The Red Ledger Vol. 03 - The End

There are no 'cucks' in this story. No BTB, and no cheating. Very little sex. This is the third and final part of 'The Red Ledger.' It is a love story, and I can't think of a better place than Loving Wives.

Some other stories cover just about every subject. This one really is about Loving Wives. I invite you to read Parts 1 and 2 for context, and I apologize for a couple of glaring mistakes. (You'll see.)

Also this is to apologize for "David's Revenge". According to most readers, not my best work. If you don't like this, there's no help for you.

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At last, the last part of the love story. A couple of people had mentioned that they thought there

should be a few more bits and pieces on the characters' lives. No sex (well, not much) just a nice little story about real people in the real world (of my imagination). Read it or not, enjoy it or not, it is what it is.

(Besides, I still get paid the millions for getting it published. HEH, HEH, HEH.) You might want to read Red Ledger 1 & 2 for some context. No naughty parts (just talking about it)

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Major Donald Hugh Forsane looked in the mirror in his bedroom and absent-mindedly wiped the gold oak leaves on his collar. His promotion to Major had just come through but he was glad for it.

'It's time to go home. It's been a long time,' he thought.

Actually, it had only been about twelve years since he had left the states, but those twelve years had been fraught with change. The Bok Haram attack just after his arrival was not unexpected. Saving the life of the stunningly beautiful neurosurgeon was. He thought back.

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1st Lieutenant Donald Hugh Forsane laced his boots up. He was getting tired of 'party cake' assignments. Nothing to do and he got them because his uniform was 'spiffier' than the Marines. He thought this would be different because the Ambassador PERSONALLY asked for him. Then he found out what it was. A Christmas Party, at the children's hospital.

His opposite number with the Marines, Lt. Jake O'Donnell, screwed with him when he told him he told the Ambassador that he was confident the Green Berets could handle it.

"No sense sending in the Marines, sir. We have other things to handle."

'Thanks a lot, Jake,' he thought to himself.

He met the other three members of his team at the armory. Lance Corporal Simon Davis asked the Lieutenant if was going to draw an M-16.

"Naw, a side arm will be good enough for me. I trust you guys not to shoot me," he laughed.

"I don't know, sir. Those Nuns always scared me back in grammar school," said Davis. The four men laughed and left for the Children's Hospital.

Dr. Ami Kashime was coming out of the hospital, where she worked as a staff neurosurgeon specializing in pediatrics. It was lunchtime, and she and two nurses were on their way to an outdoor cafe to eat.

1st. Lieutenant Donald Forsane and the three men of his security detachment from the Embassy were on their way to the children's hospital to see about throwing a Christmas party for the kids.

Humanitarian relations with the local government were high on the ambassador's list, and the hospital was run by Catholic nuns and backed by the Catholic Church.

As they pulled up in their Humvee, all hell broke loose. Gunshots and explosions rang out, and people started running. One of the two nurses was hit and dropped to the street. The bad guys ran up to the two remaining women and tried to force them into their truck when the Green Beret officer and the three Green Berets from the Embassy rolled up and rushed them. Shots rang out, and Lieutenant Forsane dropped two of the insurgents before taking a round in the chest. He shot two more and launched himself at the tall raven-haired woman. He hit her with a body block, and they fell to the ground.

He remembered thinking, 'This is nicer than taking out an Alabama running back in college football.'

He rolled the lady's body up against the storefront where they had landed. All the time, he was smearing blood on her blouse and her smock.

He was shielding her with his body.

He pivoted and shot another baddie, and then his men were mopping up and taking care of the wounded lady. Lance Corporal Davis came over to him and started to minister to his wound.

"Dam, Lt., some guys will do anything to get out of work." He grinned and turned to the lady and helped her up.

"Nice catch, ma'am. Sorry about the blood."

She immediately turned her attention to Donald. "I am a doctor," she said. Davis chuckled and said, "It figures. Officers get all the luck."

Then Donald laughed and said in his best Bugs Bunny impression, "AHH, what's up doc?" Then he lost consciousness.

She looked at him with horror on her face; then, her expression disintegrated into laughter. He was handsome and well put together, but he was losing blood. She continued to minister to him, gently. Her smile was better than any medicine, and she knew he was hers.

He returned to a groggy consciousness.

