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Skylar Rose Parker eyed her father from across the dinner table. Col. Parker cut his steak with enthusiasm, utterlyoblivious to his daughter’s death gaze. Finally, Skylar pushed back her chair and startedtostandup.
“Now justa minute there, younglady,” Col. Parker said as he tooka sip ofice water fromhis cup. “Ihaven’texcusedyoufromthetableyet,andIhaveanannouncementtomake.”
Skylar frozeinher tracks. Not again,she thoughthopelessly.She knew whatwas coming,andwith her 18th birthday still over a month away, there was nothing she could do about it. Slowly, she slid her curvy bottomback down on the chair and gripped the sides of the seat until her knuckles turned white.
Col. Parker tooka final bite ofhis baked potato and pushed his plate aside. He folded his hands in frontofhimonthetableandtookabreath.
“Ialreadyknow whatyou’re goingtosay,Dad.Canwe cutthe crap? I’malmost18. Where are we moving,andwhenareweleaving?”Skylar demanded.
Quickonthe recovery, the lines onCol. Parker’s face creased slightly, buthe smoothlyresponded, “MywinghasbeenassignedtoanairbaseinGermany.Wedepartinoneweek.”
Skylar gasped. “Germany? Seriously? You’ll never let me come back stateside by myself even whenI’m18.You’ll wantme tostayinGermanyandtake care ofAshley. Can’tAshleyand Ijuststay withMomuntil then?”
Assoonasshebroughther momup,Skylar saw her mistake.
“Your mother, ifyouremember, is still inrehab. Youare notreadyto be onyour ownjustyet, and this transfer to Germany isn’t a choice. My wing has been transferred to provide additional airfield support, and it comes withpromotions for some ofmyairmen. But this transitionwon’t be as bad as youthink. The Air Force Base is like its ownsmall town. Youwill getto see youngmenand women your ownagewithgoalsandambitions.I’mhopingsomeofthatwill ruboffonyouandAshley.” Skylar ground her teeth. “I have goals! Just because you don’t agree with them, doesn’t mean they’rebad,”shesnappedback.
“Withyour brains,Skylar,becominga flightattendantis nota suitable career ifyoucanevencall it that. Youshould reconsider joiningthe Before Col. Parker could say“military” Skylar stormed outofthekitchen.
She knew her father wouldn’t come runningafter her, but she shut her bedroomdoor and locked it anyway. Skylar hadn’t cried during the three in-state transfers that she had suffered as her father climbed the ranks to Colonel, but the tears flowed now. She had no doubt that he was needed at the base in Germany, but she was so sick of her father always putting the Air Force first. Did he really think she would tolerate a move to Germany? And what about Ashley? At 16, Ashley was in the middle of highschool onthe base, and she had several friends and evena boyfriend that their father didn’tknow about.Themovetoanother countrywasbeyondunfair for bothofthem.
Skylar paced around her bedroomand weighed her options. Finally, she pulled out her phone and called her friend Lisa. Lisa’s father was a Lieutenant Colonel who had served under Skylar’s father for thepasttwoyears.Lisapickeduponthefirstring.
“Itakeityougotthenews?”Lisaaskedwithaslightstraininher voice.
“Germany!Doesthatmeanyou’recomingtoo?”Skylar saidhopefully.
“Of course! Where your dad goes, so does mine. And in case you’ve forgotten, Sky, I just turned
17,sonochoicehere,girlfriend!Ihadhopedwhenmydadcasuallytoldmethe wonderful news over lunch, that your dad would let you stay in the states since you’re nearly legal. Though if I’m honest, I’mabitrelievedthatIdon’thavetogobymyselfwithonlyyour brattysister for company.”
Skylar smiled slightly. “Ditto, Lisa. But Germany? That’s practically the end of the world. And isn’titbelow freezingtheremostoftheyear?”
“Not inRamstein! It’s not pool weather, true, but theydon’t evenget that muchsnow. Theyget an averageofafew inchesinDecember andJanuary,”Lisarepliedeasily.
“How do you know so much about the German weather?” Skylar sat on her bed and glanced towardsher sister’s bedinthecorner.Shecouldalreadytell thatLisawas takingthenews waybetter thanAshleywould.
“Ha-ha, I didn’t know a thing about Germany five minutes ago. I was looking up stuff when you called.Didyouknow theAir ForceBasehasitsownshoppingmall?Iwonder ifithasaGAP.”
“Lisa, seriously? We’re moving across the planet and your major concern is if the shopping mall has a GAP?” Skylar laughed. Skylar couldn’t help but appreciate her best friend’s positive attitude andabilitytoeasethetensionandstressofmovingwithrandombitsofinformation.
After she got off the phone, Skylar felt a bit better about the situation, but not much. She had graduated highschool a year earlyand was workingas a daycare assistanta few days a weekonthe base. Her plan was to get a glowing review fromher boss and apply for a flight attendant position withanairlineinthefall.Now,all ofher planswerewrecked.
She lay on her bed, eyes closed, trying to process uprooting to Germany. Eventually, she heard Ashley coming in through the garage. Skylar heard muffled voices filtering through her door, and a final shouted,“Thanksfor ruiningmylife,Colonel!”beforetherewasaloudknockonher door.
Skylar groaned and wiggled offthe bed to unlockthe door and lether sister in. Skylar watched as Ashleystormedover totheir sharedclosetandsnatcheda suitcase.She tossedthe suitcase onthe bed and started pullingher clothes outofher dresser drawers withouta word. Skylar carefullysatonthe edgeofAshley’sbed.
“Ashley,whereareyougoing?”Skylar askedcautiously.
“Not Germany!” Ashley responded with an edge to her voice as she shoved a particularly large pair ofoverallsintoher suitcase.
“You should sit down, Ash. I don’t want to go to Germany either, but if you try to sneak off the base,dadwill justnotifyAir ForceSecurityandthey’ll dumpyourightbackhere.”
Ashley let loose a string of cuss words that would have had their father’s ears ringing before chuckingthe suitcase backinto the closet. AlthoughSkylar patted the bed ininvitation, Ashleyopted topacebackandforthinfrontofthecloset.
After several minutes, Ashley calmed down enough to stop and look at her sister. “You look too calmrightnow.Doesthismeanyouhaveaplan?”sheaskedhopefully.
“Morelikeanidea.Your boyfriend,Nathan.Helivesonthebasewithhisperfectfamily,right?”
“His mom is the base commander, so yes. She wouldn’t help though; she had to have approved Dad’swingtransfer.And,um,NathanandIbrokeupthismorning,”Ashleyrepliedsheepishly.
