ALWAYS FAITHFUL (4 page)

W
hen Claire woke-up she realized that Grace had slept the whole night through. S
he must have been exhausted. Poor little bugger has no way of letting all of that stress out
. Looking down she noticed that she still wore her clothes from last night. Claire thought about the events from the night before.
How could they lose Mike’s body?
She wished it had all been a bad dream but it wasn’t. She wouldn’t be able to get through everything until they found Mike and right now she needed a friend. She needed to talk to someone and there was only one person she could count on to be there for her. Claire and Jordan had been best friends all through college and she knew all Claire’s secrets. Claire had called her when she got the news of Mike’s death, and although she hated to burden those she cared about with her own troubles, the loss of Mike’s body was more than she could bear alone right now.

She picked up the phone and dialed the number she knew by heart. Claire took a deep breath and tried to relax as much as she could while she waited for Jordan to answer.

“Hello.”

“Hey Jordan.”

“Claire? What’s wrong, honey?” Jordan asked. “Is everything alright?”

Claire hesitated for a moment and then revealed what had happened. Claire began to cry as she explained what little she knew about the military’s loss of Mike’s body.

“Honey, do you need me to come out right now?”

“No,” Claire said, sucking in a stuttered breath, “I don’t know how long it will take for them to find Mike, and Nic, I mean Major Caldwell, said she would call as soon as she heard something.”

“Nic? Who’s Nic, honey?”

“She’s the officer assigned to help us with the military process when someone loses a loved one. She’s been making sure that everything moves smoothly as we work through Mike’s funeral and stuff.”

“I see. Well at least the military is helping you with all of this, since it is their fault Mike is missing.”

“Look Jor, I need to get off the phone and shower before Grace wakes up. As soon as I find anything out I’ll call. Okay?”

Jordan made Claire promise that she would call as soon as Claire found anything out, no matter what time it was.

Setting the phone down Claire buried her face in her hands and wept silently. She had hoped speaking to Jordan would help, but it didn’t. How much more would she have to endure? Mike’s parents would be devastated when she told them the news. She would wait on that phone call because she knew Mike’s mom would start calling congressmen, senators and anyone else who would listen. Mike’s mom meant well, but she lacked the patience to wait for things to happen, though this time Claire couldn’t blame her. She decided a hot shower could come before that call.

After her shower, Claire studied her reflection in the mirror. She appeared tired and the vacant stare that looked back at her shocked her. She hadn’t looked this bad since high school when she had to face who she really was. Her father had put her through hell and she hadn’t handled the stress well. Now wasn’t the time to think about that again. No, she needed to focus on Grace and taking care of Mike’s affairs. Then she would focus on the future.

Walking to Grace’s room, she stretched and shook off the last vestiges of sleep before opening the bedroom door. She needed to be ready for a rambunctious three year old who wouldn’t understand that her world had just been turned upside down. Claire wasn’t ready for the sight before her as she entered her daughter’s room. Claire stood in the doorway, transfixed by the site of Nic and Grace together. Her momentary shock at seeing them together faded as she took in the whole scene. She hadn’t noticed before, but now that she could look at Nic openly, she found her striking, almost handsome. Her soft brown hair had come loose while she slept and framed her face, softening her features. Claire studied Nic’s face and admired her square jaw, thinking that it made her feminine face look strong and intense. Claire continued her assessment and stared at Nic’s lips, wondering how soft they were and if they were firm when kissed, or slack and limp, which she hated. Claire’s fingers caressed her own lips as she thought about what it would be like to kiss Nic.
God what am I doing?
Claire thought as she took a deep breath to center herself.

“Major, Nic, wake-up,” Claire said very softly just in case Nic startled easily. “Time to get up, Major.”

There it is again a honeyed voice telling her to wake up.
Nic opened her eyes and saw the most beautiful sight before her. Brown eyes and hair, and full, luscious lips that begged to be kissed. Striking features that reminded her of those Greek goddesses she had read about. Nic let her eyes drift shut again, trying to go back to sleep and dream about her goddess. But the silken request for her to wake up came yet again, only this time Nic felt a hand on her shoulder shaking her awake.
Please go away and leave me to my dreams.

