Chapter 13

We arrived at the Denton Airport Friday afternoon. Sue's mom and dad were waiting to pick us up. During the flight, Sue and I had discussed the acceptance of Lin into her family. She said not to worry, she had talked to everyone in the past and everyone was looking forward to seeing her. Sue had a way with people and especially our families. If she accepted something, everyone respected her opinions and accepted. I knew this because I valued everything she said.

Mom and dad came out to the plane to greet us. I knew they were anxious to help with the kids and to get a first look at Lin. Sue got out and hugged her parents and I followed.

"Hi mom, Hi dad! I said as I hugged her and shook his hand.

"Hi son, how was your flight?" dad asked.

"Great! We could not ask for better weather. How have you been?" I replied returning to the door of the plane to get the kids. I got Jay out and handed him to mom then picked Lin up and held her.

"Let me see her." Dad said reaching his arms out. I handed her to him.

"She is beautiful!" mom said looking at her.

"She is isn't she?" Sue replied. Dad did not say anything but the way he held her, I knew he would accept her. We loaded the luggage and drove to the house. As usual, the kids were waiting on the porch.

Mickey ran to me and jumped into my arms.

"Boy you must weigh two hundred pounds and have grown four feet since I last saw you! He just smiled and hugged me.

"I missed you!" He stated.

"I missed you too Mickey." I said putting him down as he ran to Sue and hugged her. By this time, everyone was around greeting us. JJ and Taylor were not home this weekend. We all went inside and sat at the dining room table. Sammy, Josh, Lisa and Joni had Lin in the den fussing over her along with Ray. Doug and Mickey were at the table with us. Genie was at work and would be home in an hour or so. We sat around and talked for a while. Dad seemed to be enjoying his last few months in the army before retiring.

After a while, I went onto the front porch to smoke. Ray and Doug followed me.

"How have you guys have been doing?" I asked.

"Fine! I am working on post with a civilian contractor as a Plumber." Ray answered.

"I'm still behind a desk working for Mutual Finance." Doug responded.

"Has anything changed on post?" I asked Ray.

"Nothings changed, but I heard they are not shipping as many men to Vietnam now. I think the war is about to wind down. Dad says we are losing over there."

"We are not losing, they just don't want to win outright. If they would go all out, we could win easily. The politicians are afraid to do that and I can't understand why." I explained.

"Money!" Doug stated.

"Yeah, that is it in a nut shell." I said agreeing.

"Jay, what happened to Lin's mother?" Ray asked.

"I'm not sure. They told me she died in a bombing or a mortar attack. I don't know any more than that."

"I bet you were shocked to find out about Lin, weren't you." Doug stated and laughed as he pushed me on the shoulder.

"More than I was with Jay." I said smiling back as we began laughing together. "You guys are not angels either."

"We are next to you!" Doug said laughing as Ray joined him.

"Ha! Ha! Very funny" I said pushing him on the shoulder.

"We're joking with you Jay! Don't take us serious." Doug said continuing to smile.

"You guys hurt my feelings."

"Bullshit! We know you better than that!" Ray stated. I smiled at him.

"Uh Oh! Her comes the devil!" Doug said as Genie pulled in the driveway. We laughed together as she got out of the car and walked toward us.

"What are you guys up too?" She said as she approached.

"Hi Genie!" I said standing up and hugging her.

"Hi Jay! Is Sue inside?"

"Yes, everyone is inside." I said as she continued walking in the house. She looked good but I was not going to tell her.

We stayed on the porch and joked for a while until Sue yelled for me to come in. She was on the phone with Bess discussing going out tonight.

"Bess and Jen want to know if we want to go out tonight."

"That's fine with me. Where do they want to go?" I asked.

"They want to go to the Straight Jacket."

"That's a good drive isn't it?"

"You have been there?" she asked.

"Yeah, a couple of times."

"Well, do you want to go there?"

"That's fine with me." I answered thinking it did not matter. She told them we would as they continued talking. I walked into the den where Genie was holding Lin.

