I Can't Believe It's You

It doesn't sound as childish as you might think," I explained, my face now turning a bright shade of crimson, "I had dreams about you for a long time after I left Japan and came home."

"Really?" she wistfully asked, "I tried to hide it....how I felt about you, I mean."

"Why?" I sadly asked, "I wouldn't have told anyone, in case you were worried about getting in trouble. I only wished I'd have known how you felt."

"I guess I was just as afraid as you were, but it was a pretty scary time back then," she replied, looking into my eyes, "But I'm not afraid anymore."

"You're so beautiful and can have any man you want," I said, my insecurity now blatantly showing itself, "I'm just a crippled, broken down college professor. What could you possibly want with me?"

As opposed to getting onto my ass for such a shitty comment, which is what I deserved, Heidi placed her arms around my neck. Then she slowly leaned in and gave me the softest, most tender and sweetest of kisses. After our lips parted, she grinned and sweetly said, "I'll tell what I want with you. I want to be with you, live in your life and you in mine. I want to have a family with you and grow old with you. And if I ever hear the word 'cripple' come out of your mouth again, I'm going to take your prosthetic leg off of you and kick your ass with it. Do I make myself clear, my darling?"

"Yes Ma'am," I laughed, "Crystal clear." Then, all of a sudden I remembered how Katie and Abbey had been acting a few moments ago, and said, "Wait a minute."

"What," she cooed, "What is it?"

"Well,' I said with a knowing grin, "You don't seem as surprised to see me as I am to see you."

Heidi smiled then leaned slightly back and away from me. Then taking my hand into hers, she looked off into an imaginary distance, and going backward in time, said, "In 1970, when I did my first tour of duty in 'The Nam', I was with The U.S. Naval Support Activity and worked at the hospital in Da Nang. I made some really good friends there, and that made all the horrible things I saw going on around me on a daily basis, a little more bearable. One night we were attacked by the V.C., and our hooch got hit by a B-40 rocket barrage. I was on duty and in the hospital when it happened, but my two best friends in the whole world were both asleep when the rockets hit. The only thing that gives me any semblance of peace is, knowing that they didn't know what hit them before they died. One minute they were asleep, and then the next minute they were gone."

"I know how you feel," I said, tapping on my prosthetic leg, "The day I lost my leg, I was trying to get to a couple of my buddies that had been wounded. My LT ordered me to stay put, but I couldn't just leave them there, it wouldn't have been right."

"I know," she agreed, "I refused to let anyone get close to me after that, because I didn't want to have to go through the pain of losing someone that I cared about again. I did my second tour aboard the hospital ship 'Repose', and then I ended my enlistment in Japan, where I met you."

I remembered back to the first day I saw her. I felt like shit that morning, because I'd been in a bed for eight weeks, waiting for the wound to heal. Of course I was still messed up the head, I'd been out of touch with reality due to all the pain medications I'd been given. So, now that my head was fairly clear, the reality of what had happened began to set in, making me dark and dismal. I was distraught and felt like a failure for not having been able to get to my friends before they died. But because of the fact that I'd lost my leg, I began to experience the feeling that I was some sort of outcast now, doomed to live a desolate and lonely existence.

All at once I thought that I had died and gone to heaven, as before me, stood the most beautiful, angelic face I'd ever seen. Her blonde hair was pulled back on her head, and her beautifully smooth skin was enhanced by the soft sparkle of her bright green eyes, gazing upon me as she smiled. "Good morning, Petty Officer Winslow. I'm Petty Officer Heidi Blake," she chirped, "I'll be helping you get adjusted to the prosthetic leg that's going to be fitted just for you....."

"Michael," Heidi softly called, snapping me out of the past, "Are you still with me, handsome?"

"Yes," I smiled, "I was just remembering back when I first met you."

"I remember that day," she sighed, "I almost melted the first time I looked into those big, deep, dark brown eyes of yours."

We were still holding hands, and as I raised her hand to my lips, I softly kissed it and said, "You still haven't answered my question."

"No" she playfully replied, "I haven't, have I?" I simply shook my head and laughed.

Heidi smiled then softly kissed me and said, "As I'm sure you can tell by now, my niece and I are extremely close, yes" I nodded my head smiling, "I never told Abbey your name, but she knows that I've been searching for you for a very long time. Then I found out earlier this afternoon that you were her patient, and so, I told her the whole story. After she finished crying her eyes out, Abbey got on the phone to your sister and..."

"And the rest is history," I interrupted laughing.

"Oh Michael," she replied, hugging me tightly, "I know it's been a long time since we've each other, but I thought......Oh, Michael."

"Hey, I don't plan on going anywhere," I said smiling, "But you're right, it has been a long time. If you're willing, why don't we take the time to really get to know one another and see what happens, alright?"