“Major, it’s 6:00 am and I’m sure you need to get ready for work,” said the honeyed voice.

Nic felt her back protest at the position she had been sitting in all night. She realized that she wasn’t dreaming and she wasn’t lying in her bed at home. Nic opened her eyes, and looked directly into Claire’s bemused stare as she started to take her daughter out of Nic’s lap.

“Oh, ah, sorry Claire. I can explain…” Nic said when Claire raised an eyebrow in question. “I was starting to leave after I checked on you last night, but I heard Grace starting to wake up, so I, uh, just came in here and picked her up. I guess we both fell asleep.” She decided to wait until Claire said something before embarrassing herself more.

“Nic, it’s ok. I appreciate you looking after Grace and me. But you don’t have to feel responsible for us. I’m a big girl and can take care of us, trust me.” Claire was trying to take Grace, but her daughter had other ideas as she clung to Nic’s neck.

Noticing the look on Claire’s face as her child cuddled into Nic’s chest, she said, “It must be the uniform.” Nic watched as Claire just nodded and smiled. The officer noticed that Claire had showered and changed into a college t-shirt and sweat pants. She couldn’t help but notice how cute Claire looked in the oversized clothing. She also noticed Claire hadn’t thought to put on a bra and it was obvious.
God, how could I look at her that way?
Nic thought, chastising herself for looking at the widow in an unprofessional manner.

Claire noticed that something had suddenly made Nic uncomfortable as her body stiffened.
Must be how Grace has taken to her,
she thought, reaching for her daughter. Grace gave a weak protest, but as soon as Claire asked Grace if she was hungry, she latched onto her mother and nodded.

“Nic, I am going to make Grace some breakfast. Would you like to join us?” Claire asked, wondering why Nic was staring at the floor rather than at her.

“Thank you for the offer, but I should be getting to the office to find out if there is any news about Mike.”

“You’re welcome to stay Nic. It’s the least I can do for staying with Grace all night. I’m sure that wasn’t the most comfortable place you’ve had to sleep lately.”

“It’s fine, really. Perhaps a rain check? I really do need to get to the office and see what I can find out.”

“I understand Major, but would you mind coming by later? I’m not sure where to start to settle Mike’s affairs. Maybe you can brief me as to what the military will need from me and what the time line is for things here.”

“Of course. How about if I stop by after lunch? That way I can go home and get a shower and then get a briefing on what’s going on at the office. Hopefully, I’ll have good news for you. I’ll also bring any paperwork that will help in the process and may need your signature.”

“That’ll be fine, Major.”

“Please, remember you promised to call me Nic.”

“I’m sorry. Old habits die hard. I’ll try to remember.”

“Thank you,” Nic said as she went outside. Ducking her head towards Grace she grabbed the child’s hand and scrunched her nose. “And good-bye to you, too, princess.”

Feeling the heat rise in her cheeks, she turned and walked towards her car. Nic didn’t know where all of that mushiness came from and was surprised by her own behavior with the little girl. She smiled as she remembered rocking the little girl to sleep the night before. What she wouldn’t do for a family of her own. Nic thought about how different her life would be if she had someone to come home to and to share her days and her nights with. Would she give up everything and settle down if she found the right person? In her current line of work, another woman was damn near impossible to find, and with the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy she would never find her as long as she was in the Corps. Well someday, when she had time and was ready to settle down, that was exactly what she would do. Now she just needed the perfect woman. She scoffed at the thought and headed to the office.

###

As the Major made her way to her office she noticed the clouds that had threatened rain the day before were gone and replaced with a warm, gentle breeze. Nic liked days like this. They reminded her of another time when she didn’t have a care in the world and could just sit back and enjoy what nature had to offer. She often spent time outdoors, hiking or hanging out at the beach. She truly loved the beach. It centered her, especially after the accident, when so much of her life had changed. She still found joy in walking along the sand, or sitting and just watching the tides roll in.

