by JL Curtis
Aaron yelled, “Bye, Matt!” as Jesse started down the hallway with the phone. A half hour later, she came back smiling and kissed Aaron.
“Thank you! That means the world to them. Felicia said they’re going to go to Washington on their honeymoon, since Matt is coming due for orders next year. I guess he’s going to try to talk to folks and see what his options are.”
Aaron nodded. “Yeah, the further out the better. And Matt’s got a good rep. He’s done good at the range, so he can pretty much go anywhere he wants. Is Felicia going to keep working?”
Jesse said, “She and Angelina have been talking about Felicia going back to school and getting her RN. She is pretty much dead-ended with CBP since she’s not an agent. She’s only got one more step she can get and I think she’s pretty frustrated with the whole place. Between the machismo and the grind of the drive, she’s about had it. And if she sells the little house out there, that would pay for school and give her enough to offset the salary loss. She doesn’t want to dump that on Matt along with everything else.”
“Makes sense,” Aaron said. “But you and I both know Matt will do anything she wants. He’s not about to let her get away. And speaking of getting away, I need to go do my exercises.”
“Okay, but remember showers are your friend,” Jesse said and stuck out her tongue at him.
Tying the Knot
Four and a half hours after leaving Brooke, Jesse eased through the front gate at the ranch, much to Aaron’s relief. Jesse was getting bigger and bigger, but he couldn’t drive a stick, or didn’t want to try as he was still working on getting used to the new prosthetics. The walking leg was coming along pretty well, but he was still having some issues with the running leg, mainly on surfaces that weren’t dead smooth. Philosophically, he was in a much better frame of mind than he’d been in for months. Knowing he was getting close to actually getting back to the Corps buoyed his spirits, and he also realized this weekend would be the first time he’d seen Matt, Felicia and Toad since Christmas. The firefight had been in March. And now it was the first of October. It was the longest he’d been away from the Corps since he joined.
Reaching over he caressed Jesse’s arm. “Sorry, babe. I wish I could help drive. Are you doing okay?”
Jesse shrugged. “Other than Junior sitting on my bladder for the last hour, I guess I’m okay. And are you talking to me or the baby?”
Aaron said, “Uh, both of you?”
Jesse got out of the car to head to the bathroom and remembered the old man had started locking the house. “Aaron, can you throw me the keys? I’m pretty sure the house is locked, and I’ve got to go!” Aaron climbed out and flipped the keys to her. Thankfully, she caught them and waddled up the steps. Unlocking the house, she made a beeline to the bathroom, and came out sighing. She stopped dead; trying to figure out what was wrong, and thought, there’s no noise. It’s too damn quiet. It’s not right. She shivered and the hairs on her neck stood up as she stood there. Aaron broke the spell as he banged through the door with the bags, “I’m okay, but this whole balance thing isn’t working as well as I thought!”
Jesse took the hanging bag and went back to the bedroom closet, hanging up her dress and Aaron’s dress blues. She inspected them critically, and decided she’d iron them one more time before Sunday. Aaron, griping the whole time lugged the rest of the bags in, and flopped them on the bed. “Okay, now-”
The bonging of the photocell stopped both of them and Aaron reacted first, scrambling in his bag, he quickly loaded his Glock and motioned for Jesse to stay in the room. Jesse reached up and pulled the old Winchester off the wall and stepped into the hallway, watching Aaron move as quietly as he could toward the front door. She was relieved to hear a bark and see Aaron relax and open the door for the old man. Aaron said, “We just got here, sir. Hope you don’t mind that we came on in.”
The old man said, “Not a problem.” Looking down the hall, he saw Jesse standing with rifle in hand. “Ah, Jesse, you might want to put that back now. I’m friendly. Or at least I hope you think so.”
Jesse blushed. “Sorry, Papa, it’s just—”
The old man grinned. “I know, you’re going to defend hearth and home. Just like your great-great grandma did.”
Jesse put the rifle back on the antlers and waddled out to the kitchen. Yogi greeted her enthusiastically, but never jumped on her, and the old man gave her a gentle hug. “Welcome home. Matt and Toad are an hour out with Felicia and I’m guessing Billy and probably that young lady, Mindy?”
