1990

She had changed into a robe made of some satiny material. Chet put his arms around her and could tell that she had nothing else on beneath it. Suzy had always been a very attractive girl and then woman. She had a girl next door quality that, to him, made her incredibly beautiful. She still had her long, straight, medium-brown hair. With one look, Chet could still fall into her clear blue eyes. Suzy had flawless skin, legs that seemed to go up forever, and the cutest dimples he had ever seen on a woman. Even after having a baby, she had a figure any model would kill for.

He said, "I'll need to return to Fort Bragg in a few weeks to complete my Army discharge processing, but I've been told that until my tan fades, there isn't any assignment in my foreseeable future."

"Why would you get an assignment if you aren't going to be in the Army any longer?"

Suzy saw Chet struggle with trying to answer her question without revealing something that he couldn't. He finally said, "For all practical purposes, I haven't been in the actual Army for over a year. There are other government agencies that I have been representing, and they have me on a sort of 'reserve' status right now. When they identify an assignment that they believe suits me, they will call me up."

Due to his fluency in the Spanish language and demonstrated skills in covert military operations, Chet had been seconded to the Special Operations Group within the Special Activities Division of the CIA. The agency was heavily involved in several Central American countries, either trying to shore up the existing governments or assisting those groups that were trying to topple them. Chet couldn't become an employee of the CIA while still an active member of the military, but they were heavily recruiting him to join and were the ones pushing for his early discharge.

"So, you'll never know when you might get told to go somewhere? How can they expect you to maintain a family of any sort with an arrangement like that?"

"Suze," Chet said, using the name that only he called her, "You need to remember that no one in the Army or anywhere else knows that I have a family. As far as they know, I am an unencumbered single man. I need to change that, and I will."

Chet had been vacillating on the offer to join the CIA. He had joined the Army to eventually receive the benefits which would allow him to pay for a college education, and Suzy had been supportive of that goal. She was supposed to be completing her college education during his four-year commitment, but he assumed that her pregnancy had delayed that completion.

In the brief moments when he held Suzy, and then his daughter in his arms, Chet had realized that his place now was with the two of them. He asked, "Why did you move here?"

It took Suzy several minutes to explain the situation with Grant and Carrie Capshaw related to her mother's estate. She then retrieved the summons from the probate court and handed the bundle of documents to Chet for him to read.

"Mr. Finch got the court date extended until March 15^th," she concluded.

"That's almost sixty days away," Chet calculated. "I should be able to get back here in plenty of time for us to go back to Lamar together, only this time, I want us to go back as husband and wife. Are you still up for marrying me?"

"Of course," Suzy happily exclaimed. "On one condition, though..."

Chet smiled and asked, "What condition is that?"

She stood and untied the belt on her robe, allowing it to fall open as she said, "We start our honeymoon tonight."

In response, Chet merely stood and pulled his polo shirt out from the waistband of his jeans and then over his head in one fluid motion. "Don't we have to be careful not to wake up Lily?" he asked.

Suzy took his hand and began leading him to the living room as she explained, "She's a pretty sound sleeper, but we'll use the couch just in case. I'll turn the TV on so if she does wake, it will be to sounds that she is familiar with rather than just her mother's moans."

"My daughter's mother moans?" Chet teasingly asked.

