After indulging in a few hours of his morning ritual, which began with the comforting act of smoking a rich cigar on the balcony while enjoying the fresh air, John finally settled down at the small kitchen table.

It was quiet, except for the hum of the coffee machine brewing his first cup of the day. He was scrolling through his phone, checking his usual junk emails, when his sharp eyes noticed an email from Kate Laswell.

The message was vague, as usual, filled with cryptic language that only someone with his experience could decipher.

The subject line read, "Check in."

The body of the message contained a few key phrases that told John what Niamh had said yesterday: Possible activity, central Europe, discreet inquiry.

It wasn't much, but he knew better than to dismiss it.

Laswell had always been good about keeping things brief when security was a concern, and this was no different.

After reviewing the brief details, his mind began piecing together the fragmented information. He knew he needed to start preparing the team soon, but for now, he could only wait for more concrete intel to arrive from her. Just then, there was a knock on the door.

John turned his head around and frowned.

Setting his phone down, he pushed himself up from the chair and crossed the room. The floorboards creaked beneath his feet, each groan echoing softly in the quiet space. When he reached the door, he bent and looked through the peephole. Catching sight of a figure, he unlocked the door with a click and opened it wide.

There stood Diane with her signature smile lighting up her face.

"Good morning," Diane greeted cheerfully as she held out a small box and a plate with a perfectly golden English muffin resting on it. "I thought you could use some proper breakfast to start the day. You can't live on coffee and those army rations you've been eating."

John chuckled, stepping aside to let her in. "You're a lifesaver. Come on in."

She walked in and set the items on his kitchen counter with the kind of care only someone in her late sixties could muster. Diane had always been like a mother figure to John—a sharp, no-nonsense woman with a knack for knowing exactly what he needed before he realized it himself.

As John leaned back against the counter, Diane turned, her keen eyes locking onto his.

"Well?" she asked, a playful glint in her gaze.

"Well, what?" John said, almost smiling and playing dumb.

Diane folded her arms. "How was your date in the woods?"

John felt a faint flush creep up his neck before clearing his throat.

"Nah, it wasn't a date," he lied, shrugging. "Just a walk. Bit of fresh air, that's all."

"Don't you 'bit of fresh air' me," Diane said, wagging a finger at him. "I saw that look in your eye when you mentioned her last time. You've got it bad, don't you?"

John let out a grudging laugh, running a hand over his beard. "Alright. It was a date. She's different. In a good way. Sharp as a tack, too. Pretty lass since I can't help but want to hug her or keep her close. She asks me many questions about what I do for a living and keeps me on my toes."

Diane nodded knowingly. "Different, huh? And here I thought you were past the point of getting all smitten."

"Who says I'm smitten?" he shot back, but his grin betrayed him.

"Mm-hmm," she hummed, clearly not buying his protest. "Don't let her slip through your fingers, John. A woman like that comes around once in a lifetime."

John opened his mouth to reply, but Diane answered him with an unexpected question. "You got a magazine lying around? Something I can use?"

He blinked, caught off guard. "A magazine? What for?"

"Just hand me one," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Still confused, John reached over to a nearby magazine and grabbed an issue—a Marksman Monthly issue featuring detailed specs of sniper rifles on the cover. He handed it to her, watching her with a raised brow.

When Diane took the magazine, she flipped through it for a second, and then, without warning, she stepped forward and swatted him on the arm with it.

"Oi! What was that for?" John exclaimed, rubbing his arm and staring at her in shock.

"That," Diane said, wagging the magazine at him like a weapon, "was for forgetting that a woman like Charlie isn't just another mission or conquest, whatever you boys call it when you want to go after any woman to sleep with. She's a jewel, Johnathan. A treasure. And if you don't treat her like one, you're in big trouble."

John stared at her, bewildered. "I am treatin' her right! What's this about?"

"Don't play dumb with me," she retorted, her tone sharp but not unkind. "I know how your mind works, old man. You get caught up in the chase, in the thrill of it all, and before you know it, you're treating her like a prize instead of a person."

"I'm not—" John started, but Diane cut him off again with another swat.

"And don't think I don't know what's been goin' on in that thick head of yours," she added, narrowing her eyes at him. "I raised my boys, and I know men like you, and my sons are visual takers. You all will have lustful thoughts on women like you would dream of eating a good ol' steak, haven't you?"

He paused and blinked a couple of times.

"What?" John said defensively.

Diane rolled her eyes at him and said, "Wet dreams! And don't you lie to me, you have, haven't you?"

John groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Bloody hell, Diane, you can't just—"

"Oh, I can," she interrupted, her voice firm. "Now you look at her like she's a special jewel you should protect at all cost. Understand?"

John let out a long breath, his frustration mingling with the shock of this type of talk. "Alright, alright. You've made your point."

"Good," Diane said with a nod, tossing the magazine back onto the counter. "Now, I'll leave you to think about your motives. But remember, John, if you don't start seein' her the way she deserves to be seen, you'll have to answer to God—and me."

With that, she turned on her heel and headed for the door, leaving John in his kitchen, half-mortified.

As the door clicked shut behind her, he rubbed his arm where she'd smacked him.

How the hell did she know I was having those wet dreams?!

He leaned against the counter, still nursing his bruised ego (and arm) from her lecture. John shook his head, picked up the plate with the English muffin she'd brought him, and took a bite, mulling over her words.

Then, the thought struck him suddenly.

"Aw, shit," he muttered, his eyes narrowed.

He'd forgotten it was Soap's birthday today also.

With Charlie on his mind and Diane whacking him with a magazine, Soap had almost slipped out of his mind. He knew this Sergeant would blow his phone up if he didn't show up at his place.

The last time John remembered being a child, he recalled the many rebellious acts that had led to being punished by his mother. He often faced the consequences of her discipline, whether it was her slipper or her favorite weapon, the wooden spoon.

He doesn't know which ones are the worst.

Bloody hell.

----

💥 When Your Mother Figure Knows TOO MUCH 💥

Diane Nutt: Knows everything. Sees everything. Wields a magazine like a weapon.

Imagine waking up, having your peaceful morning smoking a cigar, drinking coffee, and reading intel from Laswell,only to have Diane show up with a plate of food and an attitude. 💀

First, she casually calls him out: "How was your date in the woods?" 😏

THEN she physically assaults him with a magazine. 📖⚡

AND THEN she goes straight for the kill shot: "You've been having wet dreams, haven't you?" 😭😭😭

John Price, THE Captain, elite soldier, and hardened veteran, absolutely MORTIFIED by a woman in her 60s.

You just KNOW the man was SWEATING. 😭

🎤 ICONIC DIANE MOMENTS:

✔️ Whacks a grown man for having "lustful thoughts." (This woman is FEARLESS.)

✔️ Reads John like a book. (How does she KNOW?!)

✔️ Threatens him with GOD if he messes up. (John is actually scared. 😂)

😳 Meanwhile, John is Having an Existential Crisis:

❌ "How does she KNOW about my wet dreams?!"

❌ "Is Charlie a jewel or am I just doomed?"

❌ "Shit. It's Soap's birthday, and I forgot."

The poor man CANNOT CATCH A BREAK. 😂

🔥 Reader Check-In! 🔥

💭 If you were John, what would be your reaction to Diane's interrogation?

💭 Do you think John should be scared of Diane or scared of his own feelings?

💭 What's more terrifying: Diane's magazine OR Soap realizing you forgot his birthday? 😂

📢 REMINDER! 📢

📖 I release 3 new chapters every Friday!

📖 And if I'm feeling generous, I might drop a surprise chapter on Wednesday! 🎁

Drop your thoughts below! ⬇️🔥