Found Love
Chapter 14
Mike's office-Monday
"Here are the reports, sir." Russ said as he knocked on Mike's door and then walked in. Mike was sitting at his desk, looking at something on his computer. Russ put the reports on the desk and sat down in the chair, knowing Mike wanted to chat.
"So, I need some help with something, help from both you and Josie, if you don't care? You can say no." Mike said hopefully.
"Anything, sir." Russ told him.
"Well, you know that Christine and I had some problems before the deployment to the Arctic? We were all but divorced. I just couldn't file and she agreed to wait until I got back…we just didn't realize that it would take six years. Anyway, I am a traditionalist for the most part. I hated the idea of divorce from the get go. We are…working through things. Christine feels extremely guilty about the whole divorce thing. Feels she caused a lot of the problems. I probably didn't help but it's in the past. What I need is, you are an ordained minister, correct?" Mike asked.
"Yes, sir…you don't need one since you are still legally married though." Russ was confused why Mike needed a minister.
"Oh, I know. I want to renew our vows. I think it might make Christine feel better especially if it's my plan." Mike stated.
"I see, so what do you need?" Russ asked even though he had an idea where the conversation was going.
"Well, Christine kind of has our weekend planned, sort of. Sunday is a free day and so what I was thinking was, you and Josie, and the kids could come down. Laura Kate is off work too. I will rent an SUV so you only need one vehicle. I have already spoken with the people at the lodge and they will cater the meal. You renew our vows, we eat. What I need from Josie is a bit different. I am going to run by the diner and speak to her. My understanding is that she and Christine have plans to go shopping tomorrow. I need her to buy Christine a dress without her knowing it. I'll give her the money. I imagine she knows Christine's sizes. I've spoken with Laura Kate and she is going to grab my suit and shoes. Sound okay?" Mike asked. He had leaned back in his chair and was fiddling with his pen.
"It sounds really romantic. I thought you didn't want Christine to know that you were a romantic?" Russ joked.
"Oh, someone let the cat out of the bag on that account. Thank you very much for that. Want lunch? See your fiancé?" Mike asked.
"Sir, of course I want to see her but I have work to do." Russ stated almost sadly as Mike stood up and grabbed his cover and sunglasses from the cabinet behind the desk.
"Well, I'm your CO. Let's go." Mike ordered as he gestured for Russ to follow him.
"Yes, sir. I need to stop at my office for my own cover and glasses." Russ told him as he swung into his own office. Mike had stopped to speak to his secretary and tell her where they were going.
Within five minutes, they were out the door and headed to the diner where Josie worked. The diner was packed and Mike and Russ had to wait a couple minutes to be seated in Josie's section. Thankfully, the crowd was thinned out and Josie could sit with them for a minute and drink a cup of coffee.
"So, Jo, Mike has plans for us on Sunday." Russ told her and she looked at Mike expectantly.
"Yeah, I want to have you guys down to the lodge on Sunday. I want to renew mine and Christine's vows. I know she'll want you there and was wondering if you could get her a dress and bring it down with you. I'll give you my card and everything. I am renting a SUV and so you all can drive down together. Laura Kate is off and she'll ride with you all and bring my suit. Obviously we would want Sophie and Alex there too. The lodge is catering it. Nothing fancy and Christine knows nothing. Christine is also really nervous about not seeing the girls and I thought it might help with that. You okay with that?" Mike asked Josie hopefully.
"I was just thinking how lucky Christine is. Sounds great. What time do we need to be there?" Josie asked.
"Well, the lodge people are bringing the food at one. Laura Kate gets off at eight that morning but she's off that night. She might sleep on the way there but she is planning on doing her mom's hair and makeup. I haven't said anything to Hannah yet because I don't know how good she is at keeping secrets. I would also like for her and Laura Kate to have something nice to wear…" Mike looked stressed about the details and Josie reached over and squeezed his hand.
"I just so happen to know their sizes. Let me take care of it. What about flowers? Jewelry?" Josie asked.
"Lodge people are bringing pink roses. They're Christine's favorites. I also went to a jeweler this morning. I got her something called an anniversary band, whatever that is. It'll match her existing set. I also got her a pair of earrings; you'd better keep ahold of them though." Mike said as he handed Josie a jewelry box. Josie couldn't help but to open it and gasped at the beautiful diamond studs.
