Just Once... And Yes, I Mind Pt. 02

Ami sniffed for a second, then started crying, great heaving sobs. "I called her 'Maman', can I call you 'Mom', like you did for her," nodding her head at Janice's mom. Janice brought her hands to her mouth, and tears started falling. She looked away to gather herself, saw the tears in her mother's eyes, and lost it.

"Yes, baby, you can," she choked out. I looked around, and there wasn't a dry eye in the house, and Jamie had a look that said that if Kyle wasn't careful, he'd be a father in about 9 months. Rhonda got up, wiping her face dry, and squeezed in between my and Ami's chair, squatting down so that she was face to face with Ami.

"You know what that means, right," she asked. Ami shook her head no. "It means that you and I," pointing her finger back and forth between them, "are sisters. We don't need any paperwork, that starts now." Ami latched onto her neck and Rhonda stood up, taking Ami into her arms. "That also means that you are now going to be an aunt." I think I started to feel a little faint, so I sat down, hard. Logan was grinning, that look that says that the inner child in him was dancing around, singing "I'm gonna be a daddy, I'm gonna be a daddy," but the outer adult wasn't quite willing to let him do that in public.

"What's an aunt do," Ami asked.

"Well, grandparents spoil their grandkids, but aunts are like second moms. So you're going to need to help him," Logan stage whispered "her", "HIM grow up and be smart and brave like you. I'm going to ask you to help sometimes, when you're older, maybe babysit or help with schoolwork or..."

"Yes, I will," Ami said, very seriously, "sister." They cheek kissed each other and everyone ordered their food, once their emotions were under control. Of course, Janice and Ami had paella (yep, going to need to find a recipe for that).

Things progressed from there. The wedding went off without a hitch. Janice looked beautiful in her white gown, a long sleeved floor length gown, pure white. No veil, no lace, but elegant and gorgeous. And, what I didn't realize, was that they had two made, one for Janice and a matching one for Ami. My ladies looked beautiful. The men wore suits, while I wore a tuxedo. I had thought that I might just wear a suit, thinking that I had worn a tux once, and look how that turned out. But this was Janice's first wedding, and while she wanted it quiet and low key, I felt she deserved my best effort. When we exchanged rings, I brought out the special gift I had requested from the jeweler. In the same design as Janice's wedding ring, I had a silver locket made, attached to a necklace. I put it on Ami, a symbol of our becoming a family.

There was no honeymoon trip. Kyle asked if he could have Ami stay with him that first night, and Rhonda asked if she could get the second. They wanted to have every opportunity to bond with their new sister. Janice and I went back to our suite, looked at the bed, and fell asleep. Until you've travelled with a small child, one who is nervous about being left alone, and you're either sleeping three to a bed, or one of you is sleeping in a chaise lounge, you have no idea how tired you are until you get a chance to sleep.

The morning, however, gave us an opportunity to explore each other. Janice is simply put, beautiful. And energetic. And determined to kill me with sex, if that morning's shower was any indication. The first time we made love, just as I was getting close to cumming, I stopped, worried about birth control. We hadn't discussed it, and to be honest, when your exceptionally turned on wife wants you, you don't stop to ask too many questions.

"Janice," I gasped, her legs wrapped around my waist, "baby," her legs pulling me into her, relaxing just enough to allow me to pull back slightly, "I'm," her legs pulling me back in.

"Rick," she gasped out, "I love you with all my heart, but if you pull out, I will have to kill you, here, in this bed." She started thrusting her hips up to me. "Cum in me, love, if I get pregnant, fantastic. If not," she ground into me, "well, there's always tonight." She nibbled on my ear lobe. "And tomorrow," biting down on my shoulder. "And every night after that."

We made it to brunch, both of us smiling, our families sharing in our joy. We made the move to Omaha, and discovered that there was so much for a family to do there. We got settled, I started my new job, and life was perfect. Until it wasn't.

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

The security cameras showed what had happened that day. Janice and Ami were on their way to Doc Smith's appointment. He was truly a godsend, and was helping Ami adjust, both to a new country and a new family, as well as the death of her family back in Africa.

They were getting out of the car, walking to the front door, when the van pulled up alongside. Two men jumped out, one punched Janice, the other grabbed Ami. Thank God Ami struggled, because that gave the good doctor time to get his shotgun and fire at the driver. Due to the short distance from where he was standing and the driver's side door, the entire spray went into the open window, and into the driver. He never stood a chance. The shotgun was then trained on the other assailant, who wisely laid down.

