Competition for 'The Top'

As a result, he was once again recommended for accelerated promotion and made meritorious gunnery sergeant shortly after 'going over 12' meaning 12 years on active duty around the time he turned 30 years old.

At the three-year mark of his tour on recruiting duty Josh requested a one-year extension which was granted. Knowing he would return to the Fleet Marine Force after that and once again be deploying regularly to include going back to Afghanistan, he made a decision after discussing it with Sarah.

"So you want to be a career recruiter?" she asked, having heard him mention it as a possibility a few times before.

"I think it's smart, honey. I won't have to go back to the Fleet, and that means I won't have to deploy. And I think I do a pretty decent job as a recruiter," he modestly told her.

"Okay. Then let's go for it," Sarah had said in her usual, positive, upbeat way.

"You know it means at least one more move, right?"

"It's part of the job, Dad," she replied matter of factly.

Not sure what else to say, Josh sat there and once again marveled at her level of maturity.

His request was approved, and to his surprise, Gunnery Sergeant Haverty, as a new career recruiter, had been sent to the Seattle, Washington, area where he served as the NCOIC (non-commissioned officer in charge) of a recruiting station in the busy, growing city of Renton just outside of Seattle.

Three years into that tour of duty, he was eligible for promotion to master sergeant, and as soon as his name came out on the promotion list a few months later, he was told that he'd be moved into the city of Seattle to work out of the newly-created 10th-district recruiting office.

So for the last eight months of so, he and his daughter had been aware another move was coming. It would be in the local area, but there was no way Josh could commute from where they lived just south of Renton into and out of the downtown Seattle area where his new office was located, and then work all day if he ever wanted to see his daughter. So they'd spent some time looking for the nicest place he could afford in the best school district he could find.

As it turned out, none of the public schools in that area were acceptable, so he used some of the life insurance money he'd never touched other than to pay for the nanny during recruiter's school to fund a private-school education for Sarah at Puget Sound Academy.

She wasn't thrilled about having to wear a uniform consisting of a white blouse, a pleated gray skirt, and an optional gray, cardigan sweater, but she took it in stride the way she did everything else.

"I'll look like Britney Spears in her Baby, One More Time video," Sarah told him.

Josh had heard of Britney Spears, but didn't watch videos.

"I'll take your word for it, honey," he told her without asking any questions.

Josh had been quite a hit with a couple of her female teachers, as well as with an attractive guidance counselor when they attended open house at the Academy a week before the start of her freshman year.

One of them in particular, Sarah's homeroom teacher, Ms. Quinn, a plain-but-not-unattractive younger woman, had made it very clear she was single and looking. While her heavy-handed hinting had been over the top, it wasn't so clumsy that Josh felt the need to let her know she was out of line. He only smiled, thanked her for her time, and then again when she gave him her private number.

"Just in case you ever need to discuss something about Sarah's performance," she'd added with a much-too-eager smile.

He had a similar, but less-intense meeting with Sarah's guidance counselor, Ms. Tomlin, who was a reasonably attractive woman a little closer to his age.

He was relieved both of them had flirted with him when Sarah was talking with other new students which meant he wouldn't have to listen to her urging him to 'go ahead and call them'. While Ms. Quinn's nearly in-your-face technique was off putting, Ms. Tomlin was someone he might actually consider going out with should he ever decide it was time. For now, he still wasn't ready making it a moot point.

Even so, Sarah asked him if he'd met anyone 'interesting' and when he gave her the look, she backed off. She knew it wasn't her job, and yet Sarah worried about her father a lot. All of her friends said he was 'super hot' and yet he rarely ever went out with anyone and never actually dated any woman. Her mom had been gone for so long now she barely remembered her, and all she wanted was for her dad to be happy.

Whenever she mentioned that, he always told her he was, because between her and his work, he insisted he had everything he needed. That was fine with her if he really was happy, but the older she got, the more Sarah knew he had to be lonely. It concerned her greatly that the only other thing he ever did for 'fun' was run or go to the gym. He never even went out with his fellow Marine recruiters for a beer unless it was a mandatory event because he already felt guilty about the amount of time he spent at away from her at work.