"My name is Lieutenant Donald Forsane, ma'am. I apologize for the tackle, and ruining your blouse."

She looked at him, shushed him, blushed, and said, "You saved my life, Lieutenant. The rest does not matter. THANK YOU."

Their eyes met, and she teared up a little. He knew that his life was about to change forever

They deployed Marines and Green Berets around the hospital. She fixed me up, and the embassy ambulance came and got me. She said she would check on my progress.

After all, I was her patient.

I got an ambulance ride back to the Embassy. The Embassy doctor and the Green Beret doctor came and checked me out. I talked to my immediate C/O, Capt. Linger and filed the after-action report and checked on my three men. I got updated on the condition of the wounded nurse. Then I was visited by the woman I had saved, and the Ambassador himself.

When the Ambassador heard about the action and was made aware of the Doctor's last name, he became very interested in her condition and involvement, and in our actions concerning them.

It seems that Doctor Ami Kashime was the only daughter of Professor and Mrs. Afework Aaron Kashime, the government Minster of Medicine. While they had three sons, their only daughter was daddy's favorite.

And she had informed her father that I, Lt. Forsane, was HER favorite.

She was standing by his bedside when the Ambassador and his unit C/O, Col. James "Nightmare" Singleton, awarded him the Purple Heart and Bronze Star and promoted him to Captain.

THEN he got to meet Professor Afework Aaron Kashime and his wife, Fatima.

The Prof. had sort of a concerned look on his face. Dr. Kashime was blushing a little and having trouble meeting his eyes. Mrs. Kashime looked like she had a secret she wanted to share and smiled with a cat who swallowed the canary grin. She kept fussing with his hospital gown and touching his cheek.

Everything went off without a hitch. After exchanging congratulations and handshakes, serious discussions took place.

"I am told by my wife and daughter that you are important to my little girl."

"FATHER!!"

A smirk appeared on the man's lips. "Well, that was the way you presented it to me," he said.

He was enjoying jerking his daughter's chain.

"I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, Captain. We are forever in your debt. It would appear to me that it will be much easier to thank one man for my daughter's safety, and happiness, than to thank her savior AND her husband."

"FATHER!!!!"

The gentleman chuckled and said, to his wife, that it would appear the young people need to talk. His wife smiled and kissed the new Captain's cheek.

"Thank you again. Tell your family I am in their debt," her mother said.

Dr. Ami moved up to the head of the bed and adjusted his pillow. She pulled the blanket and sheet up a little farther. She inspected her perfectly manicured fingernails but did not meet his eyes.

She stood about 5' 7", looked to be about 130 pounds, long black hair done up in a bun, nice built, (blush), and smoldering black eyes. SO deep.

SOOO DEEP.

She was fidgeting. She shyly looked down at the bed rail.

"So you're in love with me?".

Donald thought, 'I hope.'

Ami's eyes widened in amazement. She stuttered a little bit and then said, "What makes you think that, Captain??"

Now she looked him square in the eyes and held his stare.

'WOW,' he thought, 'This lady has guts.'

Donald cleared his throat.

"Well, I don't know what you said to your parents, or how you phrased it, but it seems your father surmised that you are madly in love with me."

I grinned as I stared at her. She was obviously a little nonplussed about how this conversation was going. She looked at me and glared.

Then she sighed.

"When I was in medical school in Paris, I was not an exemplary student. I partied quite a bit and was a bit of a 'wild child.' Every smooth-talking student and some older individuals attempted to 'take advantage' of me."

She hesitated. "Some succeeded."

"My parents got reports on this, and mother said my father was devastated- and furious. He wanted to bring me home before I quote 'ruined my reputation' unquote."

"That was the way my parent's generation described my actions.

"My mother flew to Paris, and we had a little visit. She set me straight. I graduated top of my class. I returned to Addis Abbaba and got a position taking care of young children as a neurosurgeon. I have been here, on staff, for five years. I love my work.

"I managed to put my social life on a shelf and to concentrate on my patients. Sometimes I am blessed with success, but sometimes I am not.

"When you rescued me, you did so with no consideration for your well-being. And you didn't know who I was."

Then she smiled.

"And even though you were injured, you still managed to make a joke. I was shocked at your attitude; then, I laughed at your bravado.

