Chapter 6

When Kelly entered the bedroom that night she was back-lighted from the bathroom. There was only a small light on her night table. Mike was in bed lying on his back looking at her as she stopped and posed for him. Although he couldn’t see her face, he knew she was waiting for his reaction. “You’re beautiful, darling,” he said softly.

She padded over to the bed and stood beside it. Now her body was lighted by the soft light of the bed lamp. He ran his fingers over her body and saw her eyes close as her body shivered under his touch. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, Kelly started to giggle. “What’s so funny?” he asked.

“Honey, I hate to break the mood, but this is so funny. Have you really looked around this room? It’s a classic teenage girl’s room complete with the flowery bed spread and stuffed animals. It’s just so funny! And Mike, you don’t fit. I’m sorry. I guess I’ll have to kick you out. You clash with the room. You’re too big, too dark and much too masculine.”

Mike moved his hand to her buttock and gently squeezed. “That will ... do ... no...” With a grin, she jumped into the bed and into his arms. “Darling, I guess you’ll just have to clash. I can’t live without you!”

He ran his fingers slowly over her body and again could feel it shiver. His finger ran down to her slit and he could feel the moisture. He contacted her bare clit and she jumped. Then he asked her if she had told her mother about being circumcised and she said she hadn’t. Easing her body toward the center of the bed, she spread her legs. He easily entered her and heard her moan as her loins took on an independent life. Their lovemaking that night was very slow and tender.

Finally after a number of small climaxes, she came violently under him. Afterward, he lay with his arm around her holding her breast. She had formed her body to his and again started to giggle softly.

“What’s so funny now?” he whispered.

“Darling, I was just thinking how fast things change. The last time I slept in this bed I remember going to sleep, thinking about a date I had just had. I was wondering if I should let him kiss me goodnight. Now, I have a cunt that’s swimming in love juices, I’ve cum dozens of times...”

She turned her head towards his and smiled, “Will my date give me a goodnight kiss?” He leaned over and kissed her softly. She snuggled even closer and held his hand tightly over her breast. The last thing he heard was a very soft, “Good night, my darling. Thank you.”

The next morning Kelly found her mother in the kitchen. It was the cook’s day off. Barbara Jackson looked up at Kelly who was wearing a flannel bathrobe. She took her in her arms and kissed her. “Honey, you look wonderful. It was good last night, wasn’t it? I heard you screaming — and it wasn’t in pain.”

Kelly grinned, “I guess the word is ecstasy. God, it was good. But it’s always good with Mike. Mother, when I’m gone, could you redecorate my room?” She told her about thinking of a goodnight kiss.

Her mother grinned and said, “By the way, your noises reminded your father who has been keeping him warm at night. He was ... very affectionate. But we’re not nearly as noisy as you two. Of course, we’ve been at it longer.”

Barbara looked at her daughter and said, “I’ve been going through your social invitations. I called the sponsors this morning and you and Mike are registered for the Cotillion. Your father and I would like to have a party for you, as well. Would you like us to?”

She looked at her daughter fondly. “Honey, I haven’t had a chance to talk to you, but yesterday was the most remarkable day of my life. My little girl, not even out of high school, receives the Medal of Honor. Honey, you’ve experienced more in the last year than your friends will in their entire lives. I’m just concerned that you may laugh. You’re so far advanced it could seem like going back to kindergarten. Did you think about that?”

Kelly was looking at her mother carefully as Mike came into the kitchen wearing a pair of slacks and a sport shirt. He kissed Kelly and she put her arm around his waist. She told him what her mother had just said. “What do you think, honey? Will it be awful?”

Mike smiled and said, “I have a suggestion: I gather there is a series of parties in advance of the cotillion. Could we go to one and see how it goes? Mrs. Jackson, how soon would you have to decide on giving a party of your own?”

Barbara looked at Kelly and said, “I like Mike, honey. He has a head on his shoulders. It makes all kinds of sense. As a matter of fact, there’s a party tonight at the Plaza that I can get you an invitation to. Want to try?”

Mike looked at Kelly and said, “Honey, there’s one thing I know for sure. You haven’t been to a party in over a year. Let’s do it.”

Kelly smiled ruefully, “Mike, that isn’t quite true. I was the entertainment at a number of parties. The less said about what I was forced to do, the better. Suffice it to say, I’m an experienced stage stripper. That’s about all I care to say about it. Someday I’ll give you a personal demonstration. But as a guest, you’re right.”

She smiled warmly at Mike and added, “Darling, win, lose or draw, thank you for bringing me back to the human race. And thank you for last night. It almost makes what went before worthwhile.”

They sat down to a bountiful breakfast Barbara had prepared. Mike said, “Mrs. Jackson, you’re a superior cook. Incidentally, your daughter is one of the best camp cooks I’ve ever met.”

Kelly smiled at him warmly and thanked him. Then she turned to her mother. “Mom, I’m going to say something that sounds crazy, even to me. I guess I’m sort of glad this horror story happened. It’s not just that I met Mike — and I adore him. It’s ... Things mean more, now. You can’t understand how it felt last night to be in a warm bed with Mike just holding me. To be able to take a shower. To just talk.

“I’m going to be interested to see what happens, but I think I’ve really changed. I don’t think I’m a rich bitch anymore. But God, I sure used to be! Mike, I don’t think you would have liked me at all. As a matter of fact, that was probably my major problem. I don’t think I liked me very much, either.”

