needs to be in jail. I don’t want him comin’ after me.”
Ben smirked, “You scared?”
Randy said, “Fuckin-A, I’m scared. You’ve seen that guy. He could break me in half without breaking a sweat.”
Kurt said, “It’s a good thing my sister had that cast-iron skillet of Momma’s. She popped him good.”
Ben added, “It’s also a good thing the Judge likes Momma. They’ve been keeping their shenanigans on the down low, but they’ve been shacking up for a few years after she kicked our old man out.”
Jesus, their family could run a whole damn season of Divorce Court.
Randy glanced at Marc a few times, so before he became suspicious, Marc settled his tab and left. He got what he showed up for.
Marc was sure his recording would be more than enough for Barry to blow Jeff’s case up, but he wondered what else Burt could come up with. The more the better.
<><>
At 8:00 pm, Burt returned to Jess and her mom’s neighborhood. He brought food and plenty of drinks in case it was going to be a long night. He pulled behind an abandoned trailer where the grass and trees were overgrown. There were no street lights, and once he turned his lights off, it was pitch black. He only needed enough light to put on his headphones so he could listen and record anything he heard from the Mullins’ living room.
He would record any conversations he heard and then use his laptop to filter out the TV and any background noise to isolate the conversations.
The house was silent for almost an hour before the sound of a screen door shutting loudly caught his attention. Random background noise sounded like someone just got home and was moving around. A cell phone, not Jess’s, rang, and a woman answered. He assumed the person moving around and who answered the phone was Loretta, Jess’s mother.
“Hey, JD. You coming over tonight, Hun?”
“Why? That’s silly, we can still fool around even if she’s here.”
“Good, Lord, is sex all you ever think about?”
“It’s a good thing I can’t have any more kids with the way you go on. Let’s go out for dinner, and then we can get a room at the Deep South.”
“Ok, I’ll meet you at Shoney’s in half an hour.”
The house went quiet again for a short time before he heard someone else come in.
“Momma?”
“I’m in here, Honey. I’m getting dressed. Me and JD are goin’ out for dinner. We’re gonna get a room at the Deep South, so I won’t be back until tomorrow morning.”
“I swear, Momma, you and JD do it more than me and Randy!”
“Don’t talk bad about your Momma, girl. When the trial’s over, are you two gettin’ married?”
“No, Momma, I told you we can’t get hitched if I get Jeff’s income. JD can explain it to you.”
“I don’t like the idea of my daughter shackin’ up with a man she ain’t married to.”
“What about you and JD?”
“That’s different.”
Burt couldn’t believe his ears! Double-checking that his recording was saved, he backed it up to the cloud just in case and then drove back to Nate's house.
<><>
That night and the next day, Barry transferred all the recorded dialogue and texts into transcripts and copied the audio files onto multiple thumb drives. Among the evidence he received from the Prosecutor were Jeff’s fingerprints on the gun. He also sent the prints and pictures of the gun to the Lab and pulled in a few favors to expedite the analysis.
The forensic data from Langley was due on Thursday. He was sure the photos and X-rays would tell a different story than what was in the files, and he was curious about the fingerprints. Like the X-rays, he was sure they would disprove the witness account once an expert witness examined the evidence.
The first meeting with Judge JD Beckham was scheduled for Friday. The DA would be present to bring formal charges against Jeff, and Judge Beckham would determine if it would be a full-blown jury trial or a bench trial. The type of trial would depend on the specific charges, but if they stuck with attempted murder, it would have to be a jury trial.
Jeff and Nate emerged from the bedroom naked. Both their cocks were chubbed, and Jeff still had a dribble of cum on his shaft. Jeff turned around to grab some shorts, but Nate stopped him, put an arm around his waist, and led him to the kitchen.
Barry got hard at the sight and the scent they exuded. Jeff moved closer to see what Barry was working on, and when he got close, Barry put an arm around his waist, pulling him close in a side hug. With his free hand, he wiped off the drop of cum and licked his finger.
Jeff didn’t know what to make of such an open move, but he grinned when Barry said, “Taste’s good.”
Nate chuckled and said, “Sorry, I’m trying to keep him relaxed. One sure-fire way to do it is sex.”
Tightening his arm around Jeff’s waist, Barry moved his hand up and placed it firmly on Jeff’s abs. His touch wasn’t sexual, but the comfort of a friend.
