Chapter 4

Bucky’s mother returned to the room around 4 pm and with a simple flick of her eyes let Bucky know that it was time for the girls to be leaving. He walked them out to the hallway and let them know the plan for later as he had been asked by his mother to attend the award ceremonies because his father was getting some award that night, he was always getting something at these damn things, but this one was special for some damn reason. He did know that he was getting kicked out before the dinner so they agreed to meet at the dining room at 7 pm for dinner. The awards ceremony was scheduled from 6-7 pm with his father’s being one of the last ones.

The girls said good-bye and he went back into the room to start getting ready. Since he had already taken a shower all he needed to do was put on his ‘nice’ clothes as his mother put it. For this occasion, it was a pair of Dockers, dress shirt, and a sweater. She had hemmed and hawed about him wearing a suit coat but didn’t think it would be necessary. Him even being there was ‘pushing’ the boundaries of what was allowed at these events, but the Captain had specifically requested and approved him being there because of the award his father was receiving. As far as Bucky knew, his father wasn’t even aware that he was receiving the award nor that Bucky had been invited to witness the event.

Per his mother’s instructions, he was to wait for them to get dressed and to leave for the event and to get dressed and to slip into the back of the event hall and to wait for his father to be called to the stage. At that point, they were going to call up him and his mother and present him with his award.

Everything was going off without a hitch and his mother was just getting out of the shower herself when his father came in through the door around 4:30 from one of the many meetings that occur during these conferences. He took one look at Bucky sitting in the chair watching TV and said “What the hell are you doing sitting here in the room? Why aren’t you out with your friends doing something?”

Bucky just shrugged back at his dad and said “Not sure, their mom’s said something about needing help for tonight or something. I don’t know, ask mom.”

After giving him another look, his father walked over to the bathroom door, knocked, and said “Hun, you about done?” Getting a “Yep” in return following the bathroom door opening to his mother walking out in her bra, panties, and pantyhose with her hair and make-up mostly completed she blew an air kiss at his father and said “All yours.”

With another quick look at his son, his father walked over to his kit bag and stripped off his daily work clothes leaving only his boxers on, and then walked into the bathroom for a quick shower and shave. Almost exactly 15 minutes later his father walked back out of the bathroom wearing a clean t-shirt and boxers. He was now freshly showered, shaved, and with new Skin Bracer aftershave and Right Guard deodorant. He walked over to the closet, grabbed his garment bag, and pulled out his Military Dress Blues. Bucky saw this and commented “Holy crap dad, pulling out the big guns tonight huh? There gonna be someone here to impress?”

With a laugh, he replies “No son, orders.” He continues to pull everything together and check that all of his medals are on properly and square and then says “For some reason, they said all of the award winners needed to be wearing their blues this time. You know this is our biggest conference of the year, so it might have something to do with it, but I don’t know. Whatever.”

Meanwhile, Bucky’s mother had looked over at him giving him a smile and a wink behind his father’s back. She was just about to pull her dress up over her hips when his father said “10 minutes hun? Sound good?”

His mom simply replied “Yep babe, sure. No problem” knowing full well that it would be 15 minutes before her husband would be ready.

And she was correct as 15 minutes later Bucky’s father was standing in front of the mirror for one final check of everything. His mother walked up and said, “Turn around hun, let me check.” She pulled out her ever-present lint brush and ran it over his jacket a few times, front and back, then up and down his pant legs, again front and back, and made sure all of the medals were aligned perfectly and pronounced him fit to shine. With a nod of his head, he said “Okay, let’s go.” Opening the door he went to wave her out but she ‘realized’ at the last moment she forgot something and said “go ahead, I’ll be right there.”

Bucky’s mom turned around and walked back to him and said “Remember, the back entrance just after 6 pm. We will be seated down in front so he won’t see you and his award could be anytime. It’s supposed to be near the end, but they want to make it a big deal so it might be earlier. Okay?”

With a little sigh, Bucky says “Yeah mom, don’t worry, now get outta here so I can get changed.”