"Jay, she is beautiful. But of course all of your kids are probably beautiful." She said not looking up at me. For a second I was angered but I held my composure. I leaned over to her ear and whispered.

"Kiss my ass!" She was not shocked by what I had said. Looking up at me, she wagged her finger indicating she wanted to say something. I leaned over to listen.

"Kiss Mine!" She said returning my smile.

"She is beautiful. Isn't she? I was going to ask you if you wanted to go to the Straight Jacket with us tonight but I don't think I want to be around you tonight." I smiled again and walked back onto the porch. I was alone until Sue came and joined me. She sat next to me wrapping her arms around mine and leaning her head on me.

"What do you want pretty girl?" I asked thinking she had something on her mind. I put my face in her hair. "You smell good."

"It has been a while since you have done that." She responded.

"If you showered more often!" I said jokingly.

"Genie asked if she could go with us tonight." She said waiting for me to give an answer.

"I don't think she needs to go."

"Is there a reason?"

"I always have a reason for what I say." I knew Genie went to Sue thinking she could talk me into it.

"Are you going to tell me why?"

"She said something to me I didn't like."

"What did she say?"

"She made the statement that Lin was beautiful but all my kids were probably beautiful. I told her to kiss my ass. I was going to invite her but changed my mind. I wasn't really going to but I used that to get back at her." I said explaining.

"You know how she is sometimes. Do not pay her any attention. I have been getting along with her lately. I want her to come so we can spend time together."

"Go out and have a good time then." I said. She sat quietly a few minutes then got up and walked back into the house. I did not really care if Genie went but I wanted to make a point. I knew she would apologize to me if she wanted to go and that was my objective, to make her beg. She would at least have to sound as though she was begging. Everyone let her get away with these things but I was determined not to. I waited on the porch because I new she would eventually come out to apologize.

Mickey came out and sat with me wanting to throw the football. We walked into the yard and began throwing.

"Are you going to play school ball when you get older." I asked.

"If mom and dad will let me!"

"I'm sure they will if you want to. You need to practice a lot so you will be good at it."

"I do practice all the time." We threw a few more times and Genie walked out onto the porch and sat watching us. She did not say anything but I knew she was waiting for me to come over so she could talk. I ignored her until she spoke up.

"Mickey! Throw it here! She said. Mickey threw it to her and she almost caught it but it bounced off her hand. She walked a few steps and picked it up. She tried throwing it to me but it fell a few feet short.

"You need to practice with Genie!" I said to Mickey. Genie walked over and stood next to me.

"That's enough right now Mickey! I need to talk to Jay!" She said looking at him.

"Keep throwing Mickey!" I said to keep control of the situation.

"Please Jay. I want to talk." She said with a submissive voice.

"OK Mickey. We'll throw later. He stopped almost ready to throw.

"Promise!"

"If we have time, OK." I said knowing we probably would not. He walked away throwing the ball up to himself.

"Are you still mad at me?" she asked.

"No."

"You act as though you are. You told me to kiss your ass. That sounds mad to me." She said. I acted as though I was not thinking about it but I was thinking about her. She had changed clothes and was wearing very short, shorts; with it looked like one of her brother's shirts. She tied it at the bottom just under her breast with the top three buttons undone revealing part of her. She had a very sexy look about her but I was not going to let her know I thought that.

"If you came out here just to ask if you could go with us. I don't think I want to be around you tonight." I stated.

"I'm sorry for what I said. It was thoughtless of me."

"Genie, I'm not like your family or friends. You know I have a very good sense of humor. If you had said that to be funny, I would have laughed. However, you said it to be an ass. I am not mad; I just am not going to put up with your spoiled rotten ass. If you came out to apologize just so you can go tonight but continue to be an ass tomorrow it won't work." I said as I began walking slowly down the sidewalk. She stood still thinking I would stop but I continued.