“Trust me, Jeff. All of this will end on Friday, and all charges should be dropped against you. I need you to consider bringing charges against Jess and her family, as well as Randy Tate. They're all accomplices in what was done to you. You could even reverse the attempted murder charges on them for their assault that gave you a concussion. That wouldn’t stick, but it might put them in their place.”
He continued, “One more piece of this is Judge Beckham. If he’s sleeping with Loretta Mullins and hasn’t recused himself, it could ruin his career. If you want my input, I’ll share it, but I’d rather you decide without my influence. There’s no immediate hurry; you have all week to think it over.”
<><>
At first, Jeff seemed better. Being around other gay men, open and free to be himself for the first time in his life, seemed liberating. Jeff was in what Nate called ‘the afterglow’ of coming out, when everything seemed new and fresh. He knew it would soon wear off, and with the tension of the impending trial, it faded faster than Nate would have liked.
When on Nate’s property, all the men went shirtless, wearing only shorts, and were usually barefoot. They were openly affectionate, often touching, rubbing shoulders, or backs. It often led to sex, except for Jeff, who was still not up to being intimate with anyone but Nate.
Barry, Marc, and Burt understood and were fully supportive and never pushed Jeff’s boundaries. They did, however, keep him from retreating behind the wall that he had built up most of his life. They shared their own coming-out stories and humorous tales of their sexcapades while deployed and in life. On Wednesday, Jeff seemed particularly pensive, and holding out his hand, Nate asked him, “Would you come with me?”
Curious but trusting, Jeff gripped Nate’s hand, and Nate led them back to his bedroom. He shut the door for privacy. Stripping off his shorts, he lay on the bed and patted the spot behind him.
“Get those shorts off and come over here.”
Jeff did as he was told, and they faced one another with their heads propped up by a hand. Nate reached out first, brushing his hand through Jeff’s short hair before cupping his jaw. The sound and feel of his thumb rubbing across Jeff’s stubbled cheek was blissful. Lowering his hand, he ran the back of it across Jeff’s chest, through his chest hair, before palming his hand in the center of Jeff’s hard chest. Both men were hard, even from the simple act of touching.
Nate asked, “I’m not sure what to do for you. I know you’re anxious about everything, and I get that, but we have to trust Barry.”
Jeff lowered his eyes and said, “I know. I do… I don’t know. I don’t want to sound ungrateful, or like a wus… It’s just everything is too much. I wasn’t in a good headspace when all of this started. Coming out relieved an immense amount of anxiety and pressure… but the rest of my fucked up shit is still there. Being here with you, especially you, but also the guys, helps more than you can imagine, but the unknown of the trial just has me rocked.”
“Lean on me, Jeff. You’re trying to carry everything on your own, but you aren’t alone anymore. It’s part of being with someone. Let me help you carry it as much as I can.”
While they talked, Nate’s hand moved down and fondled Jeff’s erection. He did it so naturally and casually… it was another new aspect to Jeff of being with someone. Reciprocating, Jeff began to rub Nate’s chest and shoulders. Feeling another man was still new to him, and he relished even the basest skin contact. Nate’s body was firm, solid, and desirable… so unlike Jess. He discovered so much about himself daily by being around other grounded gay men.
Nate said, “This might be rushing things, but there’s something I want you to do if you’re comfortable with it.”
“What?”
“I want you to fuck me. I’ve never been fucked before. I love being rimmed, and plenty of guys have fingered me, but I’ve never been fucked. I’ve been saving that for someone special. I was beginning to think I’d never find that person until I met you. Will you do that? I want to know what it feels like to have you in me. I want you to cum in me and share that part of you. You don’t have to reciprocate. I’d love to fuck you sometime, too, but not until you’re ready. If you never are, I’m okay with that, too. There’s plenty we can do to get each other off.”
Nate felt Jeff’s cock surge at the idea. His cock was iron hard and dripping.
Jeff grinned shyly and teared up, “I’d be honored to be your first at something. Everything with you has been a first for me, but this will be a first we can share together.”
“I need to prep for it. Let’s jump in the shower, and you can help me.”
Nate pulled out a box from under the sink and unboxed what looked like a thin metal dildo attached to a hose.
“This is a wand. I need to douche and get myself clean. I don’t want to use a condom with you. I don’t want anything between us.”
Installing it only took a minute, and Nate started the hot water. Once it was warm, he handed the wand to Jeff along with a jar of Albolene.
“The wand isn’t very big, but my ass is virgin, so go slow.”
Jeff coated it and put the end against Nate’s opening and pushed gently.
“Fuck.”