“Seriously?Well,theregoes thatplan.IfiguredyouandIcouldlivewithNathanandhis familyfor five weeks until I turned 18. Then I could get Mom out of rehab, and we could finally get off this base,”Skylar admitted.
“And Dad would roll over and let that happen? Yeah, no way. I mean it was a good thought, but Nathan is a bit of a slimeball, and now I understand why he was the one to suggest the breakup. He musthaveknownaboutthetransfer anddidn’twantalong-distancerelationship.”
Skylar and Ashleystayed intheir roomtalkinguntil a knockonthe door startled themboth. Their dad popped his head in. He took in the open closet with the suitcase hanging out and raised an eyebrow. When neither of his daughters offered an explanation, he shrugged. “Looks like you made the right decision at any rate, although if you want to get started packing for Germany, I would be prettyimpressed.”
Both daughters glared at their father, but Col. Parker laughed. “Too soon for a joke? I’m sorry, girls.Youknow whatbeinginthemilitaryislike.Dutycomesfirst.Ifitmakesyoufeel anybetter,it’s onlyfor twoyears.”
“No, Dad, that doesn’t make us feel any better,” Skylar replied dryly. Ashley remained oddly silent.
Their father easedhimselfintothebedroomandsatonSkylar’sbed.
Skylar was still upsetatthe situation, butshe knew her dad was right. Whenthe Air Force needed youto be somewhere, youwent. It wasn’t reallya bad thingthat her father was anexceptional wing commander. Their housing was nice, their meals were decent, and the other families on the base alwaystreatedthemwithrespect.
“ButwhyGermany?Andwherewill yougoafter twoyears?”Ashleyasked.
Skylar watchedasher dad’s mouthtightenedwhenAshleysaid,“yougo,”butheotherwiseignored the slight. “I’mretiring after this assignment. I’ve served our country for twenty-four years, and my retirement will be accepted after Germany. Then I can sit around and wait for grandchildren,” he respondedwithawink.
Ashleyrolled her eyes, butSkylar could tell she had fullycalmed down. Slowly, Ashleyrose from her bed and sat onSkylar’s bed next to her father. She wrapped himina hug. Theylooked at Skylar expectantly.
“Youpromise?Twoyears,andwe’redone?Icangowherever Iwantafter this?” “AslongasthereisnoWorldWar III,Ipromise.”
Skylar slidoffofAshley’sbedandjoinedher familyinalovingembrace.
The next few days went by in a blur. Skylar made the rounds to her other friends on the base and gavethemthenews.Althoughher friendsweresadtoseeher go,noneofthemtookittoohard.Skylar dropped by Lisa’s house nearly every day. Together, they looked up everything they could about GermanyandtheRamsteinAir ForceBase.SinceacceptingthatthemovetoGermanywas thereality, Skylar decided to focus onthe positives. Anew base meantnew opportunities. She imagined anyjob at the mall would pay considerably more than her job as a babysitter, and when she turned 18, her opportunitieswoulddouble.
The day before their scheduled travel to Germany, Col. Parker took his two daughters off base to theRehabilitationClinictosaygoodbyetotheir mom.
Skylar andAshleysatinplastic chairs ata small table inthe clinic’s lunchroom. Col. Parker stood near the far wall to give his daughters and ex-wife some space. Their mom, Carry, tookanother bite of her Jell-O. Her nurses were nearby, chatting, but Skylar saw themglance casually and frequently towardsCarry.
“So, your father thought keeping you on base wasn’t far enough away from me, huh?” Carry remarked.
“It’s not like that, Mom. Dad is retiring after this stint in Germany,” Skylar said evenly. Ashley chewed onher lip before adding, “Skylar and I will be backhere before youknow it. We’ll get you outofthisplace.”
Carrylooked at her two daughters, her left eye twitchingslightly. “I guess two more years isn’t a
long wait to get out of this place. You really will come back for me?” she asked as she looked directlyatAshley.
Skylar winced. Carry had always favored Ashley slightly, and this was just another example of favoritism. Intwo years, Skylar would be the one to getCarryoutofrehab, and yetAshleywould get the creditfromtheir mother. After the visit, Skylar thoughtmaybe movingto Germanywasn’tquite so miserable.
The transfer to the Ramstein Air Force Base was far from smooth. Although Col. Parker went ahead to secure housing and get his wing settled, Skylar and Ashley waited for hours at the airport because their plane needed maintenance and replacementparts. The ironywas notlostonSkylar, and sheentertainedtheideaofmarchinguptothehelpdeskdemandingthatasthedaughter ofaColonel in the Air Force, a shoddy plane was not acceptable. Skylar knew that it would have accomplished literally nothing except a few extra glares fromthe flight attendants once they boarded the plane, so sheresignedtomutteringunder her breathwhileher sister kepther nosestuckinabook.
The first few days at the base were agonizing. Skylar and Ashley barely saw their father, and Ashley was carted off to the high school on base the morning after their arrival. Skylar sat in their nice new house by herself since Lisa also had to finish high school on base. After unpacking and tryingto make the cookie-cutter house feel like home, Skylar decided to startexploringthe base. The Kaiserslautern Military Community (KMC), including the Air Force Base, was so large that Skylar feltlostbefore she evenlefther home’s driveway. Althoughshe and Lisa had learned aboutthe KMC online, beingpartofsucha huge area was anentirelydifferentexperience. Skylar gother bicycle out of the garage and pulled up a map of the base onher phone. She decided her first stop would be the mall. They had seen it near the Air Force Base’s airport when they landed, and Skylar could have swornshesaw signsinEnglish,andAmericanretailer departmentstorelogos.
Skylar rode her bike to the bus stop and chained her bike. She feltluckythatitwas a shortbus trip because there were several military families on the bus giving her odd looks. Once she got to the mall, Skylar feltmore athome. She eagerlywentto the Starbucks near the food courtand ordered an Iced Mocha Frappuccino. The cashier raised aneyebrow whenSkylar also asked for anapplication. Skylar tookher applicationand wentwindow shopping. The restofthe mall was chockfull ofstores and service stores. To her delight, there was a small travel agencylocated inthe mall thatwas hiring anofficeassistant.Skylar thoughtworkingfor themwouldgiveher astepupwhensheappliedtobea flight attendant because she could learn about flight schedules and popular travel destinations. The manager smiledas Skylar satdownandfilledouttheapplicationrightthenandthere.Hepromisedhe wouldcall her infor aninterview.
