SURPRISE
Don't own them
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JAG Headquarters: Bullpen
Gunny walks
in the door at precisely 0800.
Mac says,
"Good morning Gunny"
"Good
morning ma'am. Beautiful day isn't it?" Gunny said smiling.
"Yes, Gunny. It is." Mac walked into her office
smiling. She wondered what Gunny had done over the weekend and why he was in
such a good mood.
Gunny sat down and started work on the morning docket for court that day. He couldn't peel the smile off his face. Tiner walked up to his desk with a clipboard and asked, "Gunny, do you need anything while I'm requisitioning supplies?" Tiner prepared to have his head bitten off like the last time he asked Gunny such a question.
Gunny looked
up and smiled at Tiner. "I think I have everything I need right now but
thanks for asking."
Tiner
cautiously began, "Did you have a good weekend Gunny?"
"Tiner,
I had an amazing weekend." He started to say more but at that moment they
both heard "Tiner!" It was the admiral so Tiner took off. Gunny got
back to work. The day passed without incident until about 2:45 when his phone rang.
"JAG
Headquarters. Gunnery Sergeant Galindez speaking."
The voice on
the other end said, "This is Brightwood
Elementary School calling. Your
niece, Grace Anderson hasn't been picked up from school yet and we can't reach
her parents. You were the contact on her emergency card. Would you be able to
come and pick her up?"
"Of course. I'll be there shortly."
"Thank you sir. She'll be with her teacher in room
8."
Gunny hung up and went to speak to the admiral. He explained the situation and the admiral granted him permission to go for the rest of the day.
Gunny drove
off to Brightwood Elementary and parked. He looked around until he found room
eight and knocked on the door. Grace opened it and when she saw who it was she
ran into his arms calling out, "Uncle Victor". Just then Simone
looked up from the computer where she was working and looked right at Victor's.
Both had pure shock in their eyes.
Grace told
him importantly, "Uncle Victor, this is my teacher, Miss Finley."
Gunny looked
down at his niece and said, "Gracie, where did you find this beautiful
lady?"
She looked up at him adoringly and said innocently, "On the playground
Uncle Vic." He ruffled her hair and walked over to Simone. Grace went to
gather up her things.
"Hi
beautiful", he said softly.
"Hi
yourself", she said laughing slightly. "You know, Grace told me that
her uncle looked like a prince in his uniform. I think she might be
right."
Gunny was
thrilled that she thought so. "I've been thinking about you all day. Can I
see you tonight?"
Simone
replied, "Absolutely. Do you want to come over or go out somewhere?"
"Let's
order in tonight." Gunny answered
"Great idea. I'll go put a bottle of wine in the
refrigerator when I get home. Can you come over around six?"
"I'll be
there". He wanted to kiss her but knew he'd have a million questions to
answer from Grace if he did. "Come on squirt. Let's get you home".
Grace hugged Simone before she left and said, "Thank you for waiting with me Miss Finley. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Good
night Grace. Don't forget your homework and I'll see you in the morning."
Gunny and Simone looked at each other over Grace's head. As he took her hand to
walk out the door, Gunny looked back at Simone and said silently, "Until
later". Simone watched them walk out the door thinking how good he looked
with his niece. I bet he'd make a good father she mused.
They continued to date for several months and things were going wonderfully.
They had moved on to the next phase of their relationship. He had a couple
drawers and some closet space in her apartment. He loved waking up next to her
in the morning. In fact, he loved her. Gunny had been turning something over in
his mind for a few weeks now and he was thinking the time was right.
