Legionnaire

"Are you sure?" Her face lit up in a smile. "You're here tonight, Steph, but I think..."

"I'll be wearing panties and a t-shirt to bed, John. But we've seen each naked before. I'm sure we've both changed."

"I'll undress in my room. I keep everything neat nowadays. My uniform will need dry-cleaning."

Returning to the bathroom a couple of minutes later with a towel for each of us, Stephanie was already in the shower. Closing and locking the door, I stepped in behind her as she immediately leaned back into my chest, wrapping my arms around her. I'm sure she felt my erection pressing into her. The moment I saw her before me back at the hotel, I'd felt that familiar stirring in my loins. She was ten years older, but in my eyes, she'd simply grown even more beautiful. I was still surprised she'd remained single for so long.

Turning around to look at me, she glanced up and down more than once. "Wow," she whispered, "You were fit before, John. Now you're just a hunk."

"Thanks," I replied, feeling my cheeks get a little warm, not due to the hot shower, "You're rather fit yourself, Steph."

"Got to look good for my man. Fairly sure the men at my office think I'm a lesbian as I've turned each and every single one of them down for a date."

After we washed ourselves, stepping out to then dry off, I took her hand and escorted her back to my bedroom, closing the door before I threw on some underwear. Stephanie took some panties out of her bag and chose a cami instead of a t-shirt, sliding under the covers and immediately cuddling into my side. It felt like the last ten years just hadn't happened for a moment.

Feeling wet drips on my chest, I kissed the top of her head and cuddled her tighter. "It was a selfish request, John. I'm sorry," she whispered, "But I was also honest that it was for you. I was... I don't know how to put it, so I'll keep it as simple as I can. You realise how popular with the girls at school you were, right?"

"To be honest, not really."

She laughed. "Well, I guess you were a little oblivious because of me." She paused and sighed. "When the girls and I discussed the trip, I mentioned it to the girls I was working with. I should have known, but they were adamant it would all work out in the end." She looked up into my eyes. "I was wrong, but I thought at least part of you might have liked the idea of, I don't know, experimenting, at least. We'd only been together with each other and I got it into my head that, if I was gone for a year, you'd want to have some fun."

"But you knew me, Steph. I just don't know what you were thinking at the time."

"My own stupid but selfish insecurities. I've done a lot of therapy since then. We'd been together for four years, and I just thought... I was told things, then read other things online, and it snowballed, and given that I was going away..."

"Okay, honest truth time. Did you really want to sleep with anyone else?"

"No. The idea of being with anyone else wasn't appealing but I thought, if I did get really lonely, maybe... I don't know... The girls at the salon were all in my ear, telling me how much fun it would be. It was just being apart for a year and long distance relationships are difficult. But springing it on you like that, the whole idea of our trip, was selfish again. That word has popped up from time to time. I've done a lot of reflecting and soul searching for the past ten years. Growing up is tough."

"One more question, Steph, then we'll talk more in the morning. Do you want to restart our relationship?"

"More than anything," she whispered, "If you'll have me again. I love you, John."

Kissing her forehead, I felt her adjust to get comfortable. Running my fingers up and down her smooth skin, she was fast asleep long before I was. Lying there in the dark with my arm around her again, it wasn't how I expected the night to end. I thought, at most, we'd have an awkward reunion as she would have married and started a family.

Waking early the next morning, she was still asleep, spooning against me. Awkward as I had the usual morning wood that was prodding her butt. When she did finally wake up, I heard her giggle as she pressed herself back against me, taking my hand and moving it to one of her breasts. "Well, that's something I do remember fondly," she murmured. Turning around in my arms, she met my eyes and I could see the immediate concern. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Steph. You?"

"I haven't slept that well in a long time."

"Breakfast?"

She smiled and slid out of bed, wandering hand in hand to the kitchen where Mum was already preparing breakfast, Dad at the table reading the paper. After swapping pleasantries, Stephanie took a seat while I helped Mum finish off breakfast, sitting down next to Stephanie as we dug in. It was only when sitting down with a coffee afterwards that the discussion soon started.

"So I assume you two have discussed matters?" Dad asked somewhat awkwardly.

