Uncle Sarge

by Bonnie Gardner

  Now, if he could just stop thinking about Jennifer and get to sleep.

  THE ANSWERING MACHINE was blinking frantically, and the phone was ringing when Jennifer finally got home. She’d stopped off at the store to get a few things she thought she’d need for the next day that she hadn’t remembered to tell Rich about. Sherry had reminded her of them during their brief chat on the phone.

  Hoping there wasn’t another crisis with Caitlyn, she set her bag down and reached for the shrilling phone. She didn’t need to be called back to Rich’s apartment. She had to spend the rest of the evening finishing up the work she should have done this afternoon.

  The answering machine clicked on before she picked up the receiver, and she had to fiddle with the buttons to get it to shut off. Breathlessly, she spoke. “Is Caitlyn all right?”

  “I’m sure Caitlyn is fine. It’s me,” an unexpected voice answered. Nick.

  Jennifer’s muscles went limp with relief, and she sagged against the sofa. Then she drew in a quick breath. What if something had gone wrong with Beverly’s delivery? She had gone into labor almost a month early. She sank onto the cushions and listened to the news. “Nicole Marie? It’s a beautiful name. When can I see her?”

  Jennifer listened as Nick described his new daughter, and was relieved to discover the newborn was healthy. “Well, I’m afraid I’ll be tied up with Rich’s niece and nephew all day tomorrow, but I’ll try to come by tomorrow night. I can’t wait to see both of them.” She hung up and leaned back against the cushions. “My friend Beverly is a mother,” she whispered in awe.

  A strong sense of longing settled over her. She hadn’t even seen the baby, and already she knew she wanted one of her own.

  “I SHOULD’VE paid the extra bucks for the unit with the washer and dryer inside,” Rich muttered as he stepped around the pile of soiled sheets in the kitchen. Most of the time using the coin-operated washers in the complex’s laundry room wasn’t a big deal, but when you had two little kids you couldn’t leave alone and you couldn’t take with you, it was a big problem.

  He’d definitely have to figure out how to get some washing done tonight.

  At least, he’d been able to sleep. Most of the night.

  Caitlyn had slept right through, and Carter had only wakened once. And all Rich had done was rub some of that tooth stuff on his gums, and he’d settled right down. If only he’d had that stuff the night before.

  Rich grinned. He’d discovered something else last night when he’d been learning about the miracle of teething ointment. As he’d massaged the baby’s lower gums, he’d felt something sharp. Closer inspection had shown the snag to be a tooth. Carter had cut his first tooth. And he’d been the one to find it. Him. Uncle Sarge.

  It was enough to make a guy feel ten feet tall. No wonder Nick had sounded so happy last night.

  One of these days he—Rich stopped himself. Had he actually been thinking about being a father himself? Not that long ago, he hadn’t been able to think of himself as a responsible adult, much less a father. Or a husband.

  He wondered what had precipitated the change.

  Someone knocked gently on the door, and Rich had no more time for self-analysis.

  He yanked open the door. “Hi,” he said.

  Jennifer, dressed in another one of those prim, schoolteacher dresses, brushed past him. Even in that virginal outfit, she still made his blood heat and his groin tighten. Rich took a deep breath and caught the scent of her slightly floral perfume. Not the best way to keep from thinking about what he shouldn’t be thinking.

  She was carrying a large paper sack and, what he presumed was, the laptop computer she’d mentioned last night. She set her burdens on the table and turned to face him. “How did the kids sleep?” She paused. “More important, how did you?”

  Rich managed a lopsided smile. Jennifer might have asked about the kids first, but her concern for him touched him. How long had it been since anyone had actually cared?

  “We made it through. Carter woke once, but I put some tooth goop on his gums, and he went right back to sleep. Caitlyn hasn’t budged since I put her down.” He grinned. “I went in to check on her a couple of times to make sure she was breathing. Silly, huh?”

  “Not so silly. Human, maybe. So you think you’ll survive?” Jennifer smiled, but it turned into a yawn she couldn’t quite disguise.

  “Ready for whatever,” he said, spreading his arms in an expansive gesture. He just hoped that whatever would hold off until things settled down to a little more like normal.

