If I Fell

I knew things would be finished soon, so I slipped into Sarah's office. I had decided to surprise her with the earrings and then take her to a neighbor's party after dinner, where she could show them off to her friends.

I had been waiting for Sarah for fifteen minutes when I decided to use her bathroom while I waited. I had just finished washing my hands when I heard her office door close. I felt my big smile evaporate when I realized a masculine voice was speaking. I hadn't closed the bathroom door completely and the conversation was easily followed.

"Sarah, I know I keep saying it, but you look fantastic! Just being near you drives me crazy. You're still the most beautiful woman I've ever made love to."

My gut twisted around and I felt the sweat bead on my forehead. I felt weak and had to lean on the sink to stabilize myself.

"That's very flattering, Colonel, but I have to ask you to please not speak to me like that. I'm quite happily married now and don't want to give you the wrong impression," replied Sarah. "That was over twenty years ago and is best forgotten."

"Sarah, I know that you still feel something for me. I've seen it the past several days while we've been working together, and please call me Jason," replied the smooth hero bastard. "The only reason I agreed to spend the holiday here was to see you again. I have to say it was worth it, too!"

"I'm sure that you wanted to let the people in your old home town have the pleasure of having you here for the parade, Jason. You are a hometown boy that made good. Everyone takes a lot of pride in your adventures and success. You are, after all, a real war hero," concluded Sarah.

"Sarah, come up to my room right now!" pleaded Benson. "I have to leave early tomorrow morning. Come and let me make love to you again. That will be your special way of thanking me for everything I've done for the country, and for you, really."

I was close to throwing up! If I started barfing, Sarah would know I was eavesdropping on her conversation. I reminded myself to take slow, deep breaths and managed to regain control of my stomach.

"I'm married, Jason. My husband would suspect something immediately," reasoned Sarah. "He would be extremely upset, to say the least."

"I saw him hanging around, Sarah. He's not the type to give any trouble. I've had hundreds of men like him under my command. They never challenge me. He wouldn't dare say anything to you," reasoned Benson. "Coaching girls' soccer and changing diapers doesn't prepare a man for battle."

I could hear the contempt in Benson's voice as he chuckled at his own comment. He didn't seem to hold me in vary high regard.

"Jason, why don't you stay a few extra days if you want to see more of me?" asked my devoted wife. "I can keep your room for you with no trouble, and no charge."

"I can't, Sarah. My orders are to report to Washington tomorrow. It's all part of climbing the ladder, going up the chain of command. I've invested over twenty years and a lot of blood in this, and I'm getting close. I sure don't want to screw it up at this point."

"Is it true that you Rangers have some kind of thing about not leaving a fellow Ranger behind, Jason?" asked Sarah with way too much enthusiasm to suit me.

"That's right, Sarah. We take an oath and we live by it. Without that trust and knowledge that our brothers are watching our backs, we'd never be able to survive," responded Jason with obvious pride. "Come on up to my room, Sarah. You have the chance to have a real hero make love to you tonight."

"That's very tempting, Jason," answered Sarah. "It's just that there are a few things I don't quite understand. Maybe you can explain them to me first?"

'Sure, Sarah," Jason replied quickly. "I'll be glad to explain anything so we can hurry up and relive the glory days!"

"Well, Jason, let's start with this. Why do you feel that you are so much better than my husband? I know you have trained and gone to war and been decorated numerous times. Do heroes have to have medals and badges to be a hero?"

"I don't think I get your question," Benson answered slowly. "Your husband never risked his life. He never went to war. He hid behind your skirts and coached girls' soccer and went to PTA meetings. He really didn't do anything very courageous."

"Greg took over the soccer team our daughters played on when the coach broke her femur in a car accident and no one else was willing. He didn't even know the rules. He always watched football, not soccer," continued Sarah. "He studied books and read things on the internet so he could do it. He had a tough time and made some mistakes, but he kept the team going. He did that for our daughters, and the other girls on the team."

"Greg helped take care of my father after his stroke so my mother could have some rest. He was never especially close to Dad, but he willingly bathed and fed him. The reason? Because he loves me. He's my hero, Jason," stated Sarah.

"I'm sure he's a good guy, Sarah. I didn't intend to demean him. It's just that after doing what I've done over the years, it's hard to feel too much respect for men that don't do what I do," answered Benson.

"That's not a satisfactory response, Jason. Greg worked nights one year so he could attend the girls' activities. He worked two jobs for another year so we could save enough money for a down payment on our house. He caught our daughter June smoking in our garage with a couple of her friends when she was sixteen. He took her over his knee in front of them and spanked her good. She cried and told him she hated him and ran to her room. He never slept that entire night, he was so worried about her. The next day she apologized and promised to never smoke again. Then she hugged him," reminisced Sarah. "That's how a man raises his family, Jason."

"My next question is this. How could you ask me to forsake my oath? You have so much pride in yours and will risk your life to live by it, yet you had no trouble suggesting that I break mine," said Sarah more then a bit heatedly. "You have contempt for those that break their oath and then you ask me to break mine."

"Then you tell me that you have so much time invested in your career and don't feel I'm worth risking it's loss," continued Sarah. "How about my career and my investment? You think nothing of asking me to take the chance of losing my job, and ruining my marriage while you brag to me about yours. Do you really feel so much contempt for me and my life? Is it so beneath yours? Haven't I spent twenty years building my life, my marriage, my career?" she demanded.

"When you put it that way, Sarah, I can see where I might have been a little out of line. It's just that you're so beautiful and we have such wonderful memories together," replied Benson nervously.

"Those wonderful memories are yours, not mine, Jason," answered Sarah. "I remember regret that I wasn't able to give Greg the honor of being my first. I remember how self centered you were. I remember being relieved when you left for West Point and seldom came back to Williamsport. Those are my memories!"

"Wow! I had no idea you felt that way, Sarah," Benson responded stiffly. "If you'll excuse me, I'll be on my way."

With that, I heard the door open and close rather sharply. I remained in the bathroom, worried that Sarah would enter and realize I heard the entire conversation. Luckily, I heard her office door open and close again. She had left.

I waited until I was pretty certain that the coast was clear and headed for my car. I called Jeff as I walked across the parking lot.

I was in the kitchen, helping the girls make dinner when Sarah entered from the garage. I had been on pins and needles waiting and I had no patience left.

"Sarah, I'm so glad to have you home!" I exclaimed as I hugged her to me.

"Greg, I was just finishing up some paperwork," explained Sarah. "I wasn't, you know, doing anything..."

I pressed my lips against hers and held her tightly to my chest. My heart felt like it was going to burst. After a very long time, I pulled my lips from Sarah's.

"Wow! Dad is really glad to see you, isn't he, Mom?" laughed June. "I hope my husband greets me like that after twenty years of marriage."

Sarah was looking at me closely. I could tell she was trying to determine exactly why I seemed so glad to see her and why I apparently didn't need any explanations about her being late.

"I hope you do find a husband like mine, June," agreed Sarah. "He's full of surprises, and he sure loves his family!"

I pulled a small, beautifully wrapped package out of a drawer and handed it to Sarah. She took it from my hands carefully and stared at it.

"Mom! Open it!" cried April. "I can't wait to see what it is!"

Sarah's hands seemed to tremble as she tugged at the wrapping. She discarded the paper and held the box in her hand. Then she slowly opened it.

Three sets of eyes began to tear up simultaneously. Oohs and aahs filled the room. The girls scooped up the necklace and placed it around Sarah's neck and hooked it. They each took charge of an ear and soon had the earrings in place. Then all three women turned to me.

"Dad! Are they tears?" asked June.