“Does it hurt?”
“A little. It stings. Go a little deeper and then stop to give me a minute.”
Nate was bent over, and Jeff used his other hand to rub Nate’s broad back and over his ass cheeks.
He couldn’t help himself and said, “Fuck, you're incredible, Nate. Every inch of you is everything I ever wanted in my darkest fantasies, but you’re real.” He kissed Nate’s ass in affection.
“Okay, go deeper and then turn it on.”
Nate wasn’t prepared for the feeling of being full of water, and he chuckled, “Fuck, that feels weird. Pull it out and let me empty out.”
They repeated the process until the water ran clean, and then Jeff switched it off so the shower started again. Pulling Nate against him, they stayed pressed together as their arms and hands roamed. Jeff eventually grabbed the body wash and proceeded to clean Nate from head to toe, and even though he was cleaned out, he put a soapy finger in his ass and wiggled it around a bit.
As they were drying off, Nate pulled Jeff into a passionate kiss, and when they separated, he said, “You’re the same to me, Jeff. I want to acknowledge what you said, and that I feel the same way.”
Jeff grinned and responded, “Since you’re giving up your ass for me, I sure hope so.”
Nate laughed and felt good that Jeff was chill enough to banter about what was about to happen.
Nate got in the middle of the bed on all fours and asked, “Do you know how to loosen me up?”
“I’ve watched enough porn to have an idea, but guide me if I’m not doing it right.”
Jeff was beyond tender and gentle. Lubing up a finger, he repeated what he did before, slowly thrusting it in and out and rotating it. He found Nate’s prostate and paid special attention to it.
“Fuck. God damn. Yeah.”
Jeff added another finger, causing Nate to tense up, but he went slowly. He naturally took to it and was extremely sensitive about keeping Nate’s discomfort minimal. Taking his time, he ended up with three fingers. Nate was sweating and trembling, but it was a mixture of pleasure and pain. Keeping his prostate stimulated helped. His cock stayed fully rigid and dripping the entire time. Occasionally, Jeff stroked Nate’s cock to add to the pleasure.
After half an hour, Jeff asked, “Are you ready for the real thing?”
“Fuck yes. I’ve been ready, but you were doing such a good job I didn’t want you to stop.”
His comment touched Jeff, filling him with confidence. Lubing up his cock he got behind Nate and rubbed his head up and down his crack a few times. Nate shuddered at the feel of Jeff’s fully engorged head against his opening.
Fuck, I’m about to give up my cherry to this man.
Jeff pushed his head in about an inch, causing a slight shudder in Nate. His back arched at the sting, and the tension defined his muscles. The sheen of sweat made him even sexier.
Jeff gasped, “Oh God. I didn’t expect it to feel so good.”
Knowing it was going to hurt, Nate pushed back until Jeff was in up to his hilt.
They both cried out, “Fuck!” at the same time. Jeff gripped Nate’s hips, holding them together. His cock throbbed, wrapped in the most incredibly warm, tight sheath. Leaning over, he pushed his chest against Nate’s back and wrapped his arms around him, and Jeff’s hot breath exhaled against Nate’s neck as he slowly began thrusting.
Jeff’s powerful body pressing down on him caused a reaction in Nate he hadn’t experienced before. They had cuddled and spooned, but Jeff’s full weight, along with the fullness of his cock buried in Nate’s ass, brought a new level of intimacy. Tears spilled from his eyes, and Jeff felt their wetness drip onto one of his arms.
Concerned, he stopped moving and asked, “Are you alright? Should I stop?”
“If you fucking stop, I’ll kick your ass. Hold me tight fucker, and pick up the pace. I never imagined it would feel this good. Your cock feels as perfect as the rest of you.”
Encouraged and happy to bring Nate pleasure, Jeff started thrusting, using long full strokes. The tight friction surrounding his cock and Nate’s sweaty body beneath him triggered his switch and he gasped out, “Fuck, I’m cumming, Nate. I’m sorry.”
Nate felt the heat of each spurt. He felt every contour of Jeff’s cock, every vein, as his cock pulsed inside him. Jeff pushed himself as deep into Nate as he could, taking Nate’s breath away as his arms tightened around him. Fresh sweat covered Jeff as his entire body reacted to his orgasm. He held still for nearly a minute as his cock continued spurting, but his cock never went soft, and he started thrusting again.
Nate couldn’t talk, overwhelmed as Jeff came inside him. He loved Jeff’s weight on him. He needed it, and the heat of his muscled body. When Jeff started thrusting again, Nate said, “Let me turn over. I want to see you over me.”
