I'm Not Amy

My sister Barbara and her husband John along with their daughter Kathryn had moved to Orlando just after Christmas when John received a promotion to head up a regional office.

Barbara was four months pregnant and it was proving to be a difficult pregnancy. She had been ordered to stay off her feet and get a lot of bed rest or risk losing the baby. My mom decided to go there, stay with her, taking care of her and Kathryn, a very energetic five year old. So I was pretty much by myself.

It was Tuesday, January the 6th when the unthinkable happened. I had left school around three-thirty in the afternoon to drive to the Wagner's home. As I turned the corner onto their street I saw a gray Ford sedan with government plates pull away from the house.

Rushing up the walkway to the front door I rang the bell and knocked loudly. There was no response. Trying the door latch I found it to be unlocked and let myself in.

I found them sitting on the sofa. Karl had Emma wrapped up in his arms as she sobbed onto his chest. The scene before me caused my heart to sink and brought tears to my eyes.

It was several moments before they recognized my presence in the room. Karl motioned me to sit on the sofa next to them.

"Rick's plane went down two days ago. He was seen ejecting and parachuting to the ground. Since then there has been no word of him. He's been listed officially as 'Missing in Action' by the Navy."

Karl went on to tell me that the Navy promised keep them informed of any new developments as they became known.

Emma stretched one of her arms out and pulling me close to her we cried together.

From that day forward I spent every afternoon and evening with them. For the first few days Emma was too distraught to even think about eating or making supper. So I would make all three of us something to eat in the evening and clean up afterward. After a couple of days she began to return to her normal 'mother mode'.

Both Sally and Kim, who had started a new job in Charlotte, North Carolina, called every day and that helped a lot.

On Thursday the telephone rang about four-thirty. None of us wanted to answer it. Karl finally picked it up.

Listening for a few moments he said. "Well, that is encouraging. I was afraid you had bad news."

Pausing as he listened, he continued. "Okay. I realize news like that would prompt a personal visit. Thank you. This gives us some hope."

Turning to us he relayed the conversation.

"That was the officer who was here last Tuesday. He told me that there has been no announcement on any social media by ISIS about the capture or death of an American airman. He told me if Rick had been captured or killed it would have been widely spread across the internet by them."

The three of us agreed that this news did give us a glimmer of hope that Rick might somehow return safely to us. It was ten or eleven o'clock that night when I finally left for the forty minute drive home.

On Friday, after supper, Emma and Karl asked me to sit in the living room as they had something they wanted to discuss with me.

"Christine," Emma began. "For the past three nights you haven't left here until ten-thirty or eleven o'clock. We both feel uncomfortable with you making that forty minute drive home by yourself so late at night. We worry about you. Would you consider staying here with us until ...? Until we know . . . . "

I thought to myself that the past few nights had been horrible for me. Going home to an empty house and unable to fall asleep worrying about Rick made their invitation very appealing.

"Are you sure I wouldn't be a bother to you?" I asked.

"Not in the least," Karl replied. "Having you here has been a Godsend for both of us. Please say yes."

"Tomorrow is Saturday and you don't have to go to work. Stay here tonight and in the morning you can go home and pack a bag or two and return."

"All right. I accept your gracious invitation. Where do you want me to sleep?"

"There are three bedrooms upstairs. Kim's, Sally's old room and Rick's. Pick one." I was told.

That night I went upstairs and went into Rick's room. I sat on his bed and kicked off my shoes. Nestling my head into his pillow I could almost still smell faint traces of his aftershave. It was the best night's sleep I had since he left two months ago.

As weeks went by without any more news the three of us established an almost normal routine. I would come back home every afternoon after work, help Emma make supper and then help her with the clean up.

Afterward I would sit at the table grading papers and making lesson plans. It wasn't long before Emma was helping me. We had the chance to talk about Rick. She shared a lot of intimate information and stories about him with me. The more she shared the more I grew to love him.

The third Saturday in March, as I came back from checking on my mom's house, I saw that same gray Ford sedan parked along the curb in front of the house.