Suzy was unbuckling his belt as she said, "Oh yes, and so will her father."

~~~

"So, we can head to Las Vegas on Thursday afternoon after your class?" Chet asked as Suzy used the remote to turn off the TV.

They were still snuggled under the bedspread that Suzy had brought for them to use on the couch while they rediscovered their desires for one another. Suzy had been explaining how she had completed her bachelor's degree and was currently working on her MBA through online courses at the University of Phoenix. Chet listened intently, considering how he might be able to do similar online courses himself. When Suzy had mentioned that he might also be awarded college credits for life experiences, Chet had to stifle a laugh. Even if the university would accept his experiences for possible college credit, he would never be able to provide the details of those experiences that would allow them to do so.

"Can we leave Friday morning instead?" Suzy asked. She then explained, "I usually do the books for Las Cruces Bowl on Saturday morning, but if I do them on Friday morning instead this week, Xavi, he's the owner, shouldn't have an issue. How long will it take to drive to Las Vegas?"

"It would take about ten hours in total, but we could break it up by spending the night somewhere near Phoenix. You want to drive rather than fly?"

Nodding, Suzy said, "Yes, because it would be easier with Lily if we drove. Plus, I want her to get used to being in a moving car for an extended period. She fussed quite a bit when I drove us out here, but I think now that she's older, and I've taken her with me in the car when I run errands and stuff here, she'll be much better if we drive to and from Las Vegas."

Chet smiled and said, "And, we'll have the advantage on this road trip of both of us being with her. One of us can drive while the other one pays more attention to her."

Suzy considered this for a second and then smacked Chet's arm playfully, "You want me to do most of the driving so that you get to pay attention to Lily. Isn't that your scheme?"

Winking, Chet said, "Ingenious, isn't it?"

They both laughed and snuggled even closer. Their love for each other seemed to envelop their bodies even more than the bedspread did. The animalistic fervor that accentuated their earlier coupling had temporarily satisfied their primal need to ravage each other. It had been quick, uncomplicated, and wanton debauchery between a man and his woman and a woman and her man. Now their desires focused entirely on reacquainting themselves with the intimacies of their shared love. Slow kisses, teasing caresses, gradually built arousal, and tender symmetry of their two bodies lasted over an hour before they were completely satisfied.

"We don't have to sleep out here, do we?" Chet asked.

Suzy had been listening to Chet's breathing as her head lay on his chest. She could tell from the slowing of his chest movements that he was getting tired enough to soon fall asleep, but she was too comfortable to want to move before now. She raised her head and said, "No. As long as you give my body a chance to rest, we can move into the bedroom and sleep in there."

After more than a year of celibacy, Suzy was experiencing the wonderful muscle aches that their lovemaking had caused. She wasn't too sore to complain, and if Chet hinted at wanting to do more, she would never deny him, but she hoped that her body would have an opportunity to recover a bit before their next session.

She rose off Chet and held her hand out to him. "Come on, lover boy, let's get into our bed. I have a spare terry cloth robe if you want it. You can unpack tomorrow."

Chet took her hand and allowed her to help him rise off the couch. "Can I at least get my toothbrush?"

"You will always have a toothbrush waiting for you next to mine," Suzy assured him. "Yours is the blue one in the holder next to the sink. All of your toiletries from Missouri are waiting for you in our bathroom."

"I wasn't aware that I had any toiletries left in Missouri."

Suzy led him to the bathroom door and said, "Of course you did. I always wanted there to be everything that you might need whenever you returned from a deployment, and I am familiar enough with the things that you like to keep our bathroom stocked for you. I'm going to take care of business while you brush your teeth unless you need to go first..."

"I can wait," he assured her. "You go while I brush my teeth."

Stepping up to the sink, Chet watched Suzy position herself on the toilet before smiling over at him. "I didn't miss the double vanity sinks until just now. I guess we need to discuss whether we want to remain in Las Cruces, return to Missouri, or if maybe there is someplace else that we want to live."

Putting toothpaste onto his brush, Chet said, "We have a lot of things to discuss between now and the time I have to report back to Fort Bragg. I can tell you that having Lily makes me look at our future with a whole new perspective..."

Suzy laughed and said, "Don't I know it."

"I'm sorry that you had to go through so much by yourself," Chet lamented. "I also feel like I missed out on a lot. You need to bring me up to speed fast so that I can start doing my share in caring for our daughter."

