Ashes of Love

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In the hospital this time I was given more jewelry for my uniform, field promoted to Lieutenant and got my ass ripped big time; followed by a handshake. The General told me that according to the reports I took it real personally that the first man wounded was the machine gunner next to me. I took over the weapon and wiped out half of the attacking force causing a complete rout of the other side.

For some reason they kept me out of battle for a long time. But Vietnam was winding down and we had time to relax a bit.

Much later

I was thinking of getting out because life was so boring. I had just enough time in to retire on a pension.

All the excitement to be found involved the consumption of liquor. I tired of that after I got a couple of tattoos. The first was a heart with my initials and Missy's with our wedding date on my left arm; the arm closest to the heart of course. After the second I swore off drinking for good. I will never be able to guess why I had a bumble bee tattooed on the head of my dick.

I limited my drinking to non alcoholic stuff from then on.

Just about the time I was deciding to get out, another party was slowly winding up in the Middle East. I was sent to participate in the Shock and Awe campaign.

Wouldn't you know that I would have to run into another asshole looking to spoil my day? We were in a caravan of trucks when this fellow decided our truck needed one less tire.

The truck rolled about 3 times and threw my gunny sergeant and me off to different sides. Most of the men still with the truck were flat on their backs and trapped under it. Gunny and I began to fire at the other fellows as they began to pop up and attack. "Holly's Snack Bar my ass; you will never get my men."

Soon the noise died down, many of them were dead. Those that didn't die attacking us were sneaking off. The Cobras and AC130's were picking them off as they ran.

Most of my guys were injured in the rolling of the truck but they would live to tell their families about it. I tried to stand up and realized something was seriously wrong; my left foot was about three feet off to my right. I had also been shot multiple times in my legs and shoulders.

Weeks later

I woke long enough to see the angel on my right hand side and was back out again. She was dressed in light pink. The rising sun coming in the window behind her lit her blond hair, making it look like she wore a halo. Nothing else was visible to me at that point.

The next time I woke she was talking softly with Gunny; I guess he didn't make it either. That's a shame! He has a beautiful wife and 3 young children, all of whom adore him. He was due to retire in four months.

My throat was parched but I did my best to growl at him "So how did a pair of old reprobates like us get into heaven?" He turned to look at me; she slid down to the floor. The room suddenly filled with people. Some were looking at me or were looking at and adjusting the various machines in the room. Others were writing down notes. I winked at a pretty one and went back to sleep.

I have no idea how many times I woke up after that to find the angel was not there. I became more and more convinced that I had been sent to the wrong place and when they found out, the situation was corrected.

Then I awoke and she was there again. Everything near me was white as the new fallen snow; my angel was in light blue this time. This time she was in a corner talking with Gunny and a younger rendition of me. I suspected I was watching them and myself having a discussion of some sort; maybe an out of body experience. It was time to go to sleep again. As I dreamed this time I was making love to my angel. I had promised myself a long time ago that I would never have sex again. After having the best, why try anything else? As I dreamed I became more and more angry. The scene shifted and I was back into the battle, the truck was rolling and stopped upside down.

I heard the shouts of "Holly's Snack Bar" over and over again.

I screamed out "...you can't have my men today either!" I was killing them as quickly as I saw them. I heard the buzz as bullets rushed by me and felt every one that hit me. The noise and the smell of blood and fired bullets were overwhelming.

I felt a soft, warm hand slowly begin to rub my head. A voice softly said "Be quiet now, it is all over. We will soon go home where you belong."

The words softly echoed in my brain as I looked up to see my angel, and went back to sleep.

The next time I remember I was dreaming about my angel, we were fishing in the lake back home. In my dream world I realized that my angel was named Missy. I have no idea why I knew that. I woke again a voice was calling out, it sounded like "mister, mystery, or misty". The angel rubbed my arm softly to calm me again. I heard the voice again; it was me calling out to Missy. The drugs had me really confused. My mind wanted to know who or what was this Missy I was calling out to. It was time for another nap.

