'What do you mean?'
'I mean people like Hitler, and Soviet Russia, and drug dealers, and people like that. There are*things* in the world that aren't human. I mean, they look like people, and talk like people, and all that, but there's just nothing inside them to make them
'Is that why you went in the Army?'
'Part of it, yeah. Silly as it might sound, I actually love this country, and I wanted to do my part toward keeping it going. That, and for as long as I can remember, I thought that soldiering was an honorable profession.'
'That doesn't sound silly, loving your country. Sometimes, I wish more people would think about it, and love it, too. What do you mean that soldiering is an honorable profession?'
'Just what I said. When you listen to a lot of people, they talk like a G.I. with a rifle is about the dumbest thing on earth – but if you think about it a minute, you'll realize that the LAST thing you want is a dummy with a gun. You want the smartest, best-equipped, best-trained people you can lay your hands on because you can't be out there to supervise each and every one of them. You HAVE to trust them to know what their job is, and how to do it. Sure, there are going to be some idiots, and some power-crazy nutcases that turn up; but for the most part, the people on the pointy end of the stick are the ones you need and want there: smart enough to know what's going on, and trained well enough to make it happen. Same thing with cops – you hear about the bad ones, but never about the good ones. The bad ones are the ones that make the news, but it's the good ones that you never hear about keep the bad guys mostly under control. They just show up for work, keep the crooks away, and go home at the end of the day – nobody ever notices them, until they need their help.'
'That's why the FBI people are watching us, isn't it?'
'Pretty much. They're trained in a different way than street cops, and they go after a different class of criminal, but yeah, that's why.'
'They're not going to let anyone hurt us, are they?', she said, making it a statement.
'Not if they can possibly prevent it. Sometimes, stuff happens that you can't control; in that case, that's why they're having me wear the vest, and asked me to carry a gun again. But every one of them is ready to get between you or the girls, and a bullet, to make sure you stay alive and healthy.'
She lay there thinking for a while before asking me 'You're better at this than they are, aren't you?'
'Not better. Just trained for what they aren't, and a little more experienced about some stuff. Kind of like the difference between you, and your accountants.'
'I think it's a little more than that, but okay', she grumbled into my neck, before asking 'How long is this going to go on?'
'Honestly, I don't know. Off and on, as the trial happens, probably a few months; us having to worry about bad guys, probably not long at all.'
''Us' worrying about bad guys? I didn't think you were worried about any of it.'
'I'm not*worried* – I've got a pretty good idea how good the FBI people are. I know what I can do, and
'I wonder what the girls think about this. I mean, what they*really* think about it.'
'Damned if I know. You heard them tonight – they think it's pretty cool having all those FBI people watching out for us, and following us around. I wouldn't be surprised if they just took it in stride, as long as it doesn't go on too long, or get in the way of their fun too much. They seem to have a pretty good opinion of me, after tonight.'
She snorted, and said 'Pretty good opinion, my ass. Both of them all but worship you. Even before I had to come here, I'd hear them talking about you, and they both thought you were the greatest thing since sliced bread.'
'What about you?', I asked.
She paused a little bit, then softly said 'Me, too.', and a moment later, adding 'I knew you were something special when we sat there and talked that night, after my promotion. Then when you helped me figure out what was going on here, well, that just made it even better. And when I heard that FBI guy reading about what you'd done in the Army, and saw the way the FBI people were treating you tonight, well that settled it. I knew you were quiet and modest and all that – I just didn't know HOW quiet and modest you are until today, and tonight. You don't make a lot of noise about how rough and tough and everything you are – you just sit there, nice and quiet, until something needs to be done; then you just DO it. And you don't make a big deal out of it, and you don't try to boss people around, even though you're*way* smarter than anybody I've ever met before, and know a LOT more. You're willing to let people make mistakes if they want to; but if they ask you, you give them the best answer you can, and let them decide for themselves. Like tonight, with Sandra – it surprised the hell out of me, and I know it caught you off guard, too. But I don't think you could have handled it any better than you did. You've let her, and Robyn, and even me, know that we're important to you, and that you care about us. That matters a lot, to me, and to them; then you go even farther, and let us know that you love us, no matter what else happens, without smothering us with it.
We all know you love us, and that you'll be there for us, no matter what we need, or when we need it.'
At that point, she started crying, and hugging me. All I could do was to hold her, and caress her back as I softly told her that I loved her, too, and tried to comfort her.
When she'd cried herself out, she asked me 'Why did you ask me to marry you tonight?'
Trying to lighten the mood a bit, I told her 'Well, when you find milk you like, you buy the cow.' – and getting my side poked in response, as she laughed, and said 'No, really.'
'Remember that talk we had in my living room? When you asked me what I thought of you?'
She nodded, and I said 'That's why. Every time we've been around each other since then, you've done nothing but show me how true all of that is. On top of that, now I know you've got guts, too, and that only makes it better.'
'What do you mean, I've got 'guts'?'
'I mean I know that all of this scares you – remember, I saw the look on your face when the FBI car pulled up next to us tonight! – but you've got enough nerve to put it away the best you can for the girls' sake, and keep going. I mean it must have scared you and made you feel all kinds of embarrassed and ashamed when you admitted to me that you liked the idea of making love with another woman, and even Robyn and Sandra – but you were honest and brave enough to do it, anyway.'
'But why ask me TONIGHT, of all times? And here, with me and the girls standing there in our underwear?'
I laughed, and told her 'Tonight, because I wanted you to know that I'd be there for what's happening now, and what happens after. Here, so that both of us would know and understand that our physical relationship isn't just with each other, but with people that we're BOTH attracted to, and care about.'
She snuggled closer, and said 'You're pretty deep, and pretty smart, you know that?'
'Seems I've heard that before, from somebody. Forget who, though.' – and earning myself another jab.
We lay there like that for a while, content to simply hold each other before we started feeling sleepy. I called down to the front desk, and left a wakeup call for the next morning. That done, we went back to holding each other until we drifted off to sleep again.
Part 10
The next morning, I managed to catch the phone before the second ring; Lucy stirred next to me, but didn't actually wake up. I eased myself away from her – with a mild noise of complaint – and went over to get some coffee started before heading into the bathroom. When I got out, the coffee was about half done, and Lucy was starting to stir – perfect, I thought: waking her up as gently and easily as possible.
As the miniature coffeemaker was starting to hiss that it was done, Lucy opened her eyes, and saw me sitting there, looking at her. She blessed me with a radiant smile, and as she started to roll over, caught sight of the
