First Sergeant Lovato

Finale

1 YEAR LATER

"I'm telling you! You are allowed to wear your wedding ring in uniform, that doesn't change just because of where you are now, Sel..."

I was on a new assignment about to report to the NCO in charge, and Devonne had called me. We'd been married now a few months, after I eventually got approved to transfer my station to the same base she was at and moved in together. It took a few months after we were both back from deployment to get put in motion, but just as she promised she would, she helped me through the entire process.

I proposed to her on our third "date" once I arrived there, it's a moment I'll never forget. Not because it was so romantic and special – because she made sure it wasn't – but with her response. I asked her will you marry me, and she responded: "What do you think, Perfume?"

I was a little pissed off that she couldn't just be civilized about it, but c'mon, we're talking about Devonne here.

The military makes it hard sometimes to go on leave to have a proper wedding, especially since we were both higher ranking soldiers. So we had to just do a courthouse wedding, which was fine. I've never wanted a big elaborate wedding like you see in the movies, marriage is really all just signed paperwork anyway, right?

We were only there for a few months living together before we were both transferred where I am now – since it is required for the spouse to move wherever the other goes.

Which brings us to right now, me getting yelled at for leaving my wedding ring at our house.

"I know I'm allowed to wear it, babe, but I want to set a good example for my new soldiers here. I want to abide by all the same rules they have to." I replied.

"They aren't soldiers... that's your job to make them that. You've been through this before. I think you'll do great. I hope your first day goes well, can't wait to hear about it tonight! I love you."

"I love you too. Okay, I really have to go now, I'll see you tonight."

"Go get 'em tiger."

I hurriedly hung up and walked in front of the door to headquarters. I knocked on the door to the first sergeant's office and waited.

"Staff Sergeant Russo reporting for duty!"

"Come in, Russo." A female voice came from beyond the door.

I opened the door, and saw the first sergeant was turned around in her chair. I couldn't see who was in the chair.

"Staff Sergeant Russo, wife of First Sergeant Devonne Russo, who you secretly dated during basic training, correct? Course... back then she was Devonne Lovato, right?"

I swallowed. How in the hell did they know that?

"Who you wrote love letters to and told your bunk mate they were for your boyfriend who shared the same name." They continued. "Who you had sex with on graduation day."

"First Sergeant, I fail to see how this is relevant to-"

The chair spun around and she stood up.

Well, I'll be goddamned...

Standing in front of me right now was First Sergeant Jaclyn Sanders.

After I had talked to her online when I was on the last deployment, we kinda fell off talking, I had no idea she was doing this now. I saw the name of the person I was reporting to, but only a last name. Do you have any idea how common of a name Sanders is in the army? Never in my life would I have guessed it would be this Sanders.