Chapter 21

Harm and Loren were only half listening Admiral talk since they were dreaming of a possible what if.

While Loren stood in the kitchen, baking cookies, she could hear her three children playing outside. She was happy with the way her life had turned out.

Suddenly she heard her children squealing in happiness and the sound of a man laughing. Her husband was back. Wiping her hands on the apron she walked over to the window, gazing outside at her happily-ever-after. All those years ago she had made the right decision in the Admiral's office.

"Lieutenant, are you even listening to a word I have been saying?" the Admiral's voice brought her back to the present.

"Yes." she whispered before she remembered where and who she was "Yes, Sir."

"Care to share what you were thinking about since you seemed to be more interested in daydreaming than in any word I have been saying about proper protocol and relationships between two officers?"

"No, Sir."

"That wasn't a question."

Loren sighed and looked over at Harm. Should she tell the Admiral and Harm about her daydream? She could lie. But wouldn't they know if she was lying?

"Permission to speak freely?" she finally asked.

Whatever the Admiral was about to say it was time for the truth. But what truth? The truth that she had longed all her life for a man who would love her? The truth that she longed for a happily-ever-after? The truth that she would give her career up if it meant this was the only way she could be happy with Harm? Yes, the whole truth.

"Granted."

"My father still believes that women shouldn't be in the armed forces, but I defied him years ago. I wanted to prove myself since I have disappointed him all my life. I was born a girl instead of the boy he had longed for. Whatever I did, I never made him proud. I thought that no one would ever care for me, that no one would and could ever love me. I have never been loved. Not really. Until I met someone, an online-friend. His name is Vie12-25. I started to confide in him, about what I wanted and I realized that it was me who'd kept me from being happy. I realized that being in love would mean taking some risks and I'm ready to take those risks now. Sir, what I mean to say is, if you ask me to resign my commission so I can continue wherever this relationship with Commander Rabb will lead me, then I will do it. I've realized that I care... no, it's more than that. I have feelings for the Commander. Feelings I want to talk about with him and explore together with him, but if it means that I have to choose between the Navy and maybe a possible future together with him, something I never thought would be possible for me, my answer will be an easy one."

Harm looked at Loren in shock. What had she said? She would willingly give up her career for a relationship with him, even with the possibility that it wouldn't work out in the end?

Harm admired her courage and he wasn't the only one.

The Admiral sat stunned in his chair. He had never heard something like this before, someone telling him that he or she would choose a relationship, that could even end badly, over a future in the Navy.

He knew he had some thinking to do and that his two officers needed to talk.

"Today is Friday. I want the two of you back here on Monday. We will continue our talk and make some decisions then."

"Yes, Sir."

"Dismissed."

As both officers were about to leave his office, he called Harm back.

"Rabb."

"Yes, Sir."

"She is a damn fine woman. Don't do anything that would make her regret her decision to love you and that she would give up anything for you."

"Yes, sir, she is. And don't worry, I don't intend to ever make her regret loving me nor giving up anything for me."