Chapter 4: Adriana-Chip-Francisca

Ana---Who would have ever guessed that those three would get together? (Read ‘The Pilots’ for that story) Not me, but then who I am to judge. Travis, Will, GG and I are still getting together as often as we can. But these three?! They even bought rings! Everyone thinks they are married. They are good employees and great pilots. Chip gave up his apartment when he moved in with Adriana and Francisca. When Francisca became pregnant, I moved them into one of the family units in the building. It has three bedrooms with a den and living room. I don’t know what I will do if she keeps getting pregnant. She has two boys as we speak and is pregnant with another.

But I am not complaining, I am lucky to have Chip and Adriana. So lucky.

Earlier this year I got a call from the U.S. Embassy about where they could find Lt. Commander Fields. I hated to tell them, but I did. Here’s what happened.

Chip---I am sitting in the restaurant at the hotel waiting for some guy from the States. I only agreed to this meeting because I am curious about what he has to say.

He walks in and looks around. He spots me in the near empty room. He waves and walks over to the table like we are old friends.

“Lt. Commander, good to finally meet you.” I shake his hand and motion for him to sit. I asked if he would like a cup of coffee. He declines and lays a file in front of him. I see an up-side down photo of myself in my Navy uniform. A file on me! Now I am really curious about the reason for this meeting.

He starts, “Lt. Commander...”

I interrupt, “Call me Chip. I am no longer in the Navy.”

“Ok then, Chip. I represent the Secretary of the Navy. We want you back. For this we are willing to forget and forgive. We are willing to offer you a promotion to full Commander and no missed time in grade. Meaning you will have 11 years pay wise. Also you can pick your duty station with whatever squadron flying the F-35’s. How does that sound to you?”

“Why?”

“To be perfectly honest we need F-35 pilots. We have had four crashes in the last three years, and all have been pilot errors. We need competent pilots.”

“Diversifying your pilots was not such a good idea?”

“Hardly. All the crashes were by pilots who were passed with what’s let’s call “concerns” about their capabilities.”

“At the time the review board thought I was a racist. Being from Tennessee and speaking with my Southern accent didn’t help my case either.”

“Well, you have to admit...”

About the time he started to speak, Francisca walked in the restaurant. I interrupted him by shouting in English, “Franny, get that sweet black ass of yours over here.” Francisca does not speak a word of English. She had no idea what I said. If she did, she would have slapped the hell out of me.

She walks over to the table as this bureaucrat is telling me how that kind of language will get me in trouble again. I stand and kiss her on the mouth.

“Francisca, I want you to meet Mr. Adams.” I said that in Spanish.

“Mr. Adams, my wife and mother of my two sons, Francisca.” That was in English.

In Portuguese Francisca says, “I am sorry to interrupt your meeting, but you left your cell phone at home and there is an emergency. Adriana has all the details. Call her.” She hands me my cell phone and sits her cute little pregnant butt down. She starts speaking Spanish to this Adams fellow as I call Adriana. There is a doctor at a small clinic in the interior who has a patient who needs to get to a hospital for some reason. It must be serious, or he would not call us.