"You've got a deal, hot stuff," Heidi said, kissing my lips, "I dare you not to fall in love with me, Michael.

"Why take a dare I know I'm going to end up losing, "I laughed, "I may be crazy but I'm not dumb."

"No," she replied smiling, taking my arm as we made our way back to the front of the restaurant, "You're not, my love."

~~~~~~

Chapter Six

Heidi and I were only two months apart in age, her being older. She had been born and raised in and around Houston, and although I met her as Heidi, the rest of her family called her by her middle name, Leigh. I asked her about it once, and she told me, "No, baby, you're the only person that calls me that, and I want to keep it that way." In the short month that had passed since we'd been reunited, I'd met her mother, Joan, and her sister, Claire, Abbey's mother. Their father had been killed in the Korean War when Heidi and Claire were little. Abbey didn't know who her father was since he took off as soon as Claire told him she was pregnant. But still, all four women were happy and had a great outlook on life that soon began to rub off on me.

Heidi was the Head of the Physical Therapy Department at Saint Joseph's Hospital for Children, also in Houston, and it fit her demeanor perfectly. To this day, she is the most affectionate woman I know, well, besides my sister Katie, that is.

Our schedules fit together perfectly. In the afternoons we would get together and either have dinner at the restaurant, or Heidi would cook for me at her home. The end of each of those nights would end with us holding one another, and as time progressed, kissing, each becoming more passionate than the last.

I knew, with every fibre of my being that I loved her more than anything else in the world. The bad part was that I couldn't seem to muster up the courage to tell her. She told me all the time how much she loved me, and I knew that I loved her so, why was I afraid and what was I afraid of?

~~~~~~

I was in my office grading papers one afternoon when, around three o'clock, I heard a knock on my door. "Come in," I said, still looking down, working, "It's open."

"Uh, excuse me, handsome," said a very familiar female voice, "But we're standing right in front of you."

I looked up to see to Heidi and Claire standing in front of my desk, smiling. "What can I do for you two beauties?" I said, looking up and grinning.

"We're here to take you to a late lunch," said Claire, "Besides, my sister says that you're a very charming man, and I'm here to see for myself."

I smiled and stood, then winking at Heidi, I came around from behind my desk, took Claire by the hand, then gently kissed it and said, "Where would you care to dine m'lady?"

Claire quickly snatched her hand out of mine, and then giggling to her sister, said, "Ooo, girl, you were right. Let's get out of here...whew...I need some fresh air."

"Don't pay any attention to her, Michael," laughed Heidi, "All it takes to get her worked up is a gentle breeze blowing in the right place."

"Heidi Leigh," screeched Claire, her cheeks turning a bright shade of red, "What a terrible thing to say in front of him. Besides, that's not true, and you know it."

"Come on, you guys," I laughed, "I could stand something to eat, now that you've mentioned it."

~~~~~~

That afternoon found us at Captain Rick's, on the beach and away from the city, northward toward Galveston. "Because I'm not driving and you are, dear Claire," I chuckled, "I think I'll have some Jim Beam on the rocks."

"Well, booey for you," giggled Claire. She looked just like her daughter except for her hair. It was blonde like Heidi's.

"I'm glad that you came out with us this afternoon, Michael," Claire said.

"I'd have to be crazy to not want to be seen in public with two beautiful women," I suggestively teased, "Hell; I've never been with two sisters before."

"Michael," Heidi playfully scolded, "You're awful."

"Leave him alone, Lee-Lee," laughed Claire, "I knew I was going to like him."

"Don't laugh at him, Sis," Heidi giggled, "It only makes him worse."

I spent rest of the afternoon and part of the evening talking to Heidi and Claire. I'd been seeing Heidi regularly and had been getting to know her better over the weeks. I also knew that things between us had been getting more serious as of late, because when Heidi excused herself to go to the ladies' room the last time, Claire looked at me and said, "You know that my sister loves you very much, don't you, Michael?"

"Yeah," I sighed, "I do."

"Then, what do you propose to do about it, mister?" she candidly asked.

"Surely she doesn't want me," I said, "I'm not even a whole man. What could she possibly see in me?"

"You think I can't see what she sees in you, dammit," Claire said, slightly angered, "I think you're just afraid to tell how you feel, Michael." By now, tears were running down her cheeks, and as I reached to hand her a napkin, she looked back at me with torment in her eyes and cried, "Can't you two see that you're perfect for one another? When she came back from Vietnam, she was nothing but a ghost, Michael. You're all she thought about, and those thoughts of you are what got her through all the sleepless nights, the nightmares, and the depression. Please, Michael.....give her a chance. I promise you that you'll never regret it."

What Claire had said to me struck a chord deep within me, and it was then that I realized that Heidi was the one and only thing that would ever make me feel whole again, and now I knew what it was I had to do. I looked at Claire and said, "I'm gonna need yours and Abbey's help." Then I leaned down and kissed her on the cheek, and cryptically teased, "Ya know what I mean, Sis?"

"Oh my God," she delightfully squealed, "Whatever it is, consider it done."