For now, she let go—again. But she wasn't going to give up trying.

Those and many other thoughts floated through his mind in a moment as Josh walked into the conference room where his commanding officer along with every available recruiter and staff member as well as family members were waiting.

He and Sarah were thrilled that Ann's parents had both flown in for Josh's big promotion, and they were standing there beaming with pride as he and their granddaughter walked in.

He immediately shook his father-in-law's hand and hugged his mother-in-law before hugging his own parents who were also there.

As he shook hands with his fellow recruiters, all of whom he considered friends and brothers in arms, he realized he'd found his niche as a career recruiter, and although he'd never say it out loud to anyone but his daughter, he knew he was pretty damned good at it.

"Gunny Haverty? Are you ready?" his CO asked after he'd had time to 'work the room'.

"Yes, sir," he said as he reported to the colonel who was just a few years older than him. Josh was now just a couple of months shy of turning 36, and he rightly assumed the colonel was around 42 or so.

Josh centered himself in front of his district commander who then said, "Attention to orders!"

Every Marine snapped to attention, and the room became silent except for the sergeant major's voice as he read the promotion warrant.

"To all who shall see these presents, greetings. Know ye that reposing special trust and confidence in the fidelity and abilities of, Joshua D. Haverty, I do appoint him a Master Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps to rank as such from the first day of October two-thousand and seventeen."

Once the warrant was read, the colonel asked, "Who would you like to pin on your chevrons, Top?"

"You and my daughter, sir," he told him.

Sarah had practiced putting the large, black chevrons on the utility uniform he'd worn so that she could pin on his new rank and did a very respectable job of putting them in exactly the right place.

He hugged Sarah then shook the colonel's hand who said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Master Sergeant Haverty."

Josh wasn't longwinded, but he took the time to thank everyone there for coming as well as a generic thank you to every Marine with whom he'd ever worked before pausing and then mentioning the most important person in his life.

"My wife, Annie, has been patiently waiting for me to take my turn guarding the streets of heaven for many years now, but not a day goes by that I don't think of her, miss her, and love her."

He shared a couple of stories about their lives together before moving on to thanking the other most important person in his life, his daughter Sarah. Josh wasn't sure, but he thought he saw her eyes glistening as he briefly spoke about how much he loved her and what she meant to him. He could see that Ann's mother was openly crying while her father was smiling and nodding as Josh fondly remembered their daughter in front of everyone in the room, and now they were both smiling as he spoke glowingly of their granddaughter.

"She may only be 14, but Sarah is more grown up than many women I've met twice her age. I wouldn't be standing here today if it wasn't for her love and support. So, honey? This promotion is yours."

"Does that mean I get an increase in my allowance?" she asked, surprising Josh and making him and everyone else in the room laugh.

"We'll talk," he told her before thanking everyone again.

"When's the wetting down, Top?" one of the recruiters called out. The Army used the term 'promotion party' but the Marine Corps referred to it as a 'wetting down' when the newly promoted Marine used some of his new pay increase for a party that invariably meant a lot of drinking as well as a little chow.

"Soon. I'll let you know!" he promised them.

After shaking hands with everyone again, Josh told Sarah he'd be taking her home in just a few minutes so she went to spend time with her grandparents.

Once he had a moment alone, the CO asked if he had a moment to which he replied, "Yes, sir."

"Top? I want to introduce you to Ms. Sierra Olsen. She's agreed to work with us on our Toys for Tots program this holiday season, and well, congratulations—master sergeant—you're heading it up for us this year."

"Oh, I see. Well...thank you, sir," he said with his usual smile, taking the unexpected tasking in stride.

He turned to the woman he'd just been introduced to and said, "Ms. Olsen. It's a pleasure."

"Same here," she told him. "And congratulations. I don't know that much about the military, but I do know that 'master sergeant' sounds very important."

Josh smiled and downplayed the promotion even as he realized she was a very attractive woman. In fact, she was as beautiful as anyone he'd seen in a very long time, and she appeared to be pretty close to his age. However, like him, she wore a wedding ring, so any thought of well...anything...was out of the question.

"I'll look forward to working with you, ma'am," he told her. "When would you like to get started?"