Pulling into her parking space at the barracks, the Major noticed that the sergeant was already there. Nic appreciated Sergeant Ross’s dedication and reminded herself to tell him that when she got a chance. But right now she needed to help Mike’s family get closure. She looked down at her uniform to make sure it wasn’t too wrinkled, that her buttons were closed and her boots were laced. Nic always wanted to lead by example. It was her style, and she didn’t ask her people to do something she wasn’t willing to or hadn’t done herself. If you wanted respect you had to earn it and show the people you lead that you respected them too. So far it had worked for her, but there was always that one asshole that had to have his clock reset every once in a while, and Nic wasn’t against resetting one every now and then. In fact, she relished having to establish the pecking order occasionally, as it kept everything in perspective.

Nic opened the door to the office and Sergeant Ross stood quickly to attention and called out, “Officer on deck.”

It had been an ongoing joke between the two, with Nic admonishing him the first time he had done it. Sergeant Ross had done a tour on a ship, where the custom was to call out the greeting when an officer entered the room.

Nic looked around and noticed that no one had gotten to the office yet, probably because it was the weekend and duty hours were a little more relaxed. Giving him her best evil eye Nic yanked her cap off and tossed it on her desk.

“Knock it off Sergeant. How many times do I have to tell you that isn’t funny anymore? It makes me damn uncomfortable. Save it for the brass asses that come through that door. Next time I am going to drop you for 100 push-ups on my count, got it?” Nic chided the sergeant as she walked passed his desk. She knew how much he hated working out and only did it because it was required, and the three times a week he did bother were barely keeping his gut in check.

“Yes ma’am,” he said, saluting as she walked by, knowing that would piss her off just as much. They had a relationship based on mutual respect, and she knew she wouldn’t be half as good at her job without Sergeant. Ross, so she tolerated his jokes.

“Any news on the Capt. Monroe’s whereabouts?”

“Not yet Major. I have called Germany again and they still don’t know anything.”

“Great, just great. Well let’s call Iraq again and see if they found something.”

“Yes ma’am. By the way, I didn’t call the Chaplain like you told me to. I figured you were just kidding about the Captain’s wife killing you. Besides, I’ve seen her. You can take her anytime. She’s just a little thing,” he said, chuckling.

“Looks can be deceiving Sergeant. Remember that Private who nearly cleaned your clock in P.T.? She was little and put you on your ass in about three seconds flat.”

“Yeah, I remember. Thanks for the walk down memory lane Major. Can I get back to work now?”

“Hey, far be it from me to stop you from doing your job, Sergeant. By the way do you ever see that Private?” Nic said, chuckling at the blush that had crawled up the Sergeant’s neck to his ears.

“Never.”

Nic knew Sergeant Ross saw the young Private, who was now a Private First Class, damn near everyday in the mess hall. She still gave him that nod that meant she had him and he knew it.

“Good, I would hate to think that you see her everyday and she rubs your nose in it. I mean, that would suck royally,” Nic said as she passed by Sgt Ross on her way to her office. Looking down at the papers stacked on her desk, Nic remembered that she had duties other than just doing her informs and she needed to get busy on those as well before her superiors came down on her.

Two hours later, Nic had made a sizeable dent in the paperwork on her desk and her back ached from sitting still too long. Her scar ached as she stood up and stretched her back. Looking at the clock on the wall, Nic remembered that she needed to eat and shower and not necessarily in that order, considering she had slept in her BDU’s all night. She grabbed her cap and informed Sergeant Ross that she was going home to shower and change and get something to eat. She looked back at the sergeant when he didn’t answer and saw the puzzled look on his face.

“Don’t ask. Call me if you hear anything.”

“Yes ma’am.”

She stopped him as he started to stand up and salute. “Don’t even think about it Sergeant Smart Ass or you can drop right now and give me fifty,” Nic said, grinning as she walked out the door.