~~~~~~

Three days later, it was Friday, and as luck would have it, Heidi had to work late. That gave all of us more time to get my plan ready, and yes, there was no way my sister, Katie, was going to be left out of anything, especially once she got wind of what was about to go down. I'll have to remember to thank Abbey for that, because she was the one who told her. Katie, Abbey, and Claire, were all gathered at my house, waiting with baited breath to hear what I was going to tell Heidi. "I love her and I'm going to ask her to marry me," I told them smiling, "Now, do the three of you think you can keep quiet about this until tomorrow?

"You need to make this really romantic, Mikey," Katie excitedly said.

"Yeah, Uncle Mikey," giggled Abbey, hugging me, "It's going to be so cool having an Uncle."

"Well, sweetheart, it looks like you're the only niece I'm gonna have, I replied, playfully smacking Katie on the butt.

"Hey, watch it, Mister," Katie teased, "Jeez, you sound like Dad and Phil," followed by her giggling.

"Speaking of Dad," I said to Katie, and handing her my credit card, "Get him here as soon as you can get a flight booked, but don't tell him why."

"What am I supposed to tell him then," Katie asked.

"Tell him it's a surprise," giggled Claire, "Our Dad always loved surprises."

"Good idea," smiled Katie, "I guess Dads are all the same everywhere, because our Dad loves them, too."

Then I turned to Abbey, and smiling, said, "Okay, my princess, I want you to...."

"Am I, really....your princess, I mean," Abbey interrupted.

When I saw the look of a frightened child in the face of the beautiful young woman standing before me, my heart began to break for her and tears stung my eyes as I threw my arms around her, and holding Abbey closely to me, I said, "Of course you are, sweet girl, and you always will be."

I heard sniffles emanating from behind me, and with my arms still around Abbey, I turned my head as Claire came around to the side of me with tears raining down her face as well. Nodding at her daughter she patted me on the shoulder and said, "You're the first man she's ever trusted, Michael. I can see why my sister loves you so much." Then she leaned in, and kissing me lightly on the cheek said, "Abbey and I love you, too."

~~~~~~

The next day, I picked Heidi up at her house at one o'clock, as we were on our way to an air show at what was once Ellington Air Force Base. Now it's just another one of the many municipal airports all over Houston.

"Hi, Gorgeous," I said, when Heidi met me at her door, "You look great, as always."

"Hi, sweetheart," she replied, kissing me, "You know just what to say to make a girl feel beautiful."

Pulling her closely to me, I wrapped both of my arms around her waist, and then gave her a toe-curling kiss that produced a deep moan from her, and said, "You'll always be beautiful to me, Heidi."

~~~~~~

We enjoyed the air show and saw a Marine chopper pilot, Ben Mars, whom I knew from Vietnam, there. The high-light of the day came when an A-1 Skyraider (Known as "Sandy" in Vietnam") came flying in at low speed with a banner trailing behind him that read : HEIDI, WILL YOU MARRY ME? MIKE.

I had her ring in my hand before she even turned her head to look at me, and when she did, all eyes were upon us as she threw her arms around me and cried, "Yes, and it's about time, ya bum."

"I love you, Heidi," I smiled, placing the ring on her finger, "And I'm sorry it took me so long to do this."

"Oh, my precious, precious love," she cried, her arms still around me, "You'll never have to tell me you're sorry about anything, ever again. I love you so much, Michael."

~~~~~~

Heidi and I were married that following spring. Nine months to the day from our wedding night, God blessed us with a little girl that we named Evelyn. We call her Evie for short, and now that she's eleven, she thinks she's old enough to hang out with her cousin Abbey. Of course, Abbey spoils her rotten and indulges Evie's every whim, but that's what family does.

Claire met the man of her dreams when Ben Mars came into the restaurant to dine, a week after the air show. They were married one year to the day they met, with the wedding ceremony, per Claire's orders, held right there in Doc's Pasta House. Abbey was her maid of honor and I was Ben's best man. It was a really beautiful ceremony that only reaffirmed my belief in love.

Dad died two years later and it was sad for all of us, but we know that he would've wanted us to be strong and celebrate his life as opposed to mourning his death. Besides; he always said that Heidi and I would have another baby, but we both told him that the doctor told us after Evie was born; we probably couldn't have anymore children. But this morning, I awoke to the sound of Heidi throwing up.....again.

THE END