"These are beautiful. She'll love them." Josie told him.
"I hope so. I really just want to spoil her." Mike told them quietly.
"What he's really doing is setting the bar so high that I will have no hopes of impressing you." Russ told Josie.
"Oh, don't worry. I'll help you plan for your wedding and Christine will help with Josie. Have you all set a date yet?" Mike asked.
"No. Kind of looking at September but it won't be anything fancy." Russ said quietly. Josie had gotten up to get their food.
"Everything okay?" Mike asked.
"Just worried about deployment. Hasn't really mattered for several years but I know the James maybe leaving in October. I hate the idea of leaving them so soon." Russ said as he watched Josie across the room.
"Well, I kind of got myself involved in that. I probably should have spoken with you first but I spoke with Tom. Told him that I needed you at the training facility. You won't be deploying in October. I didn't tell him about the change in your family situation, just that I needed you. His one request is relatively simple but he will need you to more or less be at the new Master Chief's beck and call…sort of. New guy, inexperienced. Needs someone with your experience to bounce things off by email. Since the Captain and XO are newly promoted, the Master Chief needs to have some advice at times. Hope that won't be a problem?" Mike asked.
"No, sir. Not at all. Thank you so much. May I ask who it will be?" Russ asked, very relieved.
"Your welcome. I am essentially doing the same thing for the XO and Captain. It's Kara Green as Captain, Carlton Burke as XO and Miller as Master Chief. It will be an interesting cruise for sure." Mike said with a solemn look.
"Well, they are professionals. I will be available at any point." Russ told him just as Josie sit their food down and then went to one of the other tables to fill drinks up.
"I know. Me too. Everybody has to learn at some point. The only way to get experience is to get experience." Mike said wisely.
"Precisely." Russ agreed.
The Next Day
"Thanks so much for shopping with me. I really want this to be special for Mike." Christine told Josie as they looked through a shop with lingerie and nightgowns. Christine was looking more towards the nightgowns that were a bit slinkier than what she would normally wear.
"I'm sure he feels the same about you. What about this one? Would look pretty with your complexion." Josie said as she held up a light blue nightgown that would cling in all the right places. Christine looked at it and nodded.
"This was a lot easier, three babies ago. I'd better try it on. Care to critique?" Christine asked as they went into the dressing rooms where Josie sat on a bench and Christine closed the curtain to one of the dressing areas.
"Did you and Mike have a honeymoon?" Josie asked as she waited.
"No. We had lived together already so it didn't make much sense. Then I got pregnant pretty quickly after. Despite that though, I was still nervous on my wedding night. It was like it was completely different. I'd had sex with Mike as my boyfriend but it is a bit different with a husband. It's easy for it just become routine when you're married. Now, I want to make it fresh and different. Fun. What about you and Russ?" Christine asked as she peeked around the curtain, more to make sure no one was in the lounge.
"You're safe. No one out here. What about us?" Josie asked confused as Christine walked out. "Looks really nice. You fill out it out, especially up top."
"Mmm. Maybe a size up though? Did they have a bigger size? And I mean…have you and Russ?" Christine asked as she evaluated in the mirror.
"No, we haven't. We are both pretty religious. Waiting until marriage. And let me go check?" Josie said before disappearing into the store area. Within a minute, she came back with the next size up along with a much sexier black lace nightgown in the same size. "Try that one too."
"Okay but it looks a little…trashy? Is it something you'd wear?" Christine asked as she looked at the gown suspiciously.
"No. Not in a million years. You said you wanted fresh and different. This is you but this black one? This one will remind Mike of what you two were like before you got married. Blue is his wife of over twenty years and mother of his three kids, black one is reminiscent of his girlfriend. Fun and different." Josie practically ordered.
"I see. Problem with that theory is, when I wore something similar to this, it was twenty some odd years ago before three babies. I have been pregnant and nursed three babies since then. I don't exactly have the same body I used to." Christine said quietly.
"True and neither does he. Besides, you pull this off with no problems. No cellulite or fat. Mike has seen you naked since you've had those babies, correct? He didn't mind it then?" Josie asked, making a point.
