by Sienna Mynx
"I know. That’s why I'm wearing it like this today."
"For me?" He faked shock.
"No, for the other hot pilots."
"Not funny," he mumbled.
She laughed softly. "You know I want to look nice for you. All your friends will see Ava for the first time," she said. "We girls have to represent for Daddy. Don't we, baby!"
His wife was nervous. And that made his baby girl nervous. It would take time for her to trust in their happiness. He understood. They had fought so hard for it.
Since his recovery he had not visited his unit. He had not seen his friends. Some attended his wedding, but most just called to check on him every now and then. Today they were having a memorial tribute to Thatch, Nick, and Mike. He was supposed to be the guest speaker. He was a civilian now. A veteran. He had dusted off his flight suit in tribute to them and was prepared to say the words he never got to say about his crew and his feelings over their loss. He was ready.
"Are you nervous?" she asked.
"No. I'm okay," he said.
"I think it’s perfect that we spend our first Christmas with Ava here. It's where we met," she said. "The place I rented is nice. Guess where it is?"
"By the sea. You can see the lighthouse from it," he said.
"How did you know?"
He chuckled. "I heard you on the phone. I Googled the address."
"Ice! You ruined the surprise," she pouted.
He turned into the parking lot at the outpost. It was a clear day. Though the temperature crested at 48 degrees, he thought it was perfect. "I'm going to stay in the car and finish feeding her. You go in and get dressed." Asha unlatched the belts for the baby’s car seat and brought their girl out. She turned her around and stood her up on her tiny feet.
"Tell Daddy we have to freshen up." His daughter sucked on her fist and then lowered it to give him a wide-mouthed grin.
"Hi beautiful," Ice said. "You ready to see your daddy do this thing?" he asked. Ava giggled. "What if I take you up in the Jayhawk? Fly you around. Show you what Daddy used to do for a living."
Ava kicked her feet as if dancing on her toes. "Come here." Ice pulled her over to him. He sat her on the steering wheel and got a good look at her. She had a round face like her mother and lots of jet-black curly hair that lay silkily around her brow, ears and nape. Her eyes were round and brown. Her nose was tiny, her lips pink and pouty. She had tawny-brown skin, a perfect mix of him and her mother.
Ava gurgled as if trying to speak to him. Ice kissed her chubby cheek and under her neck. She slobbered and beat her tiny fist against his face as she gave him an open-mouth kiss. He laughed.
"You're my Christmas miracle. Did Mommy tell you? Our special girl. And soon we are going to have a little brother or sister for you to play with."
"That's what I can't believe," Asha said and crossed her arms over her breasts. "Who gets pregnant three months after giving birth? My body is barely healed from the first time."
"We get pregnant!" Ice said. "Babies! That's what Mommy and Daddy do best."
"Very funny," she mumbled.
He kissed on Ava again to make her squeal. He loved her baby sounds.
It was a shock to them both when Asha’s routine doctor visit turned up a positive pregnancy. The doctor said she was young and healthy. It happened quite often to new mothers. They hadn't taken precautions. Ice loved being the one who had to take care of her toward the end of her pregnancy. And he loved her body after she gave birth. She complained and worked out, and he just couldn't stop touching the soft curves. But neither of them thought it would lead to a new baby. Ice passed his daughter back to her mother. He grabbed his suit bag and tossed the keys to his wife as well.
"You know where to go? Right?"
"I'll find my way, Lt. See you inside."
"Okay, see you inside."
"Ice!" she said.
"Yeah?"
"I'm proud of you, sweetheart," Asha smiled.
"Thank you, babe," he said. He got out into the cold and was quick to close the door to keep the heat inside with his girls. He started toward the outpost.
"Lt. Commander Quinn," someone shouted his name.
Ice looked over. "Captain Mills. Semper paratus!"
The Captain walked over and Ice shook his hand. "Good to see you, son. How's the family, and you?"
"We're fine. I have a little girl now, and the wife just found out we're having another one next year."
"Whoa! Recovery was good!" The Captain laughed.
"Yes, it has been good," Ice chuckled.
