CHAPTER 19
WHEN HE BOMBED HIS VERY FIRST ASSIGNMENT and he’d learned of the probable body count— only a ballpark estimate as bombs killed en masse and suffice it to say, he’d most probably annihilated an entire community in a single attack— his patriotism turned into a million unanswered questions. Questions that turned into confusion and pretty soon, cold, seething fury. Fury that howled like a thousand demons inside him, eating at his conscience, in dead silence. His conscience waged war against his demons but after years of terrorizing the skies of Iraq, the fuckers finally got the better of him. They became friends.
His conscience shut up, crawling into the depths of his inner hell.
For years, his demons reigned over him, making his job easier.
His job became a drug in his veins, the rush, an addiction.
But now, his conscience was back. The arrival of his son caused that. Richard had thawed the ice protecting his heart from feeling any fear up there while engaged with the enemy. He began to be afraid, to doubt his capabilities. To fear he might crash anytime.
That was what he told the psychiatrist who’d examined him at the hospital in England. The psychiatrist recommended a month-long rest. Central Command agreed and signed his vacation with extension.
The Hypersonic encounter became the central point in the investigation of his crash into the enemy territory. Unfortunately, his Eagle could not be recovered. The ISIL soldiers took videos on how they seized the nukes and weapons attached to the plane and turned his crash site into a pictorial set. They were rubbing it in big time. He’d probably never get over seeing a young Muj sitting in his cockpit like a boss.
He felt like a big failure. A combat pilot losing his plane was like losing a limb.
But his superiors saw differently. After a debriefing and half a dozen meetings that extended all the way to Langley, and the White House with the president himself, he was cleared and was expected to report to base after his vacation, and fly again.
He will receive a Purple Heart and was recommended for the Air Force Cross.
Now he was flying home.
To see his family again.
He could’t wait to see them. His heart was bursting with how he’d missed them.
They had been informed of his survival, but he hadn’t talked to them yet. He could have but he couldn’t pick up the phone to do so. He didn’t know what to say to them. He was not ready.
He used to come home with a feeling of chilly victory after every tour. But he was coming home a wounded soldier this time.
He was afraid to face them.
He finally saw the videos circulating about him. They were indeed viral over the internet as the American people were still traumatized from the streamed execution of journalist James Foley in the hands of the ISIL not long ago.
There were several taken on the day he was captured and during his incarceration in that pit. It was really bad and the members of his family must have surely suffered seeing him in such a harrowing situation. There were clips recorded of the day of his execution. He might have touched the entire world with his pledge of allegiance stunt but they didn’t know it was a last act of survival for him. Right up to the moment he’d pulled the grenade pin, he was hoping something will happen to make him escape death.
Something did happen. But that could not erase the grief that video must have caused his loved ones. How could he ever make it up to them? Especially to Andi?
Would she still want to stay with him and risk experiencing it all over again?
Because he was staying in the service, dead or alive.
——*****——
She touched the top of the rectangular wooden box. It had something boldly scribbled on it with a sign pen. ‘For my son, Richard. Love always, Daddy.’
She’d found the box in the walk-in-closet after Craig had left for his tour.
She smiled as her tears fell. She opened the box again.
It contained all the medals Craig had received all through the years.
He was not vain about his achievements. They were not framed on the wall or put in an expensive cabinet for all to see and marvel at.
He put them in a simple wooden box, all lumped together like pretty trinkets. Lots of hearts and stars and a few crosses. Plenty of little pins and ribbons.
She knew, each medal represented Craig’s life on the line. She didn’t know much about military honors but having received all these, Craig must have been one heroic serviceman.
This special man was the father of her son.
Her heart will probably never get over that fact.
He will come home today. They were all anxiously waiting.
The Stimsons were in the living room. She could hear the twins laughter as they ran around the house.
Bella received the news last week and they sobbed in joy, hugging each other. The USAF staff who called told them Craig would undergo medical attention and would need to recuperate a few days and attend to his various duties before he can go home.
