Everything In Time
Chapter 15
Saturday, November 4, 2006
1500 Local Time
Army Navy Country Club
1700 Army Navy Drive
Arlington, VA
Faith and Mike were in their antique Rolls Royce limousine on their way to their wedding reception. That had just completed the wedding ceremony at the Navy Yard Chapel with the usual photos at the chapel steps with more to follow on the grounds of the country club. The rest of their very big wedding party was following them in a luxury van. The wedding party was a mix of family and friends/colleagues, consisting of Loren as Matron of Honor, with Lt. Greg Vukovic as Best Man, Lt. Catherine Graves matched with Loren's husband Bobby Pike, and Mike's three sisters, Marianne, Claire & Margaret, and three of Faith's cousins, Nicholas, Mark and, Kenneth (Kenny) matching up with each of the three McBurney sisters. Loren and Bobby's daughter, three old Antonia Pike was cute as the flower girl.
They oohed and aahed as they passed through the gates of the country club and admired the grounds as the caravan pulled up to the front entrance of the clubhouse; where the wedding party got out and paraded through the lobby and went outside to take some portraits in the gardens at the edge of the golf course.
While the wedding party went out to take the usual photographs, Diane & Harm with Sarah & John came in with the rest of the guests and sat with Carolyn Paget and her date for the cocktail party of the reception.
Diane was asking Carolyn, "So Harm is telling me that after Cathy Graves and Greg Vukovic came back from their road trip across the south, they were nicer to each other; whereas before they left her attitude toward him was nothing short of loathing as she watched him hit on every single female officer in headquarters."
"Well, they were not supposed to be together on the trip. When General Creswell sent Vukovic, Graves just happened to be transporting her classic Chevelle Malibu red ragtop to DC. Creswell called her and told her to pick Vukovic up and partner up on the investigation. At the time she was just outside of Cincinnati and doubled back to Louisville," Carolyn replied.
"Why were they on that trip?" Sarah asked her.
"To speak to Creswell's brother, Wallace. He suspected that a soldier's remains found at a chopper wreck in northern Laos might be Lt. Joe Johnson, a fellow member of his SEAL Team from that war. They were searching for a family member to get a DNA sample to match the remains."
"Did they succeed?" John asked.
"Yes, they did. They found Johnson's brother Elroy Johnson in Natchez, MI. Elroy gave DNA. He requested that if it was Joe, he wanted him buried in a veteran's cemetery; but not to tell him the results. Elroy wanted to keep thinking that he might run into him someday".
"I saw Graves' car when she pulled up the first day she was back. She calls it her baby. I can see why, it's a beauty," Harm, the gear head gushed.
Diane playfully slapped her husband's arm as everyone shared a chuckle.
"Still and all they made back just in time for Graves to get her gown and Vukovic's tuxedo fitted for the wedding," Carolyn finished.
"So, John, how's it working in congress?" Carolyn asked, pivoting away from Graves and Vukovic.
"I tell ya, it's something. The back hall discussions are a pain in the ass. Every time I walk from our staff area, I'm accosted by practically every member of Congress. None of them will vote for anything unless they can get something out of it, and don't get me started on the lobbyists. Generals and Admirals, I can handle, but those lobbyists, they give me the creeps. There's so much quid-pro-quo it's sickening. I have deleted more voice-mails from them than I can count. My admin assistant Carolyn Pierce is going crazy screening their calls. Senator Obama just tells me that he'll take care of them. He just wants me to keep a tab on the military and foreign activities."
"Oh, you took Carolyn with you to congress. When did she retire from the Navy?" Diane said.
"Just around the same time, I did. Sarah and I went to her retirement dinner as well as she and her husband came to mine. She told me that she needed to come with me as she's the only yeoman that can keep me out of trouble."
Everyone chuckled at that.
"Are you going out to this year's JAG Conference in San Diego in the week between Christmas and New Year's, Sarah?" Carolyn asked.
"Yes, I am. I missed it last year because it was too close to returning to work after my cancer treatments. It's convenient for being during the winter break. Chloe's going with me. She and I are going to lecture on some older cases that shaped the UCMJ. It'll be like when I gave the lecture on my law school dissertation at the academy."