To which Jesse said, “Papa! Bite your tongue! Cindy’s the good, well, the one interested in Toad.”
Aaron snickered, prompting an elbow in the ribs from Jesse, who then said, “So who’s staying here, Papa?”
The old man counted off, “Y’all, Matt, Toad, Cindy? And Billy. I don’t know if Trey and Beverly are coming down or not. Or at least I haven’t heard from them.”
“No, they can’t make it,” Jesse said. “Trey’s had another operation on his knee, and he’s down for the next month. Beverly said she’s trying to get him to lose weight, but Trey thinks working out will fix it.”
Aaron looked around innocently. “I’m not getting in the middle of that one!”
The photocell bonged twice and the old man and Aaron headed for the door, with the old man taking the lead, at the door he turned and said, “All friendlies. Matt’s truck and Angelina right behind them.”
Matt and Toad started unloading the truck as Felicia made for the house, waving she said, “Little girls room. Men and their damn bladders.” Matt put Felicia’s bags in Angelina’s car and pulled out his bags, then followed Toad up the steps. Yogi, tail wagging was doing his best to greet everyone. He bounded off the steps to Angelina who said, “Yogi, enough already!” But she stooped to pet him while the old man laughed as he called Yogi back to the porch.
Felicia, Jesse and Angelina disappeared into the bedroom as Matt and Toad carried their bags out to the old house, and returned. The old man got a pot of coffee started, and offered beers but had no takers, with Matt muttering, “Later. And more than one.”
The women came out of the bedroom and Felicia walked up to Matt. Grabbing his shirt, she looked up at him. “Sunday. The church. Be there. And you better be sober!”
Matt looked down at Felicia and said, “Yes dear.” Felicia pulled him down for a quick kiss then she and Angelina left. Matt slumped in a kitchen chair and everyone broke up laughing. Jesse pointed out the coffee cups to Toad, and he pulled them down and set them on the counter as Jesse poured. Matt mumbled to himself, “What the hell have I gotten myself into this time?”
Toad, ever the smart ass said, “Trouble, as usual. I’ve got a pint of Old Overholt if you want to spice that coffee up a bit.”
Aaron choked on his coffee as Matt glared at Toad saying, “Keep it up, Toad. Keep it up and you’ll be trying for sergeant again!”
After a leisurely dinner, Matt, Toad and Aaron went out to jog, mainly to burn off some energy and stretch after the long day in the truck. Aaron came back triumphantly saying, “Woo hoo! Not a single trip and fall! I think I’m finally getting the hang of this running leg!” Jesse gave him a golf clap and the old man just smiled.
Jesse asked curiously, “Aren’t you guys going to have a wedding rehearsal?”
Matt said, “We already did. We had multiples of them in California. I go here, I stand there, I shut up. Aaron stands on my right. Toad is the usher. Done.”
The old man chimed in, “So now we know who’s really in charge, right?”
Matt nodded and said, “Women are de facto and de jure in charge. We’re just along for the ride. Seriously though, I can’t thank y’all enough for putting us up, and for all the help. I know this means a lot to Felicia, and I want her to be happy. I’m just glad I found somebody that will put up with me. After the starter wife, I thought that was it.”
Saturday, the old man got everyone out shooting and kept them busy. Toad checked his work fro
m Christmas and fed Diablo without losing any fingers in the process. After noon, Billy flew in with Cindy tagging along, and Toad and Cindy took a long walk as Jesse and the old man did paperwork in the office. Matt and Aaron grabbed a couple of beers and sat on the porch, catching up on what had been happening at Pendleton. Matt also filled Aaron in on what he was hearing from the SOBs.
After a steak dinner, which Toad called the last supper, much to Cindy’s horror and Matt’s chagrin, they all toasted Matt and his final night as a bachelor. Jesse only had water, but the old man had broken out the Macallan, so everyone had one and then another. Jesse and Cindy left the men to talk, and retired early.
Sunday morning dawned clear and bright, Jesse once again cussed the Marine Corps as she rolled over to find an empty bed. She levered herself out of bed and waddled slowly to the kitchen, inhaling the scent of coffee as the rounded the corner.
