Chapter 2

I shortened my time in my home town by a few days. It was a good thing because my flight to Germany was delayed by three days. I made it back just as the unit fell out for the morning formation.

We were busy getting ready to move. Everything had to be packed up. Crates had to be built to pack the small items such as hand tools and equipment. We were moving to an area where there were no quarters. This was raw land and rough. However the prevailing winds would make a great landing strip extending the length of the valley. We had to construct housing, not only for the personnel, but buildings for the maintenance compound as well.

It was going to take some work getting set up. The closest airport was sixty miles away; that was the best we could do to land the basic equipment to build our own complex. We had to go over a mountain range by a cart track to the area the U. S. had acquired by treaty. At that airport we flew in tractors and trucks to load our earth movers, just constructing enough of a road to get us over the mountains.

It took two weeks of road building to reach the area for our landing strip. It then took ten more days to construct a strip where we could land our planes carrying the equipment to construct our compound. Eventually we would have Quonset huts to live in, but for now it was tent city. Armies all over the world had done this for centuries and we were no different.

Personnel were thrown together more than ever. Male and female soldiers lived close, and with no facilities to spend free time we all became familiar with each other. Also there was a certain camaraderie that we enjoyed in building something new. We had twenty female soldiers in the truck company that moved men and equipment around. I was a heavy equipment operator and oftentimes as much as three miles from my machine.

I drew Helen Clark to transport me occasionally in the first weeks. It took me a month before I realized it was always she who appeared to my call for transport.

I asked about it. "Rich, us female soldiers have our favorite men we like to be around. You are mine, mainly because you never hit on me. Believe me, the women in any outfit get less than the respect they deserve. Ask any of us how it is. The officers are the worst for harassment. We are here doing a job and we shouldn't have to deal with being away from our family and this as well."

"You're safe with me. I have my own problems and don't need any new complications."

"Thanks. I have some problems too. I'm just waiting for my stint to end and then I can get out and go on with my life."

"Same here." I didn't say more or ask her what her problems were. We went on to discuss the gossip that was making the rounds of the battalion.

It was morning, eleven weeks since I had made the trip home and learned of Connie's being unfaithful.

The soldier who handled the mail stopped me just as I was getting into Helen Clarks' vehicle to be driven to my machine. "Rumford, I have a certified letter for you. I need your signature." I signed and got into the truck. I turned the legal sized letter over and over before opening it.

"Bad news," Helen asked?

"Not sure. Do you mind if I look at it before you move?"

"Of course not. Do you want me to get out so you can read it without me present?"

"No, just bear with me a moment."

I opened the letter and saw it was from Sarah Hazelton, my attorney. There were four sheets of official papers. I skimmed the first short one which was a recap of what the other three contained.

Rich, the annulment went through as applied for. Connie Rumford is now Connie Kline taking her maiden name again as she is not your wife now and never has been. You may remove her as a dependent and the allotment will cease. However, the child's allotment for Corrine Rumford will stay in force until such time as it comes before family services for review. I will handle this matter if you direct me to. Get on with your life and I wish you a long and happy one. Sarah Hazelton, Attorney.

I didn't say anything, just sitting with the papers in my hands. "Are you okay?"

I handed the sheet to Helen. "Read this if you want to. It should tell you everything that has happened to me recently. I don't know how I feel about it, but now maybe I can get on with my life and find some happiness. Some day I'll tell you all about my life if you are interested."

"I would be interested. We can find some time when we aren't as busy as we are right now. Let's get to work." I was thankful Helen didn't push to find out more at this time.

It was two days later that I received a letter from Sam. I read. "God Rich, I have to get out of this town. Louise is making my life hell. I have a week to go before my divorce is final. She is blaming me for you having your marriage from Connie annulled.

"Connie isn't having much luck convincing Matt Forbes that he needs her for a wife. The baby seems to be the problem. Louise of course feels she has to support Connie now that her allotment is being cut off. Of course all Louise has to live on is what she gets from me in the settlement. I am wondering if she and her lover will make a go of it. I hear that has cooled off some."

As it was, Helen transported me the next morning. "Helen, you said one time your father and brothers ran a construction company. They wouldn't need an accountant would they?"

"They might. Do you know of one?"

"Yeah, Sam Kline is the person's name. He was my father-in-law before my marriage was annulled. He is caught up in my mess and wants to find a job as far from his ex-wife and daughter as possible. If you would, may I have your father's address so he can look into applying for a position with his company?"

"I take it you get along with him?"

"I do. He helped me find an attorney and gave a deposition that verified some facts that led to the annulment. I consider him my friend. In fact, he is about my only friend back stateside."