When Skylar finally got home, she was greeted at the driveway by her disgruntled father and an unfamiliar airman.Skylar wasn’tsure why, butshe could tell byher father’s grimace thatshe had, yet again,donesomethingwrong.Cautiously,shestoppedher bikeinfrontofher father.
“Exactlywherehaveyoubeen,Skylar?”Col.Parker barked.
“Iwanted to checkoutthe mall and pickup some job applications. Was Isupposed to pickup Ash fromschool or something?”Skylar askedworriedly.
“Ileftyoua note onthe refrigerator.Youwere supposedtogowithSenior AirmanMatthews tothe commissary and pick up groceries. He arrived at precisely 0100, and you were not here,” Skylar’s dadsnappedashenoddedtowardstheairman.
Skylar barely heard her father. Senior Airman Matthews was an older man with kind eyes and a gentle expression which he seemed to only save for her. She could tell he was taking in her curves andlargechest,andshesmiledback.
“Skylar! Don’t just stand there. What do you have to say for yourself?” her dad yelled angrily. Skylar jumpedinalarmandtriedtocover itbyrollingher bikeintothegarage.
Sherepliedover her shoulder with,“I’mverysorryIdidn’treadatinynoteontherefrigerator.Are
youstill abletotakemegroceryshopping,AirmanMatthews?”
Skylar heard the Airman’s laughter as she tookoff her helmet and hungit froma hookonthe wall ofthe garage. His laughter stopped nearlyas quicklyas it had started, and Skylar knew instantlythat her father had silenced his mirth with a glance. She couldn’t believe someone in the Air Force actuallyhadasenseofhumor andappreciatedher sarcasm.
Whenshe returned to the waitingduo, she saw thather father was a millisecond fromgoingoffon her for havingsassed himinfront of one of his men. “I’msorryI kept your Airmanwaiting. I really didn’t see the note. If you could call me or text me next time, I will make sure this won’t happen again,”Skylar saidtoher dadcalmly.
“It’sreallyokay.Your dadcanleaveagrocerylistwithme,andIcanswingbythecommissaryand pickup the things your familyneeds. Myname is JohnMatthews, bythe way. Youcancall me John. It’snicetomeetyou,Skylar,”JohnsaidashereachedforwardtoshakeSkylar’shand.
“Matthews!Iwill nothave youspeakingto mydaughter like that. Iamyour senior commander and you will show some respect! You are dismissed!” Col. Parker shouted. He stepped between the Airman and his daughter, his demeanor halfway between protective father and irritated lion. Senior Airman Matthews saluted Col. Parker and walked towards the jeep parked in the street. Matthews gaveonelastlookover hisshoulder andwinkedatSkylar.
“Didhereallytalklikethatinfrontofyour father?”Lisaaskedinawe. It was the evening after the incident, and Lisa was in Skylar’s new room, slouched on Skylar’s deskchair.
“He did. My father was not pleased. He assigned John extra cleanup assignments, and he sent a female officer over this morningtoescortme tothe commissary,” Skylar respondedfromher position onher bed.
Since the Air Force Base was so large, she and her sister no longer had to share a bedroom, and Skylar was grateful thatshe couldtalktoLisa inprivate.She hada lotonher mind,andshe couldnot getJohn’slaughoutofher head.
“Wow.Doesthatmeanyour dadnoticedthatyouandJohnlikeeachother?How oldisheagain?”
Skylar sighed, exasperated. “Who said we like each other? I just appreciate that he has a personalityand is not a militaryrobot like good old Dad, and I have no idea how old he is. Mr. Sir Colonel Uppity Pants didn’t exactly give me the chance to ask. He’s a bit older than most Senior Airmenthough,soIimaginehehadaprofessionbeforethemilitaryanddecidedtoenlistafterward.”
“Thatmakeshimpracticallyhuman!”Lisajoked.
Over the next several weeks, Skylar got used to her surroundings. She had an interview with the manager of the vacationagencyand snagged a part-time job as anassistant. Her father allowed it on the conditionthat she also kept aneye onher sister and did anychores and errands he wrote for her ontherefrigerator’snew magneticwhiteboard.
Skylar was content withher new job, and keepingAshleyout of trouble had beenprettyeasy. She had evenspotted Johnonce or twice atthe mall while she was working. Ashley’s grades so far were solid, and althoughshe didn’tsaymuchaboutschool, Skylar figured ifthere was anythingwrong, she would have heard about it. One weekbefore Skylar’s birthday, Ashley came inthe front door like a whirlwind. Skylar looked up fromthe recipe bookshe had beencheckinginpreparationfor tonight’s dinner.
“Whoa,Ashley,issomeonechasingyouor something?”Skylar joked.
“Iwish!Thatwouldmeansomeone actuallynoticedthatIexisted.This school is huge!The teacher
putmeinthebackoftheclassandhasn’tcalledonme since myfirstday.The other students are all in the ROTC program and aren’t interested in some kid who would rather play the piano than march, followingorders,”Ashleycomplainedasshedroppedher backpackonthefloor near thedoor.
Skylar took a deep breath. Ashley’s problems were rather silly considering that not a single person, not evenLisa, had asked Skylar what she wanted to do for her 18th birthday. Ashleywas so worried about her own problems that she didn’t even notice Skylar’s less-than-enthusiastic tone as she responded, “Well, maybe there are other kids inschool who youwill clickwith. Tryjoiningthe musicclub.”
Ashleyrolledher eyes before goingtothe refrigerator tograba snack.“The music club is aboutas funasDadtryingtoplayvideogames.”
Skylar winced. The last time they had invited Dad to play a videogame had ended with a broken controller.
“Well, I mean, surely there’s a nice guy or two on the base? Everyone who has stopped by Fun TimesVacationPlanningseemedreallynice,”Skylar encouraged.
“The hot ones are already taken at school, and I don’t want anyone who is enlisted. They are all stuckupandwaytoofocusedontheir jobstogiveagirl likemethetimeofday,”Ashleyhuffed.
“Notall ofthemarelikethat,”Skylar asserted. “Isthatso?”AshleyeyedSkylar withaslightsmileasshetooksomeyogurtoutofthefridge. “Indeed,” Skylar replied. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, you’re blocking the fridge, and I need to get dinner started.”
Onher birthday, Skylar’s alarmdidn’t go off. She woke up two hours late and cursed as she tore through her closet looking for something decent to wear. Satisfied with the low top and tight jeans, she dashed outofher bedroomand into the bathroom. She brushed her teethand texted her boss to let himknow she was onthe way. Skippingbreakfast was not somethingshe liked to do, but she would ask for a lunch break after doing a bit of filing. When she opened up the garage after grabbing her bike, she halted. Afamiliar-lookingjeep was sittinginthe driveway, engine off. Curious, Skylar reparked her bike and walked up to the driver’s side. The window was open, and Senior AirmanJohn Matthewswasstaringbackather withaslysmirk.
