Semper Fi Pt. 06

'When I come back,' he had said, 'when I come back, we'll be married," slipping the ring onto her finger... the diamond she still wore on her right hand, never telling anyone where it came from, never taking it off.

She melted into his embrace as he held her tightly to him. 'I can't wait,' she had answered. 'Mom is so excited; she can't wait to meet you.'

'I'm glad... I was afraid that...'

'Just because you're white? Those days are gone... well, almost. Besides, what do we care what people say as long as we have each other?'

'Just say that you love me.' He had kissed her... that one last time.

Barbara finally drifted off into a deep sleep, dreaming of that first night, once again lost in the arms of her lost love.

..........

"Here's one..." said Caitlyn, holding out a white-covered book. "'Cooking Danish' by the Viking Chef... 'authentic Danish cooking Old World recipes including aebleskivers, smørrebrød and more'... just what you need. Might as well buy this one."

Maria took the proffered book and walked to the cash register; after paying, she met the others outside, took a handful of cookies from the box Caitlyn was now carrying and popped two into her mouth. "My God, these are so good." She reached for two more.

Caitlyn laughed. "So, I guess this means that we'll be having a plateful of Danish cooking in a couple of weeks?"

Maria blushed, nodding her head.

"I'm sorry, I was only playing... but, you're going to learn how to bake these cookies, right?"

..........

The long ride back south took half the day after they decided to stop in Carpinteria and let Kelly play along the beach.

"Well, that was over way too soon," said Caitlyn, "and our problem is still waiting for us." She looked at Barbara, quietly sitting on the sand, seemingly staring out to sea, looking at everything and seeing nothing. Something had changed with her friend during the night, something she felt she should understand but couldn't begin to fathom what happened. She endeavored to find out, somehow. Their friendship was too valuable to leave her friend hurting by herself.

"Yes," Barbara finally said, "that's true but at least we got a break from it. Now, I was thinking. You know that bullet we pulled out of that cave? It's worthless. All these murders have been up close and personal. Remember, one guy took two to the chest and then she took one heading up the stairs. That means it had to be a handgun with a silencer... so, the rifle's out... no wonder that damn colonel was so confident."

Caitlyn was surprised that was what Barbara was saying. She was sure whatever was creeping around her friend's mind would eventually come out and it wouldn't be about the murders. She just had to be there to pick up the pieces and help her put them back together. Could there be trouble with Garrett? with her marriage? could that be possible?

Oh, God, she hoped not, for both Barbara and for Garrett. How would he react to another marriage on the rocks? She hoped it wouldn't be too late, whatever the problem was.

She thought of her own marriage with Frank. Strangely, the last few days, he had seemed distant, as if battling his own demons. Could there be something there? something with Barbara? how was that even possible? They spent more time together than she did with Garrett. Caitlyn looked at Barbara, searching for some clue but seeing nothing that could help her. Barbara didn't look self-conscious when they spoke... no, it had to be something else. If she only could discover what it was.

These damned murders were taking their toll on the four of them and it was affecting their personal lives she was sure, but didn't know how to fix the problem... the only way was to catch the killers and that seemed as distant a possibility as going to the moon.

..........

Frank had been listening to the Temptations and snapping his fingers to "My Girl," when he realized he had a greater problem that he once thought. He still was thinking of Barbara instead of his wife, Caitlyn. He stopped moving and looked out the window toward the sea, hoping for some clue as to what to do.

'I've got all the riches, baby...'

He stared out the window and sighed.

'My girl, my girl...'

He wasn't a bad husband, he finally realized, but he wasn't as committed to the relationship as he should be. When he had asked Caitlyn to marry him, it was more to gain his daughter back than being madly in love with the woman he had once worshipped and who had forced him to travel alone around the Pacific to escape what she had done. 'Now what?' he asked himself. 'What can I do?'

Suddenly, he snapped his fingers and walked over to the computer, calling up 'yahoo' to find the answer he was looking for. A minute later, he was calling. "Hello, yes, I'd like..."

..........

Kelly rushed into his arms, almost knocking him over. "We're home, Daddy!" Frank swept her up into the air and swung her around as she squealed in delight.

"How's my girl? Did you have fun?" He looked at his daughter and all that she meant to him. His daughter... he looked at Caitlyn. His wife... yes, he thought, his wife.

'Daddy! Mommy bought me a horny hat and now I'm a Viking."

"Going to play football?" he asked, laughing at his own joke, knowing it was lost on the child.

"No, you're silly. I'm going to sail the ocean and look for pirates."

Frank put down his daughter and went to hug his wife. "I've missed you," he said, realizing that it was now truer than earlier. He kissed her deeply, searching for that special feeling he knew he should have. "I've got a surprise for you."

"What is it?" Caitlyn asked, searching his face, looking for something she hoped would be there in his eyes, his smile.

"If I tell you, then it's not a surprise!" Frank turned. "Hello, Barbara, did you have a nice trip?" It was then he knew his feelings for the woman were put away, locked into memories.

Barbara was quiet, her fingers twisting the diamond ring on her right hand. "It... was fun. Kelly had a good time and we brought you boys some cookies from Birkholm's."

"That's great. Next time, we'll all have to go." Frank moved closer to his wife and put his arm around her waist. "I love you... and I missed you. I'm glad you're back. I... I worried about you, is all."

Caitlyn looked at her husband and saw the tears start to water in his eyes. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine... now. I came to the realization that... oh, never mind. I'm just glad that you're back, safe and sound. I missed you more than I..." He stopped speaking and hugged her tighter.