"I'll write my family. I should know in ten days. That means you would be visiting him sometimes if he found work with the company doesn't it?" She smiled at me and it was the first ray of sunshine to warm me since I had joined the military.

"If he should get work, I plan to join him in the same area."

"I would hope you would. If my father doesn't have a place for you, he would know some firm that would hire you. When are you going home anyway?"

"June tenth. My muster out date in the States is July first. When are you being released?"

"I'm before you. I get out around the twenty-fifth of June. I might wait and we can travel together."

"That would be nice. I don't imagine your husband would approve."

"Rich, I'm a widow. I'm single and have been for two years. My husband worked from home as a writer. It wasn't paying enough so I joined the army four years ago while he cared for our two sons. We were doing so well too, but two years after I joined, he was killed in an accident. My mom has been raising my two boys." She hesitated before continuing, "Before you even think about getting into a relationship with me, remember, I'm six years older than you are."

I laughed. "That thought hadn't crossed my mind, but now that it has, I'll examine what it would be like to be in a relationship with you and make a determination."

"Oh my God, I opened my mouth when I shouldn't have. I'm sorry, so forget I said anything."

I smiled into her red face. "As if I could now. Thanks."

Helen was quiet and then looked at me and chuckled. "Go ahead then and think about it. I don't think I will mind at all."

We didn't make any overt moves toward each other. Whenever we were in the same vehicle though, we found ways to pass on to the other some tidbit of what our previous lives were like.

The question finally that came from her I knew would at some point. "Rich, why didn't you fight for your daughter? Why didn't you insist that you at least see her? There is nothing like seeing and holding a baby. She is yours and you created her. Explain to me if you can."

"Helen, maybe my thinking is all off, but here is my situation. I'm alone. I have no family to take care of her even if I gained custody. I know if I saw her and held her, I would do something that would destroy me. I probably would have gone AWOL or done something physical to land me in trouble. As it was, Connie had a restraining order put on me.

"I've continued to pay support and willingly. That is the best I can do for Corrine and for myself at this time. Someday I want her to know that although I may not be in her life, I care for her."

"Put that way it makes sense. Someday we will bring her into our life."

"It sounds as if you are planning a life with me."

"I want a shot at it."

We danced around each other with every day bringing us closer to the end of our military service and also closer to each other. Sam kept me abreast of what was going on at home. Louise lost her lover. Sam was tickled over that, especially since the man left just three days after Sam and Louise's divorce became final. She begged for reconsideration from Sam, but he didn't listen.

The next day he quit the firm he had worked at for twenty-five years and headed north to where there was a job waiting for him. Helen had put in a good word, using me for a reference. Sam applied over the phone and had the position confirmed before he left home.

For Helen and me, we were counting days. April came and then May. On the fifteenth of the month, she and I and several others of the battalion construction crew were ordered back to Germany. Ah, towns and permanent quarters again ... you know, civilization! We could now escape to a place and be alone for a few hours.

Helen said she would meet me in a little Italian restaurant named, Ono Picetties's. It served both Italian and German cuisine. "I'll have a flower in my hair so you can recognize me." She giggled at her humorous remark. I was a little late. I had worn a light jacket over a white shirt and grey slacks. Nothing special, but at least they were civilian clothes.

It was a good thing that Helen did have a flower in her hair. I had to look twice to identify her sitting at a small table in the dining room. I realized it was the soldier who had been driving me around. Helen stood as I approached. She had a black dress on that came just below her knees. It was tight over her breasts and belted at the waist. Then it flared out so her legs could move easily when dancing. That was my first thought anyway.

Her hair was short, of course, to conform to military specifications. Her makeup was light, but she had taken time to pluck her eyebrows. They were the same light brown shade as her hair. Being out in the open so much and tanned, her eyebrows were almost invisible. She might have applied a little blush to her cheeks and just a little color to her lips.

I was almost speechless. "You are beautiful!" My glance traveled down the length of her, pausing at her breasts. They had never stood out under her army attire, but now they were there to notice. She turned around so I could look at the whole woman. Not one ounce of extra weight was on her frame. Lean and mean came to mind. "If you are wearing your man-catching clothes, consider me caught."

"Thanks Rich, this is the effect I wanted. You look pretty damned good yourself. My heart is fluttering a little and I'm so excited, I must sit down. I don't think I can stand any longer."

We ordered Italian pasta with German sausage to go with it. While waiting, I reached across the table and held her hand, which brought smiles to her face. We had beer for a beverage. Only a little for me as I wanted my wits about me. I didn't want to make any wrong moves at this point in a new relationship. We had a decadent chocolate confection for dessert.