"Wait a minute!" she said jogging to catch up. I felt at this time I had control of her. She was being very apologetic. "Jay, I am really sorry. Not just for tonight but I want us to be good friends. I don't know why I say some of the things I do." She explained.

"I do!" I said.

"Then tell me."

"First of all you have gotten away with these things all your life and no one ever stood up to you. Your family is that way because they are your family and they have to."

"Go on!"

"Your friends let you get away with it because they accept that it is the way you are and they just want to be friends. Although they wish you would not be that way. Guys are a different story."

"What is so different about them?" She asked as she put her arm around mine as we continued walking.

"With guys it is different because they don't look at you the same way as everyone else. First, you know you can twist men around your little finger by your sheer beauty. You are very intelligent which is also intimidating to them. But I am walking here with you, your arm around mine, letting you think that by doing that you are going to make me melt as the others do. But I am letting you do it because I want you to think that."

"Are you reading my mind?" She asked.

"No I am reading your heart. Which is much easier." She continued holding my arm.

"There is another reason for me holding your arm." She said looking into my eyes.

"I know!" I responded.

"What is it smarty? If you know, tell me."

"You know I know what it is. I do not have to say it. But even if you don't understand all the reasons, I do." I said enticing her to ask. I thought about the letter that I had read when Sue wrote she would do anything to take me away from her.

"Tell me!"

"No, you tell me. If you have something in your heart, you want to say. Be honest with yourself and say it. I promise I won't embarrass you."

"OK then, I want to be with you. I care about you. I have every since you came back from Vietnam." She said turning loose of my arm.

"Do you want to know the other half?" I asked.

"Yes!" She answered.

"You want to be with me because Sue has me. I will always love Sue more than anything. I will tell you what is in my heart. I want to be with you too but I could never love you as I do her. We could only be something in passing. Do you understand what I am saying?" I asked.

"Yes, but I still want to be with you." She said putting her hand to my cheek. We had walked far enough from the house that being seen did not worry me.

"We understand that this could never lead into something serious, don't we." I said so that she would know exactly how I felt.

"Yes, I know." She answered.

I turned us around and began walking back toward the house. We did not say anything for a ways. I knew she was thinking the same as I. Debating whether we should attempt anything. We knew if caught, that would be the end of me, and they as sisters. I was in another one of my moods that caused me to take chances, not caring now what the consequences could be. We reached the driveway and turned in.

"When everyone is asleep tonight, will you come to me? I will leave my door unlocked." She asked.

"I want to but I will have to wait and see what the situation is at that time." I said with uncertainty. "By the way, you look very sexy."

"I wore these to seduce you." She said cocking her eyes at me.

"I thought that much!"

"It worked didn't it. She said with a grin.

"Not yet!

"You still can't go with us tonight!"

"Why?" She asked jerking her head toward me.

"Just Kidding!" I said smiling. We went into the house and acted normal. I asked where Sue was and Lisa said she was in her room. I went upstairs and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"

"Jay!" I answered. Unlocking the door, she was wearing only her panties and was holding a blouse covering her breast. She turned to walk to the bathroom as I took her arm and stopped her. She turned facing me. I took the blouse from her and dropped it on the floor. I looked over her body as she stood still and let me. I knelt down on my knees and slid her panties down her legs. I realized that the last couple of months I had taken her for granted. Suddenly I noticed again, how beautiful her body is. I put my mouth to her stomach and began kissing her. Kneeling down with me on our knees we kissed. She unbuttoned my shirt and helped me removed it. Then she began unbuckling my belt and undoing my pants. After they were loose, I pulled them down and stood up to remove them all the way. She was fondling me. I knelt down with her on the carpet and we were face to face.