  “Guess what?” he added, suddenly remembering.

  “I can’t imagine,” Jennifer said dryly as she started removing things from the bag.

  “Carter has a tooth. Lower right. Sharp little sucker.” He grinned.

  “Well, Uncle Rich. You must be very proud.” Jennifer started to reach for him, but stopped, and pulled her hand back.

  After last night’s explosive kiss, she must be a little leery, Rich supposed. “Yeah, I am,” he said. “You’d think I had something to do with it.”

  Jennifer smiled a half smile that made him think that she was looking at something far away.

  “Well. I gotta go.” He picked up his gym bag and started for the door. Then he stopped. “Do you think you can hang around tonight?”

  Jennifer stopped unpacking the groceries. Her hand was half in, half out of the sack, and she looked at him. Was he asking her for a date?

  She shook her head slightly, more for herself than for Rich’s benefit. “Why?”

  “I’ve got to be able to get some of this dirty stuff into the wash,” he said, then heaved a heavy sigh. “I never realized what logistics were involved in doing simple things like a load of wash when you have kids to take care of.” Rich paused. “I’ll stop for pizza?” he said looking hopeful, the statement more of a question than anything. “That way we can eat while the stuff is chugging away.”

  “You don’t have to bribe me with pizza,” Jennifer said, smiling. “But, I have to admit it’s a tempting offer. Pizza is one thing that just isn’t much fun for one. Sure, I’ll stay.”

  How long could it take to do a couple of loads of laundry? Two hours? A two-hour fix for her Rich addiction. And if she could get the kids settled, with the pizza, it would seem almost like a date.

  Reality returned and Jennifer shrugged away her silly thoughts. All Rich wanted her here for was to help with the kids.

  “Go on, Sergeant Larsen. You’ll be late for PT. I’ve got things under control, and I’ll have everything sorted and ready to go to the laundry room by the time you get home.”

  Rich offered a quick salute, of appreciation, Jennifer supposed, then he hurried out.

  She could do this, Jennifer told herself as she listened to the sound of Rich’s footsteps hurrying down the stairs. Watching these two kids was child’s play. She’d help Rich out, get a little work done for Al and have everything ready to go so she wouldn’t have to stay in Rich’s distracting presence longer than she had to.

  Yeah, she could do this. No sweat.

  Chapter Eleven

  Compared to Wednesday, work on Thursday had hummed along like a fine-tuned machine. Rich looked around his work area with satisfaction. He was ready to go. Early, he figured since he hadn’t heard “Retreat” yet from the speaker outside. He glanced at his watch. Anytime now.

  Just a minute or so to go, and he was off the clock.

  Considering his day yesterday, he probably could be excused for leaving early, but he wouldn’t do that. He owed Uncle Sam a full day every day, and he would give it. A few minutes wouldn’t make that much difference in the long run.

  Finally the sound of the bugle, muffled by the walls, wafted into the room. Rich came to attention. Even though he wasn’t present at the flag-lowering ceremony, he always gave it the respect that was due.

  It was a simple thing, but important.

  The air force had been his family for ten years, the only thing he’d felt like he belon
ged to until he’d found Sherry again, and found her family, and found Jennifer. He would treat the flag with every respect.

  The country it represented had treated him well.

  As the last sustained note drifted away, Rich drew a deep breath and reached for the phone.

  A heavy hand fell on his shoulder, and Rich looked up to see Captain Thibodeaux at his elbow. “Yes, sir?” he said, hoping the C.O.’s appearance didn’t signal extra duty.

  He had something to go home for. Someone to go home to. He didn’t want to hang around here.

  “I just wanted to commend you for putting in your time in spite of Beverly Wilson’s unexpected delivery. You know, if you need to take the time off, it’s no problem.” The captain smiled, and Rich believed him.

  But he shook his head. “It’s okay, Cap’n,” he said. “I’ve got it covered. One of Beverly’s friends stepped in. Jennifer Bishop.”

  “Nice lady. Her ex was a good combat controller, but he—” Thibodeaux stopped.

