If Things Were Different

Dustin went to speak, but Aimee put a finger over his lips.

"You don't have to say anything back, just please don't tell me you think I'm crazy, okay? Please?"

"Why would I say that?" he asked in a gentle tone.

"Because we really barely know each other—even though I feel like I've known you forever," she said as she put her hand on his strong, masculine face.

"I know. I feel the same way about you. That's the crazy part. Not that we feel that way about each other."

"Wait. Did you just tell me...."

"That I love you? I was implying it, but I hadn't actually said it," he told her trying to be serious.

"Is...is that because you don't?" she asked, her eyes wide with apprehension.

"No, it's because I just haven't said it out loud yet," he told her with a smile.

"Dustin, don't tease, okay? Tell me how you feel. And be honest," she said imploringly.

"Wow, someone is very needy," he teased.

"Dustin! Don't do that. I'm serious. Please just tell me, okay?"

"I've thought about you almost non-stop since we talked at the range at oh-dark-thirty that one time. Okay, I've noticed you since the first time I saw you. But I haven't been able to get you off my mind since we talked. You're hot, Aimee. You're smokin' hot!"

She smiled then kept listening.

"Since I had the first hint you might be interested in me, you've pretty much been on my mind, day-on/stay-on, and it's been hell trying to be professional around you when I'll I wanted to do was kiss you."

She kissed him then continued waiting.

"The way you looked at me, you know, after you were spying on me...."

"I was not spying!" she protested. "You should have shut your door...Captain!"

"Details, details," he said with a smile. "But since the first time you looked at me that way, I knew."

"And what did you know?" she asked aching to hear those three little words.

"That I loved you," he told her quietly but sincerely.

"Really?" she asked, her heart ready to explode from happiness.

"Yes, really. I love you, Aimee."

"I love you, too, Dustin. I really, really do," she said as she felt him growing between her legs. "Mmmm. And I love every...inch of you."

He slid into her effortlessly as they made love much slower and even more passionately.

An hour later Aimee asked, "Are you hungry?"

"Starving. How about you?"

"Same here. Can I make us something?"

"You can cook, too?" he asked sitting up straight.

"Don't look so surprised. I'm a woman of many talents!"

"I'll say!" he told her as he reached for her again.

"Uh-uh. Not until after we eat. We need our strength, you know."

"True statement," he said using one of her favorite lines.

She got up, went to his closet, found one of his civilian dress shirts, and slipped it on.

"I'll call you when it's ready," she said with a smile as she headed toward the kitchen.

He pulled on a pair of PT shorts then followed her out a few minutes later.

"Hey! I thought you said you could cook," he said, putting his arms around her as she boiled noodles for macaroni and cheese.

She pulled away then pulled open the refrigerator and then the cupboards.

"Someone needs to go grocery shopping," she informed him after showing him a six-pack of beer in the fridge and a box of granola cereal in the cupboard.

"Okay. So I put beer on my cereal. What's wrong with that?" he asked as he pulled her close again.

"Nothing. I just prefer milk on mine," she said with a smile.

"Oh, are you saying you plan on waking up here in the morning?" he asked very seriously.

"I didn't actually say that," she said as he'd done earlier. "But I may have been inferring it."

He gave her a look then said, "You mean...implying?"

"Oh, there we go! Start in with your 'I'm a college graduate thing.' Okay, so that's how it's gonna be, huh?" she said with a happy smile.

"I would love for you to move in with me," he told her. "Whenever you're ready, of course."

"Well, let's see. I retire in January...."

"No, sorry. That's way too long," Dustin said.

"I go on terminal in another 62 days—if I was counting," she added.

"I think I could wait 62 days. Maybe even 63 if I had to."

Aimee smiled then said, "I still can't believe this is happening."

"But you're glad it is, right?" he teased.

"More than glad, I am SO happy," she told him.

"Me, too, honey. Me, too."

"I could turn off the stove and we could expend some more energy," she said playfully.

"If we do, I'll even take you out to dinner after," he told her as though he was being very magnanimous. "You know, so you can keep your strength up."

"Wow, you're gonna have to stop spoiling me like that," she told him. "I might get used to all this high-brow living."

Dustin's house looked like a stereotypical bachelor pad. It had no food, very little furniture, and hadn't been decorated with anything but a single plaque from the infantry until he'd been in he'd hung on the wall in a place that made no sense. Oh, but it did have a huge, 70-inch flatscreen TV with a Bose speaker system. Typical bachelor pad.

"Yeah, it's a regular palace," he told her.

"No worries. I'll take care of that," she said sweetly.

"Oh, boy. Why do I already feel like an old married man?" he said pretending to complain.

She reached for him again then said, "Um...you don't feel anything like an old man to me," before he scooped her up again and whisked back off to the bedroom as she laughed happily.