Jeff pulled out briefly and immediately re-entered Nate as soon as he was on his back. Their eyes locked, and they smiled. Jeff lowered his head and started a kiss as he continued thrusting. He matched the movement of his tongue with his cock, fucking Nate’s mouth and ass simultaneously. Nate raised his hips and locked his ankles around Jeff’s ass, and with the change in angle, Jeff’s shaft rubbed over his prostate.
Seeing Jeff’s pumped, tense, and sweaty body bridged over him, thrusting into him, heightened Nate’s entire experience. He touched and caressed Jeff’s muscles, feeling the heat he radiated and smelling his musky scent. Sweat dripped off Jeff’s body, mixing with his own, adding even more. His admiration and desire passed through his touch, and Jeff felt it physically and emotionally.
Nate’s eyes glazed over as he became lost in what Jeff was doing to him. His cock, fully rigid, rubbed against Jeff’s hairy abs with each thrust. The stimulation on his prostate caused Nate’s cock to erupt, spraying between them, and Jeff held still to let Nate focus on his orgasm. Nate’s hands tightened on Jeff’s solid shoulders as he came, and feeling Jeff’s strength turned Nate on even more.
After he came, Nate threw his arms and legs out, spread-eagled, with Jeff still on top of him. Jeff continued thrusting and quickly reached his second climax as he buried his face against Nate’s neck.
In a puddle of cum and sweat, the two men stayed connected, not wanting to pull apart. Jeff initiated another kiss, and Nate hugged him, tenderly caressing him with comforting touches. Jeff stayed semi-erect, not completely stiff, and after a moment, he pulled out and rolled beside Nate.
A still-damp towel from their shower lay on the floor next to the bed, and Jeff reached for it, wiping Nate’s face and then his own, but they both loved the heat and sweat of their bodies and didn’t use it to dry off anywhere else.
This time, Jeff spoke first, quietly asking, “Are you alright? Was that okay?”
Nate initially couldn't speak. His feelings for Jeff surged so fiercely inside him that he was rattled. He had never loved another man so intensely, and he was still regaining his composure, but he managed to whisper, “I’ve never been more okay in my entire life, Jeff. That was incredible.”
Jeff’s eyes, wet with tears, smiled back at him as he said, “Me either, Nate. You just opened another door in me that I never want to shut. I love you.”
Exhausted after their physical and emotional coupling, they fell asleep and didn’t wake up until nearly dinner time. Barry, Marc, and Burt heard Nate and Jeff, and it turned them so much that they had their own three-way sexual rut. Everyone appeared completely relaxed after dinner and enjoyed another evening by the fire.
<><>
Friday morning arrived quickly, and the court session was set to begin at 10:00 am. By 9:30 am, Barry, Jeff, Nate, Marc, and Burt had arrived, all dressed in their Marine dress blues. Shortly after, other fellow service men started to arrive, and the side of the courtroom behind Jeff filled with fellow Marines, Army, Navy, and even a Coast Guard, all in their official dress uniforms. Jeff didn’t recognize any of them, but Nate knew each of them intimately, from camp. They sat as disciplined soldiers, straight-backed, with their eyes forward.
Barry leaned close and whispered to Jeff, “I wanted a show of solidarity to reinforce that Marines and all military brothers support each other. It will piss off the Judge, and he might even try to charge me with contempt, but I’m prepared if he does.”
Jessica arrived with Randy Tate and their lawyer, and Jessica glared daggers at Jeff, but he utterly ignored her. Jess’s mother, Loretta, sat in the front row directly behind the prosecutor’s table. Neither Randy, Jess, nor Loretta knew what to make of the courtroom filled with square-jawed devil dogs in full dress uniforms.
Ten minutes late, the bailiff entered and announced, “All rise for the honorable Judge JD Beckham.”
JD entered from his chambers and took his seat before saying, “Please be seated.”
He hadn’t even looked at the courtroom yet, and when he finally did, his eyes showed surprise followed by anger, but he said nothing.
Barry stood and directly addressed JD, “Your honor, may I approach the bench?”
Angrily, JD said, “You may.”
As soon as he stood before JD, Barry removed his hat and tucked it under his arm. In low tones, he said, “Thank you, your honor. I received new evidence late yesterday that I have been unable to share with the prosecution. This evidence will significantly impact the nature of this case. I have copies for your Honor and the prosecution. Would you like to call a short recess to review, or would you prefer I summarize the evidence?”