Janice, sprang up, having gathered her senses. She punched the guy grabbing Ami, giving her a chance to squirm away. I watch the video quite a few times that day, and I couldn't count how many times Janice hit him. She kept pounding him until Doctor Smith saw that the guy was unconscious and dragged Ami away from the body. By that time, the police had shown up, had cuffed the guy who punched Janice, and was starting first aid on the other. The cops said the only thing Janice said was "Don't ever touch my little girl again." He wouldn't have the chance, he died on the way to the hospital.

No charges, obviously, were brought against Janice. Too many witnesses, along with the security cameras, proved she was protecting her child and herself. The police couldn't get anything out of the last surviving member of the group. He had a fake driver's license, and would say a word.

Three days later, Rhonda and Logan were at my door. Logan had received orders to a Naval unit attached to Offutt AFB, with a report no later than date 72 hours later. In my entire time in the military, the only time things like that occurred was on a deployment. That same day, Kyle called to say that he had been offered a position at one of the major corporations, but it was contingent on his transferring to University of Omaha to finish his degree. The final piece of the puzzle was when my doorbell rang, and there was Marcy, fuming mad.

She looked past the door and saw Rhonda in the living room. "Would anyone like to tell me why Trey and I are on the don't fly list? We can't leave the country to do any work overseas."

"What makes you think I have anything to do with that? I don't work for the FAA."

"Rick, I'm not dumb," she replied. I started to say something and was stopped when she put her hand up. "Don't. You come back to the states, settle down, Logan gets short notice orders to the same place you are, and...who are you?"

I turned, wondering what had just happened and saw Janice behind me. "Hi, I'm Rick's wife," Janice said, claws extending on every word. "Won't you come in?" That was the very last thing I wanted her to do, but I deferred to Janice.

"Mom," I heard Ami say. Since the kidnapping attempt, Ami was wary of strangers and back to not wanting to be left alone.

"Hey, sis," Rhonda said. Ami spun around and launched herself at Rhonda.

"RHONDA!" Ami squealed as she reached her big sister.

"'Sis'?" Marcy looked confused for the first time.

"It's a long story," Janice said. "Why don't you take a seat and we'll talk. Honey, can you get me a green tea and something for Marcy?"

This looked to be a long day.

"Hang on, I need to get TJ out of the car."

A very long day.

Drinks and stories were shared, bringing Marcy up to date on everything. I stayed as out of the conversation as possible. I didn't feel the anger or hatred that I used to feel for Marcy, but I also wasn't inclined to be polite. Ami eventually moved away from Rhonda and asked about TJ, who was still in his car seat. Rhonda took this one on.

"He's my half-brother, meaning we have the same mom, but different fathers."

"If he's," pointing at me, "your dad and my dad, and she," pointing at Janice, "is my mom, then she's your mom, too. So, who is she?" Her finger pointed right at Marcy.

Could this day get any longer?

The doorbell rang one more time. I looked at everyone, wondering who was outside now. I looked out, sighed, and opened the door. Diedre was there.

"Hi, Rick. May I come in?"

"Please do," I said, standing aside. "Everyone else has."

"Everyone...oh, hey, Rhonda, Janice, you look as gorgeous as ever...oh. Hi, Marcy."

To paraphrase the great late Lloyd Bridges, I picked the wrong day to give up drinking.

I walked over to Rhonda and squatted down near my daughter's growing belly. "It's just you and me, boy, in a room full of women. You got my back?"

Rhonda looked at me, smiled, and said "The sonogram says she's a girl." She then looked at her sister. "We'd like to name her Amy, with a 'Y', if that's okay with you." Ami's smile could have been seen for miles in the middle of the day.

Diedre took a deep breath, and decided to plunge right in. "Okay, so I need to fill you all in on everything that's been going on. Marcy, the short version is that someone tried to kidnap Ami and Janice a few days ago. Two of the bad guys are dead, but one...one was still alive to question. My organization, with the assistance of the Department of Justice, was able to get a few hours to question the young man."

Marcy had, upon hearing about the kidnapping attempt, pulled TJ's car seat closer, but at the same time, put her hand on Ami's shoulder, protectively. I appreciated that, and looked that message over to her.