Thinking the worst I rushed inside to the sounds of Emma sobbing. It took me several moments to realize that her sobs were not tears of grief but of joy and relief.

Entering the room I found Karl holding Emma while she cried into his chest. He had the biggest grin on his face as he beckoned to me with an outstretched arm.

"They found him! He's alive, he's okay!" He managed to tell me before he wrapped me up in his arms along with Emma.

It was several minutes before we recovered our composure and the two officers explained all that had happened.

The details were still a little sketchy but it seems Rick had been found by elements of the Kurdish Peshmerga some weeks ago. He had been with them for over a month and a half before he was repatriated with American ground forces in Iraq.

"Right now he is at Landstuhl Regional Military Hospital in Germany. He is getting a full physical examination and extensive de-briefing while there," we were told.

"Lieutenant Wagner will leave Germany late Monday from Ramstein Air Force Base for an overnight flight to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. Upon arrival he will immediately be placed on a flight back here to NAS JAX. The scheduled arrival for that flight is Tuesday morning at 0900 (9 AM)."

"The Navy will make arrangements for your entire family to be there when he arrives. I understand he has two sisters. One living in Charlotte, North Carolina and the other lives with her family in Seattle, Washington. They are being contacted, as we speak, to coordinate arrangements for them to be flown here. Someone far up the chain of command has gone out of his way to make this all happen," he added.

As they left, the senior officer turned and said to us.

"Rarely do I have the pleasure to deliver good news to families and loved ones. This has been truly a memorable day for me."

Once they left the three of us just looked at one another with the 'I don't believe what just happened' expression on our faces. Soon after the telephone rang. Emma answered. It was Sally.

"Mom. Is it true, is it really true? Rick is safe and on his way home? An officer from the naval base here in Seattle just left with the news and told us about the arrangements for us to fly Jacksonville Monday morning. The boys are so excited and so are Bill and I."

That call was soon followed by a call from Kim.

I called my mother in Orlando and gave her the good news. She was thrilled and promised to drive up with Kathryn Monday afternoon. John would have to stay at home with Barbara since she was so near to her due date and wasn't permitted to travel anyway.

Kim arrived first. She elected to drive down from Charlotte rather than fly and got here late Sunday. Sally, Bill and the two boys flew commercial and got into Jacksonville Monday afternoon.

We had just finished cleaning up the supper dishes when the phone rang. It was my mother. Barbara had gone into labor and was at the hospital. Mom felt that it would be best if she stayed close by . . . just in case.

"Christine, Kathryn says to give Rick a hug and a big kiss from her and Barbara said to make sure you give give him one from her, too."

"I'm so disappointed that I can't be there with you to share in the joy and happiness on his safe return. I don't need to tell you to hug and kiss him for me as well," she finished.

Tuesday morning at eight o'clock a U.S. Navy mini-bus pulled up in front of the house. Our escort came to the front door to see if we were ready. We had been ready for over an hour waiting with growing excitement as each minute ticked by. We all piled aboard and were soon on the way.

As the bus approach the gate to the base I saw cars and trucks lined for almost a mile waiting to clear through the main gate check point. I thought it would take forever to clear security onto the base and we would miss Rick's arrival. Just then a car from base security pulled in front of the bus in which we were riding and turning on its blue emergency lights we sailed past everyone.

Following our escort the bus drove right out onto the flight line. We didn't have to wait long and all of a sudden Scotty the oldest of Sally's kids shouted.

"There it is. . .there it is! I can see a plane. Is it Uncle Rick's?"

Our escort office looked at his iPad and confirmed Scotty's observation."

Led by Emma and Karl, the entire family trooped off the bus as a small executive business jet with naval markings taxied up to us.

******************

As the plane taxied toward the flight line I could see a small group of people waiting in front of a mini-bus. As we got closer I saw it was my entire family. Just as soon as the cabin door was opened I bolted down the boarding stairs into the arms of my mom and dad. They were soon joined by my sisters and two nephews.

After a few moments I saw Christine standing back from the family. Disengaging myself from them I managed to take two steps before Christine was in my arms. The family gave us a few seconds to embrace before surrounding us. The trip home was one of celebration with a lot of shouting and laughing.