JD scowled at Barry and said, “Col. Oswald, I don’t know what you’re trying to pull here, but I don’t take this kind of theatrics well. I’m inclined to call you in contempt.”
“Your Honor, this is your courtroom, and you are within your authority to do so, but that doesn’t change the fact that we have new evidence. How would you like to proceed? I suggest that the prosecutor and I meet with you in your chambers to keep it private. Some of the information is of a delicate nature for all parties involved.”
Furious, JD fumed, “In my chambers! NOW!”
<><>
As soon as the door closed, the Judge sat behind his desk, still fuming. Calmly, Barry opened his briefcase and took out three large packets of files, giving one to the Judge and another to the Prosecuting Attorney, a man named Tyler Wilcox.
“I bulletized the contents, but there are several transcripts from texts and recordings. I have them all digitally as well, if you would like copies. I have copies safe, in multiple locations. I needn’t remind you that Georgia is a single-party consent state, and you do not need someone's permission to record them.”
Sitting down, Barrett watched their faces. At first confused, in less than a minute, Tyler looked at Judge Beckham with wide eyes.
“While you review the evidence, which I believe is more than sufficient to either win this case or have it dismissed, I want to make one other point. I planned to use this in cross-examination; however, I doubt we'll make it that far. My client, retired Sgt. Jeffrey Edwards is a war hero. There isn’t enough space on his uniform for all the medals he's been awarded. He's also an extremely lethal soldier, and if he wanted your clients dead, Mr. Wilcox, they wouldn't be sitting here in the courtroom. Since they are very much alive, the charge of attempted murder is ridiculous.”
Over the next minute, Judge Beckham’s posture fully deflated, and his arrogant, cocky attitude disappeared. Every conversation was there, including his own clandestine sexual liaison with Jess’s mother, Loretta. The forensic evidence showed Jeff sustained his injury from a hard, blunt object, and he was hit from behind. Also, his fingerprints were not positioned in the manner of a trained shooter, indicating that the gun was placed in his hand after it had been fired. Residual fingerprints on the gun showed a partial match for Randy Tate.
“So, what’s it going to be, Judge? Dismiss the case, or all the information I have will go to every major news outlet statewide. This might even garner national attention.”
Judge Beckham said, “No! No… that won’t be necessary. Given the sensitive nature here, I think we can chalk this entire affair up to a simple misunderstanding.”
Barrett said, “My client reserves the right to sue Jessica Mullins-Edwards and Mr. Randall Tate, primarily for their false accusations, but also for a number of other lesser charges that are too numerous to list at this time. Regardless of his decision, I want to make one thing crystal clear, Judge Beckham: there will be no retaliation against my client by you or the Mullins family in any capacity. If any of them show up to harass my client, make public accusations, or attempt to cause him bodily harm, all of this will come out. If they are foolish enough to try to physically harm him, I guarantee you I will get him off on charges of self-defense after they are dead and buried. I trust I’ve made myself clear?”
Judge Beckham looked visibly ill, but he nodded and stood. Walking back into the courtroom, the bailiff announced, “All rise!”
When Barry and Tyler took their seats before the Judge, he slammed his gavel down and announced, “Due to overwhelming evidence that proves Sgt. Edwards' innocence, this case is dismissed.”
Jeff slumped in relief, and Nate grabbed him, yelling, “Hooo-Rah!” Each Marine in the room did the same in one loud booming roar.
Nate whispered in Jeff’s ear, “It’s over, Bubba! It’s over!”
Jessica stood and screeched, “What about my money!?”
Randy tried to grab her, but she lunged at Jeff, intent on scratching his eyes out. Swiftly, Jeff stood and caught her wrists, calmly saying, “It’s over, Jess. I don’t know what happened to you, but once the divorce is final, I never want to see you again. You won’t get anything from me, and I want nothing from you, except for you and your family to be out of my life.”
Looking at Randy, Jeff said, “If you really want her, she’s all yours. You two deserve each other.”
Crying, Jess went to her mother, who looked like she was about to lose it. Barry approached the two women and leaned in, softly saying something that silenced them and made them pale.
All the Marines and other service men lined the hallway from the courtroom to the parking lot, shaking hands and congratulating Jeff and Barry. Their comments varied, but all were well-intentioned. Some were crude, some rude, but all were hilarious and supportive of Jeff. He was a military brother, and they closed ranks around him, supporting him completely.
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