A Promise Kept Ch. 02

"You're kidding me, right," I asked, "I mean, how could you possibly know this?"

"I think that you sometimes forget that I'm a girl, too, Michael," she teased, "And don't think for a second that I haven't overheard them talking in the locker room when they didn't know that I was there."

"Ooo, Kara," I laughed, teasing her, "That's wrong on so many levels. Are you that insecure about our relationship, sweetheart?"

"Well...no," she childishly pouted, "But you have to admit that we've got some really pretty girls on our team, and they..."

"Stop right there," I smiled, gently interrupting her, "That's what they are to me, too; girls. Did you hear me? I said girls. You, my beautiful darling, are a woman...my woman. Do you understand what I'm saying to you, Kara?"

"Yes," she replied, looking away from me, "I'm sorry for acting so immature, Michael. Can you forgive me?"

"I wouldn't worry about it too much, my beauty," I chuckled, gently placing my arms around her and pulling her against me, "It just lets me know that you love me."

"I've loved you my whole life, Michael," she softly sniffled, "And I'll do whatever it takes to keep you."

"Like I just said, baby, you have nothing to ever worry about," I softly replied, "I'll love you for the rest of my life. I swear to you I will, Kara."

"Mmm," she tenderly purred, pulling me tightly against her body, "Just hold me and never let go..."

~~~~~~

Time seemed to fly by that next morning, because before I knew it, I was back home, getting ready to go see not only Danny's parents, but the rest of his immediate family as well. I'd made it a point to get all the photos and certificates and documents together that pertained to what I was going to tell them, and after this was finished, it would be the last time I ever spoke of it, as it was going to be extremely painful for me as it stood.

One thing that I never thought of, though was that maybe by talking about what I went through that day; I would perhaps find not only peace, but maybe some absolution from the guilt that I carried, knowing that there had to have been something else that I could've done that day to save him.

Still though, I'd wracked my brain trying to find it, yet I couldn't seem to remember anything after he used his weight to pin me down in the hole we were using for cover to keep me from being discovered by enemy troops...But I'll go into that in a little while...

~~~~~~

Loading up in Kara's car, she and I followed the directions that Jayne had given us, and after about an hour; we found ourselves in the town of West Columbia, Texas. It was a cow town as most of the live stock that was raised in that area was cows and horses. However there were farmers as well, some grew grains while other grew rice, but all in all it seemed to be rather quiet, or at least that was my first impression of it.

~~~~~~

"Uncle John, Aunt Etienne," Jayne smiled, as she introduced me to Danny's mother and father, who, I say, he looked just like, "This is Professor Michael Walker, the man I've told you all about."

"Hello Mister and Missus Reed," I humbly said, "It's a great honor to meet you both. Thank you for having us in your home."

And before I had the opportunity, Jayne took Kara by the hand, and in introducing her, said, "This is Doctor Kara Matlock. She was one of my student teachers when I was in high school, but she's the head of the Chemistry Department at the University of Houston, where I go to college."

"It's so nice to meet the both of you," Mr. Reed sadly smiled, "Please come in and make yourselves comfortable."

"How soon before the rest of the family gets here," I asked smiling, "I'm really anxious to meet them."

"Besides Jayne's Mom and Dad, who're gonna be here in a few minutes," he told me, "No one else wants to relive all of that pain. I'm sorry, Professor Walker."

"That's okay, Mister Reed," I gently consoled him, "And please, call me, Mike."

"Thanks, Mike," he smiled, "I can see at lot of him in you in just the few moments you've been here, I thought you should know that, son."

"Thank you, sir," I humbly replied, fighting tooth and nail to keep from crying, while Ms. Etienne and Jayne talked with Kara, "You honor me, Mister Reed."

"My name is John, and my wife's name is Etienne," he smiled, "Okay, Mike?"

"Okay, John," I grinned, "I hope we can remain friends."

"All ya gotta do is pick up the phone and call me, kid," he chuckled, "I'll see to it that you have our telephone number before you leave here."

Two seconds later a man walked through the front door smiling, followed by a woman that could've passed as Jayne's twin, only with longer hair, everything else was the same.

"These are my parents," Jayne excitedly grinned grabbing each of their hands, "Coach Michael Walker, allow me to introduce to my parents, Alexander and Kathryn Whitmore. You two already know Ms. Kara, I mean Doctor Kara."

"It's nice to meet you, Coach Walker," Jayne's father heartily smiled, giving me a firm handshake, "My daughter speaks very highly of you both, of course my wife and I knew Kara when she was Jaynie's student teacher."

"Uh excuse me, Dad," Jayne cooly told him, "I'm not a little girl anymore and I go by just Jayne, okay?"

"Okay, just Jayne," he teased her, making me snicker, "Whatever you say, baby girl," which, while she was doing a fair job of covering it, I could see that her father's words had slightly infuriated her.

"Don't listen to him, Michael," Kara teased, "Alex Whitmore will get you into all kinds of trouble."

"Uh huh," Alex loudly chuckled, looking at me, "I can see that you have the same trouble that I do, my friend."

"Is that right?" I played along, "And what trouble would that be, friend?"

"After crossing his arms with a shit-eating grin on his face, Alex leaned over and told me, "My wife thinks that she's in charge, too," which of course caused me to double over in laughter.

"See what I mean, honey," Kara giggled, "I told you that he'd get you into trouble, didn't I?"