"Have you and your daughter had lunch?" she asked. "I have the colonel's permission to steal you away for a couple of hours if now is convenient."

"Sarah? You game for going out to lunch?" he called out.

"Of course!" she told him. "If food is involved, I'm always ready."

Sarah, who ran both cross country and track, was very thin but not skinny. She did, however, love to eat, so knowing she was onboard, Josh readily agreed.

"I just need to change," he told her as Marines couldn't go out in public wearing the utility uniform for other than brief stops. Sitting down for a meal while wearing it was out of the question.

When he came a few minutes later wearing full dress blues with his newly-sewn-on rank, Ms. Olsen did a double take.

"Wow. I have to say you look very handsome, Mr..."

She looked at him then asked, "What do I call you?"

"Josh is fine, ma'am," he told her without hesitation.

"Okay. I'll do that, but only if you'll call me Sierra," she replied.

"Deal," he told her flashing his perfect smile her way.

They agreed to drive separately and meet at the restaurant she suggested because Sierra needed to be somewhere else right after they finished lunch, and Josh needed to get Sarah home, as he'd taken her out of school for the rest of the day with the caveat she'd finish her assignments. Sierra had agreed to pay for lunch so doing things her way only seemed fair.

"She's really pretty, Dad," Sarah said on the way to the restaurant.

"Yes, she is, but she's also very...married, honey," he told her.

"Oh. I guess I didn't notice," she replied. "You can't blame me for trying, right?"

"Give it a rest, kiddo," he said with a smile.

She waited for a few seconds then said, "Dad? Are you ever gonna get married again?"

Her father drew a deep breath then said, "I don't know, honey. Maybe. Someday. But not now, okay?"

"I know, but I also know you're lonely."

"You do? And how is it you know that?"

"Dad, I'm not a kid anymore, okay? I just know, and I want you to be happy. And don't tell me you are because you have me. I know I'm awesome, but I'm not that awesome," Sarah told him with a smile.

Sarah never, ever bragged about herself even though she was very close to being a straight-A student a very strong distance runner.

"You are awesome, that's for sure," he told her. "Tell you what. I'll agree to think about it if you'll agree to give it a rest."

"Deal!" she said using the word he'd just used with Ms. Olsen knowing that a 'rest' could mean many years or a few minutes. She had no intention of waiting years or even months, but she was happy to give him a little time off.

As always, every head turned when Josh walked into the very nice restaurant he'd heard of but never been to, as people looked and gawked at the gold chevrons on his uniform as well as the huge stack of ribbons he was wearing on his chest.

Even in very politically-liberal Seattle, Josh routinely had people shake his hand and thank him for his service, and this was no exception as two men did just that while several ladies skipped the handshake but did say 'thank you for your service' with warm, pleasant smiles.

He smiled slightly when he heard one of them say to the woman she was sitting with, "He is hot!"

Sarah heard it, too, and smiled just as they spotted Sierra walking in. The fact was, her dad was hot. The uniform just made him...radioactive.

"Have you been here long?" Sierra asked as she walked up to join them.

"No. We just walked in," Josh told her.

The hostess was waiting for them and Sierra said, "Table for three, please."

She was also very aware of the attention Josh was drawing and told him, "You seem to have a fan club."

He laughed politely and said, "This uniform is magic."

Sierra also laughed then said, "I won't argue with that, but you're a very nice-looking young man, Josh."

Josh didn't openly question her use of 'young man', but it made him look at her a second time once they sat down. Without staring he did an assessment and felt pretty sure he'd been correct the first time. He was willing to admit she could possibly be the colonel's age, but that seemed unlikely.

Sierra had dark, shoulder-length hair that was parted on one side. It framed her very pretty face in a most flattering kind of way, and was the perfect contrast for her deep-blue eyes. He couldn't ever remember any eyes being quite that bright, and they were even more beautiful thanks to the charcoal-colored eye shadow and black mascara she was wearing. Her smile was as perfect as his, and she had a body that wouldn't quit. Maybe she really was his age and just liked saying 'young man'.

