by Sharon Timm
She closed her eyes and let her mind transport her back to his vineyard. She melted into his arms again and let his strength and warmth flow through her. She felt his kisses and relived the passion of her mouth on his as they lay together in the cemetery. She thought of the many irritating, exasperating things he had done. She shook her head in disgust at the memory of his statement to the press. "Blond? What blond?"
Sam wished she could explain it all to Doug. She was sure about reenlisting. She had a home in the Navy, a place where she was needed. She had an important job to do. That was the practical reality. The romantic notions that had overwhelmed her were impractical fantasies. In real life, people didn't walk away from great careers to learn Italian and live on a vineyard with a foreigner. It really didn't matter how gorgeous the man was. It just wasn't practical. It didn't make sense.
Sam walked to the forecastle of the ship. The forward weatherdeck on the AEGIS cruiser had a menacing grid of hatches covering the vertical launch missile tubes below and a five inch cannon. She stood between the pieces of heavy armament and looked up the gently sloping deck, toward the graceful hurricane bow of the immense ship.
Doug and his people were making the last minute arrangements for the ceremony. The electronics experts were wiring the ship's sound system to a microphone by the podium on the missile deck.
Sam ambled over to Doug who was sitting on the middle rail of the hurricane bow. "Everything ready?" she asked.
"Are you?"
"Yeah."
"So what happens next?" he asked. "You're not staying on this ship are you?"
"I hadn't given it a lot of thought yet, but I figure I'm overdue for some shore duty. Maybe I'll get orders back to the states. Find some cushy, shore-duty job and...who knows, maybe I'll settle down with a nice guy, get married, have six kids. I don't know."
"I guess one thing happened in Venice," Doug said smiling, "You seem to have opened up a bit, Sam."
"Maybe."
"Joe wouldn't have wanted you to be miserable all your life, Sam. What happened wasn't your fault. I watched you beat yourself up over his death for years. It was a tragedy, but it was accident."
"I know that now." Sam stared out across the pier at the bustling street in the city of Kerkyra, the capital of Corfu. "There is life out there, Doug. I guess I'm ready to live again."
"I'm glad." He squeezed her shoulder with a huge hand. "I'm happy to finally hear it."
Doug was called away as the XO and several others arrived on the forecastle. The word was passed over the loudspeaker for the crew to assemble for the reenlistment ceremony. Soon the deck was crowded with men and women in ranks. Sam stood in front of the ranks of the other Chiefs along the starboard side of the deck. The Officers formed ranks opposite the Chiefs and Jim Buford called the crew to attention as the Captain marched onto the deck.
Sam saw the Career Counselor standing next to the Captain with the paperwork in his hand. The XO, however, was not on deck. She had seen him earlier, but he was no longer there.
The Captain took his place at the podium. "Today we have the honor of attending a very special ceremony. We have some very special guests today."
Sam looked around her. There were no guests among the people in ranks on the deck. She wondered who the Captain was referring to. She glanced toward the heavy, blast-doors that secured the forward part of the ship from the main decks during missile shoots.
The XO emerged, followed by a short man in a full dress, medal crowded, olive-drab uniform. Another man, behind him, was a tall man in a breathtaking ceremonial blue uniform, with red stripes down the immaculately tailored trouser legs and silver buttons on his coat. He ducked low through the doorway allowing the red and blue plume which adorned his ceremonial hat to clear the top of the door. Bright silver epaulets gleamed, their white fringes covered each shoulder. He straightened as he walked toward the podium. She noticed a very faint limp.
Sam sucked in her breath in recognition as Colonel Garelli and Luca crossed to the center of the deck and stood at attention at the podium.
The Captain introduced Luca first. "It is my pleasure to introduce to you, the Chief of the Venice Carabinieri, Senior Chief Luca Danieli."
Luca stepped to the microphone and checked his watch. "In honor of one of the finest Chief Petty Officers in the United States Navy, please come to attention for her favorite ceremony. Attention to Colors!"
The sound system crackled to life. Out of courtesy to their present port, the speakers blared the Greek National Anthem first, then the Star Spangled Banner. Luca stood firmly at attention, saluting the small field of blue with stars being raised on the flagstaff on the bow.
Sam saluted also. Tears brimmed in her eyes.
When the music ended, Luca dropped his salute crisply and yielded the podium to the Captain of the Ship.
"We have some things to do before the reenlistment ceremony," he said. "First let me introduce Colonel Garelli of the Italian Intelligence Service."
The Colonel stepped forward. "USS FORT DONNELSON participated in a joint service operation, two weeks ago, that resulted in the interception of a major shipment of smuggled weapons on their way to Bosnia. For your efforts, I would like to present the Commanding Officer of the ship with the Presidential Unit Citation, on behalf of your President. Each of you will be entitled to wear this award in recognition of your efforts."
The Captain's jaw dropped. He was genuinely surprised. He stepped to the microphone. "I... uh... I would like to thank you on behalf of the crew for this award." He clapped and the crew erupted into cheering and clapping.
When the clapping died down, the Captain continued. "I'll be damned if I can figure out how the Colonel got a Presidential Unit Citation approved in two weeks."
The Colonel stepped back to the microphone. "I have some great friends in your Pentagon," he said, "and, I'm not finished yet.