Barbara looked down at her hand, her fingers still twisting the ring around and around. Slowly, the ring was working itself toward her fingertip and suddenly she realized that the ring was off, the first time since she had moved it from her left hand to her right. The ring sat in her left hand, its shining light a symbol of what might have been.

She silently put it deeply into her pocket. "Have you heard from Garrett?" she asked, unaware of what she 'til that moment subconsciously had done.

"No, he's said he was going to get some sleep. I can call him, if you want."

"No, that's OK, I'll just walk over. Thanks for going with me, Caitlyn, Maria. I just had to get away."

Barbara picked up her overnight bag and left.

...........

From somewhere nearby, a bird called out and another one answered. The man and woman locked into each other's arms were oblivious to everything except themselves. A soft ocean breeze rippled through the leaves of the palms outside and brought the fragrance of flowers into the bedroom. Frank and Barbara lay on the bed, their bodies slick with sweat, their breathing labored.

The world had narrowed to this time and place as they lost themselves in the renewed wonder of each other and the all consuming desire that drove her to make love with her husband.

Each time he thought she was satisfied, he found a newer, sharper hunger that demanded to be fed and so he gave and took and gave, feeling the desire grow and grow until it threatened to explode once again.

His lungs were burning with every breath as he pushed into her almost savagely and heard her gasp.

Though he was half-mad with desire, he became very still. "I'm sorry, Baby, I didn't want to hurt..."

"Shh," she whispered. Barbara wrapped herself around him, all hot flesh and eager mouth; her fingers dug into his back, her nails scraping skin as she began to move with him, climbing to that explosion once again. "Do me," she said, "do me."

He couldn't stop now if he tried. His breathing was so labored he feared his lungs would surely burst. All he could see as he looked down at her were warm eyes locked onto his. In those eyes he saw his own reflection. All he could hear was her almost feral voice whispering his name.

For a moment he trembled on the very brink, hoping to draw out the moment of love. Then he was moving with her, climbing once again, unable to stop the roller coaster ride that had their hearts pumping, their blood rushing through their veins as they shattered into a million tiny pieces.

Barbara's eyes fluttered open and she found Garrett staring down at her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be so rough." He touched a hand to her cheek.

"I'm fine, it was something that I needed. Really." She could see a slight doubt in his eyes and closed a hand over his.

"Yes, you are." He leaned down to brush a kiss over her lips. "You're better than fine. You're absolutely incredible."

"You're pretty incredible yourself. That was..." She shook her head from side to side, as though unable to believe what she had just shared with him. "...amazing."

"Am I too heavy?" Frank asked, worrying.

Barbara shook her head. "No. You're fine. I love the feel of you."

He rolled to one side, drawing her into the circle of his arms. "Are you cold?"

"After that? I may never cool off."

He glanced at their clothes, strewn around them in the bedroom like discarded rags. "One touch of you and I lost my mind."

Her finger went to her right ring finger, the missing ring causing a funny feeling that now seemed so right.

He was fascinated how the late afternoon light came through her curly hair that framed her face. He twirled a strand around and around his finger while staring into those big dark eyes. "As a matter of fact, I have a reputation of being cool under stress."

He drew her close and covered her lips with his, lingering over her mouth until they were both sighing and when they finally came up for air, he ran a finger down the length of her throat to her breast. "Are you in a hurry to do anything?"

"Not especially. Why?"

He lowered his head, circling his tongue around one breast, then the other until she moaned with pleasure. Against her warm flesh he murmured, "I can't let you go. I want you again, Barb."

She tried to hide her smile. "Can we? Again?"

"I can if you can... I'm not that old... yet."

She arched herself over him, needing the feel of his body with hers. "Why, Darling, you're full of surprises."

"You want surprises?" He laughed, sending a series of tremors along her spine. "I haven't even begun yet."

In his arms, she forgot the past, the pain, the loneliness. She finally admitted to herself she had closed the door to the past. They ought to be all wrong for each other. He was who he was and she was who she was, so different and yet so much alike. There was no denying it... when she had left she had been under a dark cloud of frustration and still lingering grief. Now she was back and felt unbelievably, gloriously happy, content with her life for the first time in a long time.

She looked at him, almost asleep.

He awoke. "Is something wrong?"

"No... I..." She wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her lips to his back. "Tonight has been wonderful."

He closed his hands over hers and continued to stare out into the darkness of the room, unable to believe the eagerness she had given him.

"I was thinking of about all the twists and turn my life has taken," she said, quietly.

"Regrets?" He held his breath, waiting for her reply.

"A few. I don't think it's possible to live without some loss. Usually, we don't get the chance to do something over."

He looked at the missing ring. "And are you..." he swallowed, wondering if it was the right thing to say, "...ready to move on now?"

"At one time, I didn't have any answers. I felt I was at a crossroad in my life." She lifted her head, trying to see his eyes in the darkness.

"I don't understand," he said, understanding completely.

"I'm not sure. My whole life had been defined by Jim's death. At that moment, everything had changed."

"And now?" He held his breath, frightened even though he had noticed the missing ring. He knew she had made her choice, he just needed to hear her say it.

"You've helped me by just loving me, by listening and understanding. Thank you." She laid back, her head onto the pillow, staring at the dark ceiling. "At times, I thought it would destroy what we have and you'd leave me."

"I'd never do that." He pressed his lips to her throat and ran a trail of soft kisses to her shoulder. She found his mouth on hers. "I couldn't if I wanted to. You're some kind of witch; ever since I met you, I've been under your spell."

She poured herself into the kiss, her soul and her heart.

"You make me weak, Barb," he said, rolling onto her and then there were no more words.

To be continued...