A Soldier's Tale of Romance

Billy opened his email, “hmm, who is this?” he wondered, as he clicked to open the letter from a new face.  It was from a girl named Dawn that lived on post where he was currently at.  Her father was in the military, she stated and that she worked at the clothing and sales store inside the PX.  Fresh out of basic training, he was excited about meeting someone to go out with, so there was no hesitation in a reply.  Billy was new to the area, and would only be there for a couple months, he wrote.  Telling her his schedule and asking if she'd be interested in meeting for lunch.

            The next day after he finished his training, he hopped online as he was accustomed to doing.  His inbox flashed with a new message.  Could it be from her, he wondered?  A slight nervousness overcame him as he opened the page.  Indeed it was!  Not expecting such a quick response, he was shocked to see a message from the mysterious “Dawn”.  He clicked her picture to open up her personal page, as she had added him to her friends.  Her profile was vague to say the least, and her pictures, well... they just didn't look recent.  As he continued reading the email, he was pained to see she had turned him down in his request to meet her.  Not even an apology as she stated it was against her work policy to “date” soldiers in training.  Billy was stunned, not realizing how a simple meeting could be mistook for “dating”.  He did not abandon hope.  

            Over the course of a couple weeks, the emails continued, learning more of one another, and each one insisting of their meet.  She declined every time.  But there was an attraction between the two; the conversations grew deeper and more involved.  Knowing his time there was growing short, he decided to make his move, and he would go see her at work.  As he entered the PX, he wasn't even sure where to go or what she even looked like!  But it didn't matter; he had other reasons for being there, so he continued to walk around, browsing the aisles.  As he was checking out, he asked the cashier where the clothing exchange was located, and she pointed to the back of the store.

Content in his decision, he strolled aimlessly in that direction.  As he peeked around the corner their eyes met for a moment and when he realized that it was her and the she had saw him he quickly withdrew from the room, and proceeded for the exit hoping she didn't know who it was!  Later that evening, he received an email from Dawn, and he chuckled to himself as he read that she knew it was him and was confused why he did not come in to say hi.  Slightly embarrassed he wrote her back saying he would come again tomorrow, that he was merely nervous of meeting someone that he had only corresponded through the internet.

            A week later they were standing in line at the movie theater, neither one sure of what to see.  He asked her to choose, not wanting to force her to see something she had no interest in.  He couldn't take his eyes off her as they sat down, popcorn and drinks in hand.  There was something about her presence that was intoxicating even though they had just met.  He enjoyed sitting next to her as the movie played on.  By the time it was over he had no idea what he had just watched.  Who was this girl, why did she take so much control of his thoughts...?  As they walked back to her daddy's truck he asked her if she'd want to do this again the next weekend.  Sure she said, and drove him back to base.

            They emailed each other daily looking forward to the following weekend.  Towards the end of the week, an idea was proposed of going to the beach with some friends.  Though it was out of Billy's stomping grounds due to 50 mile radius training policy, he immediately was for it.  Always a lover of the ocean, and the new spring rolling in, it was the perfect time for a drive to the sea.  As they sat in the car waiting for her sister to arrive with 3 others, he couldn't help but bring up the movie they saw the weekend before and how he wanted to hold her hand but was too scared to.  She laughed in his face.  Such a bold girl she was, seemingly unafraid of anything she grabbed his hand and assured him she would not have pulled away.  The blood rushed through his veins as her fingers clenched his.  He could have drifted away looking into her eyes as he was forced to come back by the honking of a horn.  Her sister had arrived.

            They got out of the car and discussed the trip there, which way they would go, who would drive, etc.  He sat and watched her.  As she got back into the car Dawn informed him of a change of plans. The two of them would be traveling alone.  This was great news to Billy, and even better when she asked him to drive.  But of course he said!  It had been 3 months since he had driven, and on top of that it was a nice little coupe with a manual transmission.  She admitted that she was not too good at driving sticks, as they switched seats.  Pulling from the parking lot, he smiled: clutches were his specialty.

            They opted for the scenic route, she knew where she was going, and he was just driving.  Free as a bird, a feeling he hadn't felt in months.  So refreshing he felt with her next to him, so alive.  She flipped through the random cd's she had and asked him what he would like to hear.  Hating to be the one to make decisions he told her whatever she wanted would be find.  She read off a few titles and his brow rose when she mentioned some “Celtic CD” she had.  That would be nice to listen to; he said as she slipped the disc in and turned the volume up.

            They were cruising down the highway, seemingly aimless, thoughts racing of what the other might be thinking. There were so many things going through Billy's mind, his decision to join the Army, meeting this new girl, actually being with her going to the beach, and the possibility of getting in trouble while doing it! He rolled the window down slightly to catch the wind in his hair, what a beautiful spring day this was. As the songs continued to play, and he continued to drive, totally pleasured and content, Dawn began singing to the Gaelic tune on the stereo. Softly at first, then slowly gaining intensity and volume, this girl had an amazing voice!