"We've just started, Dad," I replied. Taking her hand, I added, "But there's a good chance that we can rekindle what we once had."

"I noticed you're wearing his ring," Mum said. I'd shown her ten years earlier. Stephanie nodded and blushed. "Have you worn it this entire time?"

"Yes," she replied softly, "I've been single. And lonely. But that's on me. My fault." She paused before adding, "I'm sorry."

My parents smiled. "Not necessary, Stephanie. You're here this morning with our son," Mum said, "He tried to convince everyone, including himself, his feelings for you no longer existed. I know my son. Every time your name was mentioned..."

"I'll walk you home and I'll say hello to your parents, Steph," I said once we'd finished our coffee.

After getting dressed, I took her hand and walked her home. She still only lived up the road from me, like she'd done nearly her entire life. Walking inside her home was just like old times, though her parents were shocked to see me. Her mother actually cried, hugging me tightly, stating how happy she was to see me again, before his father grinned and shook my hand.

Leading me to her bedroom, it had changed from that of a teenager to a woman only a couple of years from thirty. I had to ask once we sat on her bed, "Why are you still living at home?"

"I wasn't going to buy my own place until..." She looked at me and shrugged, "You know, until I had a reason to move out. Mum and Dad don't mind me staying here. I help pay the bills and around the house, but Mum's retired so I just get in the way when I do try."

"What do you do now?"

"I'm a paralegal." Raising my eyebrows in surprise, as she wasn't planning on anything like that, she smiled at me. "You always said I had brains. I switched my major after a year."

"Looking to be a lawyer?"

"No. I like what I do now. I hear you're still an engineer?"

"Earned myself a cracking contract. Just need to find a gym so I maintain my fitness." Taking her hand, I asked, "Want to go on a date next weekend? I know that sounds..."

She kissed my cheek. "We're restarting, John. A date sounds wonderful."

We ate lunch with her parents before I suggested we go for another walk. It was a warm day, Stephanie grabbing a hat and her small bag before we walked hand in hand to a local park. Taking a seat on a bench in the shade of a couple of large trees, she cuddled into my side, wrapping an arm around her. "I shouldn't have left," I muttered, "I was too hasty."

"I hurt you more than I ever imagined, John. No-one blamed you for just wanting away."

Sitting mostly in silence, Stephanie seemed content just cuddling into me. No idea how long we sat there for, long enough that my mother text me, asking if we'd be home for dinner. Stephanie was in for a surprise when we walked inside to my sister and her family there. Just like my parents, Stephanie was welcomed with open arms by my older sister, though I'm fairly sure a bad joke was whispered, both giggling though a tissue was required for both of them afterwards.

Mum couldn't stop smiling throughout dinner. Dad looked proud as punch either. Then my sister asked, "When's the wedding?"

Stephanie blushed, taking my right hand in her left. "I'll need to propose properly, not just leave a ring behind," I replied.

"I wouldn't have gone if you'd proposed that same morning," Stephanie whispered, "We had talked about it but I thought you would have waited until I'd finished university."

"Comes back to what I said earlier," I said, squeezing her hand, "We both have regrets, Steph. We've lost ten years."

"But you can make up for lost time," Mum said.

We did that evening. Mum and Dad disappeared off to bed early, leaving Stephanie and I in the living room, mostly listening to my stories about life in France and in the service. She told me she'd visited Paris on her round the world trip. I'd landed in Paris, and had taken a day to see some of the sights, but I'd been focused on joining up.

As soon as she sat up to straddle my lap, our mouths quickly found each other, and I knew there'd be no holding back that evening. I made her giggle as I easily stood up, feeling her limbs wrap tightly around me, as I carried her to the bedroom. As soon as the door was closed, clothing was ripped off as quickly as possible. For the first time in over ten years, we made love. It was even better than I could remember. Hearing Stephanie orgasm was a thrill, and when I finally came inside her, she needed a little cry, and I happily held her in my arms.

The next week passed in a blur. We were both busy with work, but I called her each lunchtime, and I could hear the excitement in her voice every time she answered her phone. I was receiving messages from all our friends, asking for updates on the situation. I didn't give too much away, suggesting we were taking things slowly. I didn't know what Stephanie was telling them but could only assume it was all good news.