The following morning, Aimee woke up from a short-but-sound sleep and opened one eye. It took her brain a second to make sense of what she was looking at, but as soon as she did, she smiled. It was Dustin's back.

He was still sound asleep so she lay there just looking at him. She was still overwhelmed with emotion as she thought about the last 24 hours and how...different things now were. He stirred, and when he did, the sheet loosely draped over his shoulder fell off exposing the long, jagged scar.

Ever so gently so reached out and touched it and slowly traced it's length from top to bottom. It was thicker at the top and disappeared about seven inches further down.

When he spoke, it startled herd.

"It doesn't hurt," he said quietly.

"I'm glad," she said as she softly kissed him where she'd been tracing with her finger.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked suddenly feeling guilty for having never served in combat even after close to 20 years on active duty. Then again, most people who served after Vietnam but before the Iraq War hadn't, either. Some had been in Desert Storm, but it was hard to consider maybe 96 of combat—war. Then again, if you were being shot at even for a minute, that was more than she'd ever done.

"Some Marine I am," she said as she put her arm around him and snuggled close.

"You've done everything the Corps has asked you to do, Aimee. And you've done a damn good job at it."

"I've tried," she told him. "But isn't the saying 'we win battles' true?"

Dustin turned over and said, "I believe the former Commandant's saying was, 'We make Marines and win battles. You've made Marines. I haven't. We've both followed orders and done our best, so I'd say we're about even."

She smiled then said to him, "Do you know how good you make me feel?"

"If last night was any indication, I'd say pretty darn good," he told her with a smile.

"Okay, there is that, and yes, it was very good. But you make me feel so many other things, too."

"Such as?" he asked as they looked into each other's eyes.

"Important. Needed. Loved."

She stopped for a second then added, "Beautiful."

She laughed then told him, "I'd say 'young' but I do have my integrity."

"But you are young, Aimee. And you are so pretty and in such great shape. I can't wait until you and I can be seen together in public."

"Me, too," she told him. "Speaking of that...how are we going to you know, proceed, from now until I go on terminal leave?"

"Wow. That's gonna be tough. It's not like we're in the Fleet Marine Force where there are other units one of us could be transferred to."

"Nope. We're the only game in town. And besides, I want to be near you even if I can't be...this near you," she said as she kissed him.

Her physical needs had been met, but Amie was still starving for love and intimacy and closeness, all the things she'd been missing for many years with Gill and getting in spades from Dustin.

She was dying to ask if he really meant it when he told her he loved her, but she knew he had integrity, too. Had he not meant it, he'd never have said it.

So when he did say it moments later, her eyes welled up with tears again from pure happiness.

"I will never get tired of hearing you say that, sweetheart," she told him, loving being able to call him that.

"And I'll never get tired of saying it," he assured her. "Because I really do love you, Aimee Carlson."

"And I love you, Dustin Whitaker," she told him as her tears dried and her heart swelled.

As to how to 'proceed', they talked about it for a while and decided to make a game of it and have as much fun as they could. It wasn't easy, but they did hold out. In fact, they were so good at it that no one had a clue until the night of Aimee's farewell, when something that happened that forced their hand.

Dustin...no, Captain Whitaker...had just said the obligatory praiseworthy things about First Sergeant Carlson who was retiring that anyone would say about someone in her position. He recounted the highlights of her stellar career and talked about the impact she had on the I&I's mission. He then presented her with a plaque as they shook hands, then gave her the floor.

She, in turn, expressed gratitude for all the many Marines she'd worked with over the years who'd made her success possible from her own drill instructors to the current I&I. Only the way she smiled at him could have served as a subtle hint there was more between them than a professional relationship.

When she sat down, Colonel Woods, who'd had a few drinks, stood up and said a few more kind things about her, and that's when it happened.

"So, First Sergeant, now that you're almost officially a civilian and, as I understand it, staying in the area, I'd like to say that I intend to get to know you a whole lot better."

There were some uneasy looks as Aimee smiled politely but didn't reply.

"Oh, come on, First Sergeant! You're single, I'm single. You're hot. I'm...well, I won't say it about myself, but I've seen you look a time or two," he said with a smug edge to his voice.

There were some more uneasy looks as Lieutenant Colonel Woods definitely wasn't bad looking, but he was nowhere near being in her league. He did, however, have a gorgeous home and a ton of money, things Aimee Carlson didn't care about at all.

"So don't be surprised if I come calling one of these days once it's just Aimee and Brian. You wouldn't mind that, would you?" he asked, the alcohol doing most of the talking for him.

Dustin could see Aimee was very uncomfortable, and knowing she would be checking out for the next three days, and then leaving for good, he decided it was time.

Dustin stood up and said, "She would mind, sir."

"What? What are you talking about, Captain? She's unattached and as close to being a civilian as they come. Why would she mind the attention of a very successful attorney like me?"