  Rich hadn’t known that Jennifer had been married to another combat control operator. Hell, he hadn’t even known she’d been married before. The fact that her ex had been in the squadron explained a lot, like how she happened to know Beverly and Nick. And, it explained why Jennifer seemed to keep pushing him away in spite of the sparks that had been flying between them. A relationship with a special tactics combat control operator was especially hard on a woman. Or so he’d heard.

  “Yeah, she is,” Rich said, meaning it. “If you don’t have anything pressing for me to do, I’d like to get on, sir. I promised Jennifer I’d get home in time for her to go and see Beverly and the baby.”

  He didn’t mention the piles of laundry he had to do. He figured the captain had enough on his mind not to be bothered with all sorts of domestic stuff. He had a wife and kid. He knew the score.

  “Go on, then,” the captain said. “And don’t hesitate to ask for more time or help if you need it. The military family pulls together.”

  “Yes, sir,” Rich said. He’d been dismissed, and considering what he and Thibodeaux had just discussed, he figured he’d best go. He didn’t want to give the impression that he was avoiding his responsibilities.

  He could pick up the pizza on the way.

  WHAT HAD MADE her think that today would be a snap, Jennifer didn’t know. But, she had obviously been badly mistaken. And it didn’t help that she’d not slept well.

  She hadn’t had anyone to keep her awake as Rich had the night before, but her dreams had been restless and all about Rich. She’d wakened far too early to feel refreshed, and now her early morning was beginning to catch up with her.

  Jennifer yawned and pushed herself up from the couch where she’d sunk after the last battle with Caitlyn. Why she’d expected the child to be a model patient, she didn’t know, but Caitlyn had been irritable and cross. Between trying to keep her happy and Carter entertained and dry, Jennifer had had her hands full all day.

  And what a long day it had been. She’d stayed up late finishing the computer search she’d been supposed to do in the office, and then she’d had a hard time sleeping. Her mind had raced a mile a minute thinking about Beverly and the new baby, and Rich, and…Dreams were one thing. She was living in the real world.

  Jennifer’s fatigue this afternoon gave her some sense of how Rich must have felt last night when he’d stumbled in so late and she’d so unfairly accused him of stopping off at the Club to drink before coming home. She supposed she owed him an apology, but she wouldn’t bring it up if he didn’t. It was embarrassing enough to think about.

  “PIZZA MAN IS HERE,” Rich announced, grinning at Jennifer who was sitting in the middle of piles of clothing on the living room sofa.

  Jennifer jerked to attention, her expression confused. She looked at him as if she hadn’t quite figured out who he was and how he’d gotten there.

  “Jennifer, you all right?”

  She shook her head as if trying to clear it of cobwebs. “Yeah,” she said slowly. “Weird. Did I nod off?”

  Rich shrugged. “Beats me. Did the kids wear you out?”

  Jennifer still seemed befuddled, and Rich had a flash of how she would look as she woke up in the morning, all sleepy-eyed and drowsy. He felt a tightening in his groin, but he forced the thought away.

  “No, they were fine. I just…I stayed up too late last night, and now it’s catching up with me.” She managed a wan smile. “I don’t function so well when my schedule is changed.”

  “Been there, done that,” Rich said wryly. Just the day before. And he had been trained to respond at a moment’s notice. Just not to teething infants. He looked around. “Where are the kids?”

  Jennifer smiled wearily. “Both in bed, and I think they’re out for the night. Caitlyn’s feeling better, she ate soup for dinner, but she was tired and ready for bed when I tucked Carter in.”

  Rich raised a silent cheer. He’d have a few minutes alone with Jennifer before they got down to the real reason he’d bribed her with pizza. He’d even picked up a bottle of wine. He placed the box and the wine on the table.

  “Nick stopped by the squadron today and brought these.” Rich pulled out a couple of pink bubble gum, new-father cigars. “Showed us some Polaroids, too.”

  That got Jennifer’s attention. “Aw, I wish I could have seen them.”

  Rich shrugged. “It looked like any other baby. To me they all look like Yoda.” He patted the pizza box and pulled out a chair. “But as soon as you eat you can go see her in person and come to your own conclusion.”

