Bondage on the 4th of July
need help getting the stuff set up out front. Let’s all have a nice day and enjoy it, please.”With one final defiant glare at her brother, Millie mumbled “Ok, mom.”
     
     
    ***
     
     
    “Does this suit you bud?” Brad leant on the doorframe, watching Kenny as he dropped his Army issue bag on the bed.
    “You kidding, this is like a top notch hotel compared to the bunk in Afghanistan, and air conditioning, fuck man, heavenly. So who’s room is it, I’m not denying anyone am I?”
    Brad smiled. “No, it’s my older brother’s. He’s stationed in Germany. He couldn’t get away for the holiday. So wear it out, bust the springs.”
    Kenny laughed. They had a lot in common. Brad winked at him as Kenny unzipped his bag and unloaded his clothes.
    “How long’s he been in the army?”
    “He’ll be in his tenth year. He’s twenty eight. I’ll let you get settled in. I’ll be in my room opposite”
    “Okay, Boss.” Kenny nodded before Brad wandered the short distance to his own room.
    The nostalgia, the good feelings of longing and warmth hit him straight away. It had been nine months since his last visit. This time he was home for four days. It was hard enough getting home at all, never mind being allowed out for the fourth of July. Mom barely touched his stuff, except to clean it. All his high school stuff was on his shelves, the trophies from his short football career, the last group photo and his graduation photo. His chest went suddenly warm as he saw her, her arm around his waist, his around her shoulder. The photo was in pride of place on his bedside table. If Brad had any regrets the biggest was Millie Newton.
    Without hesitation he reached for it and picked it up. They always said the girl next door was the one you’d marry, the girl you always dreamt of. Millie was Brad’s dream girl but he’d never done anything about it. Always, Millie had been his best friend, the girl he trusted, the girl he cared for, helped out, never the one to go that extra step. That look in her eyes on the day he told her he’d joined up had almost killed him. It devastated his resolve. His cheeks flushed with regret, his body seemed to super heat with the stillness.
    Open the window, Brad.
    He put the photo back and went to the window and pushed it. A cool breeze brought him back to reality. The hardness in his pants fought back, his thoughts desperate to live out a fantasy with her.
    “So, you gonna take me to this club you never shut up about?” Kenny was in the doorway. Brad turned to look at him.
    “Sure, I think we both deserve a little submissive slave worship don’t you?”
    “God, yeah. It’s been too long since I had a nice American girl who likes to please her Master.” Brad laughed.
    Kenny was right. There wasn’t much chance overseas, nor much time at home for a dominant male to have a decent session when working in the United States army. These next few days were going to be their only chance for a while.
    “Won’t be tonight though, there’s a block party. Got to do our duty, Kenny boy.”
    “Sure, but tomorrow, you owe me.”
    “I’ll treat you, don’t worry. I still pay my membership fees.”
    “Good man.”
    Brad unzipped his bag and started to unpack while Kenny explored the room.
    “So who’s this, your sister and brother?” Brad looked over his shoulder. Kenny had found another photo of himself with Millie, and her brother Tom.
    “No that’s Tom, my best friend, and that’s his sister Millie, they live next door. Tom was my best friend since I was around six or seven. The two of us did everything together.”
    “She’s a cutie, did you two…?”
    “No, Millie was like my kid sister. She hung out with us a lot.”
    “You got a twinkle in your eye man, you sure she’s not your girl friend?”
    “Positive.” Brad grunted. The tone in his voice full of regret.
    It was that little confrontation in the alley behind the club that night that made him enlist. It was a spur of

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