~~~~~~

It wasn't long before we all sat down and began to talk. Both of Danny's parents, as well as his sister and brother in law, not to mention his precious little cousin, Jayne, all had their eyes glued to me as I passed out pictures that I had taken, or that were taken of all of us in "The Team", for each and every one of them to look at. I gave them the same information that I'd given Kara while Jayne was unpacking her room, and then interrupted me before I could continue...

~~~~~~

"Thank you for doing this, Michael," Ms. Etienne smiled, wiping tears from her eyes, "I feel like I'm getting to see the parts of my son's life that I didn't know about."

"She's right, honey," Kara sniffled, then smiled and asked, "What happened next?"

~~~~~~

Chapter Four

UNITED STATES NAVAL AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT COMMAND CORONADO, CALIFORNIA APRIL 7, 1978

"Move your ass, Walker," Lt. Reed barked, as we were going through the end of dive training, "My eighty year old Granny can run faster than you."

Needless to say, I decided that it was neither the time nor the place for any kind of smart assed comment so; using the good sense that God gave me, I chose to remain silent at that moment.

"What's the matter, boy?" Reed growled, "You don't have any kind of witty come back this morning?"

"Yes, sir," I grinned as I ran, not breaking the pace with my peers, "I just thought that I'd wait until after lunch when everyone has eaten, sir."

"CLASS ONE-OH-FOUR, HALT," he loudly yelled, "It appears that we have a comedian in our midst so; with that in mind, you're going to ruin an extra three miles because of Petty Office Walker's smart mouth," which, that comment immediately elicited loud, tired groans, as well as angry stares at me from my class mates.

"That's not right, sir," I immediately told Lt. Reed, "The whole class shouldn't be made to pay for something I said, sir."

"Is that right," Reed viciously laughed, "It's called being part of a team boy," he began to seethe, "And if you don't like it, that's just tough shit, Petty Officer Walker."

"Permission to speak freely, sir," I requested.

"Alright," he laughed, "This ought to be real good...permission granted."

"Fine then," I snapped, "If you want to be pissed off because you got your ass whipped, that's perfect; you can be pissed off at me, because I'm the one that did it. As far as the rest of the class is concerned, I don't want them to pay for my mistakes, sir; I'd just as soon be responsible for my own fuck ups...as well as the fuck ups that anyone in this class makes if that will satisfy your sense of fairness."

"Uh, huh," he spat, "So, what're you trying to say, boy."

"First off, I'm not a boy," I began, knowing that I was probably going to get dismissed from my BUD/S class, "Second of all, I know that you hate me, and that's fine, because at least I've got the guts to tell you to your face that I hate you right back as opposed to hiding behind the fucking rules...sir!"

