Disclaimers in part 1
Mac looked in her suitcase to get clothes to
change into and she was rather surprised. On the very top were some great
clothes to wear to the dinner even if they were a bit revealing. "I have
to have a chat with Harriet," she said to herself.
At dinner
"So Sarah. I hear you’re in the service.
I myself am a Captain in the Army Reserves. What do you do?" Jennifer’s
husband, Craig, asked.
"She’s probably a secretary," said
Jennifer snidely. AJ was amazed at how rude this woman was.
"No. I’m not a secretary. By the way,
you didn’t say what you did, Jennifer."
"I am a mother. I think that all real
women should stay at home with the children, don’t you AJ?"
"Only if they have nothing else to
do," he responded and enjoyed the startled look on Jennifer’s face.
Craig tried to ease the situation a little,
"Sarah you never did say what you did in the service. What’s your
rank?"
"I’m a Lt. Colonel in the Marine Corps. I
currently work for the Judge Advocate General Corps in Washington, DC."
There was a totally blank look on Jennifer
face. "She’s one of the best trial lawyers I’ve ever met," AJ said
with great pride as he put his arm around her shoulder possessively.
"You’re a lawyer?" stammered
Jennifer. AJ barely heard Jennifer say under her breath, "wonder who she
had to sleep with for that?"
"Yes. What about you, Craig?" asked
Sarah not hearing Jennifer.
"I’m a salesman. Honey look over there.
Is that Michael Payne? Michael?"
"Well done, Sarah," AJ whispered in
her ear, "You scared him off."
She smiled. "Maybe it was a good idea to
come here."
He smiled back and taking her hand in his
went to find their table. At the table, Mac saw Kathy and Syd, two of her few
friends while in school. She reached out to give them each a quick hug then
stepped back to AJ’s side taking his hand again without even realizing it.
"So introduce us, Mac," asked Syd thinking that AJ looked somewhat
familiar.
"Kathy, Syd this is AJ."
"Nice to meet you, AJ," commented
Kathy.
"Likewise. Shall we sit?"
"Hey Mac, let me just warn you real
quick, Jennifer, Craig, Michael Payne and his wife are sitting here too."
"That’s okay, Kathy. I’m sure Craig and
Jennifer will be more uncomfortable then me." She smiled. "So what
have you two been up to?"
"Not too much. Strange how things really
haven’t changed since the last time we saw each other. Got married right after
school. Three kids. Still got the farm. Trying to make ends meet. Just like
they said we would in the yearbook. How about you, Miss Least Likely to
Succeed?" asked Syd. AJ looked at her somewhat surprised.
"Well much to the chagrin of salesman
Craig and housewife Jennifer, I informed them that I am a trial lawyer for the
US Navy JAG Corp."
"You’re a lawyer? Oh, Mac that’s great!
I bet Craig had a fit. You know he went to law school but has never passed the
Bar exam," commented Kathy.
"Three times and counting," said a
smiling Syd.
"Oops. I really didn’t mean to rub his
nose in it that bad," said Mac sharing a smile with AJ.
They chatted for a while longer, exchanging
addresses so that they could keep in touch. Finally, the rest of the table
showed up and decided to make the night hell for Mac, AJ, Syd and Kathy.
"So, AJ, what do you do for a living? Or
do you let Sarah take care of you?" Jennifer asked.
Mac was too shocked to respond so she reached
for her water to stall.
Unfortunately, AJ answered Jennifer while
Mac’s mouth was full. "I train seals." Mac sputtered, AJ patted her
on her back, "Honey, are you okay?" She saw the twinkle in his eye
and knew he was up to some fun.
"I’m fine, AJ dear. I just swallowed
wrong." Neither had noticed Syd’s look of recognition until he spoke,
"You’re…" AJ looked at him, he
changed what he was going to say, "You’re a seal trainer. How interesting.
I bet that’s fun."
"Yes it can be very challenging. Lots of
my co-workers say I must have been a seal in a prior life, since I’ve spent so
much time with them."
"I’ve always loved watching those silly
things at the water parks. Don’t some of them get rather large? I bet it can
get dangerous, AJ," asked a fascinated Jennifer.
"Not too bad. Walruses are the really
large ones. Besides we train them not to hurt anyone. Except on command."
Not knowing how to stop this train of speech Sarah slid her hand under the
table and then grabbed his knee and squeezed. "Sorry honey. I promised not
to talk about my work, didn’t I. Forgive me?" he asked as he lifted her
hand from his knee and gave her palm a quick kiss.
"Sarah, let’s go get a drink,"
commented Syd. They both stood, as did AJ, being a gentleman.
After they walked away from the table, Syd
asked "Mac, where on earth did you find him?"
Without thinking, Mac replied,
"Work."
"Ah ha! So he is who I thought he
was. And don’t even ask. I do have the Internet you know. I saw something about
his retirement, somewhere. Also, don’t worry. I won’t say anything. Jealous
Jennifer would have a field day." They got to the bar and ordered their
drinks, rum and cokes for Kathy and Syd, scotch on the rocks for AJ and a club
soda with a twist for Mac. On their way back to the table, Syd asked,
"What is the relationship between you
two?"
"Nothing."
"That little kiss and the way he said
honey didn’t seem like nothing to me."
"He’s my boss," she whispered. Syd
simply nodded and smiled a little half grin.
When they walked up, Mac heard Craig ask AJ,
"Were you ever in the military? I can always spot another military
man."
"Actually, yes. I was in the Navy during
Vietnam."
"A squid. Did you ever make chief?"
Mac handed AJ his drink before he could respond.
AJ stood, making Craig and Michael look like
creeps in the eyes of their wives at least. "No. I never made chief,"
he said distracted by Mac’s presence.
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