“Hi,John.I’mafraidmyfather isn’thererightnow,”shesaidtentatively. “Iknow,” he responded as he turned onthe jeep’s engine. “Alittle birdie told me it was your 18th birthdaytoday. Youdon’t have to worktoday; it’s beentakencare of. And Lisa and Ashleysaid that youwouldprobablyfigure itoutanyway,sotheywantedme totell youthatI’myour birthdaygiftand thatyouowethemone.”
Skylar stood in shock, mouth wide open, until John patted the passenger seat in open invitation. Feeling numb, but also excited, she ran around to the other side of the jeep and hopped in. She couldn’tbelieve thatLisa and Ashleyhad figured outthatshe had a crushonJohnand had beenable to talkhiminto takingher out onher birthday. It had to have beenthe most surprisingand promising birthdaygift she had ever received. She decided right thenand there that she was goingto make the mostofit.SheonlyhopedthatJohnfeltthesameway.
“Whereareweheaded?”Skylar askedasshebuckledher seatbelt. “Ithoughtwewouldgrabanearlylunch,”Johnsaidasheheadedtowardsthebaseexit.
“Um,thebaserestaurantsaren’tthisway,”Skylar repliedcautiously. “Sotheyaren’t,”saidJohnwithawinningsmile.
Skylar’s heart melted. It was clear that John was older than her, but she loved his calm assertiveness.Shecouldn’tbelievehewasamilitaryman.Hewasnothinglikeher father.
“Idon’tthinkmyfather wouldlikeusgoingoffbase,”Skylar saidnervously.
“No, I don’t suppose he would, huh? But you’re 18, Skylar. It’s not your daddy’s call anymore. If youdon’t want to go, say the word, and I’ll drop you back home, but I was hoping we could spend sometimetogether,”Johnreplied.
Skylar hesitated. She barely knew this guy, but he served under her father. She knew her father’s wingwasveryprestigiousandonlythebestmenandwomenweregiventheopportunity.“Alright, but tell me where we’re goingso IcantextAshley, justincase you’re anaxmurderer,” Skylar said with anod.
“I’mdefinitelynotamurderer,butyoushoulddefinitelytextyour sister,”Johnrepliedwithalaugh. “There’s a little bar and grill just off base called “Lofty’s.” I heard about it yesterday and looked it up. They have good food and better drinks. Your dad would literally kill me if I let you get carried away, but it would be my pleasure to buy you your first drink,” John said. When he saw Skylar’s uncomfortable posture he added, “One of the perks of Germanyis the drinkingage,” as he waved at theAir ForceSecuritycheckpointanddroveoutofthebase.
Skylar relaxed. She had forgottenthatthe drinkingage inGermanywas 18, and she was now legal. She appreciated that John was responsible and wasn’t going to let anything happen to her. John parked inthe parkinglotofLofty’s and hopped out. He quicklyranover to Skylar’s door and opened itfor her.Heheldouthishand,andwhenSkylar tookit,shelookedintohiseyes.Shecouldn’thelp it; shepartedher lipsandleanedtowardshimslightly.
“Iwashopingyou’dwanttokiss me,butlet’s getsomelunchfirst,”hebreathedsoftlyinher ear as hehelpedher outofhisjeep.
Skylar’sheartwasfloating.Shehadaboyfriendwhenshewas16,butithadendedbadly.Boysher age were just that, boys. Johnwas a man, and she was drawnto himas if byinvisible strings. Once theytooktheir seatsataboothinsideofLofty’s,JohnhandedSkylar thedrinkmenu.
“Whatwill itbe,princess?”heaskedsweetly.
“I don’t know. There are a lot of drinks here, and they all look pricey too,” she replied while readingthelistofcocktails.
“Iwould suggestsomethingsweet, like you, for your firstdive into alcohol. Don’tworryaboutthe price.It’syour birthday,soit’smytreat,”Johnsaid.
Whentheserver cameby,Skylar wasstill unsureofwhattoorder.ShelookedatJohn,pleadingfor help.
Smoothly, John said to the server, “I’ll have a glass of water please, and my hot date will have your ‘Flawless Lemon-Berry Margarita’ on the rocks. We’ll start off with some nachos for the appetizer.”
Skylar raisedher eyebrowsinquestionandJohnchuckled.
“I don’t drink very often, and certainly not while courting my commander’s daughter. Is the margaritaokay?”hefinallysaid.
“Itsoundsgreat.Thanksfor savingmefromindecision.So,youarecourtingmethen?Butyoudon’t reallyknow me,”Skylar commented.
“Exactly! That’s why we’re courting. I love what I see so far, and I’m excited to see more. The wayyouhandledyourselfaroundyour father wasintriguing.”
Skylar smiled shyly. She was still a bit skeptical about his intentions, but she was starting to feel more comfortable. As she looked over the lunch menu, John continued the conversation. He was a strong man, and she loved his assertiveness. Skylar felt safe being off base with this man in the middleofaforeigncountry.
“So, tell me aboutyourself, John. Whatdid youdo before the Air Force snatched youup?” Skylar prodded.
“Iowned a car rental agency, and itwas rather boring. Before youask, Ihave no childrenand I’ve never been married. I took my business very seriously, too seriously according to most women. We’ve met before. Mysecond year withyour father, youwent to the Air Force Gala and we danced together. At that time, youwere not legal, so I respected that, but I remember thinkinghow beautiful youwere, and Iwondered whatkind ofwomanyouwould be,” Johnsaid as he looked over his own lunchmenu.
“Ohmygoodness!Iremember younow!Ithoughtyouwere sohandsome.I’mhappyyoujoined my dad’swing,butwhydidyou?”Skylar asked,curiousasamouse.
“Let’s just say yelling at lazy employees and pretending to like really rude customers wasn’t my thing. I managed pretty well for a while, but I felt restless and kind of stuck. I joined the Air Force because Iwanted a freshstartand earlyretirement. Ifigured ifIkeptmyhead down, did a few tours indifferent countries, and had a relativelycleanrecord, I’d feel accomplished and readyto go back tocivilianlife.Andthenyoucamealong,”Johnreplied.
Skylar batted her eyelashes in jest, and they both laughed. She couldn’t believe how quickly Germany had changed from being an unwelcoming and boring place to a fun and provocative adventure. She knew thatshe wanted to go onmanymore dates withJohnto see where itcould lead. Hewassohot,intelligent,andstrong,thatspendingtimewithhimfeltright.