When we arrived back at the house everyone wanted to know everything that had happened to me over the past two months. For the next ninety minutes I was able to tell them almost everything, all but a few details, since some were still classified and some were very personal.

Christine got up from her seat and announced that she was going to fix lunch for all of us. Sally and Kim volunteered to help.

"No, stay and talk with mom and dad," Christine said as she left the room. They both ignored her and trooped off to help.

Bill decided to take the boys outside to run some of the excess energy little boys at that age always seem to have. That left mom and dad with me.

Looking at them I asked about Christine referring to them as 'mom and dad'. For the next forty-five minutes while the girls were preparing lunch they told me the entire story.

"Rick," dad said. "If it hadn't been for Christine's fortitude and faith that you would come back safely I don't know what your mother and I would have done. Quite frankly, she was a Godsend for us."

"Lunch is ready," Sally said as she went out to call the boys and Bill inside to eat.

We had just finished eating when Christine's cell phone began ringing. Retrieving it from her purse, she looked at the caller I.D. and said. "Its my mother."

She left the room but soon returned with a huge smile on her face and announced. "Twins! My sister had twin boys!"

"Looks like my mother is going to be staying in Orlando for the foreseeable future. She is so excited I could hardly understand what she was saying. Golly! Twins!"

Soon after lunch was over the doorbell began ringing. Somehow neighbors and friends had learned of my return and were coming by to say hello and welcome me home.

Along about five o'clock the stream of visitors slowed and finally stopped. I looked around for Christine and didn't see her. Kim told me she had gone upstairs a few minutes ago. I went up and found her in my bedroom. A suitcase and overnight bag were on the floor at the foot of the bed.

She was sitting in the middle of the queen size bed with her feet tucked under her. Clutching a pillow I could see that she was crying softly.

Stepping into the room I sat on the bed beside her gathering her into my arms. I asked, "what's wrong?"

"I came up to gather the last of my things when I realized that this would be the last time I would be in this room. When I first came here two months ago I felt safe and protected. Every night when I fell asleep I sensed your presence with me. As long as that happened I knew you were alive and safe. Now . . . ."

She wasn't able to finish her thought before I reached out to her and enveloped her in my arms.

"Christine, it doesn't have to end. I love you, Christine. I never want to be apart from you, again. Will you marry me?"

It seemed like an eternity before she nodded her head and managed to whisper softly, "YES".

"Tomorrow morning we'll go to the mall. There are several jewelry stores there and I'm sure one of them will have the perfect ring for you."

Before I could go any further she stopped me.

"Rick, I already know the ring I want."

"Your mom told me all about what Amy said when you wanted to give her your grandmother's ring. She even showed me it. Your grandmother wore it with love for almost sixty years. It's perfect. That's the ring I want."

With that I went over to my dresser and in the very back of the top drawer was a small box with my grandmother's ring. Retrieving it I walked back to Christine and knelt down in front of her and asked, once more. "Will you marry me?"

Christine pulled me onto the bed alongside of her and once again whispered 'Yes' in my ear. I kissed her and she kissed me back. Then, I'm embarrassed to say, I fell asleep not just asleep but I crashed. I hadn't had a full night of uninterrupted sleep for the last two months and the mental and physical fatigue had finally caught up with me. Not real romantic but it was what it was.

I don't know what woke me but I sat up in bed and saw on the digital clock, that rested on the night table, that it was one-thirty seven. I didn't remember removing my clothes but I found myself wearing only my boxer briefs. I was in bed alone.

The door to my bedroom was open. I saw light streaming from underneath the bathroom door directly across the hallway.

The light went out and a figure emerged, entered the bedroom and closed the door. It was Christine. She lifted the blanket and slid back into bed along side of me.

I mumbled something and she replied. "Go back to sleep, sweetheart. We'll talk in the morning."

She pulled me into her arms and the next thing I remembered was sunlight pouring through the open window.

"What time is it," I asked?