I began to notice, if I wake calmly I am allowed to remain awake longer. If I'm loud or combative I fall asleep again very fast. The longer I was awake the more things made sense to me. ...just so tired, and tired of sleeping!

I loved to feel the angel rubbing me softly. Soon I realized she was singing or humming many of the times I woke.

I remember one time I woke to find her rubbing my dick, watching the way the bumble bee moved as she stroked. I softly spoke, "Sorry Madam that is spoken for." She smiled and slowly moved her hand away.

As my strength improved I was able to stay awake for longer times. I soon graduated to having broth and then soft foods at meals. Somewhere or somehow I finally realized who she was.

We began talking again; it was slow at first because I did not comprehend well. My mind was returning at a faster and faster pace. I began to push myself during physical therapy.

I was always being admonished for pushing too hard. "If you damage anything because you are trying too hard we will need to begin again and work back toward where we are now"

I responded "I'm a man! I'm a Marine! I will walk out of here soon! I might just run!"

One day the conversation took a different turn and we discussed the elephant in the corner of the room.

She began "I was the golden child who always had my way. My, Our, baby was not supposed to die.

When you first walked out I was too angry to listen to anyone. They told me I had driven you away. Seven months later a new man came into my life, I could never drive him away; we needed each other too much. Soon all the anger I had melted away. If I may, I would like to introduce you to that man."

The man I saw talking to her when I woke that one time walked around the end of the bed; "Charles Oscar Jones III reporting for duty Sir; how may I assist you?"

I felt my mouth move but no words came out. She just reached over and gently pushed my mouth shut.

"We have always called him Three. He is a corpsman assigned to the surgical team who did most of the work on you. One night you were on his list of patients; you were due to be shipped out the next day to Germany.

As he was washing you he saw the tattoo on your arm and immediately recognized the date and initials. After checking your chart he knew you had to be his father. He reported his suspicions to his commanding officer, who contacted the Red Cross.

At the lake the next day I was visited by two officers asking all sorts of questions. In the end I was able to verify that we were still married and they brought me to you."

I lay there trying to make sense of all she had said but soon fell into a fitful sleep. In my confused state I ended back in battle, Missy was there beside me. We were arguing as the bullets flew by us. There was a loud explosion nearby, when the dust settled she was gone. I woke crying out for her, I tried to get out of the bed and was throwing off the staff as they tried to hold me down. Happy juice was administered and I slipped back into the dream world.

I had no idea how long I was out that time.

I woke to the sensations of a sponge bath. Missy was bathing me. As each wound was washed she ran her fingers over them and softly cried. She could tell the fresh ones. Though they were completely healed, they were still a different color. She kissed and caressed the ones she could reach. I felt her tears as they landed warm and wet on my skin. I heard her softly whispering to herself, chastising herself for driving me off. She rejoiced at having found me again and promised herself that we would always be together.

A slight moan from me caused her to jump, knocking over the table with the bath pan on it. I acted as if I were still out and listened to hear further comments.

When all was completed she kissed me lightly on the lips and told me she always loved me; shortly after the medication hit me and I was out again.

The next time I woke my son was there alone. One look and I knew he had to be mine. Our faces were identical and the flaming red hair was the real clue. We talked about growing up on the lake and how it was without a father.

"I always knew I had a father, everyone told stories of how strong you were, how smart you were and how you could do anything you set your mind to. The Old Man would bounce me on his knee and tell me stories about you for hours on end. Just before he died he made me promise to tell you how much he loved you and told me I was to grow up strong and fair to others just like you."

"How was I strong and fair? I ran out on your mother."

"That was what it took to make her realize how badly she had been treating you. Mom always told me stories about you too. You were her hero you know!"

"How is it that you ended up in the navy and on a ship as part of a surgical team?"