            Billy looked at her; she stopped as if she were doing something wrong. He told her please continue, that he actually liked it, thus furthering the embarrassment of having been heard. He completely assured her that it was indeed a beautiful noise coming from her lips. She laughed when he called it noise, but started singing again. He was mesmerized by this soft gentle voice like a song bird in a tree at dusk. So mesmerized that he failed to notice he was doing almost 15 miles over the speed limit until he passed a highway patrolman. Too late, he was caught. Twenty minutes later and a ticket to show for it, they were on their way. Nothing could stop these two from accomplishing there mission. At least now they had a good laugh to go along with it; it wasn't his first ticket, matter of fact he had quite a history of law breaking. A bad boy to the bone, she'd never have known behind his gentle smile and kind eyes.

            As they pulled up to the beach, an overwhelming sense came over Billy as it always has whenever he neared the ocean. They found a parking spot, grabbed the necessities and started walking to the edge of the earth. They stepped on to the sand together, hand in hand and felt the cool breeze and heard the waves crashing, it was perfect. They weren't quite ready to get comfortable and Billy really wanted a drink to kick it all off, so they headed to the bar. Neither was picky, so they headed to the first one they saw. They had a seat inside, he went to the "latrine" as he called it, and she ordered a coke with two straws. He smiled as he came back to the table and leaned over and kissed her.

            This was the first real taste of freedom he had felt in several months and it tasted wonderful. He asked her if she would like a drink with him, she shook her head no, so he ordered a beer. Halfway through the beer, Dawn decided she would like a shot of whiskey which really shocked Billy. Wow he thought, because he himself didn't care for such strong drinks. She laughed and threw in the, "Well, I'm Irish!" That settled it; he ordered a shot of Jack for her and two shots of Jagermeister for himself. She turned the shot up like a champ, and he winced as he poured down the second one of the schnapps. Sensing the warm feeling creeping down his body as he finished off his beer, she shocked him again by saying she wanted another drink. This could definitely get interesting. He wanted to order her something good, so he told the bartender to bring a “Liquid Cocaine”, a sweet and spicy mix of power! She was a little nervous of the name, but he told her that it'd be fine, if she didn't like it, he would finish it. What the bartender brought was far from what he ordered, but she drank it anyways; silly girl.        

            He went to the bartender, being the brazen young man he is, and directly asked her what she put into that drink. After hearing the ingredients he threw his hands in the air as he stated that it was completely wrong and that explained the minty aftertaste the drink had. He told her that he would like another one, made the way it was supposed to be made and that was with goldschlager, triple sec, and 151. Yea, it's a strong drink, and you don't need more than two, guaranteed. So she made it, and didn't even charge him. What a good deal. Sometimes it pays to be direct, just short of the line of being rude. Dawn smelled it, was like HOLY COW and poured the toxic mixture down her throat without hesitation, as Billy's jaw dropped. Ok, enough for you he said. Damn you’re a tough little thing aren't you! She grinned widely as she nodded and told him that she was feeling the drink already. He paid his bill, grabbed her by the arm, and directed her towards the door. She loved his dominant way. But he was merely moving with a purpose, what they came for.

            The sun felt amazing on his skin as he lay on the beach next to her. The alcohol running through their veins had both of them breathing heavily in sheer ecstasy as the breeze gave them chills while the waves were rolling up the shore. Apparently this was more than liquid courage, maybe liquid craziness, as she jumped up and ran for the water. She beckoned him on, as he called her bluff. The water would be frigid this time of year in the mid-Atlantic. Once again he was proved that this little lady had more than brains and beauty, she was so bold. What a wonderful combination he thought when he looked up and she was waist deep in the water. He laughed at her as she splashed water his way. He stepped ankle deep and immediately jumped as if something shocked him. Is this girl nuts he thought as she continued waving him on.

            The water must have been 50 degrees and she was seemingly unaware that hypothermia could definitely set in at these temperatures. She found it amusing that Billy always seemed to have an excuse of some kind for anything in which he did not wish to do. Not about to be outdone by this fragile little brown haired angel, he reached deep for that fortitude that every man has and headed in. By the time he was mid-thigh, he was completely numb. This was madness. The next wave that came in completely took his manhood from him as he squealed like a stuck pig. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry from the shock that overtook his body. There was only one choice, just do it. He dove in head first, completely covering his body with a blanket of free flowing ice. It took a few moments, but he finally overcame the urge to strangle her and drag her out the ocean, revive her and tell her how cold he was!

            They were both shivering, teeth chattering as he wondered if maybe she was too drunk to realize that they would freeze in less than 10 minutes. Oh well, it was worth it. Such a seductive smile came over his face as he pulled his hand out of the water and with one finger signaled her closer. Body heat must be conserved he said to her convincingly, we have to stay alive! She put her arms around his neck, pulled herself in as her legs wrapped around his waist. A magnitude of blood began rushing through his body as he grasped her tightly. He was shaking and breathing heavily; was it the cold water or the sensations of her body against his. Didn't matter, the sun was setting. Such a shame this was the east coast as they looked west at it began fading behind the high rise buildings along the beach.

