When Derick walked into General Lee’s office he didn’t know what to expect. It was October 18th, and that day would soon be a day that he would always remember.

When Derick became an officer in the US Army, anytime he reported to General Lee, Derick had a knot in his stomach. General Lee was a man of few words but strict action.

The general sat at his desk with a stern look, which immediately made Derick tense up a bit. Lee spoke dryly through pursed lips, “Go home and do good.” Derick was dismissed from the armed forces and was scheduled to return to the states.

Derick wasn’t like most soldiers in the army. His high school sweetheart wasn’t waiting for him with their two kids. He had had a girlfriend in high school but they were never really a thing. He had his mom and uncle but they weren’t that close.

Derick went to army to get away. So, the idea of going home in time for the holiday season wasn’t that exciting for Derick.

Derick thought maybe he could put in an appeal or ask for one more tour. But in his heart, deep down he knew he needed some time away from active duty. Besides, Derick did have one person he knew that he would love to catch up with in the states. Gary.

Gary was the too cool for school type. Gary and Derick grew up together and they lived on the same block. When they were younger they were that pair of friends that always got into some sort of trouble together. They were brothers, indeed.

When Derick got into a fight with the police, Gary was the one that got maced. When Gary knew these two hot chicks, Gary let Derick mack to the cute one. They were more then pals, they were the best of friends.

Gary was in awe that Derick joined the armed forces. Gary was way too wild for the military, but he lived for America and all it stood for. When he heard the news that Derick was coming home for the holidays, it lit a fire in Gary’s soul.

He heard the news via Facebook. Before Derick could message Gary, Gary messaged Derick.

“When you motherflocking touchdown I am going to get you LIT, Believe dat!” Derick was nervous and at the same time excited.

Gary was a trust fund baby. He had money and wasn’t afraid to spend it on a good time. And as a friend and brother, Gary wanted to show Derick a good time because of his admiration for the armed services.

Not to mention, Derick was Gary’s old boy from the short time they spent together in high school. It was November 12th. And Derick just got back to the states. He was home.

Derick was nervous about Gary’s enthusiasm. Hell, so much so, that Derick thought Gary was going to be stalking him at the airport. Gary wasn’t there waiting for him to arrive, but Derick’s mom was.

Derick’s mom welcomed him back home and told him about all of the wonderful meals she had planned for Thanksgiving. When Derick got home, he sat on the bed in his old room and began looking through his phone. After a bit, he decided to message Gary to see what was up.

Gary instantly replied to Derick’s message, “Yo I’m still down the block. I fein’in to pull up.”

Within five minutes, Gary was in front of Derick’s mom’s house, smoking a cigarette.

Once he locked eyes on Derick, Gary flicked his cigarette and gave Derick the biggest hug he could muster up. They sat on the front porch and Gary started to roll up a blunt.

Noticing the shocked look on Derick’s face, Gary explained, “Chill bro, it’s legal now.”

Derick didn’t realize how much things had changed since he had been on active duty. The duo sat and smoked and joked and laughed. They talked about the old times, high school mischief, and what people in the hood were doing.

How the girl Derick dated in high school was now working at the local Mc Donald’s. She was making good money and was still single. How Gary had been living off of his trust fund, and how Derick’s mom had been holding the block down with chicken noodle soup.

Then Gary said “We out.”

Gary knew this massage parlor on the other side of town. Gary told Derick he had always wanted an excuse to go. And his boy’s return back home to the states was the very reason he needed.

The pair of friends hopped in Gary’s hoopty to ride out to the Sky Massage Parlor. Gary had more then enough pull to get them served.

A beautiful woman came from out of the back of the massage parlor. She took Derick’s hand and led him to the back of the establishment for a full body message. Gary went with another chick to the back of the parlor for a simple back rub.

After Derick exited the massage parlor, he felt like he had a completely new body. He felt as limber as a teenager, not like someone who had been stuck in the military on active duty for five years.

Feeling rejuvenated, Derick exclaimed “Where to next?”

Gary like the cool dude he was said, “The bar.”

Derick went straight to the military after graduating high school. So he never got a chance to go to the bar in his old neighborhood.

When Derick and Gary arrived at the bar they were just there to chill. They grabbed a table and tried to play it cool. Gary told Derick since he was driving, he wasn’t going to be drinking.

Derick felt loose from the message when he hit the dance floor. While Derick was dancing Gary noticed Kimberly sitting with her two friends.

Gary flipped. He rushed to the dance floor to tell Derick that Kimberly, the same girl Derick dated in high school was at the bar.

Drunk Derick and sober Gary both decide to approach Kimberly and her friends. Instantly, Kimberly jumped out of her seat and ran over to Derick.

She gave Derick a way bigger hug then he ever had received before from her. She whispered in his ear “I haven’t been with anyone since you…”

Derick couldn’t help but blush. Gary helped himself to a seat between Kimberly’s two friends. “YOU TWO GO DANCE, I got this…”

Derick and Kimberly ended up dancing all night until the bar signaled it was closing time. When Derick noticed it was time to head out, he started looking for his friend.

Kimberly realized that her friends had left her behind. And Derick noticed Gary must have left the bar too. So, Kimberly did what any kindhearted woman would do for a old friend. She invite Derick to her house for coffee.

“Welcome home soldier, glad you made it in time for the holidays”