She went out with her girlfriends on Friday night, insisting I catch up with my friends, and we'd agreed our first date would be on Saturday night. Despite the fact we were with our friends, we didn't stop messaging each other all night. She sent me more than one selfie, and I'm fairly sure my three mates felt ignored from time to time. They assured me it was fine.

"Trust me," Mark said, "We haven't seen Stephanie this excited and happy since before the day you left."

"When are you going to propose?" Brett asked.

"You think it would be too quick if I was already looking for a ring?"

The three of them laughed, more than likely at me for asking such a question. "Mate, she's been ready to hear a proposal from you since the moment you walked into that function room," Mark replied.

I remembered what Stephanie used to enjoy for a night out, but tastes obviously change as you get older, so I'd asked plenty of questions since our reunion. Picking her up from her house on Saturday evening, she left me speechless for a moment, dressed in a gorgeous red sundress with white patterns, her legs bare but with a pair of small red heels. A touch of make-up was all she needed otherwise, a necklace that disappeared into her cleavage, a small purse her only other accessory.

Stephanie had always enjoyed food with an Asian influence, whether it be spices or just general flavouring. Sydney, being as multicultural as it was, always had more options than you could poke a stick at, so we ended up enjoying a fantastic meal at a Vietnamese restaurant. After eating our fill, we took the tram to Circular Quay and walked through The Rocks, stopping for a drink, before walking to the harbour itself.

We'd been chatting away as always, still sharing stories from the past decade, reminiscing about our four years together before I'd left, and just occasionally hinting at a future together. It was only when we stopped walking, Stephanie leaning back against the railing by the water as I stood in front of her, that I finally asked, "What do you want in the next five years?"

I figured being blunt would help. At least I'd know where we both stood. She took my hands in hers and met my eyes. "I want to get married and start a family, John. Is that what you want?"

"I wanted it..." I stopped and sighed. No point raking over old ground any longer, and to be honest, I was all talked out about what happened. The only thing that mattered now as the future. "Yes, that's what I want too, Steph."

"With me?" she whispered. I answered that one by kissing her. It made her smile, which caused me to grin in return. "I love you," she added softly, "I have all of my life. My best friend. My boyfriend... Soon my fiancé and maybe my husband?"

"I'm fairly sure I can organise that." I pulled her into my chest, feeling her arms wrap around me in return. "I'm sorry for leaving, Stephanie. I think we've both matured a lot in the last ten years."

"All I know is that I missed you so much, John. But now you're back, and it feels even better than it did before. Now that I'm a little bit older, I certainly appreciate what we had a lot more now."

"So do I, Steph. So do I."

We woke up together again the next morning, Stephanie unable to stop smiling as we snuggled. Which turned into tickling and giggling. Which would have turned into lovemaking if my mother didn't announce breakfast after a light tap on the door. Still, my parents couldn't stop smiling. Their son was home, and they'd always loved Stephanie. She'd explained to them everything that happened, and simply repeated what I'd told her. We're not exactly fully functioning adults at eighteen, and bound to make mistakes.

For the next month, we'd see each other nearly every evening. She'd visit me for dinner. I'd visit her for dinner. Sometimes we'd go out. Friday or Saturday, we'd go out for a date ourselves, the other night we'd catch up with our friends, four couples joining up at a restaurant or a bar. The other six always insisted they hadn't seen her so happy in a long time. I had to ask why she didn't want to at least date. All she said was that another man simply never caught her eye, and as she was kept up to date with what I was doing, she was close to flying to France more than once to track me down.

"Fairly sure I've seen a movie like that," I joked. It made her giggle before cuddling into me, "Not sure how I would have reacted though. As I've said, part of me still loved you. Always had, always would, no matter what."

Mark organised a barbecue for the next weekend after that night. I'd already found a ring to propose, and I'm fairly sure he'd already figured out my intention, though I hadn't let anyone know what I planned. Managed to keep Stephanie in the dark the entire week after I'd picked the ring I wanted to propose with, and made sure we didn't spend the Friday night together.