They understood, but the waiting had been forever.
She wished he’d call, but he hadn’t. But it did’t matter. He was coming home. Alive.
It was still unbelievable that he’d survived that execution.
She had left everything to God.
God answered her prayers, in such a spectacular way.
Craig reciting the pledge of allegiance will probably become one of the most inspiring videos against terrorism.
Richard will be so proud of his father when he’d finally understand the meaning of it all.
She heard the twins screaming at the top of their lungs.
“Uncle Craig! Uncle Craig!”
Love was home.
——*****——
He stood by the window as he cradled his sleeping son in his arms.
Craig stared at his son’s face, his eyes glistening.
Andi felt like a fist was clenching around her heart. They had shaved off his hair and his face still bore the ravages of his ordeal. Purplish bruises marred his handsome face. He had bandages on his leg from wounds he had sustained during his escape, he’d said.
She wanted to strip him naked so she would see his wounds, kiss all his pain away.
She hadn’t hugged him enough yet. Hadn’t kissed him enough. Her entire being was screaming to touch him, feel him, be reassured he was really alive and well and standing before her again. She was afraid he was just a phantom and he would vanish any minute.
“He has grown so fast,” he said softly.
“Because he’s such a glutton. Like father, like son.”
He smiled. The few meters separating them inside that room became unbearable.
She walked towards him, stood a foot in front of him.
“I would have called…but…” his voice trailed off.
“But?”
“I was…afraid.”
The vulnerability in his eyes broke her heart.
“Of what?”
“Of you.”
“Me?”
“Yeah.”
“The mighty officer Craig Walker who has enthralled the entire world by his bravery in the face of death is afraid of a girl?”
He smiled again, a little boy smile. She had never seen that smile.
“A girl who holds him by the balls, yeah.”
“Hmmm, I like that.”
“And by the heart.”
“I love that. I love you.”
The words just flowed out of her lips naturally.
He swallowed. A tear fell. “Andi…”
She touched his face. “I prayed so hard, that you be spared your life. Then I prayed so hard that you be spared the pain. I didn’t give up on you. I just surrendered you to God. But he gave you back. I’ll never let a day pass without telling you how much I love you.”
“You don’t know what I’ve done.”
“What you’ve done was defend your country and your people from the enemies of freedom.”
“I have killed…taken lots of lives…innocent lives, too.”
“In the line of duty.”
“There’s no difference. These hands have no right to hold this innocence.”
She touched his hand that was holding Richard. She laced her fingers with his. “These hands are a hero’s hands. Our son is safest under their care.”
“I’m not leaving the service.”
“I’ll never ask that of you.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
He inhaled shakily, his lips splitting into a smile as tears streamed down his face. She was absolutely sure she was the only woman he’d allowed to see his tears. She will always treasure that.
“Will you marry me, sugar pie?”
Her own tears welled up again. “I thought you’d never ask.”
“That a yes?”
She raised herself on her toes and kissed him. “Oh, fuck, yeah.”
He burst out laughing.
She thought she’d never hear his laughter again. A miracle happened when she almost stopped believing. God was perverse that way, but she was nothing but grateful. For even the littlest things she would share with this man from now on, she will always be grateful.
“Speaking of…” He grinned wickedly.
Oh, THAT look. How she’d missed that.
——*****——
“Sugar, are you absolutely sure it’s okay to do this now?”
“It’s been months now, Craig. Quit worrying. And Hurry up!”
He chuckled.
She was sitting on the edge of the bed and he was standing between her legs. He removed his shirt while she went for his fly with shaking fingers, her insides fluttering in anticipation.
She scooped him out of his pants.
Huge, hard and hot, his cock was a welcome sight after the horrors of the past week.
“Hello, big boy. Miss me?”
She gripped him possessively with her palms, squeezing. He jerked and lurched in response, whitish fluid trickling from the crown.
She grinned up at him. “Oh, he does miss me. Quite badly, I think.”