Suzy flushed after rising and came to stand behind Chet. Looking past his shoulder at his reflection in the mirror, she said, "I wouldn't trade the experience of being pregnant with your child for anything. The knowledge that he, or she, would be a part of our love gave me all the strength I needed to go through the pregnancy and delivery without you beside me. Not that I wouldn't have loved to share the experience with you, and I fully intend to give us that chance at least one or two more times."

Suzy and Chet had both been an only child, and they had discussed early on in their relationship their mutual desire to have at least two children, hopefully, close to the same age. They wanted the siblings to have the opportunity to grow up with someone who would always be there for them as only brothers and sisters could be for one another.

After rinsing his mouth, Chet stepped away from the sink to allow Suzy access. He said, "I'm pretty sure that I have made one decision tonight about our future."

"What's that?"

"Once I am discharged in a few weeks, I'm done with the military and any other government service that takes me away from my family. I think we need to wait until after this probate court thing is resolved before making many other decisions in case you do end up having to share some of your inheritance with Grant and Carrie."

Suzy nodded in response since her mouth was full of toothpaste foam. After rinsing her mouth, she said, "I understand, but according to Mr. Finch, once he was able to force Judge Cronk to recuse himself from the case, the Capshaws stand no chance of overturning either of the wills or the associated trusts. Mr. Finch feels the hearing at this point is just a formality. By the way, I had a new will drafted for myself here in New Mexico and we should get one for you as well once you're discharged. There's been no change to the trust and you are still listed as the co-trustee."

Chet stepped over to the toilet and said, "You probably should have waited until after we get married..."

"Mr. Finch thought that it would be best if I had the new will in place before the probate hearing because it would take partial jurisdiction away from the Barton County Probate Court. I can always get a codicil drafted after we're married to amend the will as necessary."

"I suppose." Chet flushed the toilet and turned to face Suzy. "Does Lily have any Godparents?"

Taking his hand and leading the way to the queen-sized bed, Suzy answered, "I was going to ask you if you had any ideas in that regard. I couldn't think of anyone that I would consider responsible enough. Neither of us has any extended family or anything, so I struggled with the issue each time the attorney wanted names for the will. Right now, she just has you and me."

Chet glanced over at Lily sleeping in her crib and thought, "Hopefully, we'll be all that she ever needs." He waited for Suzy to get into bed and then joined her.

"You are so beautiful; I owe you so much," Chet told her, climbing between her legs and leaning over her.

"How's that?" Suzy asked curiously.

Chet's eyes scanned up and down her body as he answered, "I don't know what was wrong with me. I just took you for granted. You are so incredibly beautiful, and yet I didn't even notice for years and years how others must see you. I look at your body now and can imagine how guys, and probably a few women, probably lust after you, and yet, each day you have been here for me, and giving yourself to me completely. I don't deserve you." Chet placed his lips on hers and kissed her lightly.

"None of us deserves anything as overwhelming as love," Suzy said with tears in her eyes. "It's an incredible gift. I don't deserve yours."

"You are too good to me," Chet told her, moving his lips to the nape of her neck.

"Maybe, but I like the rewards," she moaned as she settled her head into the pillow, and accepted his increased attention.

Wednesday, February 07, 1990

"I think we should consider renting a car for the drive out there," Chet said.

He and Suzy had been talking over the phone for almost an hour after he had called to let her know that he had arrived at Fort Bragg. He shuddered at the thought of how much this long-distance call was going to be, but Suzy had insisted that he call her collect any time he wanted and not to worry about how long their calls were. After having virtually no contact with Chet for over a year, Suzy was adamant that she didn't want to go more than a couple of days between them at least talking to each other on the phone, regardless of the costs.

"I see your point," Suzy said. "Having the truck for the trip back would be nice, but I would want you to offload the camper someplace once we get back here. Maybe there's a storage facility where we can keep it until we want to use it again. I can start checking around if you want."

Chet had inherited his father's 1985 GMC Sierra pickup truck, which was still parked at Suzy's house in Lamar. The three-quarter-ton pickup had an extended cab, four-wheel drive, and all the options available for that model year. It also held a luxurious cab-over camper. Both Suzy and Chet had fond memories of nights that the two of them had spent together in the camper while the truck was parked almost anywhere around their hometown.