"I realized you were an American. I was intrigued. I had you 'checked out,' as you Americans say. I was impressed by what I learned. You are a good man. And now you have a cute scar. I feel that that scar is for me.

"At least, I think it is."

She shifted her gaze sideways, and her barely opened eyes smoldered as she looked at me.

"All in all, I guess I DO love you."

She grinned at me. I stuttered. The I blushed. Then I looked around for something to distract me.

I got nothing, so I looked back into those smoldering black eyes.

O.K., O.K., so she's right. And I love her also. Damn, she caught me on that one.

I thought, 'My parents will be over the moon. Well, my dad will be. I don't know if anything will impress my mother. My sister will be happy. Maybe she will dump that prick of a husband. One can only hope.'

I looked at Ami and screwed up my courage.

"Is there a special guy out there that I need to worry about, or just beating up on the Bok Haram? Because if this is going to be a regular occurrence, I'm going to have to wear my body armor all the time," I grinned.

She grinned back at me.

"Yes- .......

"I am looking at him."

AHEM!!

"Well, I guess we should get to know each other. How does one go about dating in Ethiopia?"

She stared at him. Then she smirked.

"Well, you need to buy me expensive jewelry, a new car, preferably European, take me out to expensive restaurants, go clubbing, and talk to my father and brothers."

While she was saying this, she looked me straight in the eye with a deadpan stare.

GULP!!!

O.K. Army was backed up at the three-yard line, up against the goal line, and it was first and goal, Navy's ball, seven seconds to play, and we were up by six.

No pressure.

I swallowed hard. Then, Ami smiled.

WHAT A SMILE!!

"Or," she said, and giggled, "you could come by for dinner when you get out of the hospital and meet my family."

Oh, SHIT!!!

The Navy quarterback took the snap and ran right over my left linebacker position. Touchdown. They kicked the PAT. Navy went on to win the Army-Navy game.

By one point.

Well, that's the way I felt.

I don't know if I'm sharp enough for this woman. BUT DAM, we're going to find out.

I smiled at her and said I would be honored to come to her house for dinner.

She smiled at me again and said she had to get back to work, but she would come to see me tomorrow, after work. She would talk to her parents.

She kissed my cheek (Nothing too mushy yet) and waved to me as she left.

As soon as she went out the door, the other patients on the ward started the woo-woos and catcalls.

I smiled at the ceiling. I was thinking that a nice bottle of Johnny Walker Black and a 'Thank You' note to Jake were in order. I chuckled to myself.

So I started to mend (it wasn't all that serious a wound, but it did leave a decent scar, per my instructions. Hey, it was my first real war wound, and my girlfriend had already staked a claim to it.

(Girlfriend??)

I had a good night's sleep, looking forward to my visitor tomorrow.

My guest arrived about 3:00 p.m. that afternoon (I was getting antsy), and she had a big smile on her face, along with two pieces of construction paper, about 10×12 inches each.

"I have some presents for you," she grinned. She layed two hand-drawn pictures on my bed.

"This one is from my female patients," she said.

It showed a male figure in a green shirt and pants. The stick figure had a big smile on its face, and it was holding hands with a female figure in white, also smiling. Hearts and little birds surrounded them. Across the top, in block letters, it said, "That you, Captain Forsane, for saving Doctor Ami."

"That's sweet, Ami," I grinned.

The other one had a BIG guy in green, with two guns in his hands, towering over a petite figure in white. He was laughing and shooting guys in black. She was crying. In block letters, it said, "YAY!!"

I stifled a grin and said, "Maybe I should get your male patients to push for my next promotion."

She grinned and said the two boys thought I was a tough guy.

The four girls said they would marry me.

We talked for a while, and she let me hold her hand. She said when I got discharged that her parents would love to have me over for dinner.

No pressure, she said.

I shuddered a little and said I was looking forward to it.

No pressure, huh??

So I got on the mend (Doc pulled the bandage two days later), and I was free to return to duty.

The Ambassador summoned me to his office. He inquired about Miss Kashime and if I had behaved myself. He said Professor Kashime had made inquiries as to my 'pedigree'. The Ambassador gave me glowing endorsements. The Ambassador's wife had spoken to Ami's mother and said while she did not know me personally, the times she had met me left her feeling very proud of me.

My commanding officer told the Professor that I was a graduate of West Point and had gotten excellent grades and looked like a shoo-in for a promising future in the military.

