Chapter 52
"Who do you want to spend the rest of your life with? Who do you want to go to sleep with, and wake up to the next morning, for the rest of your life? Who do you want to make love with and have a family? When you answer all those questions I think you will know who you are in love with, honey," smiled Harriett. "You look tired, why don't you lay down for awhile and try to get some sleep?"
Chrys stretched out on the couch and Harriett covered her with a light afghan. Harriett left the living room quietly closely the door behind her. She realized Chrys must have left AJ's house in an awful hurry, if she left without her shoes, so she went to the phone in the kitchen and dialed her Commanding Officer's number.
AJ grabbed the ringing phone and asked, "Chrys?" without even saying hello.
"No, Admiral, it's Harriett. I thought you might be worried about Chrys and wanted to let you know she'd come here."
"Thank you, Harriett. Is she alright?"
"She was very upset, but we talked for awhile, and she's sleeping now."
"Alright, if there's anything she needs, will you'll let me know?"
"Dad, I want to talk to her," Frank said holding his hand out for the phone.
"Son, this is Lieutenant Sims not Chrys," replied AJ. "Chrys is sleeping."
"I'll go and get her, give me the address," offered Frank.
"She's a grown woman, and will come back when she's ready. We were wrong to pressure her and argue with each other. Chrys needs time to think, and I've always trusted Harriett to give good advice."
"Sure, dad, she'll advise Chrys to chose you, since you're her CO."
AJ heard, "Ooooo" from the phone, "Yes Harriett?" he asked with a quizzical look on his face.
"Sir, may I speak to your son, please?"
Handing the phone to his son AJ said, "Lieutenant Sims would like to speak to you.
"Hello, Ma'am."
"Young man, I simply told Chrys to follow her heart and gave no other advice. Even though I love your father dearly, I would never advise anyone to go against their heart when choosing their life partner."
"I apologize for doubting you, Ma'am. It's been a long night and tensions are running high."
"I understand that, Lieutenant, but you need to keep Chrys' happiness in mind."
"Thank you for the advice, Ma'am. My father was right, you are a very wise woman," he replied. "It's just that I love Chrys so much, and I want her for my own."
"You need to remember that your father feels the same way."
"Yes, Ma'am, I do. That's the most difficult part of the situation."
"I'm sure it is, Lieutenant, but you need to let her choose."
"I will do my best, Ma'am. Did you want to speak with my father again?"
"I told him all I need too. Just tell him goodbye for me," she said and hung up the phone.
"She said to tell you goodbye," Frank told his father, hanging up the phone too.
The hours of crying and sleeplessness, finally took their toll on Chrys, and she fell into a troubled sleep. In her dream she could see her father walking her down the aisle. AJ and Franco were standing at the front of the church waiting for her. She heard, "I now pronounce you man and wife", and watched herself walk down the aisle as Mrs. Frank Chegwidden. The next scene flashed across her mind, she and Frank were bringing their newborn son home from the hospital. At AJ's home she placed the baby in her father-in-laws arms. He looked down at his grandson and then up into Chrys' eyes and she knew what he was thinking. 'This should have been our son.'
The scene flashed, as it will in a dream, and once again she was walking down the aisle on her father's arm. Once again AJ and Franco waited at the front of the church. This time, however, she was pronounced Mrs. AJ Chegwidden. A few months later she saw a look of joy on AJ's face when she told him she was carrying his child. She saw that look again, as he held her hand when the doctor placed their son on her stomach, and asked AJ to cut the cord. Chrys awoke with a start, AJ's name on her lips.
To be continued…..