Both Barbara and Mike smiled at Kelly. Mike said, “Kelly, I can’t talk about the past, but I can talk about the present: You’re the best there is. By the way, is this cotillion we’re going to attend full dress? I was assuming it is, but I never asked.”

Barbara nodded and frowned, “I hope that’s not a problem for you, Mike?”

He smiled at her and said, “Do you mind if I call you Mom? I know it is rushing the season, but my parents are dead, and I don’t want to call you Barbara, and ‘Mrs. Jackson’ sounds so formal...”

“Why, Mike, I would be honored! Please do. But you didn’t answer my question about full dress.”

“Mom, it’s no problem. In fact, I would appreciate the opportunity. I’m from West Point. They like us career types to have a full assortment of regalia. I was smiling to myself because I’m a major now and I have had a summer dress uniform since I was commissioned as a second lieutenant. I dutifully spend a fortune changing the insignia when I’m promoted, but I don’t think I’ve ever worn the damned thing.”

He grinned at Kelly, “It’s my great opportunity at last. Thank you, dear.”

Then his face took on a cat-that-swallowed-the-canary look and he added, “However, there is an element of revenge. Female officers — Mom, a captain, although a low-life, is an officer — may wear evening wear instead of a full-dress uniform. However, they must wear senior medals.” He turned to Barbara and said, “And as the President said, the Medal of Honor is the most senior award there is. I think the future Mrs. Callahan will look beautiful with the Medal of Honor around her lovely neck. What do you think, Mom?”

“I agree, of course, Mike. I think she will look lovely. What about the other two?”

“Mom, in the army, the sequence is Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, and Bronze Star. Your daughter is the proud — embarrassed? — recipient of two of the top three. The other two are worn as miniature medals on her breast or just below. The Medal of Honor is always worn around the neck. I think it will be ... distinctive.”

Kelly had been watching the exchange with a series of emotions passing over her face. Finally she said, “Mike, are you really serious? I’m supposed to wear my medal?”

“No, darling,” he replied. “All of them. It happens that in your brief military career, you’ve picked up three senior awards in less time than a GI spends in basic training. By the way, speaking of basic training, we’ll be going down to Quantico in about six weeks. You go through the full course and I go through the refresher.” He grinned at her and added, “Kelly, you’re going to wish you’d stayed in Langenhagen where you were safe!”

Kelly just stuck out her tongue at him.

That evening Mike escorted Kelly to the Plaza. He was wearing a suit that Bob had arranged for at his tailor. Kelly and her mother had gone shopping and came back with a beautiful dress in blue that matched her eyes. Because the whip marks from the previous week still showed — it seemed years rather than less than a week — she made sure it was not backless.

They were standing at the entrance to the private room set aside for the party. Kelly stopped a few yards short of the door and gripped Mike’s hand. “Mike, I’m scared,” she said in a quavering voice. He stopped and looked at her. It was obvious that she was serious.

He took her aside and took her chin in his hand. “Kelly, you’re the most courageous person I’ve ever met. These are friends. No one’s going to shoot at you. Now will you give me a kiss?” He took her in his arms and kissed her softly.

She clung to him and then smiled. It was as if the sun had come out. The girl’s smile was brilliant. “Thank you, darling, for not laughing,” she said softly. “I think I’m so nervous because it’s so stupid. But Mike, please don’t leave me alone?”

He smiled at her warmly, kissed her again, and promised he would always be close.

They entered the room and were greeted by the hostess and her parents. The girl was one who Kelly knew only by sight. They had never been close but moved in the same general social circles. The girl asked Kelly what she had been doing, and Kelly responded that she had been in school. She introduced Mike as being from West Point. The girl asked him how many more years before he finished and he admitted to being a recent graduate.

Kelly became furious when she ordered a drink and the waiter asked for proof of age. Mike smothered a laugh as she gave the waiter a cold stare and said she wanted a Beefeater martini, very dry, on the rocks. The waiter relented when Mike showed him his ID giving his age as twenty-five.

As the waiter moved off, Mike whispered in Kelly’s ear, “That’s what I get for robbing the cradle.”

Kelly retaliated by stepping on his toe. She whispered, “The next time you say something stupid like that, I’ll use the heel of my shoe and break your damned toe!” He made peace by kissing her softly, as one of Kelly’s old male friends appeared.

“Kelly, do you remember me? Tom Peters?”

Kelly put out her hand and said, “Of course, Tom! I would like you to meet Mike Callahan, my escort for the evening.”

When she said ‘escort’, Mike casually stepped on her toe. He saw her wince and then wink at him and whisper, “Touché!”

Tom asked Kelly what she was doing. While her answer to the hosts — she had been in school — was misleading, they had decided to be honest about the present. “I’m in the army, Tom. I work with Mike. He’s my boss.”

She looked at Mike with love in her eyes that he could see. She moved her lips and formed the words, “and lover” without making a sound. Mike smiled, winked, and nodded in the slightest way. He was holding her hand and squeezed it and she squeezed back. Mike decided Kelly was, by a very wide margin, the most beautiful girl at the party. From the reaction of the other men — boys? — others shared his opinion.

They had a good time. At one point a boy started talking about the war in Germany. He stated that nothing could stop the Russian tanks. Apparently, he claimed, it was the sheerest luck that the Weser bridge collapsed. He maintained it wasn’t Allied action but was caused by too much weight on the bridge.

He asked Mike what he thought. “You’re at West Point, aren’t you? What are they saying up there?”