"You're right, I don't like your little smart ass," he laughed, "And I agree with you about the rest of this class having to run extra because of your smart ass mouth, Walker, so; this is what we're going to do. I'm giving the rest of the class the day off while you and I go through a special type of training. I want you in your full BDU's and in you're A.O. (Area of Operations) in twenty minutes. Class is dismissed, except for you, Walker."

~~~~~~

As I stood before Lieutenant Reed in SEAL Team One's area of operations at full attention, I was wearing my full battle dress uniform, including my Vietnam conflict issue jungle boots.

"Second Class Petty Officer Mike Walker reporting as ordered, sir," I said, the moment Danny approached me.

With him were Masterchief Petty Officer Dick Smith, and the Commander of the Naval Special Warfare Group, Admiral J. Evan White. They casually walked in with Admiral White smiling for reasons unknown to me at the time.

"So," Admiral White chuckled, "This is him, huh?"

"Yes, sir," Reed sarcastically grinned, "He thinks he's a bad ass, sir."

"Is that correct, Walker?" he pointedly asked me, "Are you a bad ass who seems to think you know more than we do?"

"No, sir," I respectfully replied, "Not in the least, sir."

"Well then," he told me, "If that's the case, then one of you is lying to me. Are you calling Lieutenant Reed a liar, son?"

"No, sir," I replied, still stand rigidly at attention, "I'm not calling anyone anything, Admiral, sir."

"Then what seems to be the problem, sailor?" he crossly inquired, "Why can't you get along with this Officer?"

"Permission to speak freely sir," I asked again.

"Permission granted," he grinned, I can't wait to hear this...go ahead, kid...I'm all ears."

"Lieutenant Reed isn't a liar, sir," I respectfully began, and then lowered the boom by telling Admiral White, "He's a whining titty-baby that can't take an ass-whipping like a man, sir."

"Do you mean to tell me that you struck one of my Officers, Petty Officer?" White fiercely asked, "And you'd better damn well tell me the truth, boy."

"I only defended myself, Admiral White, sir," I quickly let him know, "He was the one who absolved me of any responsibility when he took off his hat and told me that rank wasn't an issue."

"Which one of you took the first swing?" he quietly seethed, "And I want the truth, dammit."

"It was me, Admiral," Danny admitted, "I took the first swing, sir."

"Dammit, Reed," Admiral White loudly admonished him; "Don't you know that I could bring you up on charges, you dummy?"

"Yes, sir," Danny replied, his eyes cast downward, "I'll go turn myself into the Shore Patrol Office right now, sir."

"Excuse me, Admiral White, sir," I spoke up, "May I be allowed to speak."

"Go ahead," White said, "What's on your mind, son?"

"Please excuse me for saying this," I humbly replied, "But don't you think he learned his lesson when his peers and team mates ragged him pretty badly because he got his ass whipped by one of his students...especially because he picked the fight to begin with."

"You're right, kid," Admiral White began to laugh, "I heard all about it yesterday...and to tell you the truth, I thought it was funny as hell." Then, as he looked back and forth between Danny and me, he quietly told us, "I don't know what's going on between the two of you; but you'd damn well better squash it right here and now. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," I respectfully replied, "Loud and clear, Admiral, sir."

"Yes, sir, skipper," Danny said, still glaring at me, "I read you, sir."

I extended my hand in friendship first, looking into Danny's eyes, and told him, "I'm sorry for being such a smart ass, Lieutenant Reed, sir. It won't happen again, I swear."

"Bullshit, yes it will," Danny laughed, as we shook hands, "Get the hell outta here. I believe I gave the class the day off."

"Maybe so, sir," I respectfully acknowledged him, "But I've still got a fuck up that I haven't made right yet, and I believe in paying my debts as soon as possible, SIR."

"Alright then," Danny firmly replied, "I want you to put on a full dive pack, and then report right back here to me as soon as you're done."

"Well, I'll be damned," Admiral White grinned, shaking his head, "You've got a lot of guts, kid...I'll give you that," and then turned around and walked away...

~~~~~~

"Alright, shit head; this is what we're gonna do." Danny laughed, reverting back to being his same old hard ass self, as I stood in the shin-deep, tidal surge water of the Pacific Ocean, along the "Silver Strand" as it's known to anyone who's ever been through BUD/S. I was wearing a full eighty-pound, Dive Pack upon my back, when Danny Reed looked me in the eyes, and sneered, "You're going to run what's called a Five and Five. Do you know what that is, Walker?"

"No, sir," I replied, "But I've got the feeling that I'm about to find out."

"That's right, asshole," he laughed, "You're going to run; in this tidal surge, five miles down the beach, and then five miles back...you'll be broken when you get done." He continued to laugh, for a few seconds before he stopped, and then with an arrogant tone of voice, he looked at me and disgustedly said, "The record on this particular course is sixty-eight minutes and twenty-six seconds. I know you can't beat it so; don't even try."

It had now come to the matter of challenging him and building a hint of mutual respect between us so; while I was not really sure that I could do what I was about to propose, I did it anyway.

"Let me ask you something, Lieutenant Reed, sir," I inquired, "Are you a betting man?"