Just as the server came backwithher margarita, several menwearingAir Force uniforms burst in throughthefrontdoors.
“Senior AirmanMatthews, youwill reportbackto base immediately. Skylar, Iamso disappointed inyou, younglady. Youwill come withme and we are goingstraighthome,” Col. Parker said loudly asheglareddownatSkylar.
Heartbroken,Skylar startedtogetup,butJohnheldhishandouttohalther.“She’s 18now.She can dowhatshewants.I’moffduty,soIcandowhatIwanttoo.There are nolaws aboutdatingfamilyof Air ForceCommanders.Ichecked,”Johnassertedsmoothly.
“You are still an Airman and you will conduct yourself accordingly! You will report back to the base,” Col. Parker shouted. The entire bar was silent. The servers stayed far away from Skylar’s table.
“Dad,I’m18.Johnis justescortingme togetmyfirstdrink. You’re embarrassingme. Please letus stay.Youcanjoinusifyouwant,”Skylar pleaded.
“Young lady you will be quiet unless spoken to. Matthews, you will return to base,” Col. Parker barked.
“Nah.Idon’tthinkIwill. Youdon’thave the authorityto command me whenIamoffduty. And the wayyoutalktoyour daughter isinexcusable,”JohnsaidhotlyashestoodupandfacedCol.Parker. Col. Parker clinched his fists and stared down at John. John was a few inches shorter than Col.
Parker, but Johnhad a stronger physique. His muscles rippled as he curled his lip and flexed, ready for afight.
Skylar stoodup.“John,it’sokay.I’ll go.We’ll talklater,”shesaidcarefully.
But Johnwasn’t listening. The two menwere sizingeachother up, and Johnknew that he was the stronger man. He could take onCol. Parker and win. “Well? Show me whatyougot, old man. You’re nothingbutanegotistical prickthewayyoutreatyour growndaughter,”Johngrowledsoftly.
Col. Parker’s neck vein throbbed as the blood rushed to his face at hearing his junior talk to him thatway.“Thatis insubordination. Iwill call the SFand youwill be detained. Ifyoudon’t want your career ruined,youwill leavenow andnever talktomydaughter again,”Col.Parker saidloudly.
Skylar gasped. She couldn’t believe her father would threaten John by calling the Air Force SecurityForce officers. Because Skylar’s dad massively outranked John, she knew that he could do it,andprobablygetawaywithittoo.Theywereatastandstill.
Atthatmoment, Lisa’s father came forward fromthe crowd ofAirmennear the door. “Your Senior Commander hasaddressedyou.Standdown,Matthews,”hesaidcalmly. Johntooka deep breath, thenhe turned to Skylar and said, “I’msorrythis happened. We’ll go out someother time.”
Col. Parker drove his daughter home in silence. He saw the tears running down her cheeks, and Skylar couldtell thathewasconflicted.Sheknew thathehadalwaysviewedher ashislittlegirl,and itwas hard for himto see thatshe was a womaninher ownright. She had a job, a love interest, and had handled taking care of Ashley pretty well. When Ashley came home from school later that afternoon,shetookonelookather father’sfaceandwentstraighttoSkylar’sroom.
“Whathappened,Sky?”AshleyaskedassheploppednexttoSkylar onthebed.
“Dad found us at a bar and threatened to call security on John. John tried to stand up for me, but there were witnesses, and he had to follow orders. He was this close to fighting Dad,” Skylar said hopelessly.
Ashleyreached over and gave her sister a hug. “I’msorryDad is a bit nuts sometimes. He really doescareaboutyou.Ididn’tknow youandJohnweregoingoffbasetill youtextedme.I’mafraid it’s myfault. Dad came bymyschool to do talkto the class aboutjoiningthe ROTCprogram, and he saw me checking my phone when you messaged. You know how much of a control freak he can be. He snatched my phone and read it. I’m so sorry, Sky. Lisa and I really wanted you to have a good birthday,”Ashleyadmitted.
Skylar sighed. “It’s not your fault. I probablyshould have told Dad that I was goingoff base with one of his Airmen. I mean, I’mglad I didn’t tell himbecause at least John and I got to spend some timetogether,butnow DadthinksIpurposelywentbehindhisback.”
Ashley smiled. “That sounds more like something I would do than you. You’ve always told him how youfeel and whatyouwanted to do, evenifhe didn’tagree. Ibetifyoutalked to him, he’ll ease offandletyouseeJohnagain.”
“You really think so, Ash? He seemed pretty mad. He even threatened John with detainment for insubordination,”Skylar saidworriedly.
“Well, Imean, whatdo youhave to lose? Our Dad isn’tall bad, youknow. Youjusthave to assert yourselfandmakehimseereason,”Ashleyreplied.
Skylar started to feel less hopeless the more she talked with Ashley. Her little sister was sometimes wise beyond her years, and she had a knackfor lookingat a situationand figuringout the bestcourseofaction.
Feeling fortified, Skylar marched out of her bedroomto confront her dad. Col. Parker was sitting
on the couch drinking a beer and watching a documentary on Netflix. Casually, Skylar grabbed the remoteoffthecoffeetableandturnedofftheTV.
“Hey!Iwaswatchingthat,”Col.Parker snapped.
Skylar shrugged as she settled herself into the recliner next to the couch. “Sorry, but we need to talk.”
“Yes, Isuppose we do. Ican’tbelieve youranoffbase like thatwithMatthews. He is mucholder thanyou,andyoucouldhavebeenreallyhurt,”Col.Parker said.
“How can you say that about him? You had originally planned to have him take me to the commissary, remember? If he was a bad person, you wouldn’t have made those arrangements,” she repliedwithher armscrossed.
“That was onbase, Sky, and he would have beenonduty. I have no control of mymenwhenthey are off base and off duty. You can’t just run off with someone. That is so dangerous. Your lack of judgment shows me that you aren’t ready to return home yet. I was going to let you go back to the states in about six months, if you had shown me that you were responsible, but that isn’t happening now,”Col.Parker saidevenly.
Skylar’s bodystiffened witheachword that her father uttered. Finally, she replied, “I’m18, damn it! I’ll do what I want. That includes getting the hell out of here.” Before her father could get up, Skylar boltedoutoftherecliner andoutthebackdoor.
CHAPTER4-RisingPassion
Skylar was outofbreathbythe time she reached the bus stop. After she tooka few deep breaths, shetextedLisa.Lisadrovetothebusstopinabeat-upFordtruck.Skylar hoppedin.