"Chief Petty Officer Samantha Logan, front and center!" he ordered.
Sam could not breathe through the lump in her throat. She fought to regain control and marched on wooden legs to a position in front of the podium. She stopped, snapped a left facing movement, and crisply saluted the Colonel.
Luca stepped down from the missile deck and approached Sam.
The Colonel read the citation aloud. "The Secretary of Defense takes great pleasure in awarding the Defense Meritorious Service Medal to Chief Petty Officer Samantha Logan, United States Navy, for service as set forth in the following citation. While temporarily assigned to the NATO Commander and the Italian Intelligence Service, Chief Petty Officer Logan displayed extraordinary bravery, skill and initiative as the principal operative in a multi-national intelligence evolution. Her quick and decisive actions and total disregard for her own wellbeing, saved the lives of both an intelligence agent and the Chief of the Venice police. The information she provided, resulted in the intervention and seizure of over two hundred thousand dollars-worth of smuggled weapons and explosives. Chief Petty Officer Logan's courage, dedication and professionalism reflect great credit on herself and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Navy and the Department of Defense."
There was absolute silence on the deck as Luca pinned the red and white ribbon with three thin blue stripes and a bronze medal over her left breast pocket.
The Colonel continued. "Now, for the Italian equivalent of that award." he paused as a man in a three piece suit emerged from the doorway and stepped quickly to a point directly in front of Sam.
The man whose life she had saved knife attack draped a suspension ribbon holding a heavy medallion around her neck. He stepped back and began clapping. The crew joined in his applause.
Sam was in shock. She had just been given two higher awards than anyone on the ship, including the Captain, had ever received.
The Italian Intelligence Service had pulled strings in Washington. The two awards they slipped through back doors would have taken months for approval through normal channels. She hoped no one
would ask her to make a speech. She stood dumbly at attention as Luca took the podium again.
"I have some things I have to say," he said, his eyes sweeping the faces of the assembled crew. "You are gathered here to witness a solemn occasion. Chief Logan is re-enlisting today. I am here for a different reason. To understand my reason you must understand what happened to me.
"Three weeks ago I was kidnapped, shot in the leg and locked in a cage. The people who did this had no intention of ever releasing me alive. Fortunately for me, I was kidnapped and locked in a cage with Chief Logan. Lying there helplessly, I watched this incredibly talented woman find a way to escape, and release me from the cage.
"As I was escaping the guard came in with a gun. He would have killed us both if Chief Logan hadn't hit him with a pipe, disarmed him and tied him up."
Sam heard a whistle from the Chief's ranks. The crew broke into spontaneous cheering. No one had heard that tale before. It was a sea story that surpassed the most creative rumor the crew had been able to generate. Slowly, the clapping and cheering subsided and Luca continued.
"We got away by hiding in a cemetery and Chief Logan took her prisoner with her. Through the long night she kept me warm and tended my wound. The next day we were able to capture the criminals and Chief Logan was able to get me to a hospital.
"The last time I saw Chief Logan, I was pretending, for the benefit of the international press, that she didn't exist. She was dragged into an elevator to escape media attention and brought back to the ship."
Luca paused and let his eyes rest on Sam. She was still standing dumbly, embarrassed by the attention and enthralled by the sound of his voice.
"I owe Chief Logan my life. If Chief Logan had not been with me, I would not be here today. I am grateful, but I have one more selfish request before the re-enlistment ceremony begins." he said. "Sam, don't do this. Stay with me. Marry me. I want you to be my wife."
Tears streamed down her face as Sam stared up at Luca. She couldn't speak. She just nodded her head.
Luca stepped from the podium and approached Sam. She stood stiffly at attention as he took her in his arms. The crew cheered and whistled and applauded as the handsome Carabiniere kissed her lips.
The Career Counselor swore softly and ripped the reenlistment papers into shreds.
Sam reached up and encircled his neck with her arms. "I love you, Luca." she whispered.
She closed her eyes, breathed deeply and leaned against his chest. She touched his hair with her fingers and felt his strong arms around her.
It was time to learn Italian.
Epilogue
The tall man with the salt and pepper hair carried a small sleeping child in his arms. He rested his hand on the shoulder of the woman in the blue coat.
"Cosa fai qui da sola? He asked her. "What are you doing here alone?"
The blue eyes smiled as she turned to face him. She reached out to take her sleeping granddaughter in her arms.
"Ventidue anni, Luca." She said to her husband as she pointed to the outline of the ship at anchor. "Guardavo l'incrociatore Americano." Her Italian was flawless.
He looked out at the cruiser in the distance. "Twenty two years," he echoed, in English. "Lo so," he said, wrapping an arm around her, and steering her back toward the lights of the city, "I know[TG2].
Thank you for reading Morning Colors. As a new author on Kindle, my success comes in part from positive reviews from readers like you. If you enjoyed the book please take a moment to write a couple of lines. Click here to go to my author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00MV9HK42
Thank you,
Sharon Timm
Coming Soon: Bridge of Hearts. Fall 2014.
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[G1] New paragraph
[TG2]
Table of Contents
Morning Colors
By Sharon Timm
Prologue
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Epilogue