"She's not unattached, Colonel," he said before looking around. "She's with me."

Every eye in the place had been looking at the young officer, and now many of them were open very wide.

"First Sergeant Carlson...Aimee...and I..."

He looked down at her then reached for her hand. She took it and stood next to him as he said very clearly, "We are very much in love. We've been extremely careful about our relationship until right now, but I can't sit here any longer and pretend it doesn't exist because it does."

He turned to Aimee and said, "I hope this okay, but I want everyone to know how I feel about you."

She smiled then looked around and told everyone, to include Colonel Woods, "It's true. We did fall in love and agreed not to say anything until I left. But I agree with Captain Whitaker...Dustin...that it's time everyone knew now that...things are different."

Colonel Woods found himself at a loss for words and there was an uneasy silence until a chief warrant officer on the I&I staff called out, "Congratulations!"

He raised his drink and said, "To the happy couple!"

"Here, here!" several others called out as they raised their glasses, too.

Colonel Woods reluctantly joined in but was very quiet the rest of the evening as the effects of the alcohol wore off.

By the time they got ready to leave, Colonel Woods had sobered up completely and said, "I feel like I should apologize for what I said earlier. That was way out of line."

"No need, sir," Aimee told him. "I'm flattered. I really am. But I am very much in love with Dustin."

"Dustin? Congratulations," he told him extending a hand.

"Thank you, sir," he replied as they shook. "And thank you for hosting Aimee's farewell."

"My pleasure," he told them sincerely, now recovered from his earlier faux pas. "And best of luck to you both."

As they stepped outside, Colonel Woods said, "Oh. Dustin?"

He turned around and said, "Sir?"

"I uh, I guess I was wrong. You know, about someone as beautiful as...Aimee...falling for someone your age. Looks like the best...man...won."

"I gotta tell you I feel pretty lucky, sir," he said as he looked at his beautiful girlfriend.

"You should because you are," he said to both of them. "Again. All the best."

As they drove home, Aimee took Dustin's hand and said, "I can't tell you how good you made me feel again tonight, sweetheart. I wanted everyone in the world to know about us, and when you said that, I was so happy."

He squeezed her hand and said, "I have to admit I was little bit jealous when Colonel Woods was dropping those heavy-handed hints."

"You played it perfectly," she told him. "And you made me love you even more."

As they drove along, Dustin turned toward the Air Force Base.

"Why are we going on base?" she asked.

"I wanted to go someplace real quick," he said.

"Um...okay," she said when his answer made no sense.

They drove to the place where they'd met to go on the run that never happened and Dustin stopped the car then went around and opened her door.

"What is going on?" she asked as he took her hand.

"Humor me, okay?" he said as he lead her to the place where he kissed her for the first time.

"Remember this place?" he asked as he positioned them the way they'd stood that day.

"Seriously? I'll never forget this place," she told him. "Why would you even ask?"

"Because it's a special place to both of us," he said.

"Uh-huh. And???"

"And...."

He reached into his pocket and produced a small box Aimee could just make out in the dim light of a nearby lamp.

"Oh...my...God!" she said quietly as he got down on one knee.

"I couldn't define love before I met you and maybe I still can't. But I know love when I see it, and I love you so much, Aimee," he began. "My life began when I kissed you here that day, sweetheart. Since then I've only grown to love you even more. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And I very much want to start a family with you."

Aimee was crying tears of joy as he removed the ring from the box and said, "Aimee Carlson, I love you with all my heart. Will you marry me?"

She nodded as she held out her hand and tried to say, "Yes," but she couldn't speak for several seconds.

No words were necessary as Dustin stood up and kissed her softly again in that place where he'd first kissed her.

"I can't wait to marry you," she finally said. "And start a family."

He raised an eyebrow and said, "Wanna get started tonight?"

She gave him a playful push then pulled him back and kissed him.

"Ha! Like you need to ask!"

Their families flew in for their January 1st wedding and Aimee's official retirement day. But she did not wear her uniform. She wore a beautiful white wedding dress for her Marine husband who wore his dress blues as several friends of both of them formed a sword arch for them on the way out.

Aimee had put her house up for sale and moved in with Dustin the day after he proposed. They also stopped using birth control and by the time they were married, Aimee was three weeks pregnant with their first child and happy beyond words.

By the time Dustin got orders back to the Fleet Marine Force two years later, Mrs. Aimee Whitaker was pregnant with their second child and happier than she'd ever been in her life.

Looking back, she had no regrets for all the years spent with Gill. She had no way of knowing for sure, but it seemed possible that had she not met him, she might have never met Dustin. Even if she had, it was even more likely things would have been very different, and she would have never known the kind of love and happiness she'd found with her children and the love of her life.

Aimee was grateful beyond words that things had worked out once things were different.