"The week before I graduated high school, I had a dream in which a gypsy told me that is how I would find you. I went down to signup that afternoon; I got the correct MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) I have been with the same unit since then. The same woman had visited me on other occasions. She was always correct. Mom always said she was sure you still loved her and would come back to her, it was like she had a vision or something."

We talked about his time in the service and mine too until I was too tired and drifted off to sleep again.

The last thing he told me that day was "They tried to save your foot. It was too badly damaged and they could not stop the infections. It was all in the records."

When I woke the next time Missy was there. We talked about what Three had to say to me. After I told her about his dream she told me about the gypsy. "I was in Portland Oregon following up on a lead about your whereabouts when I was approached by an old woman who told me she knew who I was looking for; she gave me your name. You had been there a month before but had since moved on. She told me you were well and one day would return to me alive before our twenty third wedding anniversary. A flash caught my attention, when I turned back she was gone. I heard her voice in the direction the flash came from telling me to trust her. I did, and stopped looking for you as often. From time to time she would appear to me, smile and be gone. The sightings were at many different locations, but she never repeated one."

From her descriptions I thought I might know who the woman might be. I kept quiet.

Missy continued, "Then one day she appeared to me as I was removing the mail from the box up on the road. First she reassured me you would live; but were badly hurt. I was to have visitors within the next day that could give me more details and would take me to you.

The next morning I was visited by two Marine officers. They asked me if I was the wife of Major Charles Oscar Jones II. I told them that is my husband's name, but I knew nothing about being a Major.

I was informed that you were in transit to Dover Air Force Base and would end up at Bethesda to recover."

That was how she found me again.

Gunny was assigned to fly with me as an escort; he had been injured too; but not as badly as I. The unit was due to return any day from assignment.

I was now able to move around slowly on crutches. My prosthetic leg had been ordered and would arrive eventually. In therapy I was being prepared for the day it arrived.

Missy and I began to travel all over the hospital. As we walked we talked about how she raised our son alone. Before I had the chance to apologize for running out she told me I lasted a lot longer than she ever could have. She completely understood why I left. She told me even as badly as it hurt her, I left her the best way possible. All the paperwork was in order; she just refused to sign it.

She told me "I had the best husband ever; I was selfish and drove you away for no reason at all. I have only been with one man in my life. After having the perfect husband I never wanted anyone else."

A plan was forming in the back of my mind. It was late June; our twenty second anniversary would be near the end of August. That evening I stayed up until almost four in the morning. When the plan was completed I began to ask everyone for favors. No one denied me anything. Everyone was sworn to secrecy. I had to call Betsy for help from her end, back in our town. She was delighted to hear my voice.

The day before our anniversary I asked her to wear the first dress I saw her in here at the hospital; the light pink one if you remember. I told her I had planned a special dinner for her the next evening. She pressed me for more details; I told her that was all the information she needed at this time.

"I only wore that dress a few times before you became conscious. When did you see it?"

I told her about the time I woke and saw my angel in front of the window. "That picture is emblazed into my mind. It gave me the courage and inspiration to fight on."

The next afternoon when she arrived I was not in my room. She was met by the Chaplain. Her hand shot up to cover her mouth and tears began to fall. He smiled and shook his head "NO! He is fine! He has been detained in another part of the hospital; I am to take you to him." He held out his hand and escorted her to a room where she was told to wait for me.

The room was not brightly lit; in fact the far end was almost dark. She sat there for a few minutes and began to get fidgety. I slowly and quietly began to walk toward her while her head was turned toward the door. She turned in my direction to see me in my best dress uniform. The shoes shone like glass, all the metal was polished to a high shine, and all my ribbons were there on display for her to see for the very first time. I softly spoke "My Dear our dinner awaits."

She rose and I escorted her to a room across the passageway. The lighting was a little brighter in the new room and our dinner was placed on an intimate table barely big enough for two.