"No, he didn't. Mike isn't shallow at all. He has loved my body at all sizes and shapes. When I had Lucas I gained seventy pounds. He didn't mind in the least. He always said he loved the curves. Alright, I'll try it on. Not saying I'll buy it." Christine said as she took both nightgowns out of Josie's hands with a mischievous grin.
"I want to see you model that black one." Josie said.
"You are a disaster. Just remember, your day is coming too. Just because we aren't shopping for your wedding night today, doesn't mean that I am not going to make you miserable when we do. Here." Christine said as she walked out wearing the very filmy gown. It barely covered her up but Mike would love it.
"Nice, should I send Mike a teaser photo? Poor guy is working." Josie said as she discreetly snapped a photo without Christine knowing. She texted Russ to get Mike's phone number as Christine was trying the other gown on.
"That would be mean but I don't care. I know you've already taken the picture and probably already asked Russ for Mike's number. As long as it isn't sent to Russ, it's harmless." Christine surprisingly agreed.
"I wouldn't do that to him. It would be horribly awkward for him anyway." Josie said as Russ's message came through with Mike's number. Christine appeared in the blue gown that was a size up. It did look better and Josie took another photo with her in it and quickly typed out the message to Mike.
"Hey, it's Josie. Hope you aren't in some meeting! Enjoy."
"Did you send it?" Christine asked as she walked back in her street clothes. Just as she picked up her purse, Josie's cellphone dinged with a message from Mike.
"Shit. Only a meeting with the President, Vice President and CNO. Can you have her home in a half hour? You don't want to stay."
Both Josie and Christine laughed at Mike's message. Christine checked out and they walked outside where she grabbed Josie's phone to send a message to her rather frustrated husband.
"This is your wife. I planned on taking Josie out for lunch and besides, Laura Kate is at home. She does go to work at two and I imagine I can be home by then if you want to meet there. Hannah has an after school thing until five. Gives you three hours."
"I can't believe you are using my phone to set up your bootie call. This is just wrong." Josie joked. She really didn't mind. She loved how close Mike and Christine were.
"When the time comes, you can borrow mine to set one up with Russ." Christine said as they both sit down on a park bench. Josie's phone dinged with a new message and she automatically handed it to Christine, not really wanting to even read it even though she was a little intrigued.
"I'll be there. See you at two. Love you."
"I love you too."
Christine handed the phone back to Josie and they walked to a nearby restaurant for lunch. They both ordered salads and discussed plans for Josie's wedding. Christine and Mike had already volunteered to watch Alex and Sophie and so they just needed to set a date.
Josie and Christine met Laura Kate on their street on her way to work. Josie dropped Christine off and watched her go inside. Before she backed out, she sent a message to Mike.
"Your wife is home and your daughter is headed to work. I am on my way back to the store to find dresses for her and the girls. Any requests?" Josie smiled at the message. It was an extraordinary length to go but Mike and Christine would do the same for her.
"I'm about ten out. Just whatever you think they'll like. No particular theme. Spare no expense. And if they need shoes go for it." Josie smiled again at Mike's text. He loved his wife and daughters.
"Alright. Enjoy your bootie call."
Josie smiled as she sent the text and headed back to the store. She had a good idea what the girls liked and Christine's taste was close to her own. She found a pretty mauve dress for Laura Kate that would hit just above her knees and would work for dates and whatever she might need it for. She had Mike's lighter coloring and Hannah favored Christine with dark hair and eyes. She found a lighter blue dress with white flowers on it for Hannah and leather sandals for both girls. After some looking, she found a cream colored, mid-calf length dress for Christine. It had lace but was surprisingly simple. Josie also picked out a pair of matching flats and the lingerie that would go with the dress. Once she was satisfied with her purchases, she left to pick her own kids up from school. As she waited for them she sent Mike a message to let him know what he had bought.
"I'm sure I am interrupting something I want to know no details about. Your wife will tell me later though…total was $250.31. Shoes and dresses for all three plus some items that Christine will need. They will be beautiful. Hope that total wasn't too much?"
"I was thinking it would be more. Sounds great. I am a lucky man. Thank you for everything you're doing for us."
"Well, I am counting on your help when Russ and I get married. Now, concentrate on your wife."
Josie put her phone away just as her kids got in the car. They were both excited because Russ was taking them out for pizza, a rare treat for them. Josie knew one thing for sure; she was just as happy as Mike and Christine.