"I love looking at you." I said sliding my hands over her body onto her breast. They felt so firm. I thought. I continued to feel of her body as she looked into my eyes. I put my palms to her face and pulled her to mine kissing her and laying her back until we were lying on the carpet. I put my mouth on her breast and began sucking and licking them. Moving my tongue down her body, I put my mouth between her legs and began licking her. She spread her legs allowing me in. For several minutes, I remained in that position until I moved my tongue down licking her thighs down to her feet. I put her toes in my mouth and began sucking them and licking around her feet. Moving from one foot to another, I began moving up her body until I had my mouth on her breast sucking and moving my tongue around them. I rolled her onto her stomach and began caressing her with my hands until I had felt all of her. She had a beautiful body and all of her curves were perfect.

I moved my hand inside her thighs caressing her at the same time sliding my tongue around her lower back and onto the cheeks of her butt. I began biting her lightly on the cheeks until she spread her legs allowing my fingers easy entry. Positioning her arms underneath her body, she raised her butt up suggesting to me. I positioned myself behind her and put myself into her. I began pushing hard as she grunted with every push. As I came in her, I grabbed her waist and rolled on my side holding her until I was empty and exhausted. She turned her body facing me as we wrapped our arms around one another in silence. We lay a few minutes knowing we needed to get dressed.

"I have missed that lately! She stated looking at me with a beautiful and innocent look to her face.

"I had almost forgotten how good it is with you. Making love to you is the most wonderful thing in the world. Not just the sex but loving you and you loving me." I said not wanting to get up.

I tried not to think about tonight, going to Genie's room while I was lying with Sue. Why did I even consider doing it? I love Sue so much and she does not deserve it. Is there something wrong with me? I could end up throwing everything away over a sexual fantasy. I think it is the idea of having sex with beautiful women.

"We need to get dressed. It is almost seven. Bess and Jennifer should be here soon." She said patting my shoulder. I got up and went across the hall to take a shower as she followed me. We washed each other for fun, enjoying the time together.

After showering, Sue dried her hair and went back to the bedroom as I shaved. While I was still in the bathroom, I heard Jen and Bess knock on the bedroom door and enter. A few minutes later when I had finished, putting my pants on, I went to the bedroom to finish dressing. When I entered, we greeted each other with a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Are you two beautiful ladies still on the market?" I asked being funny.

"Depends on who is shopping!" Jen said looking at Bess as they laughed together.

"Sue, when we go out tonight I am going to find these old biddies each a man to marry." I said smiling at them.

"Did you decide about Genie? Is she going?" Sue asked.

"She apologized so I told her she could go."

"You got Genie to apologize. For what?" Bess asked.

"She told him that Lin was beautiful and probably all of his other kids were beautiful. Suggesting he had more than Jay and Lin." Sue explained.

"Damn! That girl has nerve. What I want to know is how you got her to apologize. I have never heard her do that before." Jen stated.

"It was easy. I told her that if she ever said anything like that again I would sneak up behind her and slit her throat." I said with a serious look. They looked at me a second in shock.

"Just kidding!" I said as we all laughed. I sat on the edge of the bed putting my socks and shoes on looking up at them smiling.

"I'm ready to go are you?" Sue said.

I'll be down in a few minutes." I said not having a shirt on. I opened my suitcase looking for a t-shirt and noticed the letters I had packed. I pulled one out and read.

February 18, 1970, 3:15 am.

My Love,

I fell asleep just after supper because I have not been sleeping well. Our son was dancing inside of me a little while ago and awoke me. Since I was up, I wanted to write and tell you how much Little Jay and I love and miss you. I am sorry I waited until last month to tell you about Jay. Maybe if I had said something before you left it would have made a difference in the way you thought. I may never know. Sometimes I think we may never see you again and that is almost too much to bear.

Am I wrong for not telling you about Jay? Will I hate myself forever if something were to happen to you, knowing I kept it from you? Would it have made a difference? Will life be cruel to me because of that? The guilt I feel now is overwhelming but I did not want to alter your convictions, "I love you that much".

Even though I carry the hope of seeing you again, I understand reality only too well. I know the possibility exist that you may not come back. Even so, you are the dearest thing to my heart and I need you here with me. Please come home to me. Jay will need you to teach him about life. He will need you to love and care for him with me by your side. I need you because I feel so lonely without you. I need you to put your face in my hair and tell me how wonderful I smell. I need you to tell me that you love me in that soft special way that you do. I want you to touch me in a way that only you can.