“Wheredidyougetthisthing?”Sheasked.
Lisa laughed. “Thing? This is my new baby! Daddy was impressed with my first report card and agreed to help me buyher. So where to? Icango offbase as longas I’mhome by9 p.m.,” Lisa said happily.
“Iwanttogetasmall apartmentoffbase,”Skylar saidresolutely. “Wow!Doyoureallythinkthat’sagoodidea?”Lisaresponded.
“I’m 18. I have a job. My dad doesn’t control me, and he needs to learn that fast,” she replied evenly.
While Lisa drove to the base exit, Skylar pulled her phone out of her back pocket and looked up apartments near the base. To her surprise, there were quite a few. Lisa drove to the first one on Skylar’slist.
The apartment manager would not even see her. The secretary said she had to be over 21 to rent. Skylar was sofrustratedthatshe slammedthe door onher wayoutofthe apartmentcomplexoffice.A female resident was sitting nearby on a bench looking at her phone. When she saw Skylar storming towards the truck, she stood up. “Hey there! Too young to get your own place? I’m looking for a roommate,”thewomansaidhopefully.
“Ijustturned 18. Ihave a job too!Iunderstand their policy, butmyfather is a Colonel onthe base. Ifiguredtheywouldmakeanexception,”Skylar complained.
“Well, I’m Chris. I’m a 4th-year transfer student at the university. My roommate ran off with her boyfriendandhasstuckmewiththerent.I’ll letyoucrashfor $400amonth.Iliveinapartment32B,” shecontinued.
Witha handshake and anexchange ofphone numbers, Skylar had a place to stay. Lisa drove Skylar backto the base. Skylar was thrilled to discover thather father was notathome. She assumed thathe was tearingup the base lookingfor her, and she didn’tcare. She raninand started packing. After she packed two bags ofclothes and necessities, Skylar called John. Lisa talked Skylar into leavinga note for her father. Skylar wrote “I’mgettingmyownplace. We’ll talk later,” on the fridge’s whiteboard rightasJohnpulledupinthedriveway.
Lisa waved to John and drove home. She agreed to tell Col. Parker that Skylar had left a note at homeifhecameknocking.
Johnwastednotime.AssoonasSkylar walkeduptothedriver’s sidewindow,heleanedover and kissed her deeply, his tongue commanding and sweet at the same time. Skylar returned the kiss passionately.Whenhefinallypulledaway,shesaidbreathlessly,“Imissedyoutoo.”
“I’mreallysorryaboutwhathappenedwithyour dad,Skylar.Iknow we haven’tknowneachother thatlong, butIfeltprotective, and Ididn’tlike himorderingyouaround,” he said. as he pulled outof thedriveway.
“It’s okay!Iappreciate youstandingup for me, John. I’ma grownwomanbutmyfather still treats melikeachild.That’swhyIjustmovedout.Doyouminddrivingmeandmystufftomynew place?”
“Idon’tmind atall. After we drop offyour things, we cango getfood again. Butthis time, without interruption,”Johnsaidsmoothly.
Happy as a puppy, Skylar ran back into the house and hauled her bags into the back of the jeep.
When she ran, her chest heaved beautifully, and she saw John staring appreciatively at her curvy body. They drove to the apartment complex and dumped her stuff in her new apartment. Chris gave her thesparekey,andSkylar gaveher themoneyfor rent.
To celebrate Skylar’s new independence and her birthday, John took Skylar to a fancy Italian restaurantthatwasjustdowntheroadfromtheapartmentcomplex.
“Do youthinkyour dad will come around?” Johnasked as he helped Skylar into the booth. Instead of sitting across from her, he slid onto the booth seat next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
Skylar leanedcomfortablyintoJohn’s chest, as she replied, “Ihope so. Butevenifhe doesn’t, this is my choice. I’ve never liked living on base. I only agreed to move to Germany because I knew it wouldbehardonAshley.Icanstill beagoodsister andnotliveinthesamehouse.”
“Iknow youcan. You’re a beautiful womaninside and out,” Johnreplied. He playfullynipped her ear,andSkylar feltatingleasher bodyrespondedreflexively.
Skylar and Johnhad a wonderful dinner together. She finallygotto trya strawberrymargarita, and shelikeditsomuchthatshebeggedJohntoorder her another one.
“Youcanhave another one ifyouwantSky, butitmightmake yousleepy. Iwas hopingyouwould wanttospendmoretimewithmeafter dinner,”hesaidflirtatiously.
“ThenI’ll drinksomewater instead,Commander,”shejokedback.
After dessert, they talked for over an hour about their lives and experiences. The more she found out about him, the harder she fell for him. When they hopped back into his jeep, John looked at her slyly.
“Whatdoyouhaveplannednow,babe?”Skylar asked.
“You’ll see,myprincess,”Johnrespondedashepulledoutoftheparkinglot.
After afew minutesofdriving,Johnturnedintoahugehotel andparked.
“Ireserved a roomfor us. Ithas two beds. Iwantto explore everyinchofyou, butIwantto really getclosetoyoufirst.Whatdoyouwant,Skylar?”heaskedashekissedher hand.
“Ithinkthat’s a greatidea. Iwantyoutoo, butIthinkwe shouldn’trush. Maybe whatwe have can blossomintosomethingmorethanaflingifwegiveitachance,”shesaidreasonably.
Johnimmediatelygotoutofthejeepandopenedher door.Asshemovedtogetup,heeasilypicked her upinhisarms.“Yes,Iwantsomethingmorethanaflingwithyoutoo,angel.”
Once inthe hotel room, JohngentlyputSkylar downonone ofthe beds. He tossed her the remote. “I’mgoingto go pickyouup some things to make youmore comfortable. I’ll be back in ten minutes tops.Besidestoothpaste,toothbrush,andabigt-shirt,isthereanythingelseyouneeded?”
“Some snacks and a soda. We canwatcha movie whenyougetback,” Skylar said as she stretched outonthebed.
“Youbet!Doyouneedafreshpair ofpanties?”heaskedslyly.
“I’mnotwearingany,soyes,size10,please,ifyouaren’tgoingtogetmeat-shirttosleepin.
John stared at Skylar, obviously wanting to check for himself. After he took a deep breath he replied,“Wow,you’regoingtomakethisreallyhardfor metobehave,youknow.”
Skylar smiled as she leaned down to pick up the remote, purposely giving John a view of her plump ass barely restrained by her tight blue jeans. “We can behave a little badly,” she said with a wink.
