Chapter 17

06:15 Saturday, July 6th, 1991
Sonoma Valley Inn
550 W Second St, Sonoma, CA 95476

"Thanks, Chief," Sandy said as Ben climbed out of the car. After she handed the bags out to Ben, she followed him out, then both walked to the driver's window. Ben shook his hand. Sandy frowned when the Chief offered his hand. She leaned in and gave him a quick hug instead.

"Monday morning, then, at oh-six-hundred." The older man drove off.

"Breakfast first?" Sandy asked as they made their way into the building.

"Sure."

As they sat, eating cereal and buttering English muffins, Sandy let her mind drift, remembering the events of the previous day. She found her attention focused on the television news.

" ... And now the story we'd promised you. Yesterday evening, at Cappy's Liquors at San Leandro and Fifty-First Avenue down in Oakland's Elmhurst District, there was an unusual holdup attempt. Channel 10 obtained a copy of the surveillance video in the store ... Though the quality of the video is not good, you can clearly see in the video the armed robbery attempt. Now watch as the man with the gun backs towards the door ... what appears to be a college-age female knocks the would-be robber out cold. Now watch what happens to the other robber ... and the young lady and the man leave together. Making the story even more amazing is the man purchasing beer. You can see he bears an astonishing resemblance to local resident and LA Raiders defensive end Howard Short. The resemblance was close enough that the Oakland PD interviewed Mr. Short..."

The scene on the TV cut to the football player, in a tuxedo in a ballroom with crystal chandeliers. "No," he said with some annoyance, "I have no idea why someone else looks like me. It's not exactly something under my control."

The video returned to the newscaster, an earnest-appearing young woman in an attractive blouse and jacket. "Satisfied Mr. Short was not in Elmhurst last night, police still have not been able to find the two Good Samaritans. The two men injured in the robbery attempt are now being held in the Seventh Street Jail awaiting arraignment."

The camera panned back, and the newscaster turned to the man next to her at the desk. "Sounds like they're waiting for medical recovery, Janet. Quite a swing on that young lady. Turning now to the weekend's weather..."

Sandy tuned the man out. She turned to Ben, incredulity in her eyes. Ben looked as stunned as she felt. "Well," she said, "Now I know who the Gunny reminds me of."

Ben began to laugh, helplessly.

Sandy was doing all the talking, but the accusation in his parent's eyes was taking its toll on Ben. Dan and Kate had come into the restaurant for breakfast a few moments after the news for the next half hour started, and naturally asked where Lenore was. The fight developed within moments.

"Kate, Dan, Lenore's a big girl. So she stayed out all night? Ben lent her the truck. She's safe, she's where she wanted to be, she's with a friend. If she were at college and stayed out all night, you'd never have known." Sandy's voice had a hint of steel in it.

Kate sighed. "It's hard for me to think of it in those terms, Sandy. She's been living at home with us for a while, we feel protective. She's not really been into any kind of ... romantic situation for a long time. We're worried, that's all."

Sandy kept Kate engaged in a long look. Beside her, Ben glowered at his father, while the TV burbled, "And now, why you shouldn't mess with a redhead..." Sandy's mouth twitched. Kate's concern changed to puzzlement. Sandy kept her face smooth, and refused to look at the TV.

Ben stood suddenly, and strode out of the room. Sandy finished her orange juice. She gave the parents a small frown, then followed him.

Sandy laughed, while Ben flopped on the bed. "How long before they watch the local news?"

"They won't pay it any attention. I've never seen them watch the TV news at home."

"Thank Heaven for small favors," she quipped, then, with a strange look on her face, she asked Ben, "Do you think..."

"Aaaargh!" Ben groaned. "Yes, damn it, I do. And I think they probably enjoyed it, and God only knows how long I will have a Master Gunnery Sergeant for a sister's boyfriend. How will I ever explain it to my friends?" He delivered the last with a perfectly absurd mock-serious tone of voice. Sandy giggled uncontrollably.

As she caught her breath, she regarded him seriously. "Are you OK with it for real, Ben?"

"I guess, Sandy. I love her, and I want her to be happy. I just don't know if I should pray that it's a one-night stand or pray that it isn't." He gave her such an expression of bewilderment that her breath caught. "I thought I had it bad when I met you, but I thought for sure Lenore would take it slow ... it's been, what, five days?"

