Disclaimer:
Not mine. Not mine. Not mine. All credit goes to David Bellisario for opening up such a lovely story line.Author's Notes:
After seeing "A Colonel's Wife" and hearing the Gunney's story of lost love, the romantic, mushy part of me started going "Hmmm…I haven't done a really good mushy story in a while."See what happens when I watch reruns? :)
Lost Love Rediscovered
By Gayle F. Cox-Moffet
"Excuse me, could you help me find someone?"
Tiner turned at the sound of a voice. A woman with dark chestnut hair and pale complexion smiled up at him "What can I do for you, Miss?"
"I'm looking for Victor Galindez. He told me he was working here."
"He's right-" Tiner glanced around the room. Galindez was nowhere. "He must be at lunch. Would you like to wait at his desk, Miss-"
"Emalynn Michaels. Is it okay for me to wait?"
"He should be back soon. It's no problem." Tiner led her across the bullpen. "Here you go, Ms. Michaels."
"Thank you. I didn't get your name."
"Petty Officer Jason Tiner, Ma'am. It was my pleasure."
"Thank you, Jason."
"You're welcome." Tiner walked away and stood waiting for the elevator. The doors opened and Galindez walked out. Tiner stepped in his path. "Sir, you have a visitor."
"Who is it, Tiner?"
"Says her name is Emalynn Michaels." Tiner watched the Gunny's face pale slightly and his eyes widened. Tiner raised his eyebrows. "Old friend of yours, sir?"
"Something like that. As you were, Tiner." Galindez almost jumped down the few steps to the bullpen. He composed himself enough to walk as casually as possible to his desk. "Emalynn."
She looked up and smiled. "Hello, Victor." Standing, Emalynn hugged Victor. "It's good to see you."
For a moment, Galindez wasn't sure how to respond. His arms wrapped around her automatically, and he smelled her hair. It smelled like outside, wind, and rain. "Hello, Emalynn."
She pulled away and looked up at him. She came up to his chin. "You look great."
"You're-" Don't say beautiful. "-Looking nearly the same. You've hardly change since high school."
"You look fantastic." Emalynn blushed slightly, her fair skin showed the color in her cheeks brightly.
Victor smiled. "Thank you. How's Daniel?"
"Gunny, would you care to make introductions since you're groping in public?" Chegwidden yelled from his office door at the couple.
Galindez immediately snapped to attention. He spoke loudly enough for the Admiral to hear, which meant it broadcasted out over the bullpen. "This is Emalynn Michaels, Sir. She's a friend from high school who came out to visit. Emalynn, I'd like to introduce you to Admiral Chegwidden."
Emalynn was blushing furiously, but she kept eye contact with the Admiral. "It's a pleasure, Admiral."
Chegwidden smiled. "Pleasure's all mine, Ms. Michaels. Gunny, take this lovely woman out to lunch and stay out for the rest of the day."
"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir."
The Admiral slammed closed his office door, and Victor quickly ushered Emalynn out of the building. They stepped onto the front lawn of the offices with Emalynn still blushing.
"I didn't mean to get you in trouble, Victor."
He waved it off. "If I were in real trouble, I wouldn't have the afternoon off."
Emalynn laughed at that, and her complexion cleared up. She smiled at Victor again, and he felt his chest tighten. God, I should have taken her to prom. Go to other thoughts, Galindez. "How's Daniel? I didn't get an answer before we were interrupted."
"I served him with divorce papers a month ago, and I'm still waiting for him to sign. He doesn't realize he's beating a dead horse." Emalynn turned to face Victor. "I moved here because I got a job offer from the Washington Post. I live in DC now."
"Divorce papers?" Victor's throat was slightly dry.
"Divorce papers. Life with a dentist has no spontaneity, and I won't be with someone with no emotional attachment. Especially not now." Emalynn took a step nearer to Victor. "Do you remember the night of the reunion, when we talked by the punch bowl?"
Every last second. "Yes."
"Do you remember what I said?"
Somehow, Victor made his voice work. "You told me I should have called."
Emalynn smiled at him. It was the first sign of emotion since Daniel's name had come up. She had recounted her divorce as dry facts. "I meant it."
There was silence as Victor kept himself from gaping. "What?" He swallowed and cleared his throat. "Emalynn-"
She smiled at him again. It was a soft, knowing smile. "Victor, I'm not divorced yet. I don't' want a romantic relationship yet. I need a friend, though."
He nodded. "Okay. I can do that."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome." Victor smiled at her. "Have you had lunch?"
"Not yet. I don't' know of any good places around here."
"May I buy you lunch?"
"I'd like that."
Victor smiled again. "Me, too."
*
They sat in a booth at a small deli and soup place and waited for their food as they sipped coffee. Emalynn's eyes had widened when Victor's order had included two large sandwiches, fries, and soup.
"Jason told me you were at lunch when I arrived."
"Ja-oh, Tiner. I was at lunch, bit I got caught up before I had a chance to eat." He took another sip of his coffee. "I'm lucky you showed up."
Emalynn smiled. "I'm glad I could help you not keel over from starvation." She laughed at her own joke. "What do you do at JAG, Victor? You never got a chance to tell me."
"I keep the office running. I take messages, and find files, and set up appointments for the lawyers. I enjoy it."
"It sounds pretty routine."
"I've spent twenty years as a Marine; I guess I look forward to routine." Victor shrugged slightly and shifted the conversation focus. "What are you going to do at The Washington Post?"
"I'm a reporter. I have been for nearly forever."
"I remember when you wrote letters to the editor back home. You made a lot of people mad." Victor watched her blush again. She's beautiful when she blushes. "You look embarrassed."
She gestured away his look of amusement. "I'm not embarrassed. I'm just surprised you remember. My parents hardly remember, and they put all my opinion letters into a scrapbook."
"Do you write opinions for The Post?"
"No. I've learned my lesson. They found out about me when I did a feature piece on breast cancer. I free-lanced it, and The Post picked it up. The editor loved it. I was offered a job. I had just given Daniel the divorce papers, and I wanted a new view. The Potomac looks nice from my balcony." Emalynn smiled. "I spent the first couple of weeks here just trying to settle in. New Mexico is much different than DC."
"I understand that."
The food arrived, and there were a few moments of silence as hunger overran conversation. Victor as halfway through his soup before he spoke again. "Why breast cancer?"
Emalynn wiped mayonnaise off the corner of her mouth. "Because I had it once, and it's come back."
"It came back?" His stomach dropped at the idea of what that meant. "Are you dying?"
Her head rose slowly from where she had been concentrating on the tabletop. "No. As long as I'm breathing, I'm still living." I won't die until my heart stops." Emalynn pushed her hair to one side of her neck. "I met with a doctor last week. She thinks she can get rid of it with chemotherapy and radiation treatments."
"What happens if that doesn't work?" Victor hated to ask the question.
"Surgery to remove the lump."
"And if that doesn't work?"
Emalynn smiled faintly. "I live until I die."