“Oh, yes, please. I will be back very soon, my princess. I won’t be needing any snacks besides you,”hegrowledseductively.
After John left the hotel room, Skylar reluctantly checked her phone. She had over a dozen text messages and three missed phone calls fromher dad. She quicklytexted backthat she was fine, and that they could talk later. John was as good as his word and returned with his arms full of grocery bags. Skylar rifled through the bags and grabbed the big t-shirt. “Wait, I don’t see any panties,” she commented.
“Sorry, I just went to a convenience store because I wanted to get back to you as fast as I could. Theydidn’tcarryany.”Skylar laughedbecauseJohndidn’tsoundsorryaboutitatall.
Skylar grabbed the t-shirt and toiletries and went to the bathroom. When she came out she was wearingthet-shirtandher socks.Johnsmiledappreciativelyandhandedher asoda.
Theysat onone of the beds together, surrounded bybags of candyand chips. “I didn’t know what youwanted for snacks, so Ijustgota little bitofall the popular stuff. Igrabbed some Germancandy too,”JohnsaidwhilehandingSkylar abagofGermanchocolates.
“I’ve beenwantingto trysome!This is perfect. What movie do youwant to watch?” she asked as shetoreintothebagofchocolates.
John grabbed the remote and turned on the tv. He went to the movie order section and clicked on the first romantic comedy he could find. Skylar was so impressed by his willingness to watch a “chickflick”thatshereachedover andfedhimachocolate.Hesuckedlightlyonher finger ashetook the chocolate fromher hand. They had barely made it into the beginning of the movie before John’s handwascaressingher thigh.
JohnlookeddirectlyatSkylar,themovieforgotten,ashesaid,“Ireallycan’tstop myselfifyouare just wearing a t-shirt. I want you to feel comfortable with me before I take you for the first time. Couldyoumaybeputonyour bluejeansagain?”hesaid,showingasmuchrestraintashecouldbynot movinghishandhigher upher thigh.
Skylar was torn. She wanted to getto know himmore too, butshe was so turned onbyhimthatshe also wanted him on top of her. She took a deep breath and grabbed her jeans off the floor. She wiggled into them. She then wrapped her body around John and kissed him, her hands running over the hard bulge in his pants. “You are amazing,” he moaned softly. With a sweep of his hand, he cleared the snacks offthe bed. He carefullyrolled ontop ofher, his weightheavy, butnotpainful for Skylar. She ran her hands up and down his well-muscled arms while he kissed her neck. His hands slid under Skylar’s shirt. When he rubbed her nipples with his thumbs, she wiggled under him in ecstasy. She felt the heat between her legs, and she rubbed hard against his groin. They couldn’t get enoughofeachother,butJohnresolutelykeptSkylar’sjeansonher sexylegs.
“I really like you, John. You know how far to go with me even though we both want each other,” Skylar saidasJohnrolledoffofher andtookalongsipfromhissoda.
“I don’t want our first time together to be in a hotel. You are my princess. After we get to know each other a bit, I’ll show you my apartment. I think eventually you should just move in,” John said casually.
Skylar’s eyes widened. She feltlike the invitationto move inwas verybrash, butshe also realized thatmeantJohnwas takingher seriously.Inhis eyes,shewasn’tjustsome youngwomantoscrew.He saw areal futurewithher.
Skylar fell asleep in John’s arms and she woke up to an empty bed. The other bed in their hotel roomhadn’tbeentouched,soSkylar wonderedwhereJohncouldbe.Shesaw anoteonthesidetable andreachedover topickitup.
I had to get up and get back to the base. I’m on duty for the next several days. Don’t worry, I won’t tell your father anything. I’ve been reassigned to a different wing, so I probably won’t see your father anyway. Talk about luck! You can tell him about us when you ’ re ready, and I’m happy to be with you when you do, if you choose I’ve already checked us out of the hotel, but they don’t need the room until noon. In the drawer is some cash for a taxi. I had a great time with you yesterday, and I hope to see you again soon!
Skylar sighed.She hadtotalktoher father atsomepoint,butshe wasn’treadyto confronthim. She wasduetogointoworktomorrow atthetravel agency,soshespentthedayrelaxinganddaydreaming about John. Her roommate came home later that day and they agreed to order dinner. Between Lisa, her father, and John, Skylar kept up a steadystreamof text messages while chowingdownonpizza. She assured her father once again that she was safe. Lisa said that her father tried to get her to say where Skylar had gone, butLisa promised she hadn’tsaid a word. Lisa said she was fed up withher father.After hisshift,JohncalledSkylar.Johnhadafull 45hoursofworkscheduledfor theweek,but headmittedthatwhenhegothometohisemptyhouse,heinstantlymissedher.
Skylar boldlyaskedifJohnwouldcome pickher upandshow her his home.Johnwas there within 20 minutes. Whenshe opened the door, he swepther into his arms and hauled her offto his jeep. She laughed,andtheyjokedall thewaytohishome.
Johnhad a small home justoffbase. As theydrove up inthe driveway, Johnchuckled. “One of the benefitsofbeingaSenior Airmanfor threeyearsnow,”hesaidashegesturedtohishome.
Skylar nodded. She knew that onlycertainranks inthe Air Force could have the optionto live off base. She was grateful that John had taken that option, because that meant that she could face her father whenshewasready,andnotwhenhecameknocking.
Johnshowed her around his home, and Skylar was impressed. He had masculine yet subtle décor. She saw the beautiful abstract paintings inthe livingroomright away. “These are beautiful, did you paintthese?”sheaskedcuriously.
Johneyed the paintings. “No, mymother did these before she passed away. I do miss her, but I’m okay,Skylar,”hesaidasshemovedtohughim.HesmileddownandwrappedhisarmsaroundSkylar ashecontinued,“ButI’ll takethehug.”
“Isyour father still alive?”sheaskedcautiously.
John’s face darkened slightly, but he answered honestly. “He is, but he’s in a nursing home, and, well,let’s justsayhe didn’tagree withme whenIsigneduptojointhe Air Force after sellingmycar rental agency.”
Skylar understood. “Youand I are inthe same boat onthat one. I want to be a flight attendant, but myfather isn’tthrilledwiththeidea,tosaytheleast.”
“Ithinkthat’s a neatjob. And itmeans Icantravel for halfprice, right?” Johnjoked as theysaton thecouchtogether.
Theytalkedlateintothenight,butSkylar wasn’ttired.Whentheyfinallylapsedintosilence,itwas a calm, companionable quiet. Skylar looked up at him and smiled encouragingly. “I was really amazed thatyoumade me putmypants backonlastnight. ButIfeel comfortable withyou, and Itrust
you.”