"Speaking of Chloe, how's she doing at the academy?" Carolyn asked.
"She's doing great. She just dove into the aeronautical and engineering courses with gusto. She's a natural at the law courses. She didn't get anything lower than an "A" on any of her courses. If she keeps up at this pace, she should graduate near the top of her class,' Sarah proudly stated.
It wasn't long until the cocktail hour was over and the guests went into the dining room to welcome the wedding party.
After Faith and Mike were introduced, the master of ceremonies announced, "The bride and groom have decided to dance the first dance to Etta James' "At Last". Please ladies and gentlemen, join them on the dance floor."
Sarah took John's offered hand and let him lead her to the dance floor. John took Sarah into his arms led her around the dance floor.
After the first song ended, the band struck up the first notes of a song that Sarah and John recognized right away.
"Oh, "Valentine" our first song!" Sarah exclaimed softly to her husband. John pulled her tighter and while he led her on the dance floor, he softly sang the song into her ear.
"If there were no words, no way to speak
I would still hear you
If there were no tears, no way to feel inside
I'd still feel for you
And even if the sun refused to shine
Even if romance ran out of rhyme
You would still have my heart until the end of time
You're all I need, my love, my Valentine
All of my life, I have been waiting for
All you give to me
You've opened my eyes and showed me
How to love unselfishly
I've dreamed of this a thousand times before
But in my dreams, I couldn't love you more
I will give you my heart until the end of time
You're all I need, my love, my Valentine
And even if the sun refused to shine
Even if romance ran out of rhyme
You would still have my heart until the end of time
'Cause all I need is you, my Valentine
You're all I need, my love, my Valentine"
Sarah had tears running down her cheeks when the song finished. John reached to cup her chin and wiped them away with his thumbs. Then he leaned in and gave her a quick kiss. When they walked off the dance floor, Sarah was leaning her head on his shoulder with a happy look on her face.
Thanksgiving 2006
1730 Local Time
Rabb Farm
Belleville, PA
Both Rabb, the Marshalls, and Matthews families agreed to start a perpetuating tradition of celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday at the Rabbs' Farm and alternating an open house Christmas Eve/Day celebration between their Silver Spring, DC, MacLean & Fairfax homes.
Harm had cleared an unplanted field, installed a windsock, and set up a tie-down spot by the barn so that he could land and take off the Stearman. For the holiday while Sarah and Diane drove the other children to the farm, he flew up with Patrick and Trey from Manassas Airport to the farm. He would fly back to Manassas with Les and Caroline.
Today at the farm, their children were either playing touch football or exploring the farm.
Harm, Sergei, and John were walking David & Natalie around the farm.
For the football game, Chloe and Mattie were team captains and quarterbacks. Chloe's team was Andy, Caroline, Trey, and Samantha. Mattie's team was Les, Patrick, Diane, and Tammy.
The kids' football game wasn't competitive. Chloe and Mattie were handing off to each of the kids in turn and telling them which way to run for the touchdown. Whenever any of them crossed the line for a touchdown, both sides cheered. There were a few passes caught by the older kids, Les and Caroline. No one bothered to keep score. When the sun was low near the horizon, the mothers came out and declared that it was time for dinner, signifying that the game was over. The kids all trooped into the house to wash up and sit at the table.
At dinner time Harm was sitting at one end of the table with Diane at the other end. The rest of the very large extended family sat in between. After grace, Harm stood to give the toast.
"Here we are at our farm for Thanksgiving, celebrating our family. Mattie is doing well in her first semester in college, overcoming the difficulties from her crash. Chloe is doing well at the Academy. The younglings (the children giggled at that) are thriving. So, I say may we always be grateful for each other not just for today, but throughout the whole year."
There was a chorus of "Here-here." from the family as they set to eat their feast.
Sunday, Christmas Eve 2006
Afternoon & Evening Time
Jennifer & Sergei's Home
MacLean, VA
Jen and Sergei both decided that it would be easier to hold the five-month twins Tricia and Frank's first Christmas in their home, instead of packing them for travel to their cousins' homes.
