Chapter 19

It was a sunny September day in Langenhagen. Kelly had been asked to meet Sam Adams there. She had not been back since she had escaped and now found herself feeling a chill at the thought. Now she was a major general. Kevin, now a captain, teased her that she had missed a promotion with at least one pay check. She hadn’t been promoted at all in August. She had left Mike back in England and missed him desperately. He was now fully recovered from his wounds, and Kelly smiled thinking how much she enjoyed massaging his shoulder while he massaged her breasts and body. She was always nude when she did it. As the car passed through the now-open gates into the school grounds, she was surprised to see so many vehicles parked there.

As they drove past the auditorium, Kelly shivered, remembering it as the place where she had publicly lost her virginity. She was led to the rear of the building, and suddenly realized she was being taken out on stage. When she appeared on stage, there was an explosion of cheers. She was greeted by Miss Handy, the headmistress of the school. As the woman took Kelly in her arms and hugged her, Kelly could feel the woman’s tears as well as her own. Kelly remembered Miss Handy had been naked on the stage and demonstrated what was to come by taking a Russian soldier in front of the whole school.

She looked at Kelly, holding her at arms length. “Kelly, you are simply beautiful. I can’t believe what’s happened to you! I understand you are now a general ... a real one! Come here and sit down.” The woman escorted Kelly to the place of honor.

Kelly still had not had a chance to see who was present, but the small auditorium was filled to overflowing. Just then a band seated in front of the stage struck up the German National Anthem. Kelly rose and saluted as the President of Germany came out on the stage. He stood at attention and waited for the conclusion of the anthem, then took a seat.

Miss Handy went to the microphone. “Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the American School. This is a very special day for all of us. We come to honor a single person, Kelly Jackson. It is my great honor to introduce the president of the German Federal Republic, Herr Gustav Schmidt!” She spoke in perfect German as she introduced the President.

President Schmidt went to the podium and put on a pair of reading glasses. He said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I am honored to be here today. Never let it be said that we Germans are not grateful. General Jackson, would you please come forward?” Kelly rose from her chair and stood before him.

“I can’t keep calling you General Jackson,” he said with a smile. “Let me start over. Kelly, we are here to honor you today!” When he said “Kelly” the room exploded with cheers again.

“Kelly, many of us know you have won this war for us. You are winning the peace as well. As the smallest token of the appreciation of the German people — now on their way to reunification at last, thanks to you — I award you the Golden Order of the Knight’s Cross, the highest military award for heroism Germany has ever had. It has been re-authorized by the Bundestag especially for you.” He hung the golden cross around her neck and continued. “This cross joins the Victoria Cross from England, France’s Legion of Honor, and two Medals of Honor from your own United States. Such bravery and heroism the world has never seen.

“In addition, there will be a new bridge across the River Weser to replace the one you destroyed. It will be the Kelly Jackson Bridge. It will carry a plaque describing what you did and the fact that your actions led, ultimately, to the reunification of my people. There is no way to measure the value my people place on this achievement. Suffice it to say it is the dream of our lifetime come true. Thank you, Kelly Jackson, from a most grateful German people!”

He then took her in his arms. The President was a burly man who was actually a bit shorter than she was. He hugged her and kissed her on both cheeks. As he held her, he whispered, “Kelly, I have been told to tell you that if at any time in the future you want anything it is in the power of my nation to provide, you will have it. It is our solemn promise to you.” The president sat down and smiled as Kelly returned to her seat.

Miss Handy returned to the microphone. She looked towards Kelly and said, “Kelly Jackson, you are a troublemaker. We had a faculty meeting about you last week. There were some who wished to award you a diploma. However, it was pointed out that you flunked biology ... twice. But then we received a letter from the Army’s Surgeon General saying you had performed two very delicate battlefield operations flawlessly. So we waived the biology requirement.

“It was then pointed out that your history was weak. However, certain people — including the President of the United States — insisted that you have been making it ... on a scale comparable to Alexander the Great and Napoleon. So we waived that requirement, too.

“However, our primary mission here is to teach German to English-speaking women. Kelly, your German was atrocious. However, the Chancellor of Germany threatened officially to change the language to conform to the way you speak it. At this point, we gave up. Kelly, would you come forward, please?”

Kelly rose and went over to the woman. Two girls came out on stage carrying a black academic gown which they put on over her uniform and then put a black mortarboard on her head.

Miss Handy said, “By the power vested in me, I confer the diploma of The American School of Langenhagen, summa cum laude!” She handed Kelly the diploma and took her in her arms and kissed her. She whispered, “Thank you, dear Kelly!” She stepped back and asked her to say a few words.

Kelly stepped up to the microphone and began speaking in flawless German. She thanked Miss Handy and the President. Then she added that she had just lost one of her distinctions: She had been the only general in any army without a high school diploma. Now she felt better. She waved at the crowd and returned to her seat.

Miss Handy said, “This ends our formal ceremony. There will be a reception for Kelly in the garden immediately.” She dismissed the group and returned to Kelly.

“Kelly, I’m sure you know we were teasing you. Incidentally, your German is absolutely flawless. It couldn’t be better. Honey, there are some of your schoolmates still here who want to thank you. They remember what you did. We talked about it. Whenever someone was to be punished, you volunteered to take the punishment in her place. It was very painful, dear, but we survived, all thanks to you.”

They went out to the garden and the first person Kelly saw was Mike who took her in his arms and kissed her soundly. Her mortarboard slipped off her head during the kiss, and Kevin was holding it for her when Mike released her.

He looked at her and said, “Boss, can I give the graduate a kiss?”

She went to him and he kissed her on the cheek. She glared at him and kissed him soundly on the lips. “Damn it, Murphy, you ought to know by now that I’m not breakable!”

Kevin grinned and said, “I know that, but what about me? I also know my fiancée is almost as tough as you are. Now you’ll have to protect me.”

Just then Katrina Solov came running up. She gave Kelly a big kiss and then poked her in the ribs. “That’s my fiancé you’re kissing. And I’m jealous!” Katrina wheeled and grabbed Mike, giving him a warm and lingering kiss on the lips. Kelly grinned as she could see Mike’s face getting red.

Katrina released him and quickly took Kelly aside. “Congratulations, sister!” The girl grinned, and Kelly noticed how relaxed she was now. She and Kevin were engaged to be married; the wedding was scheduled for St. Basil’s in Moscow in just two weeks.

“Kelly, I’ve been thinking. You call my father Uncle Mischa. The fact is, I think he loves you as much as he loves me.” She smiled warmly as she spoke, showing no jealousy at all. “You know I’m teasing, Kelly, but he thinks of you as a second daughter. Do you know what he says? He says he is the luckiest man in Russia. ‘I have two daughters: one with silver-blonde hair, and the other with golden blonde. How lucky can a man be? My daughters are two of the most beautiful girls in the world.’ I know he loves you like a daughter. And I love you like a sister.

“Congratulations to my little sister on the occasion of her high-school graduation. Father is a bit busy right now, but he asked me to give you this as a memento of the day.” Katrina gave Kelly a beautifully wrapped small box.

Kelly opened it and gasped. “Katrina, is this what I think it is?” she asked. “Can this be one of the Fabergé Easter eggs?”

Katrina smiled warmly and nodded. “It was approved by the provisional government of Republican Russia. There is a card for you. Please read it.”