            As he pulled away from her to climb out of the icy waters, she didn't let go. This wasn't a problem; he would carry her, he thought, but then as he looked at her there was something else in her eyes. He lowered back into the water, as a wave crashed over them. Neither felt it as he pushed the hair out of her face the surf had haphazardly misplaced. The next words that came from her mouth were as shocking as the water first felt as it splashed his body. Kiss me now, she stated. This was not a request, it was a direct order. Billy was forced to comply, although he had been waiting for this moment all day she amazed him with her perfect timing. It was an amazing kiss, the kind that you wish every kiss could be like. The almost stagnant blood began flowing instantaneously. Apparently she felt this too, as she drew back and looked at him intently. I'm a virgin she told Billy there in the water where the only thing keeping us warm was the fire from the passion that had just sparked. She pressed her body harder against his, Billy pulled. She felt his state of arousal as one hand left his neck and slipped into the water.  They started kissing, their lips pressed tightly against the other's.

            As they walked out of the water, her hand in his, the last rays of sun were disappearing behind the tall building in front of them.  They dried each other off, never taking their eyes off one another.  What had taken place in the water was just shy of perfection, both were speechless.  As they lay on the towels, the shade overtaking them, a slight chill ran up Billy's spine as he knew the day was waning and it was time to go.  Why did this have to end he wondered, why must he leave.

            The ride home took longer than expected, as they had somehow gotten on a wrong highway which took them a half hour out of the way.  Had he not stopped at McDonalds for some fries and a shake, this wouldn't have bothered him much, but he had a weekend recall formation at 2200 to make.  He was pushing his luck.  At 2145 he entered the post.  There were at least twenty cars in front of him.  He thought about getting out of the car and just running to his company area.  Nah, he though, it was over a mile away.  He just sat there patiently, as his thoughts drifted to the day’s events, not caring how many rules he broke and how much trouble he could be in if late.

            As she pulled into the parking lot Billy leaned over, kissed her, told her he would call her later, and jumped out the car before it came to a stop.  He took off around the back way as they were already in formation.  He tore up the stairs, was half undressed before he got to his room, and back down again with only a minute to spare.  They all saw him running up to the back of the ranks, no one seemed to mind.  Did he get away with this?  Not quite.  The first sergeant was there that evening, a very rare happening.  Apparently, he wanted to know who that soldier was that came running up late.  Billy was summoned to the front.  As he entered the front leaning rest position, aka the push-up, he laughed to himself at how worth it this was.  Such a small punishment for what he had done.  A few pushups later, he was back in the ranks at parade rest.  Still smiling contently, he had never felt so good.  All this time, and he finally found something that made him feel like he had never felt before... complete.

            He called her later that evening, told her everything that took place laughing the whole time.  Though they were exhausted from the day’s events, their conversation lasted for hours.  She had invited him to her church in the morning which was on post.  Her father was a chaplain and also the preacher there.  Instinctively knowing this was a big step, meeting the father, and knowing there wasn't much time left before he finished his training he went with his gut and said yes, he would go.  The next morning, he had never felt more anxious.  He wanted to make a great impression, as most men in the military know how soldiers can be and are very wary of their ambitions.  He dressed as nicely as he could, considering his civilian clothes were limited after spending several months in army uniforms.

            As Billy approached the church, he could hear the organ playing and the sound of the choir singing.  He couldn't be late; he was there 15 minutes before the time she had given him.  Butterflies in his stomach, he opened the door and walked in.  A jolly man at the front door greeted him while handing him a bulletin.  Billy told the fellow he was there to see Dawn, and that she had invited him.  The usher directed his attention to the stage, where there was Dawn standing, microphone in hand.

            She was getting ready to sing as the music started playing.  She saw him as he sat down, and he hoped it would not make her nervous.  What he didn't know was that she did this ever Sunday and the girl had the heart and courage of a lion.  He had heard her singing in the car on their trip to the beach, but as she opened her lips and the words came out across the speakers, every hair on his neck stood up.  His heart began racing as she whispered the soft notes into the mic.  Her voice began to grow louder and so did the music.  It was magnificent.  Never before had he heard such a beautiful voice.

            Dawn finished singing, and proceeded down the aisle towards Billy.  As she sat down, he felt inadequate to say the least to be sitting beside such a special gift.  His heart fluttered as she grabbed his hand and whispered in his ear that she was happy to see him.  The feelings he had for this girl were steadily growing stronger, while his time left there was growing shorter.  He contemplated the situation over and over in his head.  It almost seemed bittersweet.  How could he have met a perfect companion, someone who complemented him so well during this short leg of his journey over the next couple years?  He couldn't face the truth just yet, there was still time left to enjoy it, however short it might be.