For the Christmas Eve open house, Jennifer went all out to decorate the home with the usual mistletoe and holly and the big Christmas tree set up in front of the big living room window. Sarah, Diane, and Ann Marie came early with their families to help the young parents with greeting Jennifer's guests from Bethesda and Sergei's from MCAS Cherry Point's 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. Trish and Frank were staying at Jen & Sergei's home for the Holiday weekend.
Jen went to answer the doorbell to greet their first non-family guests. Jen brightened as she saw the Chegwiddens through the front entrance side window.
"Hello Sydney, AJ, and Michael. Merry Christmas."
AJ let his family proceed him into the house. As Jen exchanged kisses with Sydney and picked up Michael she asked, "Did Francesca make it into town?"
"Not yet, she's driving in tonight with her husband from New York. She's 7 months pregnant with her first child and our first grandchild."
Jen smiled at that saying, "Good to hear. Hey Michael, the other kids are in the playroom downstairs. Why don't you join them?"
As Jen put him down, Michael looked up at his parents who smiled as they nodded their approval. He took off like a shot, leaving his coat for his mother to take care of.
As the Chegwiddens went to mingle with their friends, the doorbell rang again. Jen and Loren Austen smiled at each other through the glass. Jen shared kisses with Loren, Toni, and Bobby. When Loren took her coat Toni asked Jen, "Where's everybody?"
"Playroom downstairs," Sergei replied coming up to the door to say hello to the Austens. Toni also took off to play with the other kids.
"Where are the twins?" Loren asked Jen as Sergei took her and Bobby's coats.
"In the playpen in the kitchen. Come on in."
When they entered the kitchen, they saw that 5-month-old Frankie and Tricia were being held and given bottles by their namesakes.
"Oh, my goodness! They're adorable," Loren said as she entered the kitchen.
"Hello Loren," Frank Burnett said as he got up with Frankie to greet her. They touched cheek-to-cheek. Bobby bent to kiss Trish as she held Tricia. At that Tricia disengaged from her bottle. She sucked the bottle bag all that way into the nipple.
"Do you want to hold her, Loren? She needs to be burped." Trish asked.
"Oh, that would be great."
Trish got up and handed her granddaughter to Loren. She put the receiving blanket over Loren's shoulder as she let Tricia settle in. Trish stood back and watched the experienced mother rock and soothe her granddaughter.
It wasn't long before more people came into the house to partake of the Christmas cheer.
John and AJ were standing with beverages at the arch between the kitchen and dining room speaking about the Capitol Hill goings-on. "One day I had to go over to the House to see the Speaker and I ran into Bobbi Latham. I tell you AJ, she's worse than a lobbyist. She's always looking for some kind of leverage to advance her cause of the week. I told her to leave me alone and talk with Barry herself."
"Barry, not Senator Obama?" AJ asked with a smile.
"Yeah, it's like you and I when we were at personal times. He said to call him Barry when it's just us."
"What are you going to call him when he's president?"
"Who says he's going to be president?" John asked. He thought AJ was fishing for inside information.
"Oh, come on John. You saw his speech at the last DNC. He's running. He just hasn't officially declared that he is yet."
"We'll just have to wait and see," John finished, taking a sip of his soda.
Right at that Sarah came over and took John's hand saying, "Alright you two stop talking politics. The kids have a show to put on. Mattie and Chloe were rehearsing carols with them downstairs. So come into the living room and sit down."
She led John to the couch where he sat with her on his lap.
As the adults watched, the children came and lined up in front of the fireplace. Then with Les on the guitar and Caroline on the violin, they began their show with "Do you hear What I Hear?"
The cousins and their friends sang a few carols with their parents joining in.
A bit later the evening ended with the friends having all come through and the extended Rabbs, Marshalls, and Matthews all reminding all present that Santa had to come that night and the kids needed to be home snug in their beds.
After Jen and Sergei saw the last members of their extended family off, they went to get their own house ready for Santa.