She was wearing a very expensive-looking dress that showed just a hint of the fairly generous amount of cleavage between what appeared to be full C-cup breasts. Her arms were covered by a very dressy-looking cardigan sweater, but there were no signs of 'age spot's on her hands, and nothing but the finest of wrinkle lines around her eyes so yes, he settled for thinking she was somewhere around 40. Or maybe...40-ish.

Their server took their drink orders and Sierra said, "Before we get down to business, I just wanted to say I was very moved by the things you said about your late wife. That was an amazing tribute."

"Well, Ann was an amazing woman," he told her.

"I have no doubt," she replied. "Just as I have no doubt this beautiful young woman is, too."

Sarah was embarrassed by the flattery then even more so by her father's comments.

"She really is. Sarah is the strongest, most amazing person I know. Children are supposed to lean on their parents during tough times, but I've leaned on my daughter so often I'm surprised she isn't bent over sideways."

"Dad!" Sarah said trying to get him to stop.

"It's true. You're a rock."

He waited to make eye contact with her then said, "But you're my rock, and I love you very much."

Sarah did a polite eye roll at the 'my rock' quip but told him she loved him, too.

"My husband and I have a daughter. She's a bit older than Sarah, though," Sierra said with a fair amount of melancholy in her voice.

"She can't be that much older," Josh said with a smile.

"Oh, I think she can," Sierra told him as she smiled at both of them. "She's on her own so...

"I think my dad is trying to say you look much too young and too beautiful for that to be possible. And I agree."

Sierra laughed quietly and said, "Thank you, sweetheart. You just made my day!"

Josh was still looking and thinking when he finally said, "No, that wasn't a line, Sierra. Sarah is right. I'm still struggling to make you having a grown child work out."

"Well, it's true," she told him.

"All I can say is your husband is a very lucky man, Sierra."

She started to answer him just as their drinks came, and the server then asked for and took their orders. By then Sierra had forgotten his comment and they moved on to something else.

"So how did you get involved with Toys for Tots, Sierra?" Josh asked as he sipped his lemonade.

"Last year I volunteered with The Salvation Army during the Christmas holidays, and one of their permanent staff mentioned the program when we were discussing charities that help children," she explained. "So this year I decided to check into it, and after several phone calls, I was put in touch with the colonel who just introduced us."

She smiled then said, "I have to admit I knew you were going to be put in charge before you did, Josh."

He laughed then said, "I have a full plate already, but this is a very worthwhile program, and I'm really happy to be helping out. The Marine Corps Reserve does most of the heavy lifting, but we always support the effort."

"How can I help?" Josh asked.

"I was thinking about using you and one of those big red Humvees with U.S. Marines on the side as a kind of modern-day Marine Santa Claus and sleigh. We'd have all the children gathered around, and you'd pull in riding in the Humvee leading a big truck loaded up with toys."

Sierra spent the next couple of minutes sort of fleshing out the details before Josh said, "That sounds like a lot of fun. I'm in!"

"Do you need an elf?" Sarah asked with a smile.

"Hmmm. You know what? I think that's a great idea! We're going to have a ton of presents to wrap, so if you'd like to help with that, I'd be very grateful."

"I love wrapping presents!" Sarah told her. "Just don't ask my dad."

She glanced at her dad who was doing the, "Who me?" thing before saying, "Unless you want the toys to look like they were wrapped by something with ten thumbs."

Sierra laughed while Josh held his left arm out while placing his right hand over his heart.

"I'm hurt. Bad!" he said feigning injury.

"The truth does hurt, Dad," Sierra teased.

"Okay, so wrapping isn't my...forte," he said trying to use a British accent when he said 'forte' as though it was snobbish to use a word like that.

Sierra laughed again as she watched them interact. It was obvious there was a huge amount of love and respect between them, and she couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness at no longer having that with her own daughter.

Once it was quiet again, Sierra said, "I propose we set up a competition between the recruiting district and the reservists in the area."

"I like it," Josh said immediately. "The one with the most toys wins!"

"Ha! My dad says that all the time only it goes, 'The guy who dies with the most toys wins'."

Sierra couldn't help but laugh even though it was more corny than funny.

"My dad has a million of them, so if you like to laugh, stick around," Sarah said while staring at her father.

"Hey, I resemble that!" Josh said again feigning hurt.