When leaving, we noticed a little park across from the restaurant and walked hand in hand to a bench. I sat with my arm comfortably over her shoulders. "Rich, if we are back in time to fall into formation tomorrow morning we could find a place to sleep off base tonight."

"Would you like to?"

"I very much would like to."

"Let's see if we can find an inn then. Do you know of any?"

"I asked a couple of the girls who go out sometimes. There is one that will take us even though we don't have any luggage. After all this is a military town. I'll just pretend I'm one of those girls. I believe I have everything we need. That is why the enormous handbag."

We made love immediately on securing the room. It had been sixteen months since I had been with my wife. It was at least three years for Helen unless she had sex with someone when she was home to see her children. It didn't matter. I was comfortable either way. We then lay on the bed and talked. I told her most everything about my life. I shared how I felt when I lost my mother and was alone in the world.

Helen had queried me about my time married with Connie over the past few months while driving me back and forth to my equipment. Helen knew that part about my life already. We discussed what we wanted to happen in the future. She had missed much of her two boys growing up to date and now wanted to be with them the rest of their young life. "They need a father too. Are you in any way interested?"

"As long as the mother comes with them, I most certainly am. Just as soon as we get mustered out, I'll go along with you to meet your family. I am going anyway as I want to see Sam."

It wasn't too many days before we were headed for the States. There were twelve of us in the same unit. We all got out of the service a couple of weeks early. I was still in the Army Reserve, but the world looked at peace, so I wasn't too worried about being re-activated.

"Rich do you want to stop in your hometown and look up your child and see your former wife?"

"No, there is just sadness there. I'll come back and visit my parents' graves someday. The graves are in perpetual care, so it isn't necessary at this time."

"Good, I'm anxious to see my sons."

There was a huge homecoming for Helen attended by most of the Bastion family. Her husband's family, the Clarks, was there as well. Helen had called ahead when to expect her. We could do this as I had purchased a five-year-old Chevy wagon. We had spent one night on the road. I mentioned that I might not be welcomed. "You will be, I promise. You'll see."

Sam, who now worked for the Bastions, was there of course to greet me. God, it was good to see him. He grabbed me and gave me a hug. I suspected he was somewhat lonely. All of this time, I kept my eyes on Helen. Her two sons held back from her at first. It was as if they didn't know their mom. This soon changed as she hugged them. "How long are you home for this time, Mommy?"

"I'm home for good, Scotty. Brad, how you have grown. You're getting to be quite the young man. Oh, I love you both." There were happy tears streaming down her face.

Sam led me off to the side, knowing I didn't want to intrude on Helen's homecoming. I thought back to when I was married to Connie. At the moment I regretted that we weren't together and wished I was reconnecting with family like Helen was doing. Then I remembered what had transpired in the last two years. All in all, I believe I was happier now than I had at any time during that period.

Sam had news. "Connie was married last weekend. She invited me to attend, but Louise was going to be there. I begged off, saying I would see her in a couple of weeks."

"Who did she marry? Matt Forbes?"

"Yes. He held off getting married for a year, but he finally popped the question. Some of it may have to do with Corrine. Connie says Matt adores her now that she is old enough to have some personality. She did ask me if I thought you would let Matt adopt Corrine. I told her I had no idea and hadn't seen you. She is going to track you down. I never told her that we were still friends and close."

"Are you regularly in contact with Connie?"

"Yes, I have kept in touch and we talk on the phone at least once a month. I am pretty disgusted with her over how she treated you, but I do love her."

"That's good Sam. I'm glad you are not estranged from Connie. You know I think I'll call Sarah Hazelton and have Matt Forbes checked out. If it looks as if he would be good for Corrine as a father, I won't object. It is too late for me to be the kid's father and it would be a long-distance relationship at best. I want the child to grow up and have a good life."

"That might be the way to go. Hey, you are going to live with me aren't you? I purchased a bungalow and it has two bedrooms. There is plenty of room for the two of us."

"That will be fine for awhile. I intend to date Helen. We have become close and when she gets settled here at home, we may start a committed relationship with the idea of getting married. She wants a father figure for her two boys and I want her."

"They are great kids. I have been spending some time with them. Their two uncles have kids and it is a close family. The whole family gets together all the time. Helen is the only one who is single and you would fit right in if you two do get married."

Helen motioned me over to meet her family. She had two brothers, Etienne, who was called Steve, and Troy, Troy being the oldest. They were aged twenty-eight and thirty-one and each had two kids. Her father and mother, Robert and Rachael, were short of sixty. Her father peered closely at me and just after I was introduced asked what I was going to do. "Find a job. I understand you operate a construction company?"