Sandy had to agree. "I'm really surprised too. And it's not like we know something happened between them..."

Ben said what she was thinking. "But after watching that news video..."

"Yeah," she said, and lay down next to him.

Stuck as they were in the hotel room, and being extremely unwilling to talk to Kate and Dan about borrowing the rental car, the two did what came naturally.

"Enough," Sandy gasped. "I'll be too sore tomorrow."

Ben stopped what he was doing. "Too sore to walk, or too sore to have sex?"

"Both..." Sandy wheezed, catching her breath.

"Damn," Ben breathed. "Okay..." and withdrew. Maybe she's right, I am getting sore, and my leg hurts a bit. Okay, more than a bit.

When he returned from the shower, Sandy had the television on to the Spanish-language channel. He raised an eyebrow, and she said, somewhat apologetically, "It was the one channel I was sure Lenore wouldn't be on."

Ben gave an amused snort of laughter, and nodded. He watched some silly Mexican game show while Sandy showered. When she came out, he watched her watch a daytime drama show.

At first, she wore a frown on her face while she concentrated on the language, but then she gradually smoothed her features. He occasionally saw her lips move. Enthralled, he watched in awe from the bed as Sandy caught the rhythm of the dialogue.

About an hour later, she laughed. "Oh, that's a good one," she said.

"What is?"

"The insults the women throw at the men. I think that one was 'Go roll with a pig.'"

"You're really something special Sandy. I don't know anyone who learns as fast as you."

Still concentrating on the show, she answered distractedly, "Maybe our children will inherit it."

Ben felt his heart leap into his throat. "Sandy..."

She looked up, at the wall over the television for a moment, while Ben held his breath.

Ben could only watch as she turned to him. "It's been just over sixty days, Ben. Did you know that? My life has changed so much in sixty days ... I can't believe it sometimes. And in those sixty days, we've found each other, and had so many experiences together."

Ben nodded, his mouth dry. "You mean so much to me, Ben. But we're going to spend more than sixty days apart, and I'm just so scared that we'll grow apart in sixty days ... That things will happen, that we'll be driven apart. You'll become an officer after becoming a Ranger, then going to University. I've got PLDC, and whatever is waiting for me at Huachuca. And it's hanging over us, for the rest of this leave, the next eighteen days."

"Well, you know what, mister? I've never been happier in my life. Your Mom told me that to keep you I need to make you as happy as I am."

"My Dad told me something pretty similar," he interjected.

She snorted. "I can imagine what Dan told you to do ... not that you'd mind, and he's about half-right. Ben, while we're apart, we're going to be tempted. There'll be other people. I want your word you'll come back to me, and you'll have mine I'll come back to you. I told you before you'll never lose me, and I meant it. I love you, Benjamin Samuel Collins, and I want you back when they're done keeping us apart."

Shaking inside, Ben felt he was about to do the most important thing he'd ever done in his life, more important than when he'd sworn to uphold the Constitution. "You won't lose me, you can't lose me. I love you Sandra Sparks, and I want you back when they're done keeping us apart."

A short while later, she rested on his chest. "Elizabeth."

"Huh?"

"My middle name. It's Elizabeth."

"We aren't going to lose each other, you know. Not now," he promised. "I love you way too much for that."

"Oh God, now I know it. Eighteen days from now won't be 'goodbye', it'll only be 'until later'."

"We're going to have to figure out how to calm my parents down about Lenore. You think telling them we're going to be okay will do it?" Ben waited until a commercial came on, while Sandy watched the Spanish-language afternoon television.

Sandy looked over at him, then back to the TV. "Nope," she said, succinctly.

He laughed. "You're becoming a soap-opera junkie, right before my eyes."

"No," she frowned. "These shows are kinda silly. Stuff like this doesn't happen to real people. Any story about my life would be dull reading."

"Oh, I don't know, Sandy." He waved towards the scar on his torso. "Some parts of it are pretty exciting. Look at who we have for friends..."

Sandy first heard the muffled argument through the wall. Digging Ben in the side – his good side – she cheerfully announced, "Lenore's back. You have about three minutes to get dressed, I think."

Ben turned a bleary eye toward her. "Ugh, I fell asleep. Is she alone?"

"No clue. Get dressed."