Chapter 34

It was Sunday afternoon at Fort Myers in Arlington, and Kelly was soaking up the sun in the backyard of Sam and Kathy Adams’ house. As the home of the Army Chief of Staff, it was intended to be the finest housing in the Army. They were lounging by the backyard swimming pool and Kelly was wearing a tiny white bikini at Mike’s insistence. She claimed she looked pregnant. He said the only sign was her swelling breasts and he thought they looked great. She had stuck out her tongue at him but had taken along the bikini. Cathy was lying beside her in the sun and the two women were talking quietly.

Meanwhile Sam and Mike were stretched out in lawn chairs admiring their wives. Sam said, “Mike Callahan, you are the second luckiest man alive — second to me. You’re supposed to be a military genius. Just tell me how we got so lucky?”

Mike’s eyes were almost closed as he admired his wife’s body. He replied, “General Adams, your honor, sir, I’m just a combat soldier. It’s the staff that’s supposed to provide answers like that and since you’re Chief of Staff you must know. So you tell me.”

“In that case, Mike, it’s going to have to remain one of life’s great mysteries.”

Just then Cathy called over to Sam. “Sam, come here a minute, would you?”

Sam eased himself out of the lounge chair and went over to his wife. Mike thought that he looked about ten years younger than his forty-three years. There wasn’t an apparent ounce of fat on his body. Meanwhile, Kelly was lying on her stomach half asleep. The bikini was a slash of white against her tanned body. She had untied her bra which was lying under her.

“What’s the problem, Hon?” Sam asked.

“Darling, I’ve heard some jokes about Kelly’s first Purple Heart — about the nature of the wounds she suffered. Just look.”

Sam looked at Kelly’s body as Cathy showed him the lines scoring her back, thighs, and hips. “Kelly, they tortured you constantly, didn’t they?”

“They’re almost all gone,” she murmured sleepily. “They’re not as bad as some others, anyway.”

Sam looked and could see dozens of faint marks crisscrossing the girl’s body. He just shook his head and said to his wife, “Darling, just remember who called her a prostitute on first meeting.”

Cathy looked beautiful. Her brown hair was sun-streaked and her figure was tanned and perfect. The only sign of her recent pregnancy were her milk-swollen breasts, but they were covered by her bikini bra. She said softly, “Please don’t remind me, darling. Every time I see this girl I blush, remembering. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen Kelly like this before. It’s one thing to hear about a person being tortured and something else to see the results. Sam, remember, it’s been over a year now, too. Does it bother you, Kelly?”

Kelly took the sides of her bra and held it in position. She blinked and rolled over, quickly securing the bra behind her. She was now on her back with her eyes closed again. She said, “Everything’s fine now, Cathy. Honest. My real fear has been taken care of by the young man growing in my belly. The doctors didn’t think I had been permanently injured but where it comes to having children they can’t know for sure. Now I feel just great.”

Sam just shook his head. “Cath, remember this, will you? Remember who pushed to avoid an invasion of Russia to spare its people. A person who had been viciously tortured day after day for months. I supported her position, but didn’t realize the extent to which she could have — maybe should have — gone for personal revenge against the people who did this to her.”

With her eyes still closed Kelly said softly, “The Russian people didn’t do this, Sam. Some KGB goons did. As far as we can tell, they’re all dead. Besides, the Russian people suffered far more and for far longer than I did.”

Sam looked at his wife who smiled softly. “What can you do with a girl like this?” he asked rhetorically.” He turned to Mike who was now standing beside him. “By the way, what in hell is your wife doing with the officers’ wives down there at Meade?”

“Officers’ wives? I have no idea.” He winked at Adams and in a peremptory tone he said, “Kelly Jackson! The Chief of Staff wants to know what you’re doing with the officers’ wives at Meade.”

Kelly opened one eye and then the other. Finally, she sat up and flipped her hair back. She pretended to glare at Mike and said, “I give up. There’s obviously a plot to keep me from just sleeping in the sun.” She smiled warmly at Mike and said, “Why don’t you do something useful? Bring over those lawn chairs so you and Sam don’t have to keep standing there like a pair of grizzly bears with your hands on your hips.”

Mike smiled and brought over the chairs he and Sam had been sitting in. “And by the way, why do you two insist on persecuting defenseless women? Damn it, Callahan, I thought we settled this a few months ago. I outrank you! If you want to bully poor Major Adams here, there’s nothing I can do about it, but damn it, you can’t bully me! I’m your senior.”

Sam Adams grinned at her and said, “General Jackson, you wouldn’t be referring to the same Major Adams who keeps me awake every night? The Major Adams, because of whom I fall asleep in my own staff meetings? That Major Adams?”

“No, General. I mean the Major Adams who keeps you warm at night and who has just presented you with the most beautiful baby boy in the whole world.”

Cathy just ignored the byplay and sat down on Sam’s lap. She leaned back against him and he ran his fingers over her exposed skin. She said softly, “Sam, that feels so good. But could you keep your voice down a little please? I’m trying to go to sleep.”

Sam just leaned back in the lounge chair and Cathy fitted her body to his. He continued to run the tips of his fingers over her body and he could hear his wife make soft happy noises while her muscles reacted to his touch. He pulled his mind back, even while his fingers continued to work.

Sam said softly so as not to disturb Cathy, “Kelly, I’m hearing things about the War College Officers’ Wives Club. What in hell is going on?”

Before Kelly could speak, Cathy answered softly without opening her eyes, “It’s just Kelly and her coaching, dear. There’s nothing to worry about. Nothing can possibly happen except a few pregnancies and that’s not a disaster.”

Cathy lifted herself up and looked at Sam. “Do you feel abused, dear?”

Sam smiled dreamily and said, “Cathy, abuse like this I can take for the rest of my life ... and God knows, I hope I get it. But what’s that have to do with anything?”

“Honey, do you know Harry Collins? I think he’s a brigadier?”

“I guess so,” he replied. “But what does Harry have to do with anything?”

“He is married to Marian Collins who is president of the Officers’ Wives’ Club. I was speaking there the day our son arrived. Anyway, I hear Marian has lost nearly twenty pounds and appears to have lost nearly twenty years in age. Poor Harry! He’s having to spend a lot of time working out to keep in shape to stay up with his beautiful wife. It seems that Kelly has been talking to Marian and an increasing number of other wives. But you didn’t explain your question. Are you getting complaints?”

“Certainly not from the guys. But I am getting some complaints from other people. A couple of guys have just reported to their new commands after leaving the College. It seems there are pretty dramatic changes taking place at a few posts around the country and if this keeps up, it’s going to spread.”

Kelly was now flat on her back again with her eyes closed. She said softly, “Why don’t you boys go off and play or something? Then I can get rid of this dumb bra. And Sam, what’s going to spread?”