I feel better now that I have said these things to you. I have only two more months of carrying a part of you inside me. You are closer to me than you realize.

I know I can fall asleep again now. Kiss me in your dreams.

Your faithful love, Sue

We got in the car and drove to the Straight Jacket, which took us thirty-five minutes. While driving I thought about Joanna, the girl I had met while stationed here. I wonder what David and James are doing now. Did David marry Lynn or James marry Joanna? I know they were hooked on them. I laughed thinking about how much fun I had with them, David and James that is. It was a crazy time for me.

Pulling in the parking lot, we could hear the loud music.

"There is suppose to be a live band tonight. Some group called the Royals." Bess said.

"That means there will be seven dollar cover charge." Jen replied.

"I would rather see a live band." Genie stated. As we entered, the music sounded better. Through the night, the band played a variety of songs with many of my favorites. The band was good too. We got a table near the center with three chairs. Bess, Sue and Genie sat as Jen and I waited for chairs at the bar. We wasted no time in having fun.

"Do you want to dance?" I asked Jen.

"Yes!" she replied. We danced a couple of songs until Bess waved to us pointing that there were chairs for us so we went and sat with them. We were almost yelling to each other to hear what the other was saying because it was loud.

The first slow song that we heard, I asked Sue to dance. I loved slow dancing with her. There was something so romantic about slow dancing with her it was irresistible to me. While we were dancing, it seemed as though I was falling in love with her for the first time.

"I love you so much." I said with my mouth close to her ear.

"I love you too. I wish we could dance like this all night long." She replied. After that song and part of the next, we continued in each other's arms. Finally, as we sat down, Jen said.

"I don't know if you two knew it but that last song wasn't a slow one." Sue and I looked at each other and smiled. Genie and Bess were dancing with two people. Jen and I danced a couple of songs again. As I looked over Sue was dancing with someone I did not know. I immediately became angry. I never minded if she danced with someone I knew but I had told her I did not like her dancing with a stranger. After the song, Jen went back to the table and I went to the bar and sat as I drank a beer. I was pissed at Sue and I suppose I was sulking but at this time, it did not matter. I could feel myself going into a mood.

The person I was sitting next to began talking. I was glad to have someone to talk to and get my mind off Sue for the moment. We discovered that we were in Vietnam at the same time but in different places. I did not look back at the table where they were sitting out of spite. She would probably be looking at me wondering why I was not sitting with them. I wanted her to realize that I was pissed without telling her. Sam the person I was sitting with and I had talked through several songs discussing our tours in Vietnam. We were laughing at some of the things that happened to us during that time when Genie interrupted.

"Do you want to dance?" She asked putting her hand on my knee as I sat on the barstool. Sam looked at her then me as I hesitated answering. I could see the expression on his face. He could not understand why I did not say, "yes" immediately. As always Genie looked beautiful. She wore a loose white silky blouse opened at the top revealing a lot with black pants that were very tight. Her long blond hair was flowing down the sides of her face over her shoulders making her picture perfect.

"Sure! I said stepping down from the stool. "Genie, this is Sam. Sam this is Genie." I said introducing them. They said hi and we went to the dance floor. We danced to fast songs as I waited for a slow one. They began playing a slow one. We got close, she put both arms over my shoulder, and I put mine around her waist. I could feel it coming. I was in that mood again not caring about what Sue or anyone was thinking. She put her cheek to mine, as I could smell her hair and perfume.

"You smell good."

"Thank you. Are you coming to my room tonight?" she asked softly in my ear teasing me.

"Yes, unless Sue stays awake all night." I replied.

"Your angry with her aren't you. She told me you were. One of her old classmates asked her to dance and she thought you would not mind. She wants to explain to you but she is afraid to say anything right now because you are angry. She says that you say things sometimes when you are angry." She explained.