We softly chatted as we ate, the food was magnificent; she was even more so. After we were finished I reached across the table and took her hand "Happy Anniversary My Dear, I have one more detail to attend to yet tonight. My other hand brought up a pair of tiny boxes. I handed the small flat one to her. She opened it and found my dog tags inside; she pulled them out and stared at them.

"I belong only to you now; if you still want me?"

I saw tears slowly begin to appear in the corners of her eyes as I took the tags from her and placed the chain around her neck.

"Do you still want me?"

"More than ever." was the reply.

"In that case I ask you to accompany me in a restatement of our wedding vows. Will you do that with me tonight?

All is ready if you say Yes."

"I have nothing to..."

I cut her off "Yes, you do. Please say yes!"

"Ye... Yes." She stuttered.

I stood and escorted her across the passageway again; "Please trust me." was all I said as I opened the door and assisted her through.

As the door closed I heard a shrill "MOM...."

I turned to see the Chaplain waiting there. "All will be ready as soon as she changes." I told him.

Gunny was seated at the front of the room softly playing a guitar duet with his wife, "Wow, who snuck that into the program!" As they finished he looked over at me and smirked. There was a soft click as a door shut in the back of the room, soon Betsy and Harold slowly walked up the aisle to take their seats. Gunny began to play again; Missy slowly came down the aisle on the arm of our son. At the front he stood off to the side as her attendant. Gunny stood beside me in his best dress uniform. I took Missy's hand and the service began.

The Chaplain began "Ladies and Gentlemen we are here this evening to assist LT Col Charles Oscar Jones II and his lovely wife Melissa Rafferty Jones in the restatement of their vows. Today is the twenty second anniversary of their original vows.

I was still staring at him as he droned on. "Excuse me... I am only a Major."

The Admiral in charge of the hospital rose from the third row and came forward, "Not any more," he stated and he personally changed the insignia on my uniform. I saluted as he stepped back. He held out his hand to shake mine, ignoring the salute.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet The Flaming Irishman. You have made a name for yourself."

I blushed after he said that. Missy gave me a puzzled look.

The service ended in no time. We had our first real kiss in over twenty years.

She whispered "I can't wait to get stung by your bee."

As we began to walk back down the aisle the lights went up. Missy stopped dead in her tracks when she saw over two hundred people there to witness the service. The only previous lights in the room had been the candles at the altar.

We thoroughly enjoyed the reception; at the end we were both placed in decorated wheelchairs and returned to my, excuse me, OUR room. They had placed two beds together and tied them together near the floor. There was really no place private enough to do our own celebration that evening. We slept the sleep of the blessed that night. I was able to hold on to her all night, it felt marvelous.

Shortly before Thanksgiving I was allowed to go home to the lake. The first thing we did was to make love. Being a bit older and still short on stamina we only had two rounds before falling asleep. When we awoke in the morning we continued where we left off.

Four months later we found out we were a few months pregnant again. Both of us were in our early forties, the doctor said we would just need to be monitored a little more closely.

The day before our twenty third anniversary we had our daughter. She was right on time and perfect.

Having another was too risky to chance. I was neutered.

The week before little Betsy Marie was born Missy saw the old gypsy lady at the mailbox. They smiled and the lady disappeared never to visit her again.

While in the Corps I hardly ever spent much of my pay, I had been retired on full medical disability after the loss of my foot. I went back to work at the mill, this time in the office. I was assigned The Old Man's office. No one had been in there since his death; except to clean it every now and again. While going through some old files I found a bill for one dollar payable to my grandfather Charles. The invoice was for building office furniture, the very same things that I was looking at now. It still looks in good shape; I guess I'll keep it.

I spent some of my money to build a medium size addition to the old house. As the workers were emptying the attic they brought down some old books of photos. We went through them Betsy Marie saw a picture and pointed to it "Eve." was all she said. It was her first word.

As I looked on the back to find the name Missy gasped "It is the old gypsy lady and a man. The names on the back were Charles O and Eve L Jones. The picture now hangs over the fireplace in our new family room.

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