Chapter 27

AJ was very surprised when he heard Amica pull up shortly after lunch and he met her at the door wondering if something had gone wrong.

After putting her parcels on the floor she threw herself into his arms for a fierce hug and then spent the next hour happily telling him in great detail how well her shopping trip had gone.

After deciding on a date for the wedding AJ made two calls that afternoon while Amica put away her dress and shoes. The first call he made was to his daughter in Italy only to find out that she was right in the middle of fashion season and could not come to the wedding.

Francesca explainged that there would not be a break in her schedule for the next two months. She was very sorry, but she did promise that as soon as there was a break she would come and visit them if that was alright with her father. He assured her that she was welcome to visit at any time and that Amica was looking forward to meeting her. Francesca told him that she also was looking forward to meeting her new step mother and that as long as Amica kept her father happy they would get along fine. AJ laughed and told her about the six or seven children they had talked about having. She laughed and said that would certainly keep him happy!

He called his sister next and was pleased when she eagerly assured him that she would be thrilled to be at his wedding. Since she would arrive the day before the ceremony AJ suggested that Amica move to his room so Adel could have the guest room. He told her he would spend that night on the couch in his den. Amica protested that with his back injury he shouldn't be the one that slept on the couch. She would be the logical one for that.

When AJ started to protest she gave him a most compelling reason for her proposal, "Darling think of our wedding night. Would you really want to be in pain for that?"

With a wide grin he told her, "You are a very wise woman Amica Jazz! So you win the couch my love."

"Thank you dear!" she giggled.

Invatations went out to the JAG staff and Sturgis' father, Chaplian Turner, said he would be very pleased to perform the ceremony.

During the next two weeks AJ's aches and pains continued to improve until he made an apointment to see his doctor and an estimate on going back to work. He was able to get into see his doctor the Wednesday before the wedding and he was cleared to start driving again. He was told he could return to work as early as Monday. AJ had thought he might have another week off for a honeymoon so he talked to Amica about taking a week of vacation time so they could go out of town somewhere together.

They decided that was what he should do when the next day she got a call saying they had found a new placement for her at the Pentagon and she would report for duty on Monday. Laughing at the situation they canceled AJ's leave request and decided that they would go on a honeymoon in a few months time.

On Friday afternoon Adel flew in from Texas and AJ picked her up at the airport. He had asked Amica to go along with him but when she discovered it had been almost three years since they had seen each other she sent him to the airport alone so he could catch up with his sister.

Amica told him she would get dinner started while she waited for them to get back. On the ride from the ariport AJ explained to his sister how he and Amica met. She found it very hard to believe that he and Amica had communicted. AJ told his sister to ask Amica if she didn't believe him. Adel assured him that she would!

AJ and Adel carried her bags into the house. Amica with Dammit by her side greeted them in the living room. He introduced them to each other and Amica said, "It's a pleasure to meed you Adel."

"My brother told me that the two of you can speak to each other telepathically!"

To be continued…