So a dinner invitation arrived at the H/Q of our Green Beret unit, and I received instructions to conduct myself with the utmost decorum. The reputation of the U.S. Army was at stake.

I cracked a joke about how we were in trouble, and my C/O came out of his chair and got nose to nose with me.

"CAPTAIN, this is no laughing matter. You will treat this young lady with the utmost respect. Think of her as your sister. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR, soldier???"

"SIR, YES SIR."

Good thing he didn't say, 'my mother.'

I bought flowers and pasteurized grapefruit juice. I was familiar with middle eastern customs and knew that alcohol was a no-no in Muslim households.

(Dumb shit!!!)

I signed out a car from the motor pool, and followed the directions to the Kashime household's abode.

I arrived about ten minutes early with my gifts and walked up to the front door. I pulled the bell-rope, and a young man greeted me and ushered me into a spacious courtyard. There was my welcoming committee- Father, Mother, Paternal Grandmother, Maternal Grandmother, Big Brother, Bigger Brother, Biggest Brother, and sweet, demure, virginal (??) Dr. Ami, and her long time nursemaid.

(Gulp!) O.K., maybe I didn't love her that much.

Mother greeted me with a warm embrace, and I presented her with the flowers. She was overjoyed and smiled at me, handing the flowers to the young house boy.

Next, Father came up and shook my hand. I smiled and offered the grapefruit juice to him. He looked at me with a perplexed expression.

Cool guy that I was, I explained that I knew his religion did not consume alcohol. He studied the label.

"Grapefruit juice?? I was not aware that Coptic Christians could not drink alcohol. And here I thought for forty-five years I was a good Christian."

HUH???

He turned to his mother and told her what had happened. Her eyes widened, Then she turned to look at me.

She busted a gut, laughing.

Her brothers were grinning.

Maternal Grandmother rolled her eyes, and snickered.

Mother laughed and shook her head.

Ami giggled and walked up to me.

"What about my European sports car??"

I dropped my eyes and blushed.

"Sorry, the best I could do was a Ford Fiesta from the Embassy motor pool."

Ami and her brothers disintegrated in laughter. Obviously, no one else was in on that joke.

After that and the ensuing explanation, our dinner proceeded. We had bar-be-cued lamb, couscous, hummus, grilled vegetables, and a full-bodied Cabernet sauvignon, vintage 1979. Excellent year.

I had a three-month-old grapefruit juice. Excellent month.

But I had a good sense of humor, and I was winning over the family. The fact that I was Roman Catholic was a plus, and I was 'ruggedly handsome.'

(Their words, not mine.)

I sat between her dad and one brother on one side and the other two brothers on my other side.

Ami and her mother sat opposite us between her two grandmas and her nursemaid. Ami grinned all through dinner; mother and both grandmothers were non-committal. Her nursemaid scowled at me. All in all, I figured I was ahead on points.

After dinner and with the sun setting, the breeze sprang up, and we sat in the garden, swapping facts about our lives. It was a little like an Italian or Mexican family get-together.

We had chaperons out the wazoo.

As the evening progressed, both grandmothers said good night; then the nursemaid; then Mother shooed her brothers off to bed, amidst snickers and grins.

Mom and dad looked like they were settling in for the night. Dad kept grinning at me. Ami was sitting next to me on the settee, about eighteen inches away. Mom was smiling at us in between sips of wine.

Finally, her dad looked at his watch and said, "Well, we've tortured you two enough. And I think your mother has had MORE than enough to drink. And if you don't put your arm around my daughter, she is liable to freeze to death."

Wink, wink.

Her mom put down her glass and shakily rose, taking her husband's offered arm.

"OH, thank heavens. One more glass of wine, and I would have fallen over. Not too late, you two."

I rose, took her hand, and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek.

"Good night, Mother."

"OOH, he is very smooth," she chuckled.

Ami covered her mouth and giggled.

Her dad shook his head, rolled his eyes to the heavens, and shook my hand.

"Behave!!," he said.

"Sir, YES Sir," I answered.

They went inside, I resumed my seat (a little closer now), and Ami pouted.

"I thought we would get a little naughty now," she whispered.

At that point, I covered her lips with mine. I probed her lips and her mouth with my tongue.

I whispered in her ear, "How about some dessert?"