The old man said, “Morning, sleepy head. Coffee?”
Jesse said, “You have to ask? I’m over the morning sickness and I can have coffee again, but I’ve got to be careful. Junior has grown to like it now, and that gets him kicking up a storm! Breakfast?”
The old man said, “Bacon, eggs, grits and biscuits. Good enough?”
Cindy walked into the kitchen with a plaintive cry, “Coffee? Is that real coffee?”
The old man handed her a cup and she said, “Oh, good coffee! Thank you, Mr. Cronin! Oh my God Jesse, you are huge! When are you due?”
Jesse leaned against the island and said, “Next week is thirty-six. The OB said I’d probably be late, since this is my first one. Maybe as much as two weeks!”
Cindy groaned. “Oh. You can’t be having fun.”
Jesse was saved from answering by the guys coming back into the house, a tired Yogi in tow. As they hit the coffee pot, Yogi padded over to the water bowl, drank and flopped down by the table panting quietly. The old man said, “Got a workout didn’t ya, pup!”
“Well,” Matt said, “he kept up better than Aaron did. And he didn’t fall once, unlike Aaron.”
Aaron protested, “Hey, that wasn’t my fault, I didn’t see that damn rock. And this thing doesn’t have any feeling! It rolled and I didn’t have anywhere to go but down.”
Toad chimed in, “Yeah, but that was a nice tuck and roll, good thing you missed the cactus!”
Cindy laughed, and that set everybody else off. The old man finally said, “Okay, clean up folks. Food’s going to be on the table in forty-five minutes. Y’all can yap later.”
As the guys headed out, Billy came through the kitchen door. “Breakfast? Coffee?”
The old man pointed at the pot. “Sleeping in again, Billy?”
Billy laughed as he poured himself a cup. “I learned a long time ago to sleep when I could. And I no longer feel the need to go out and run, nor is that a requirement any more. Besides, I got all the hot water I needed for a shower.”
Jesse laughed and said, “And I’m off to get one now.” She looked at Cindy. “I promise I won’t take all the hot water.” Jesse looked around and realized Aaron wasn’t there, “Oh, that sneaky sumbitch. He better not take all the hot water!” And off she went.
The old man asked, “So, Cindy, how are you doing?”
Cindy rubbed the side of the coffee cup nervously. “Pretty good, I guess, Mr. Cronin. I learned a lot from Mr. Moore, and I don’t think my professor likes me anymore. I guess I’m asking too many, what was the word he used? Oh yeah, impolite questions.”
Billy burst out laughing and said, “You go, girl!”
The old man said, “And?”
Cindy looked at him. “With Toad?” She rubbed the cup again. “Pretty good. I don’t know that we’re going to get married anytime soon, but, well, it’s like he treats me like a real person. He talks to me, and he listens to me. And honestly, sometimes he scares me. He’s quiet. He told me he had a drinking problem, and got busted a couple of times, and Matt and Aaron pulled him out of that spiral. He’s determined not to go there again, and he credits me with part of that. That’s the part that scares me. That I can affect somebody that way.”
The old man said, “You’re a positive influence, Cindy.” Pointing to Billy and then himself, “We have our dark sides. What we’ve seen and done has changed us. Sometimes not for the better and sometimes people don’t come back from that dark place. Matt, Aaron and Toad have had similar experiences. It’s not pretty in that world and I hope to God you never have to see it.”
Billy nodded. “Toad may not be pretty, but he’s a smart man. He’s not a toy to play with. If you’re serious, let him know. For his sake, please don’t string him along.”
“Oh I’m serious,” Cindy said. “I realized there was something special about him at the wedding. I just didn’t know what it was.”
Aaron came into the kitchen, grinning. “Oh that feels much better! Morning, Mr. Moore.”
Billy nodded. “You’re going to pay for that shower, you know that, don’t you?”
Aaron shrugged, “Probably. But Jesse’s got to catch me. And she’s kinda handicapped right now.” Extending his walking leg, he continued, “This thing is working pretty well. I can even run a bit with it, but the Doc doesn’t want me to yet. He wants me to use only the running leg for running right now.”
