~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TWO DAYS LATER
1825 ZULU
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA
I just finished interviewing a witness for my latest court martial case. Mac's on the case too, but she's interviewing another witness back in Washington. We're on the same side this time. It's great working with her. I love it.
As I walk down the street to where I parked my car, I see a jewelry store. I stop for a second and look into the windows. Maybe I'll go in for a look,, I think to myself. Just a look.
So I enter the store. A few seconds later, a young man comes from the back and says,
"Can I help you, sir?" I look up at him and with a small smile I say,
"Just looking," and resume my browsing. Then I spot something. It's a gold ring, I don't know how many karats, with a large diamond in the middle. On either side of the diamond is a smaller stone of a reddish color. There are three stones much like the red ones, except they are a bluish-green color. These surround both red ones – one above it, one below it, and one on the other side of it. I signal to the young man who works there,
"Excuse me. Could you tell me about this ring?"
"Sure," he says and takes it out so I can look at it up close. Pointing to the diamond, he says, "This is a marquise cut diamond, one-point-five carets, set in fourteen karat gold. The red stones you see are rubies, the birthstone of July, and these bluish stones are aquamarines, the birthstone of March.
"The rubies represent the person giving the ring – in this case, a man who's birthday is in July. The aquamarines represent the person you're giving the ring to – in this case, a woman who's birthday is in March. The diamond represents love. So she is surrounding you and your love brings you together."
I know originally I said that I was just looking, but I have to get this ring. It's perfect. I may not give it to Mac for years, but I know this is the ring I want for her. So I ask him,
"Can I special order a ring like that?"
"Sure, no problem."
"I need the ruby ones to be the October's birthstone and the aquamarine ones to be the birthstone of May. How much will it be?"
"Approximately fifty-thousand dollars. And I'll need a ten-thousand dollar deposit." I nod and hand him my credit card. The price is hefty, but I think I can manage it. It'll take me about two years to pay it off.
"And, uh, what are the birthstones of July and May?" I ask, obviously not a gemstone buff.
"October's is opal. It's milky-white in color. And May's is emerald. It can come in a few different colors, but a translucent-green color is traditional and generally more popular.
"Okay, sounds good. So when will it be ready?" I ask. He responds,
"About a week. Just give us your number and we'll contact you." I write it down on the sheet of paper where he has written my order. I sign it as well, then head back to Washington.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
2231 ZULU
JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
As at sit at my desk, I think about Harm. For just a moment I close my eyes and picture his face: his strong chin, his elongated nose, his dark hair brushed back carelessly, his flyboy grin, and most of all his eyes.
His eyes are a beautiful blue-green color. When I look at him I can help but swim in those captivating eyes of his. When he wants you to pay close attention to what he's saying he looks at you, his gaze piercing your soul. You just want to melt and tell him to do whatever he wants.
The same goes for his smile. His smile and his eyes are a deadly combination if he uses them both on me at once. He will look at me with a perfect puppy-dog look and say, "Mac, I really need you to do this-or-that for me." Then comes the kicker. He'll say, "Please?" and place one of those more sheepish smiles on his face. It gets me every time – no matter what – and he knows it. I try not to let it get to me, but it never works.
"What'cha thinkin' about, Colonel?" asks a familiar voice, startling me out of my thoughts.
"Oh, uh, nothing," I say. "I've been waiting for you to get back so we could work on the case."
"Yeah, traffic was kinda heavy." I nod and we start to get to work.
TWO DAYS LATER
1825 ZULU
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA
I just finished interviewing a witness for my latest court martial case. Mac's on the case too, but she's interviewing another witness back in Washington. We're on the same side this time. It's great working with her. I love it.
As I walk down the street to where I parked my car, I see a jewelry store. I stop for a second and look into the windows. Maybe I'll go in for a look,, I think to myself. Just a look.
So I enter the store. A few seconds later, a young man comes from the back and says,
"Can I help you, sir?" I look up at him and with a small smile I say,
"Just looking," and resume my browsing. Then I spot something. It's a gold ring, I don't know how many karats, with a large diamond in the middle. On either side of the diamond is a smaller stone of a reddish color. There are three stones much like the red ones, except they are a bluish-green color. These surround both red ones – one above it, one below it, and one on the other side of it. I signal to the young man who works there,
"Excuse me. Could you tell me about this ring?"
"Sure," he says and takes it out so I can look at it up close. Pointing to the diamond, he says, "This is a marquise cut diamond, one-point-five carets, set in fourteen karat gold. The red stones you see are rubies, the birthstone of July, and these bluish stones are aquamarines, the birthstone of March.
"The rubies represent the person giving the ring – in this case, a man who's birthday is in July. The aquamarines represent the person you're giving the ring to – in this case, a woman who's birthday is in March. The diamond represents love. So she is surrounding you and your love brings you together."
I know originally I said that I was just looking, but I have to get this ring. It's perfect. I may not give it to Mac for years, but I know this is the ring I want for her. So I ask him,
"Can I special order a ring like that?"
"Sure, no problem."
"I need the ruby ones to be the October's birthstone and the aquamarine ones to be the birthstone of May. How much will it be?"
"Approximately fifty-thousand dollars. And I'll need a ten-thousand dollar deposit." I nod and hand him my credit card. The price is hefty, but I think I can manage it. It'll take me about two years to pay it off.
"And, uh, what are the birthstones of July and May?" I ask, obviously not a gemstone buff.
"October's is opal. It's milky-white in color. And May's is emerald. It can come in a few different colors, but a translucent-green color is traditional and generally more popular.
"Okay, sounds good. So when will it be ready?" I ask. He responds,
"About a week. Just give us your number and we'll contact you." I write it down on the sheet of paper where he has written my order. I sign it as well, then head back to Washington.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
2231 ZULU
JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
As at sit at my desk, I think about Harm. For just a moment I close my eyes and picture his face: his strong chin, his elongated nose, his dark hair brushed back carelessly, his flyboy grin, and most of all his eyes.
His eyes are a beautiful blue-green color. When I look at him I can help but swim in those captivating eyes of his. When he wants you to pay close attention to what he's saying he looks at you, his gaze piercing your soul. You just want to melt and tell him to do whatever he wants.
The same goes for his smile. His smile and his eyes are a deadly combination if he uses them both on me at once. He will look at me with a perfect puppy-dog look and say, "Mac, I really need you to do this-or-that for me." Then comes the kicker. He'll say, "Please?" and place one of those more sheepish smiles on his face. It gets me every time – no matter what – and he knows it. I try not to let it get to me, but it never works.
"What'cha thinkin' about, Colonel?" asks a familiar voice, startling me out of my thoughts.
"Oh, uh, nothing," I say. "I've been waiting for you to get back so we could work on the case."
"Yeah, traffic was kinda heavy." I nod and we start to get to work.