Suzy had been embarrassed when Chet's father had affixed a bumper sticker on the back of the truck that read "If this truck's a-rockin, don't bother knockin", but laughed about it when she heard Chet's mother tell her husband that he had seen the last of that truck "rockin" until he removed the bumper sticker.

"It might be a good idea to find a secure place to leave it when we're not using it," Chet agreed. "But I do want to take you and Lily camping at a few spots I know of near Sierra Blanca Peak. When she gets older, Lily will love this children's camp in that area named 'Camp Hackenspit'."

Suzy laughed and said, "That's not really the name of the place, is it?"

"It most certainly is," Chet assured her. "It is run by, I believe the third generation of the Austrian family that founded it, but Lily can't go until she is at least ten years old."

"Where is this camp, and why would I want my daughter to go there? It sounds like the kids who go there would come away with some pretty bad habits just by the name of the place."

It was Chet's turn to laugh, "The place is magical. That's all you need to know right now. It's at the base of Sierra Blanco Peak, just west of Ruidoso."

"Well," Suzy said, "We have more than nine years to consider whether we want to send Lily there."

"Probably not that long," Chet said. "When I went there it was after being on their waiting list for two years. It's probably closer to a five-year waiting list now."

"Fine, but we still don't need to decide right now. Can I ask you something, and if you can't answer me, I will understand?"

"Sure. What do you want to know?"

Suzy considered how she could pose the question so that Chet would be able to answer it without violating any military rules. Finally, she asked, "Will the events being reported on the news today affect your discharge in any way?"

Chet didn't need any clarification of Suzy's question to understand what events she was referring to. As soon as he had arrived on base, the news from the Soviet Union had been on the lips of every person he had spoken with. The communist country had been disintegrating over the past several months, with multiple autonomous regions claiming independence, protesting communist rule, or flat out rebelling against the leadership in Moscow. The news this morning was that the Communist Party of the Soviet Union had voted to end its monopoly of power, clearing the way for multiparty elections.

"My discharge won't be affected," Chet assured her. "I'm not a strategist who could contribute anything to trying to figure out what impact these changes will have on the Soviet Union's military or its nuclear arsenals, and it will be months before the possible scenarios are available for any assessment of risks that would influence the possible deployment of personnel from Fort Bragg, so they won't hold on to me while things play out in Europe."

"Good," Suzy said, "I've been doing some research, but I want to ask you another question that's kind of related..."

"What's that?"

"I'm thinking that we should create new trust accounts in Belize. I do not doubt that Lichtenstein and Switzerland will remain safe havens, but I have no interest in visiting Europe until things stabilize there. What are your thoughts on the stability of Belize versus someplace like the Cayman Islands?"

"Let me put It this way," Chet told her. "I would have no qualms about taking my wife and daughter to live in Belize, it is that safe. You're the financial expert so I'll agree to whatever makes the most sense to you. If taking the accounts out of the country causes more challenges for the Capshaw's attempts to get control, so much the better."

"My thoughts exactly," Suzy said. "I'll make the arrangements tomorrow through an attorney in Belize City that was recommended to me. I trust Mr. Finch but I'll feel better with the trust out of the reach of anyone but you and me regardless of what the probate court decides."

Saturday, February 10, 1990

"It's not going to change my mind about getting out, but it sure would have been nice to have the perks of being a married sergeant long before now."

Chet was explaining the increase in his pay and housing allowance, both of which he wouldn't need in a few weeks, as well as his access now to all the NCO facilities on the base. Since he had been promoted while working for the CIA in Central America, he had to wait until he had returned to discover all the additional benefits associated with his promotion seven months prior.

Suzy was sounding rushed as she said, "That's great, Sweetie, but I need to finish getting Lily ready for Mrs. Gomez's arrival. She is so considerate to agree to watch Lily here for me so that I don't have to lug the playpen and everything up to her house. She'll be here any minute and I if I don't have everything with Lily done by then, Mrs. Gomez will insist on doing it, and I don't want to impose on her any more than I already am."

Chet knew that Suzy would be leaving by 8:30 am to get to the Las Cruces Bowl so that she could get started on the bookkeeping for the week before the place opened and got too noisy. That was why he had called her at 7:30 am, 9:30 am for him, so that he could tell her good morning and that he loved her before she left.