They walked inside. He was immediately greeted by the men of District One. They all came over like he was a celebrity. He shook hands and hugged a few. He couldn't believe the welcome. He wasn't the easiest person to get along with by the time he left. All seemed to have been forgiven.
"I need to get dressed," Ice said.
Commander Shepherd, who had pushed through the crowd to get in front of him, told the men to back off. He gave Ice a brother hug. "You still got your same locker!"
"No shit?" Ice smiled.
They walked off together.
27.
Asha had decided to leave the car seat and stroller behind. She covered little Ava with her wool baby blanket and heaved the baby bag on her arm as she went in. Walking into the outpost felt like she'd stepped back in time. She could hear the laughter of the men. She could see Ice and Thatch at the table with their friends playing poker. Ice would look up and give her the nod to give him a few minutes. She missed those days.
"Asha?"
She turned and Tiffany walked over. "Hi!"
"Hi!" Tiffany said. "Oh my goodness. Is this her? Oh my God. She's so beautiful!"
Asha didn't let many hold Ava. Ice was really particular about people touching his baby who weren't family. But Tiffany was family. She handed her daughter over to Tiffany. Ava smiled for her. Her little girl had a full tummy so she was in a good mood.
"Look at you, princess. What’s her name?"
"Ava Marie," Asha said. "All the girls in the family have a name that begins with A."
"Yes, they do." Tiffany laughed.
"What are you doing here?" Asha asked.
"Oh! You don't know. I'm married now."
"Really? Since when? And why didn't you call me?"
"Don't get upset. It was a spur of the moment Vegas thing. I married Captain Mills two weeks ago. We're back for the ceremony." Tiffany gushed and kissed on Ava. Asha glanced over to the Captain, who was in his late fifties.
"You have always had a thing for older men, but the Captain?"
"He's good to me and for me, Asha. I'm telling you, age ain’t nothing but a number."
Asha smiled. She thought of the age difference between her and Ice. She had to agree. "Congratulations."
"How's Ice? You know, with the cancer?"
"History. He's healthy as a horse." Asha smiled. "In fact, I just learned that I'm pregnant. Again."
"What?" Tiffany gasped. Ava was startled into crying. "Oh sweetheart, Auntie Tiffany is sorry."
"Give me my baby," Asha chuckled. "It wasn't planned. I can't keep Ice off me. I swear it's like they gave the man an ultra boost of libido in the chemo."
"Ice has always been a lover," Tiffany smiled.
Asha frowned.
"Oh, don't get uptight. He's hot. A chopper pilot. The women here would throw their panties at his feet when he walked by. But we weren't his type. Ice had a type."
Asha rolled her eyes. "I never asked you, back then, when you brought me here. It was a set-up, because Ice had a type, huh? Wasn't it?"
Tiffany winked. "And look at you today. A kid and another one on the way."
Asha looked at her baby. "Yeah, look at me now."
"You back working?" Tiffany asked.
"I'm getting into real estate. Ice and I are investing in land around Fisher Creek. It's becoming a touristy town. We own a few log cabins and rent them out."
"Wow. What about law?"
"I dunno. I don't miss it—New York, my practice, none of it. Guess it was just my transition into what I'm doing now."
"Guess so, huh?" Tiffany smiled.
"Ladies and gentlemen please take your seats."
"Well, it's show time." Tiffany winked. Asha smiled and followed her over to where the wives were designated to be seated. When she sat down she found Ava had drifted to sleep sucking her pacifier. She kissed her daughter and watched the men walk across stage. Ice came out in his flight suit. He looked every bit the man she remembered. The Captain gave his speech, and then the Commander. She made eye contact with Ice and he winked at her. Then it was his turn. He received an applause; many stood. She would have but she had their daughter in her arms.
Ice cleared his throat. He looked at the paper where he'd written his speech and she'd proofread it for him. He then looked to the crowd. Everyone was silent. Everyone waited. And then his gaze slipped over to her. She smiled and nodded that she was with him.
He folded the paper and sighed. He spoke directly to the crowd. "Semper paratus! Their names were Lt. Bernard Henry Thatch, Lt. Jr. Grade Nicholas Shriver, and Lt. Michael Andrews. These men who risked their lives every day to save others were my crew and I was a part of theirs. They were my friends..."
