by Mark Lemke
CHAPTER 68
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We worked our way up to Prichard's office as the sun came up over the hills to the east.? A new day was dawning.? The Pacific Ocean was earning its name with placid, gently rolling swells.? Eric was sitting in a chair nursing a bottle of cold water.? I was resting on the couch, with my right arm in a sling, drinking piping hot coffee, when Marti came in.? She rushed over to me and didn't care who saw what as she plunked down on the couch next to me, hugged me, and kissed me lightly on the cheek.? She didn't release or let go and I found I enjoyed the soft feel of a woman in my arms again.? It had been a long time.?
"Hey, take it easy on my shoulder, okay?" I told her teasingly.
She released me and then noticed the sling.? Her eyes went wide.? "Oh my god!? What happened?? Are you okay?"
"You should see the other guys!" I said, trying to lighten things up.? "I'm fine.? It's just a scratch."
She then looked over at Eric with a good deal of skepticism, and then back to me.
"Marti, meet Eric Jansen.? He's a part of my team."
Marti looked at him but refused to let go of me.? If anything, she huddled a little closer.? She'd been through a lot in the last couple of days and right now wasn't sure of too much, other than her feelings for me.? She didn't know much about our backgrounds and probably little about the Green Berets, but it looked like that was something she'd like to rectify if possible.?
"Who are you guys?" she said with unabashed wonder.
Just then, the door to Prichard's office opened and the Old Man walked in with Dave.? I looked up and saw the bandaged arms and red face.? But there was a twinkle in the older man's eyes and I could tell he was all right.? I breathed a sigh of relief.?
I stood up and went over to him, with Marti hanging on to me like Velcro.? The Old Man moved over to me, too, but stopped when he saw Marti attached to me, and smiled, causing Marti's cheeks to turn a bright red.
The Old Man looked her in the eyes.? "I'll give him back to you in a minute, but do you mind if I borrow Nick for a moment?"?
Marti returned his gaze, looked down at his wrapped arms, and instinctively went over to give him a hug, too.? She reached out to him gently and put her arms around him, trying not to hurt him.? She didn't know this man a couple of days ago but felt a bond with him now, too.?
As she broke her embrace, she looked back up at the Old Man's face and eyes and shuddered, pushing him back a couple of inches and stood there. ?There was that familiarity again.? Then she looked at me with a question in her eyes.? All I could do was smile at her.
The Old Man put an arm around Marti, looked down at her, then back at me and said, "Not bad, son."
I looked back at him and said, "Not bad yourself, Dad-for an old man."