***
At 12:30, everybody was at the chapel. Matt, Aaron and Toad were in their dress blues, and Matt and Aaron were chatting with the preacher and Padre as they waited for everyone to be seated. Toad was escorting various family members to their seats, and finally walked Jesse and Cindy to their seats. Matt and Aaron took their places and the old man and the sheriff slipped in the back and around to their seats at the end of the pew with Billy.
The organist started the processional, and a radiant Felicia came slowly down the aisle on her father’s arm following Pedro and his sister who were throwing rose petals with abandon, much to the delight of the attendees. Felicia stopped next to Angelina and the Padre started the service, with the homilies and acknowledgements. Rosa sang a traditional Spanish hymn and the preacher stepped up and gave the charge to the couple.
Then he and the padre both stepped forward to administer the vows, first telling them to face one another. They spoke the vows first and Matt repeated them.
“I, Matthew Carter, take you, Felicia Ortega, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”
Felicia, tears in her eyes, said, “I, Felicia Ortega, take you, Matthew Carter, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”
Aaron and Angelina handed the rings to the padre and the preacher who took the rings. The preacher handed Felicia’s to Matt, who held it out and Felicia slipped her finger into it as Matt said, “With this ring I thee wed, Felicia.”
The padre handed Matt’s ring to Felicia, and she did the same saying, “With this ring, I thee wed, Matt.”
Both the preacher and padre said in chorus, “We now pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss the bride.”
Matt and Felicia kissed and turned to face the crowd to their applause and a couple of cheers.
The padre stepped forward and gave a short blessing. Matt and Felicia, now man and wife, walked slowly to the back of the church, with many people reaching out to congratulate Felicia with a soft word and brush of the hand.
After they changed clothes, the reception was held in the Rectory, and Billy pulled them to the side. “My wedding present to y’all is the use of my airplane to fly to DC. We’ll leave in two hours. Be at the airport.” With that, he kissed the bride and stepped back into the crowd, leaving both Matt and Felicia speechless.
Baby Makes Three
Jesse groaned as she rolled into bed and turned to Aaron. “Well, they’re finally married. I’m glad that’s over! The reception was nice,
and Angelina and her family really did it up right. I’m glad I didn’t have to stand up there and be a bridesmaid. My feet are killing me anyway.”
Aaron gently cradled Jesse and said, “Yeah, I know Matt and Felicia waited a six months longer than they’d planned to because of me, but it did make it kinda special for me. That’s the first time in almost a year I’ve actually been in dress blues. It felt good, even if my stump is aching. One thing’s for sure, I need to work on my balance more. It still feels odd.”
Aaron felt Jesse draw up in his arms. “What’s the matter?”
Jesse sighed. “Cramps. Or false labor pains again.”
Aaron gently reminded her, “Well, you are right at—”
Jesse said, “Oh shit. I think my water just broke. Um, maybe, oh, we need to go to the hospital Aaron, I think. Oh! Baby, I think the baby is coming!”
Aaron jumped up and forgot he didn’t have his leg on, causing him to crash to the floor. Jesse couldn’t help but laugh, even as another contraction hit her. “Don’t forget your leg.”
She heard the old man’s voice and a knock on the door, “Y’all all right in there?”
Aaron yelled, “No! Jesse’s having the baby!”
The old man said, “I’ll get the truck started, bring her to the front door.”
Aaron replied, “Just as soon as I can.”
Aaron finally got his leg on, and gently helped Jesse up, and down the hall. As they neared the front door, Jesse was hit with another contraction that almost doubled her over. Aaron said, “Just a little further. You can do it.” Boo Boo and Yogi were both whining and following them but not jumping on them. When Aaron got Jesse into the truck, and dumped her overnight bag in the back seat, the old man said, “Okay, she’s all yours. Just don’t kill her getting to the hospital. I’ll give them a call and let them know you’re on the way.”
Aaron nodded and ran around to the driver’s side, jumped in and promptly ground the starter. Jesse said, “Aaron, it’s already running. Calm down. You remember how to get us to the hospital?”