28.
Ava cried. She screamed at the top of her lungs. Asha did everything to calm her as Ice drove them to their place. The ceremony was beautiful. Ice received a standing ovation. And then the meet-and-greet went on far past the patience of their daughter.
"Is she okay?" Ice asked.
"Cranky, probably needs to be changed."
"Well, we're here," he said.
Asha was relieved. Her screaming baby was making her breasts leak. She put Ava on her chest and she calmed down immediately. Ice got out and came over to open the car door for her. He took Ava, who began to cry again. Asha got out and looked at the beachfront house. It was two stories and picture-perfect. Just like on the Internet. "The code for the key is 34325."
"Okay," he said, giving her Ava. He walked over to the key code box and punched it in. He opened it and got out the key. She followed him up the steps to the porch and inside the house that was warmed up for them.
"Was this your doing?" he asked.
She laughed. "We needed a Christmas tree. We can decorate it tonight."
"Thanks babe," he kissed her.
"Get her bag for me. Let me change her and get her ready for a feeding."
"Okay."
Ice went out and Asha walked around the place. She hadn't told him but she'd made an offer on this beach house. Their real estate investments were good. This could be added to it. Besides, there was something about this place and their lives that she didn't want to walk away from.
Ava began to whine. "It's okay, sweetie, let Mommy make it better.”
29.
"She's asleep?" he asked.
"Finally," Asha said and sat next to him on the large sofa chair. It sat two and had an ottoman cushion for their feet. He had a thick blanket to cover them.
"Why do you still have on your flight suit?" she asked.
"Not sure, feels comfortable," he said.
"Looks sexy." She kissed his jaw.
His gaze slipped over. "It's those kisses that keep you pregnant."
Asha laughed. Ice lifted his arm so she could snuggle close up against him. "Your speech was beautiful, because you gave it from the heart. I liked the part when you said forgiveness saved you. I truly think Thatch and the crew have already forgiven you, baby."
"Me too," he said.
They stared out at the ocean. From their deck they could see the lighthouse in the distance. The place where they first fell in love. She relaxed against him and wrapped herself in the warmth of that memory. "I put an offer on this place," she confessed.
"I know. Someone called yesterday to say that the offer was accepted."
"What? Really?" She sat up. Ice smiled. "You're not mad I didn't talk to you about it first?"
"No. I know why you want this place. For us, for our kids. I think we should spend every Christmas here."
"Me too!" she squealed with delight. She grabbed his face and kissed him. He pulled her over so she could straddle his lap. She brushed her lips over his and then eased her tongue into his mouth to sweep over it lovingly. She only drew away to look into his eyes again.
"What do you want this time? A girl or a boy?" he asked.
"Boy!" she answered.
"Really? Why?"
"I want a little boy who looks just like you."
"Merry Christmas, Lt. Commander Quinn."
"Merry Christmas, Ms. Quinn," he said and pulled her turtleneck up. It came over her head and was tossed aside. She was in her bra, with his rosary resting between her breasts.
"How long before she wakes up?" he asked while staring at her breasts.
Asha giggled. "We have all the time in the world."
About the Author
Sienna Mynx was born in the beautiful city of Miami, Florida in 1971. She began writing at the early age of eight. The oldest of two children with a schoolteacher for a mother, she was taught the power of words and found countless adventures between the pages of a book. While other children her age shared an interest in music, sports, or even Girl Scouts, Sienna’s interests never varied. Reading was her passion.
By the age of 13, she created a private collection of drawings and short stories based on heroines she could identify with, but who lived in imaginative worlds far removed from her suburban upbringing. She’d share them with anyone who cared to read.
As a woman she adapted to the changes in her life by journaling and continue to explore her writing. Also an avid reader of romantic fiction and lover of television soap operas, Sienna adapted two distinct writing persona’s. T.A. Ford who is now a published author of sensual romance, and Sienna Mynx who explores the darker side of romance across genres. Currently Sienna has published over thirty multicultural romances total.
Sienna lives in southern Georgia and is the proud aunt of three. She is employed as a technologist, and enjoys traveling, writing, and blogging.
You can find more on Sienna Mynx and her works at: http://thedivaspen.com