My three best mates were happily married to Stephanie's three best friends. They'd started families of their own. Mark lived in your typical suburban home see in the western edges of the city. Not a massive area but enough to have a decent sized pool and some decking. A large awning provided shade and relief from the constant sun. Showing up alongside Stephanie, we were greeted with hugs and handshakes, Stephanie carrying in a plate of some food, as one never attended a barbecue without bringing their own plate of food and a bottle of wine, or at least some grog. Having lived in Europe for ten years, I was now a 'beer connoisseur'. In other words, I didn't tolerate the piss-water often on sale.

Though we were all ten years older, it was just like old times in many ways. The three marriages appeared to be going strong, while Stephanie rarely let go of my hand the entire time, even while we were eating. I think she was still worried it was all a dream and I'd disappear again. I'd constantly squeeze her hand in return, or give her a soft kiss, reassuring her it was definitely real.

When we'd finished eating, everyone gathering around the table with a drink, I finally cleared my throat. I kept it simple. Taking the ring I'd kept hidden in the small pack I'd brought along, I got down on one knee in front of Stephanie. "I made a mistake of my own ten years ago, Stephanie. I credit the Legion with making me the man I am today. I needed to mature myself. If I was the man I am today back then, I'm sure I would have handled it maturely. We've both lived with regret for a decade. I don't want to live with that regret any longer. I love you, Stephanie. I wanted a life with you then. I still want that life with you. Will you honour me by being my wife?"

She couldn't reply verbally, making do with a smile and nod as I placed the second engagement ring on her finger. Then we kissed before hugging me tightly. "I love you so much," she whispered, "I'm going off the pill straight away. I want our baby."

"I love you too, sweetheart. And that all sounds good to me. I'm guessing we can get some practice in before the wedding."

After another round of handshakes and hugs, I wasn't surprised the four women were immediately planning. In fact, I learned rather quickly that Stephanie didn't want a big bash for a wedding. She wanted something small and intimate. Close friends and family only. The only thing that mattered would be the fact we'd end the ceremony as husband and wife.

We quickly agreed there'd be no bachelor or bachelorette party, not because we didn't trust each other, but there was no need for one. Instead, we enjoyed a party together, inviting the people who wouldn't be at the wedding.

Stephanie and her friends organised nearly everything. I gave my opinion to any question asked, but although it was our big day, I was happy to go with most of her choices. I was just pleased Stephanie didn't want anything to break the bank. The only major questions I asked were about what I was going to wear and then where we were going for our honeymoon.

"Legion dress uniform and France," were her replies, "You were so handsome in the former, and I'd love to be escorted by my husband around the latter. Helps you're fluent in the language so it'll make things easier."

"I speak some Spanish and Italian to a good level. And decent enough German."

That made her smile. "So we can do a little European tour?"

"I missed out on doing Asia with you. So this is making up for missing that by doing our own little trip, just the two of us. Trust me, I was the Legion for ten years and could live off what I saved for the next decade and more probably."

We married only three months after my proposal. It was a simple ceremony held in a park near our homes. My three best friends were groomsmen. Her three best friends' bridesmaids. Our parents and extended families attended. At most another dozen or so guests. I was dressed as she requested, and noticed her face light up when she saw me. Her white gown was something else entirely. When she stood next to me, taking her hands in mine, it was the first time I could remember that I was on the verge of shedding a tear.

"If you cry, I won't stop," she whispered, hearing the shudder in her breath.

The vows were exchanged were simple before we both said 'I do'. There was the traditional kiss, the taking of photo's, then the car ride to the restaurant we'd be enjoying our meal. The reception, as it was, would be at my parents' house. Stephanie would be moving in until we found a home for ourselves. We'd been searching online and were already putting out feelers. We both had more than enough savings for a deposit and could afford a mortgage with our joined salaries.

It would be awkward living at home until then, but rent money was dead money, and my parents insisted we live with them until we were ready to move into a home of our own.

Stephanie was able to get a month off from her work without a problem. Getting time off with mine took a big of negotiation, since I hadn't even been there a year, but considering they'd been so keen to hire me in the first place, once I explained the whole story to my boss, he was happy to give me the time, though I wouldn't have any holiday time available for the rest of the year. I assured him that was fine, and I'd put in more hours once I was back.