  Jennifer went into the kitchen and returned with plates and glasses for the wine. “I’m sure she doesn’t look like Yoda,” she said as she set the plates on the table. “I doubt her ears are quite that pointed,” she added dryly.

  Rich shrugged. “Couldn’t prove it by me.” At the sight of Jennifer’s censuring frown, he shrugged and added, “It could’ve been a bad picture.”

  SINCE JENNIFER was going to the hospital shortly, she only sipped a little of the wine, but she enjoyed sharing the pizza with Rich. She sat across from him at the tiny kitchen table, and they chatted about things of little consequence, but she could see that Rich had something on his mind. Maybe, she should have left it at that, but he seemed troubled by something and maybe she could help.

  “Something bothering you? Is it the kids?”

  Rich looked up, startled. “What makes you think that?”

  “I don’t know,” Jennifer shrugged. “Nothing. Everything. I’ve gotten to know you in the last few days and you seem more, I don’t know, introspective? What is it? Can I help?”

  Rich drew in a deep breath. “The captain wasn’t gossiping or anything, but he let slip today that you had been married to a combat controller. I never knew Duke Bishop, but I hear he was a damned good operator.”

  “Oh, he was an operator, all right. He lived for it. It was when things were slow that he couldn’t stand it. He wasn’t satisfied to be at home with me.” Jennifer couldn’t believe she was telling him this, but she had gone this far, she might as well finish. “He loved the ops, he loved the excitement, but he couldn’t stand it when things settled down after an exercise or an operation. Pretty soon he’d be pacing around like a caged lion and he had to go out and let off steam.

  “He started skydiving on the weekends, and that seemed to help for a while. Then it wasn’t enough. He’d go out drinking with skydiving buddies, and that wasn’t enough.” She twisted her paper napkin into a tight roll. “Soon, he was staying out all night. Still, he was okay with me. When things were good, they were great. Then he started coming home smelling like women and cheap perfume. I tried to ignore it, but one day I found lipstick on his T-shirt.” She shrugged. “That was it.”

  Rich sucked in a deep breath and bit back a curse. He needed to let her finish. He wanted to kill the man for hurting her. No, he wanted to make her forget all about that SOB who was too stupid to know what he’d turned his back on.

  “He
almost seemed relieved when I told him to get out.” Jennifer looked off, her eyes looking into the past.

  “Funny,” she said, shaking her head almost in disbelief. She began to nervously twist her napkin, alternately winding and unwinding it. “I had such a crush on him in high school, but he never gave me the time of day. We had a class together, but he was a few years older than me and I wasn’t worth his time then. He joined the air force right out of high school, so I didn’t see him for a couple of years.” She smiled sadly.

  “Then he came back for homecoming all dressed up in his uniform with his medals and ribbons and red beret looking like the conquering hero. He swept me off my feet.” She laughed humorlessly. “Apparently, I was easily impressed, but I was seventeen going on eighteen, and I thought I was in love. I could hardly wait till I graduated and we could be married. If I only—”

  Rich swallowed and moistened his lips. “I wish I could say something that would make it better, but dammit, I don’t want to say anything that might justify what Bishop did.” He reached for her hand and the tattered napkin, but Jennifer drew back and straightened in her chair, suddenly alert.

  “Oh, no!” she said, switching gears. She looked down at the shredded remains of her napkin as if she’d never seen it before, then looked up at Rich. “We didn’t do the laundry.”

  “That’s okay,” Rich said. “I can do it later.”

  “No. I have to go. You won’t have anybody here to watch the kids.”

  “Damn,” Rich muttered. “I keep forgetting.” He thought a minute. “Look. I can go down to the laundry room and get it started, then you can go to the hospital while it’s washing.

  “I know you’d probably rather not have to come back, but I’m desperate. In spite of all those clothes Rebecca packed, pretty soon the kids will be down to nothing.”

  Jennifer grinned, and patted Rich on the cheek, then she pulled her hand back quickly at the disconcerting jolt of electricity that seemed to arc from his skin to her fingers. She closed her hand, and rested it in her lap. “Poor things will have to sit around the house wearing barrels,” she joked to cover her reaction. She blew a strand of hair away from her face. “Okay. You go run and get things started, and I’ll get this mess cleaned up.”