Chapter 4– Finding Our Way

We video chatted every night that Chris wasn't in the field or that I was in Country. Every once in a while he was in the office which gave me the chance to talk to Tammy and Triple P as well. He was growing on me. That first overseas operation made me want to reconsider the relationship or whatever it was called. I found my mind wandering when I should be focusing on my mission.

We sat a date for Chris to fly out to D.C. It would be the same weekend as the United States Marine Corps Birthday Ball.

Chris flew in late Thursday night. I was hoping that it didn't snow so we could get out and do some tourist things on Friday. We ended up going to the National Air and Space Museum followed by dinner at the DC Harvest in Union Station.

We were both wore out when we got back. We took showers and chomped down on popcorn as we watched a movie. Chris pulled me into his lap when I came back from checking my phone for messages. It seemed like I belong there. The make out session escalated a little too fast and I pulled myself away to get a handle on what was going on.

I was asleep five minutes after my head hit my pillow but then woke up from a dream where Chris had rescued me from some villain in New Orleans. In the dream we ended up at his house on the water where he taught me a few new things. I woke up panting and not quite sure if I was disappointed that it was only a dream.

"What Sonja?" Chris asked me as gave him a few side glances that morning.

"Oh nothing" I replied. "I just had an interesting dream with you in it."

"Well if I was in it, it couldn't be anything but interesting."

We dressed to go down the police station and workout. I noticed that Chris was on the bag for a long while. I'm not quite sure who he was punching but it appeared they got destroyed. I did the round on the weights and then went upstairs to get a run in. I looked around to see LaSalle lap me.

Saturday afternoon provided more time for us to talk one on one before getting dressed for the ball. Chris and I went through 'the drill'. I had long decided that I would never learn what all those trumpets meant, the uniforms, the flags and the drinking. I made sure that we sat with a Marine who also lived in my building so we were guaranteed not to make any fax paus for the evening. We had a great time dancing the night away with the military band and continued the swaying when we got back to the condo.

I don't know what he was thinking but I was trying to hold on and make sure that I ended up in my bed alone. This was too much I thought. I could not allow myself to fall in love with this man when there was no possibility of a future for us living and working in two different worlds.

Sunday we went to the Wizards game at the Capital One Arena. They were playing the Pelicans. I was Golden Warriors fan so I was just watching to enjoy the action not caring who won. Chris knew half of the players on the New Orleans' team. We met up with several guys that I worked with after the game at our favorite hangout. I was amused at the looks that Chris drew not only from my co-workers but other 'brothers' who were in the bar. By then I realized that it was obvious to anyone who noticed that there was a connection between the two of us. I became conscious that I had to give up the denial and recognize that Christopher LaSalle had found a special place in to my heart.

We stayed up half of the night just talking. Chris opened up about his relationship with his father. He was surprised at how his father spent the last two years of his life and was finally able to realize what his mother saw in him. Chris explained that with Pride's help that he found out that his father had diverted funds from the company to insure that his long time employees were taken care of.

Chris had an early morning flight out of Reagan National back to 'Nola. He hugged me tightly and assured me that he would be back. Walking back to my car I found myself wiping away tears. Gloomy because I kept wondering 'so what' and 'what next?' This was not what I wanted and I wasn't sure if I could handle it.