He combed his fingers through her hair. “Don’t tease me.” His thumb skimmed her lips and she sucked on it. He groaned, his cock jerking in her hands, growing even harder.
She bent and licked the crown.
“God, baby…!” he gasped, his entire body shuddering, his fingers tightening on her hair.
She wrapped her lips around him and took him deeper into her mouth, deeper and deeper still. She clamped around him and sucked as she pulled out.
That drove him crazy. She did it again and again…
He pulled out of her mouth and hauled her bodily onto the bed, crawling atop her.
She knew teasing time was over. His eyes were burning with passion. He pulled at the elastic top of her dress but she stopped him. She was so hungry for him but her confidence slipped a bit. She’d been worried about her body’s changes after child birth.
“Can I keep my dress on? Please?”
He paused. “Why?”
“Uhm…” She turned scarlet. “I don’t look the same, you know…”
His lust-dazed eyes melted into gentleness. “Oh sugar pie, are you kidding me?”
“I have stretch marks now. Lots.”
“You think I care about that?” He pulled her dress down her chest, revealing her breasts covered with her breast-feeding bra.
She gripped his wrists. “I might not look the same down there too.”
He leaned down and kissed her lips gently. Then he took her hand and wrapped it around his cock. “Do you have any doubt what it’s dying to enter in a few seconds?”
That alleviated her anxiety.
He removed her dress, then her bra and panties.
He spread her legs and stared at her body.
“Your beautiful body gave life to my son. You carried him inside you, nurtured him and gave birth to him and I saw that. I’ll always treasure that, sugar pie. You’re a mighty goddess. My goddess.”
All her issues were wiped away by his words. “Officer, you sure are a talker now.”
He grinned and touched her pussy. She’d kept it totally shaved for hygiene as her wound healed. His finger skimmed the lips lightly. Then he was exploring the inner crevices and her juices flowed, drenching his digits.
He groaned. “Baby, I want you so bad. I want to be inside you now.”
She opened her legs wider. “Come to me.”
He moved closer and gripped his cock, rubbing the head against the center of her pussy.
They moaned in unison. It felt so good, to be feeling him again like this. Her core was clenching in hunger, knowing the pleasure that was coming.
“Baby…I need to…”
He pressed inward.
She gasped as he slid in.
“You okay, baby?”
She nodded. “Yes….Just surprised….Oh Craig!”
He hissed a curse. “What did the doctor do, sew you up closed?”
She couldn’t help a giggle. “Are you complaining?”
“You feel like a virgin all over again.”
“Is that bad?’
“Bad? Hell, no. Just don’t wanna hurt you.”
He pressed deeper, stretching her gently. She was touched by his restraint.
She framed his face with her palms and wrapped her legs around his hips.
“I missed you so bad. I wanna feel you so deep inside me. Make love to me, my love.”
——*****——
During his captivity, he’d thought of this to get through another day of being hungry and thirsty. It kept him sane. It kept his hope alive. He wanted to live, to survive so he can make love to her again, like this…
Her pussy embraced his cock tightly, welcoming him as he buried himself inside her to the hilt. He didn’t know… but it felt even better now. Maybe because he knew he was truly loved now, not just by her body but by her soul.
She loved him.
Knowing that fueled his need.
He moved, claiming what was his. This tight, beautiful, absolutely fantastic pussy was his and his alone.
The pleasure was unbelievable, like that first time. It always felt like the first time with her.
He kissed her sweet, sweet lips as he owned her sweet, sweet pussy. He fed fed on her honeyed moans as he pumped in and out of her and she was clenching around him, meeting him head on, giving him as good as she got.
It was madness and perfection at the same time.
This oneness.
This gift.
He felt the claws of ultimate bliss coming to get him.
“Andi…I love you, baby. I love you!”
She responded with a sharp cry.
He felt her orgasm rip through her, gripping him as well, taking him with her in that flight to ecstasy. And he went with her, inside her, so deep inside her, surrendering his all to her.
He took her prisoner with her love and passion and then she set him free, free, free!
An eagle soaring towards the endless sky.