Chapter 19: Christmas On Mars

They woke up in each other’s arms and were as joyful as children, even though they were 7,500 miles from home and family. Roxie stood at the window and looked out at the Flightline. Not even a fresh coat of snow could make it pretty, but this will always be the place where she found a man that understood her.

“Here, open this before breakfast,” said Wedge, handing her a beautifully wrapped shirt box.

She opened her gift and found that it was a beautiful silk robe with soft cherry blossom patterns. “It’s beautiful! Where did you get it?”

“There’s a silk shop near Momma Park’s leather shop, I got a few things there.”

“It’s beautiful!” she gushed and eased it on. It felt sinful against her skin and put her in the mood for the next step. But first, it was Christmas. After a breakfast of eggs, bacon, hash browns, and a fruit salad that Wedge made from the fresh fruit he was able to get at the commissary, they retired to Roxie’s room, where she found a stack of gifts around her tiny tree.

“Santa must have been here while we were asleep,” said Wedge. Actually, he had a stack of gifts in his lockers that he carried over to her room while she was in the bathroom. Wedge’s favorite gift was an embroidered jacket that had the “flaming pisspot” of the ordnance careers on the left breast, on the back was the snarling 8th Fighter Wing wolf, and under the wolf was embroidered in gold, “JUVAT WEAPONS, If I suddenly start to run, try to keep up.” They also gave each other their ‘tour jackets.’ They looked like the jacket she gave him, but with their rotation dates were added. Wedge was October, Roxie was August.

For Roxie, he got several beautiful silk dresses that fit perfectly and a color TV. He has a small portable TV in his room, but the NFL playoffs are starting, and they were both rabid fans. He was for Pittsburgh; she was for Tampa Bay. Pittsburgh was a wild card contender, so Wedge was psyched. They needed a larger TV. “We’re going to have dinner at the club at four PM with Don and Lanh Campbell,” said Roxie as she tried on the hoop earrings he gave her. She was wearing the Florida Gators jacket he also gave her.

“Who?” Wedge was wearing the gold Durumagi (robe that Korean men wear over their clothes) that Roxie gave him and was admiring his new Steelers jacket.

“The couple that live down the hall. They helped me get you home from the party.” Wedge shrugged. “Don, the guy you trained on the phones last night?”

“Oh yeah ... the farm boy and the soup girl.”

Dinner was delightful. Don and Lanh were an amazing pair. Lanh flew to Korea on her own, found her way to Kunsan, and waited for Don or his suitemate to let her in. She’s been living in the dorm illegally and has no plans to return home until February. As they ate, they shared their stories, and Lanh and Don told them of the heartbreak they had when they found out on Christmas Eve that she will never have children. “It was all we wanted,” said Lanh. “When you’re raised in a big family, children are what you crave...”