"Apparently, the general wasn't happy about losing the funding that he felt he was promised. When you were warned about the attack in country, it was aimed at both Rick and Janice. I guess they figured that they could," a quick look at Ami, and an internal change in wording, "persuade you and if not, they could work on Janice as a way to get you to change your mind. Once you were out of country, their only hope was to secure either Janice or Ami, maybe both, to get you to call the powers that be and reinstate their funding. Chatter says that there is a one million dollar bounty on either of them, but at least one must be taken alive."

She paused, taking a drink, and looking at Marcy. "When we heard about the

bounty, we had a lot of strings pulled in a very short period of time. Logan got reassigned to a post that will actually help his career. Don't worry, he's eminently qualified and could have received the position if he had applied. Kyle's job offer is legit, too. We just wanted everyone in as small an area as possible so that we could provide security to the families. But we can't do that overseas. Marcy, I'm sorry, but I made sure that you and Trey couldn't get out. It's only temporary, but I couldn't take the chance. Again, I'm sorry. For everything." The tone of her voice made clear that she was truly apologizing for everything that had occurred at any point in the past.

I stood up as Diedre did. "Protection for everyone?" My look indicated that this included Marcy.

"Yes."

"Until this is over?

"Yes."

I paused. I looked at the women in my life. As much as I had hated Marcy, she was the mother of my children. I looked at my youngest daughter and knew that Marcy would protect her, if need be. I felt ashamed at how I had mocked her for doing the right thing, taking care of TJ, when I was now doing the exact same thing. I looked at Rhonda, my first daughter, and, apparently, soon to be mother of my first granddaughter. And then I looked at Janice. My heart and my soul.

"I need to go to work. I'll be back as soon as possible."

Ami ran up and hugged me. I picked my baby up, kissed her, and handed her to her sister. Janice came up and gave me the tightest, strongest hug I had ever felt. "Keep them safe," I said.

"Finish this and come back safe."

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

The desk was ostentatious. Even in the US, it would be considered so. I walked in and the young man - if mid 30s could be considered young, which I did - looked over at me with a slight smile. I smiled back, dropped my bag on his desk, and sat down, uninvited.

"You need to call this off," my breathing calm and slow, my voice steady.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," he said, a smirk on his face betraying the lie.

"Of course, my apologies. Let me explain. The general put a bounty on my family. I need you to stop it. Now. Today."

"Even if I were so inclined, I am merely the general's second in command. I couldn't override his orders...if I wanted to." His smirk became a full smile.

"Maybe my gift," I said, indicating the bag, "could help you change your mind. An incentive, if you will."

In Cameroon, bribes were commonplace among local officials, and some of the more national ones. It showed great respect to have them ready before arrival. He opened the bag and almost concealed his shock. Almost.

"As you can see, the general will not be in charge of anything any longer. You, sir, are now the general, should you desire the position. However, there is a price. Isn't that the way, that there is a price for everything?"

"I am not the general," he said, closing up the bag so the dead eyes no longer stared at him. "I do not scare as easily."

I sat, staring at him. "Yes, well, you've been hammering the alert button for a good 30 seconds now and," I looked around, theatrically, "no one is responding. And you can stop reaching for the drawer, as you would only find that your Beretta no longer works." I tossed the firing pin onto the desk in front of him.

I stood up, brushed the front of my shirt, took the bag off the new general's desk. "The bounty is gone by the time I make it back to US soil. Or I'll be back and it's your head in the bag. Do you doubt me?"

He looked in my eyes, and knew what his options were. "No, I do not doubt you."

"Good, you have..."I did some calculations in my head, "36 hours. Again, if anything, anything at all, happens to anyone in my family, we will be having this conversation again. And it won't be nearly as pleasant."

I opened the door, looked back, and said, "By the way, you're going to need a new security detail. I think I broke your last one." I walked away from his office, out of the building, to a waiting vehicle.

"Damn, boss," Diedre said.

"I need this disposed of," holding the bag up.

"No problem. We good?"

"We better be." I raked my eyes over the building, his former security detail nothing more than bodies, or pieces thereof, partially hidden by bushes, furniture, or vehicles. "If not, I will come back, and I will level this fucking city."

"Copy that. Let's get you home. Your daughters need their dad back."

And with that, I headed home, to be nothing more than a father to my children and a husband to my wife.