Giving him a little air kiss so she didn’t mess up her makeup, she turns and walks out the door, and then walks down the hallway with her husband knowing what a big night it is for him, but also knowing that he doesn’t have a clue.

As soon as they are out the door Bucky pulls out the clothes that his mother chose and approved for him and starts to get dressed. Looking over at the clock he sees it is just after 5 pm and so he should have an hour to get dressed and into position. He knows that his parents have left for the ‘mingle hour’ before the awards ceremony but he also knows that he doesn’t want to hang around the room for nearly an hour so as soon as he is dressed and presentable he grabs the room key and heads out. Thinking about Megan and Jackie he heads towards Megan’s room thinking they might be there as they mentioned hanging out there earlier. As he gets closer he sees the door open and her parents walk out. Her mother smiles and says “Hi Bucky, my don’t you look nice.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Senate. Are the girls in your room?”

With another smile, she says “Yes they are Bucky. Are you going to stop by and say ‘hi’ before you come down and sit with us?”

With a puzzled look on his face, Bucky says “Huh? I’m sitting with you?”

1ST Sergeant Senate, Megan’s father, laughs at Bucky and says “Yes son, you’ll be sitting with me and Mary in the back of the room with the Ross’s. This way if Mary starts feeling unwell she can sneak out and no one will notice and the same with Shirley, I don’t even know why Mike decided to bring her. That poor girl is about ready to pop she’s so huge.”

Laughing at her husband Mrs. Senate says “Maybe because it gives her a weekend away from her other 3 kids. I’m sure you remember was it was like with 3 little ones.”

With a smile towards his wife, he said “Yes love, but at least we were smart enough to spread ours out some. With this one they will have what? 4 kids all under the age of 6-7 years old?”

“Yes dear, something like that. Now come on, let’s let Bucky talk to the girls for a few minutes while you and I go mingle with our friends.”

Sgt. Senate looked at Bucky and said “Now, remember what your mom said. Come to the back of the hall just after 1800. Either Mike or I will open the door and bring you right to our table. It should be dark enough that your father shouldn’t see you up front like he is. When the time comes you’ll walk down with me to make the presentation. Okay.”

“Yes 1ST Sergeant, I got it.”

Smiling again he said “Bucky, how many times have I asked you to call me Ron? You’re not in the Army and not one of my soldiers ... yet.”

Bucky looked back at him with a smile of his own and simply said “Okay Sarge, sure. I’ll call you ‘Ron’ the moment you can convince my dad that it’s okay for me to call you ‘Ron’. But until that day I’ll either keep calling you ‘1ST Sergeant’, ‘Sergeant Senate’, or maybe ‘Top’ if you’re lucky. Okay?”

Shaking his head and laughing he said “Okay son, I understand where you’re coming from. Your father taught you well.”

His wife looked at her watch and said “Come on hun, people are waiting.”

Taking her hand and starting to walk down the hall Sgt. Senate said once again to remind him, “Remember, the back door just after 1800.”

Bucky just nodded his head and watched them for a few moments. Then he turned on his heel and continued down the hallway towards their room. Reaching the room he softly knocked on the door and heard some rustling on the other side followed by light talking. As the door cracked open it was immediately followed by a squeal and then the door was flung open and 4 arms pulled him into the room and the door slammed shut behind him.

Bucky was quickly verbally assaulted on all sides by not 2 girls, but 3. All of them were talking at warp speed and asking him what seemed like 20-30 questions at once. He finally had to hold up his hands and yell “Stop! Please! Wait!! Just a minute!!”

In the absolute silence that descended on the room Bucky was amazed to see that yes, in fact, there was a 3^rd girl in the room with them, and it wasn’t just any girl either. It was Hannah, his childhood friend, someone he had known since he was 4 or 5 years old. Their fathers had been friends for years, in fact since both of them had joined the Army back when the Vietnam war was still new and her dad faced racism on an almost daily basis.