I knew that I'd discovered a potential weakness by the iniquitous smile that came over his face when he said, "Maybe, what's the bet and what've you got to bet with?"

"I've got two hundred and fifty bucks in my locker," I plainly said, "And that same two hundred and fifty bucks says that I can break the course record."

"Oh, hell yes," he laughed, "I'm really going to enjoy the lap dances that money's gonna buy me tonight."

"There's one more thing," I told him, "And this is part of it, too, or the bet's off. Do we have a deal?"

"Alright, Walker, you win," he snapped, "Now, what is it?"

"When I break the course record, and I will," I said, looking him squarely in the eyes, "You quit dogging my every step, and back the fuck off and quit trying to trip me up, okay?"

"What's the matter, Pollywog?" he smugly laughed, "You ain't got what it takes to be a Frog?"

"I've got what it takes, and you damn well know it," I replied, "But then again there's also fair play."

"THERE IS NO FAIR PLAY IN WAR, DAMMIT," he loudly yelled, then after looking around, making sure that no one saw or heard him, he calmly continued, "What the hell do you think we're trying to teach you here."

"I know what I'm being taught, and you're right, there is no fair play in war," I pointedly replied, "But when I go into a war, I wanna make sure that someone on my own team isn't going to shoot me in the back when I'm not looking."

"I could see a sudden light of understanding; regardless of how small it was, making its way across his face. And in doing so, he looked at me, and with a more respectful tone of voice, said, "Alright, kid; you're on," shaking hands to seal the deal while he continued to talk, "If you win this bet, and that's a mighty big "If", then I'll back off and lighten up on you. However, if your progress slows down even once, then I'm going to be so far up your ass that it's going to take a Proctologist to get me out. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir," I grinned, saluting him right before I looked at my watch, and told him, "I'll see you back here in about fifty minutes," and then I took off running at a good even pace.

"Yeah, right," I heard Danny grumble, "Fifty minutes my ass."

~~~~~~

I ran at a steady pace, and at this point in my training, my body was in such good shape that the dive pack seemed nowhere near as heavy as it once was, and with this new burst of determination, I stepped the pace up a little bit more.

After about the first four and half miles, I had no problem with the tidal surge that I was running in. On the way down the beach to the five mile marker I was able to mentally map the spots where the tide ran deeper and heavier than it did in other places, which was going to guarantee me better time on the way back...

~~~~~~

As I rounded the Five Mile Marker Post that was concreted into the beach, I checked my watch and smiled at the time; knowing that as I headed back I was more that making up for any lost time, and knew that I was going to be able to break the record with at least an eight to twelve minute lead.

And remembering where the deeper places were that might've slowed me on the way toward the marker, I simply ran around them, heading away from the marker. Suddenly the wind picked up as it began blowing into my back, acting as a resting cushion for the dive pack on my back, which, by this time, was definitely making its presence known.

Still though, I was bound and determined not to break the pace, and in doing so, I remembered what I'd been told during hell week. I remembered Danny barking, and I quote, "Move your asses, people; as long as you're feeling pain, then you're still alive..."

~~~~~~

I was within a half mile of the finish, and I could see Danny sitting there in a jeep that he'd apparently gone and picked up. What, did he think I was going to need an ambulance? "Yeah, right," I openly laughed, picking up the pace and running as fast as I could move my legs for that last one hundred, or so, yards to the finish line.

"Fifty-six, sixteen," I laughed, crossing the finish line, and knowing that I had beaten the course record by a full twelve minutes, "I told you I'd do it, sir."

"I'll be damned, kid," he almost proudly smiled. He even helped me take my dive pack off and placed it in the back of the jeep for me, "I've got to say, you really impressed the shit out of me. Congratulations, kid; you now hold the course record."

"Give me just a second, sir," I grinned, then took off my hat, threw it on the hood of the jeep, and after peeling my BDU tunic off, I jumped into the cold refreshing Pacific water.

"HOO-YAH," I yelled, holding up both arms as I stood up and walked back to shore, "Man that felt great."

"I'll bet it did," Danny laughed, getting into the jeep and starting if up, "Hop in, Mike; I'll drive you to your barracks."

"Wait a minute, sir," I asked, nodding toward the back where my dive gear lay, "I've still got to rinse the salt water out of my dive pack."

"Don't sweat it," he laughed, "I've got it covered...You did it...You not only broke the course record, but you won yourself some money in the process, which, I'll have in your hand in a couple of hours if that's alright."