After Shock (#2 - Semper Fi Series)

Who said going to California was fun?

5 A.M. never came late enough. Amanda felt like she could sleep for twelve more hours. She didn’t sleep well on flights unless they were longer than eight hours, and she’d only been on those once or twice in her life.

The military did funny things to people’s lives. Some people married quickly, especially right before deployments. Other’s married when their beloved was on R&R (rest and relaxation, usually only lasting a couple of weeks) during deployment. Others planned it out so they could have their dream wedding. As for Amanda and Dan, they’d been engaged long enough to plan, so they honeymooned in Hawaii. That flight was a short nine hours to Honolulu from Atlanta, if a person was fortunate enough to have a non-stop flight. They’d travelled other times too, but not much due to the frequency of deployments. He was on his third when he died.

That thought had Amanda about in tears. Paul noticed. He was a very observant person. This probably was an advantage on his job. “You okay Mandy?”

“Yes, just remembering. I do that a little too much sometimes. It only hurts when I think about him, or the life we had, or the plans we’d made.”

“Well, I imagine that’s just part of the process. You have to remember. The day you stop is the day you’ll be reunited.” He held her hand, and patted it like he would his mother’s hand.

“You always know the perfect thing to say. Thanks!”

“Not always, Mandy. Last night I was tripping over my tongue.” The imagery made her laugh, which was not the goal, but it was a wonderful outcome to him.

She leaned her head on his shoulder. “You’re comfy.” He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her a little closer. This seemed the most natural thing to him. He could spend his whole life with her sitting just like this, though, maybe without the arm bar and seat belts between them. Airplanes are not comfortable for large people. Paul was a short 6’3” and broad in the shoulder and chest, in a “V” frame (broad shoulder, small waist). Amanda, though tall for a woman, only barely came above neck line. In fact, her head fit perfectly under his chin. With that thought, he leaned his head on top of her. “You are too, sweetie, you are too.”

“Sweetie? Since when do you call me Sweetie?” She grinned, and was asking with mirth in her voice.

“Since right now Firecracker! Hey, I guess I’m just getting into my role! HAHA!”

“How many more nicknames can you call me in less than thirty seconds? You’re too funny!”

Before Paul could come up with another witty retort, the elderly lady next to Amanda leaned over and said, “Are you on your honeymoon? You are just the cutest couple!”

Amanda’s head popped up, and hit Paul’s chin, resulting in a low spoken “Ow!”

“Oh, are you okay?”

“Yes, I should be fine with four or five stitches!” He joked. 

“Not fair.” Amanda said, teasingly slapping his very strong bicep. She had completely forgotten the senior’s query until the lady cleared her throat.

“No ma’am. We’re not a couple. Just best friends!” Amanda explained.

“Well, you should be. You are great together.” Then she launched into a story. “My husband of more than 60 years was my best friend for three. I didn’t want to be married at sixteen, so we stayed friends until I was almost nineteen. George asked my father’s permission to date me, because that’s how things were then, and my father agreed. A year later, we were married. I just lost him three years ago.” The accommodating smiles of Paul and Amanda turned to sadness. “But, don’t be sad for me. He believed in the Lord all his life and I know we’ll be together again! That’s such a beautiful hope, isn’t it?” Amanda nodded, and then buried her head in her hands and stifled a muffled sob. “Did I say something wrong, dear?” The woman asked.