John’s breathing accelerated. “Does this mean…,” he trailed off as Skylar leaned up and kissed himfirmlyonthemouth.Elated,Johntookher inhisarmsandeasilycarriedher tohisbed.
“Areyouabsolutelysure?”Johnaskedashelookedather curvyfigurelayingtemptinglyacrosshis pillows.
“Iamifyouare. Imean, do youreallylike me? Ihave a lot ofcurves. Myfather is a Colonel and couldbeareal painfor you,andwehaven’tknowneachother long,”Skylar replied.
“Ilove your beautiful curves. Youare a woman, and your father will learnto respectyour wishes. Asfar asinexperience,areyouavirgin?”
Skylar smiled. “No, I had one boyfriend my father didn’t know about, and we did have sex. It wasn’t that enjoyable, but I have a feelingit will be different withyou,” she said as she seductively removedher shirtandbraatthesametime.
“Ohyes, this will be muchmore enjoyable,” Johnreplied as he crouched over her and pulled her leftbreastintohismouth.
Skylar’s breathcaught as Johnswirled his tongue onher nipple. Her hands seemed to act ontheir ownaccord.Sheremovedhisshirtandhadhispantsunzippedinamereheartbeat.
“There will be time for that later,” John said mysteriously as he zipped his pants closed. He then kissed down Skylar’s stomach and his clever mouth unbuttoned and unzipped her blue jeans faster thanSkylar thoughtpossible.
She lifted up her ass as John pulled her jeans down around her ankles and spread her legs apart. Although she could have put a pair of panties on once she had gotten to her apartment, she had decidedagainstit.Johnlookedather pussywithlonging.He lickedhis lips,readytofeastonher,but instead,he kissedher upper thigh.He gentlystrokedher pussywithhis fingers.Her pussylips slowly openedfor him,whileSkylar squirmedonthebed,eager for more.
“I’venever hadanyonegodownon....”Her confessionendedinamoanas John’s tongue flicked over her clit. He slipped a finger inside of her and thrust in and out of her while his tongue tasted everyinchof her pussy. The more he licked her, the wetter her pussybecame, until she was bucking onhisfinger.
“Please,John,Iwanttofeel youinsideme,”shepleadedbetweengaspsofpleasure.
Johnignoredher beggingandcontinuedtoeather pussy.Headdedasecondfinger andthrustinside of her deeper and faster. Her pussy clenched around his fingers as she fell over the edge into sweet oblivion.
Johngentlyremoved his fingers as Skylar panted, unable to move. Her bodywas tingling, and she didn’tnoticehismovementsuntil Johnwasbesideher,holdingher andkissingher necksweetly.
“Wow.CanIgetthistreatmenteverynight?”shesaidinjest.
“Absolutely,myprincess,butwearen’tdoneyet,”Johnsaidseriouslyashecontinuedtokissher. After a few minutes, he leaned over and grabbed a bottle of water off his nightstand. She drained the water gratefully. When her strength started to return, Skylar reached down and rubbed John throughhis thinpants. Johnwas hard as soonas he felt her touch. Injust a few moments, he was on top ofher, his cockslowlypushinginto her tightpussy. Her wetness consumed him, and he thrustinto her withfull force. Skylar’s bodyclungto Johnand she had a second orgasmbefore Johnpulled out of her, too close to spillinghis seed to continue. Before Johncould finishhimself, Skylar bent down and took his cock in her mouth. She sucked himgreedily until he came deep in her throat. After she swallowedeverydrop,shereleasedhiscockandlickedher lips.
“Youareincredible,”Johnmurmuredintoher ear.
Theystayedineachother’s arms for whatfeltlike hours until goingtothe bathroomandshowering together.
Skylar knew she wanted to be with John again and again, if only she could get past her father’s stubbornness.
The next afternoon, Skylar went straight to her father’s house after work. When Col. Parker came home,hestoppeddeadinhistracks.
“Wherethehell haveyoubeen?”
Skylar raised her eyebrow and waited. Her father took a deep breath. “Listen, I’m sorry, but you can’tjustdisappear for almostaweekandexpectmenottobeupset,”Col.Parker reasoned.
Skylar heldupher hand.“Itexted youthroughoutthe week, Dad. ButIam18. IfIdon’twantto tell youwhereIamor whatI’mdoing,that’smyright,”sheassertedfirmly.
Col. Parker’s mouth tightened, but he retained his composure, barely. “Will you please tell me whereyouhavebeen?”
“Iamrentinganapartmentwitha roommate offbase. Imake enoughmoneyatthe vacationagency tocover itplusfoodandutilities,”Skylar saidasshegesturedtotheemptychairsinthediningroom. Theybothsatdowntogether.“Alright,youhave your ownplace.Iwas reallyhopingwe couldstay onbaseasafamily,butIunderstandthatyou’re18.Will youstill stayhereinGermanyuntil Iretire?”
“Of course, Daddy! I want my own place, but that doesn’t mean I’d just leave you and Ashley in Ramstein!”Skylar promised.
“AndwhataboutJohnMatthews?”her father askedskeptically. “Whatabouthim?”sheasked.
“I know I said youcould never see himagain, but I’d rather yousee himand still talkto me, than for youtostaymadatme.He is a goodsoldier.Ihadhimtransferredtoanother wingsothathe could have anunbiased commander. He’s mucholder thanyou, but I’mokaywiththat. He dropped bythis morning and formally asked for my blessing.” Col. Parker smiled at Skylar’s astonishment before continuing. “He said quite firmlythat he would continue to see youno matter what I thought, but that heknew youwereworriedaboutme.Hewantedmyblessingsothatyouwouldfeel atease.” “Andwhatdidyousay?”sheaskedhopefully.
“I said I will give myblessingontwo conditions. First, that he treats youwiththe utmost respect, andtwo,thatyouandhe come over for dinner atleastonce a weeksoIcansee for myselfhow happy youare.
Skylar’s face litup and she practicallyglowed. As she stood up to embrace her father, she heard a knockatthedoor.
Her father gesturedtowardsthefrontdoor,andSkylar answeredit.
Lisa’sfather,Lt.Col.Sandersstoodanxiouslyontheporch.“HaveyouseenLisa?Shedidn’t come homeafter school,”hesaidanxiously.
Skylar checked her phone, butLisa had notsenther anytextmessages inthe pastfour hours. Atext fromJohnsaid:
Hey Skylar! I hope you had a good day at work. I saw Lisa’ s beat up truck parked near the base exit on my way home just now.
