Chapter 36
"Victor did you hear me before Shami came up to us?" Mac asked instead of giving him the hug he wanted.
"Yes I did, but I was hoping that you'd say it again."
"I love you Victor Galindez! I don't know how all this will work out, but I know I'd like to see if we can have a future together."
"You know that I love you too, but what about Clay? Those are his children you're carrying and I'm sure he'll want to be a part of their lives."
"He can see them as much as he likes. It would be like a divorced father. I won't keep the babies from him, but I do know that I want to be with you and not him."
"Then together we will find a way to work it out," he promised her and opened his arms once again to her, and this time she went gladly into them.
Because Victor needed as much rest as possible, and Mac knew that if left alone he would try and get up, she stayed by his side as much as possible. When she couldn't sit with him, she called Shami over to make sure that he didn't get up. Shami thought it was great fun when Missy Mac told her that if Gunny tried to get up, she was to sit on him! Shami promised that she would.
Mac took the opportunity of Shami guarding the rough tough Marine to wash their clothes. They badly needed it and she found that this wifely chore actually pleased her. Not that she would want to wash clothes in a pool by hand all the time, but this was nice. She liked the idea of presenting him with clean fresh clothes when she finished this chore.
Victor was insisting that he would be well enough to travel the next day, and although Mac didn't believe him, she told him that they would see how he felt in the morning. One thing led to another as they spent the day talking and finally he asked how long he had been out of it. Mac told him and she could see him doing mental calculations in his head. Placing her hand on his chest, she looked him in the eye and said, "Don't worry about it. We'll explain to everyone when we get back."
"Mac this is the twenty-ninth isn't it?" he wanted to know.
"Yes," she reluctantly admitted.
"And you should have been on a plane back to the States today!"
"Yes, but there will be other flights, and finding Shami's parents is so much more important than me making that flight when there is another every few days!"
"But Clay? And the Admiral? They'll both be very worried when you don't get off the plane you're supposed to!" he tried to rise as he became more agitated, but she continued to keep her hand on his chest and thwarted his efforts.
"I know they will, but there is nothing that we can do about that now, and I'll explain it all to them when we get back. You rest now, if you have any hope of getting going tomorrow you'll need all the rest that you can get, and don't even try and suggest that you'll start walking again! We'll have to figure something else out!" she insisted.
The next morning they were on the way again, much to Mac's shock. She knew that Victor was a strong man, but she had just found out that he could be as stubborn as she was! That fact was truly impressive. He had managed to somehow get one of the nomads to help him in lengthening the reins of her horse's bridle and he told her he could now lead her horse while riding the other one with Shami perched on that horse in front of him. They would have to go even slower than before, but should be at their destination by the middle of the next day at the latest.
To Be Continued….