"You mean like Fuck Her! I blurted out.

"Yes, or something like that."

"If we are going to talk of her then I need to go back to the bar." I said angrily.

"OK, Let's change the subject." She responded.

"You look beautiful tonight. I want to kiss you." I said.

"We can do a lot of kissing tonight." She said.

"Are you trying to arouse me?" I asked.

"Maybe." she said as the song ended.

"I'm going back to the bar. Do you want to join me? Sam might ask you to dance." I stated.

"I better check him out first." She replied. We walked to the bar as I helped her onto the stool. I told Sam she was my sister in Law. I stood between the two of them listening to Sam try to make conversation with her. I knew he was about to ask her to dance so I said I needed to go to the restroom.

I turned to look as I entered the restroom and they were walking to the dance floor. I hoped that would make things look less conspicuous between Genie and I. As I came out of the restroom Sue was waiting for me.

"I'm sorry Jay. I thought about it after it happened but I hoped you would not be angry. He was an old friend of David's and mine from high school I hadn't seen in a long time." She explained.

"You knew how I felt. You could have at least introduced us then it would have been OK with me. Sue, I do not want to talk to you right this moment. We better drop it for now." I said. I might say something ugly while I was in this mood. I went back to the bar. Sam and Genie were still dancing.

While drinking, I compared Genie to Cathy, the girl I had known when I was first stationed here, and in certain ways, hoping Genie was not as bold as Cathy was. I new it was best to give Genie a little latitude to go and come as she pleased. I would even encourage it so she would not think I was trying to dominate her.

"Is anyone sitting here?"

"No, your welcome to sit." I said looking at a beautiful brown-haired woman.

"I'm Carlie."

"I'm Jay! How are you tonight?" I asked.

"Great, I noticed you from over there and it looks as though you are having a nice time tonight."

"I usually do when I go out." I replied.

"I came with my girlfriend tonight. She told me the band was good and I think they are." She explained.

"Me too! Better than I expected.

"Are you with anyone tonight?" she asked.

"Well, yes and no. My wife and her friends but I am angry with her at this moment."

"Should I leave you alone?"

"No! I need a little company right now, although she may get a little jealous of me talking to you. Do you mind?" I asked.

"It doesn't bother me if it doesn't you. Which one is your wife? I saw you dancing with three."

"The second."

"She is very beautiful. Aren't you afraid to leave her alone with all these guys around here?"

"At this moment it doesn't matter to me."

"To change the subject, why are you not with someone tonight? Is your husband or boyfriend not careless to let you out alone tonight? I asked smiling.

"My husband and I split up three weeks ago. He went back to Florida where he is from."

"Looking at you I think he is very stupid! I can tell it wasn't your fault."

"What do you mean?" she asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"Just talking to you this short time, I know it wasn't your fault!" I said.

"We met and married while he was stationed here. After he got out things were good until he started getting letters from his old girlfriend. He then just up and left one morning saying he was leaving me and moving back to Florida."

"See, I knew it wasn't you." I said.

"That's amazing! How did you know, really?"

"I just knew." I said.

"I'm looking at you too and wondering whose fault is it with you and your wife?" she asked.

"Probably mine. But that is why I am sitting with you so I don't have to think about it."

"Sorry! Do you want to dance?" She said to change the subject.

"Will you give me a minute to think about it? I am very vulnerable right now." I said smiling. "I want to but I don't know if I should with her sitting over there." I explained.

"Do you want to go dancing another night?"

"I would if we were with one another. However, I am only here for the weekend. I am going back to Memphis Sunday."

"Are you leaving your wife too?"

"No, we are visiting her family."

"Gee! Too bad!" she said.

"You have my sense of humor. I think I'm going to take you home with me tonight." I said as we laughed.

"327-8376, or remember the word, Eastern. If you are around tomorrow or come into town soon, give me a call."

"I fly all over, I might be coming this way sooner than you think."

"Oh yeah, what do you do for a living?"

"I am a pilot."