"It's almost ten. You've been asleep for over twelve hours."

"I don't understand what happened. One minute I was kissing you and the next thing I remember is waking up a few moments ago. Believe me it wasn't intentional and certainly not very romantic on my part given the circumstances."

"Rick," kissing me she said. "Monday afternoon, the day before yesterday, a doctor from the naval hospital met with your parents, the rest of the family and me. He explained that from the medical information faxed to him from Germany you were suffering from acute exhaustion, both physical and emotional. Falling asleep as you did would be just your body's way of healing itself."

She continued to tell me that the doctor had also explained in detail the symptoms to watch for if I were to suffer from PTSD.

"After you fell asleep last night I undressed you, put you to bed and went downstairs to tell your parents that you were sleeping. Your mother spotted the ring on my finger immediately."

"When I told them I was going back home for the night your mom asked me, 'What's wrong, isn't the bed big enough for the two of you'?"

"I didn't know what to say. I just stood there with my mouth hanging open when she hugged me tightly and told me, 'Go back upstairs, he needs you'."

With a big grin on my face I said to Christine. "Well, that's my mom. Never one to mince words."

After we both showered, and I shaved, we dressed and went downstairs together.

Six weeks later we were married. Christine wanted a small wedding so it was just family and a few close friends. We held the reception in her mother's backyard. Nothing fancy, just a buffet and a small wedding cake.

We went on a honeymoon cruise through the Hawaiian Islands. The weather was beautiful, warm in the daytime and pleasantly cool in the evenings. Ten days later we headed home to Jacksonville and the apartment we had picked out together.

For the next seven months everything was just absolutely wonderful. Christine and I were perfectly matched for one another. Then I received orders for my fourth deployment in three years.

After a tearful good-bye, I left with promises to keep in touch daily via email and Skype. The six month deployment seemed like it was lasting six years to me. Thankfully, there were no major incidences. When I returned home Christine was waiting for me on the pier along with the rest of my entire family.

After catching up with all the events that had transpired while I was away I learned that Bill and John's company had merged. John had been promoted to the Assistant to the COO and Bill was now the Assistant CFO.

Christine and I escaped back to our apartment for a very, very private celebration. Christine had managed to secure some personal leave from her teaching job and we spent the next five days reacquainting ourselves to one another.

The very next Saturday we were invited to a welcome home cookout at my sister Kim and her husband Rob's home.

Yep. My baby sister had gotten married and moved back to Jacksonville.

I'm sure you remember Rob. He was Kim's date for New Year's Eve a couple of years ago. They had lost touch with one another when Kim went to England to complete her studies.

Rob happened to be in Charlotte on business when they accidentally ran into each other and the rest of the story, as they say, is history. Rob is the owner of a consulting firm here in Jacksonville so Kim secured a transfer here shortly before their marriage.

The day of the Bar-B-Que found the guys, me, dad, John, Bill watching as Rob manned the grill while the girls were in the kitchen fussing over Barbara's twin baby boys. Sally and Bill's two boys were busy kicking a soccer ball around in the back yard with Kathryn.

As Rob was preparing the grill for the steaks, John was lamenting the fact that he was going to have to leave town the next afternoon in order to attend a meeting in Atlanta on Monday morning.

It seems that the commercial airlines' schedules were not compatible with his schedules.

"I've been burned too many times," he said. "Flight delays and even cancellations have disrupted my plans. Now I find it necessary to leave the day before my meetings and incur the additional costs of a hotel room, not to mention the lost time away from Barbara and the kids."

Rob turned and asked. "Why doesn't your company get a couple of business jets to fly you and the rest of the executives on an as need basis?"

"Too expensive to buy them," John responded. "Besides what about pilots?"

"Don't buy them," Rob answered. "Lease them. Hell of a lot less expensive. Then find some pilots to hire to put on your staff of employees. Rick might be able to help you with that little problem."

You could almost see the light bulb go on over John's head.

"Umm. Something to think about," John said as Rob put the steaks onto the grill.

Four days later John called and asked if he and Bill could come over to the apartment. He said they had something to discuss with me.