Authors Note: Once again big thank you to TragicTales for helping me with this story!Everyone go check out her profile!She's an amazing writer!
Denise woke up the next morning to the alarm clock going off and covered her head "Frank turn that off" she said to which he only grumbled and turned over.
Denise kicked him and he finally did as she asked and the two went back to sleep, Frank woke an hour later and hurried to get out of bed and showered. He came out of the bathroom to see Denise still sleeping, or at least pretending to.
"Denise get up we're running late sweetheart" he said, but she only whined and covered her head with a pillow.
"Dee baby come on, we don't want to be late for the ceremony" he said
"Not going" she mumbled
"Oh yes you are missy, Roland is your best friend and if you don't go you're going to regret it, now get up" he said tickling her.
Denise burst into laughter and tried to get away from him "Okay I'm up!"
Frank laughed and finished getting ready while Denise dragged herself to the bathroom to get ready.
While Frank was putting finishing touches on his uniform he heard Denise scream, he ran into the bathroom to see Denise holding her foot.
"What happened?" he asked going to her side.
"Nothing I dropped my make-up basket on my foot" she said, this morning was not starting off well for her.
All the noise woke little Molly and she started to cry, Frank sighed and went to get her out of her crib
"Hey Princess" he said smiling and picked her up and bounced her on his hip, she put her thumb in her mouth and laid her head on his shoulder. Frank carried her back to the bed room where Denise was supposed to be getting ready. Instead though, he found her sitting on the bed looking at a picture.
"Denise?"
Denise looked up "Hey pretty girl, did you sleep well?" Denise asked getting up and taking her daughter from Frank and kissing her cheek. Molly only laid her head on Denise's shoulder "She's not a morning person either" Denise said
"Like her mom." He smiled.
Denise rolled her eyes but smiled "Yeah just like her mom" she said as Molly dozed back off on her shoulder "Hey can you go to the ceremony without me today?"
"No." He said
"Why?" she asked, she really did not want to go and have to face Michael.
"Why? As respect"
She sighed "Okay fine, let me finish getting ready and we'll go"
Frank got her ready for the baby sitter as Denise got ready"
When Denise came out she did not look like she was happy "Okay, come on let's take her to Mrs. Zimmerman and get this over with" she said.
"Well don't you look pretty, smile."
Denise gave him a small smile "Let's go" she said and they left the house and took Molly and dropped her off at the babysitters and went on to the ceremony. The second they got there Denise saw Kat and wanted to claw her, Frank saw the look in her eyes and held her arm "I hate her" Denise said quietly so no one else heard her but Frank.
"Me too" Frank said.
Denise laughed "Why do you hate her?" she asked
"Because any woman who makes my wife come home yelling I automatically dislike." He laughed
Denise laughed "How do you do that?" she asked
"You your best friend's husband" he laughed
"Can we please leave?" she asked using the face she taught Molly before she was old enough to even talk.
Frank did the same face, "noooo." Thankfully no one cause sight of him doing it because they would never let him live it down
Denise's mouth dropped "I can't believe that didn't work, that face always works!" she said as they spotted Roland and Joan walking toward them.
"Only on Molly, now behave yourself."
Denise only shook her head and hugged Roland as they approached "I can't believe you are leaving me to take care of Maggie Holly Latasha and Jackie all on my own!" she told him
They laughed. "Denise we can't think you enough."
"I wouldn't have missed this for the world" she replied and hugged Joan as well "Now where my other two kids at I are want pictures of them."
Again they laughed. "Joan we want to let you know how happy we are for you."
"Thanks Frank I appreciate it and let me say thank you for always having my back" she said smiling
"Anytime" he replied smiling at his fellow officer and dear friend.
Denise gripped Frank's arm tightly and he looked up to see Kat Young approaching, this could get ugly and he knew it.
"Hello!" She said cheerfully.
"Hey Kat" Joan, Roland and Frank said in unison, Denise however only smiled, she knew if she spoke she might lose her temper.
"Wonderful ceremony" Kat said "Don't you think so Denise? "
"Yeah, it is" she said being as polite as possible but everyone around her saw right through it.
"Why Frank, you look so handsome tonight." Kat said with a large smile on her face.
"Thank you Colonel, you look great as well" he said being polite and shaking her hand, Denise looked like she was about to explode at any moment.
"What a gentleman! Denise how lucky you are."
Denise smiled smugly "Yeah I sure am" she said and kissed Frank's cheek, marking her territory in case she got any bright ideas to steal anyone else's husband.
Kate again gave a seductive smile at Frank.
Denise had enough "Excuse me won't you, I'm not feeling very well" she said and walked away quickly.
"Oh Denise what's wrong." Kate asked
Denise didn't hear her she was already half way to the car with Frank and the others watching her go.
"Denise?" Frank called out
She totally ignored him; she got in the car and just sat there.
Joan looked over worried. "Frank? What's wrong?" He looked at her leave. "Joan I'm sorry she's still sick. She didn't want to come tonight because she has been ill all day. Excuse me"
Joan smiled brightly "Of course" she said and Frank went after Denise.
"Denise!" He yelled as he got to the car
"Don't even try to defend her Frank I don't want to hear it" she said wiping her eyes.
"I'm not" he said.
"Then why are you here?" she asked
"To check on you" he replied "Denise, you know I have to stay. I lied for you."
"Well then stay but I'm leaving" she said "I can't be around that woman Frank, I'll kill her."
"We have the same mind, we do honey but I have to be here, this is my career"
"Fine, whatever, let's go" she said, it was clear she was not thrilled to be here.
The two of them walked back to the ceremony and Frank helped Denise to her seat before taking his on stage.
"Are you okay Denise?" Roland asked his friend, she had been acting strange since they had seen Kat.
She faked a cough to cover Frank's lie "Yeah, just not feeling well today" she replied.
Roland could sense tension in her voice but he left it alone and they continued to watch the ceremony, by the end everyone was in tears, everyone applauded
Denise was in tears afterwards
As soon as it was over Denise went straight back to her husband's side, she put her arm around him and laid her head on his shoulder, she was feeling a little clingy now that she knew Kat was interested in her man, or at least she thought so.
"Look at her." Denise said rolling her eyes.
"Denise honey stop, what is wrong with you?" he asked, trying to pull away from her but she only tightened her grip on him.
"That whore!" she said a little too loudly making people around them stare.
"Denise calm down, you're going to make a scene" he said firmly, he had to control her or it could affect his career.
"Oh if I wasn't a lady!" she said angrily
"Denise keep your voice down!" he said losing patients.
"No Frank." She said crossing her arms, she was being childish and she knew it but she didn't care.
Frank sighed "Okay let's go there's no point in being her if you plan on being hateful to everyone"
Not everyone just her" she said
"Denise she is part of the army, you have to respect her!" he said
Denise gave him a death glare. "Don't you dare pull that off on me!"
"Denise I'm trying to keep you from making a fool of yourself damn it!" he said quietly.
"Frank! You stop talking to me like that! I have a good a mind to pull off a Rhett Butler exit."
"Well if you wouldn't act like a raving lunatic I wouldn't talk to you like that!" he napped "And by the way you're my wife and I'll talk to you any way I damn well please!"
Denise took it upon herself to make it known she was her own woman. She walked right up to the stage.
Frank felt sick to his stomach, this could not be good.
"Hello?" Denise said into the microphone "Everyone your attention!"
Everyone stopped talking and turned toward the stage.
"I have an announcement. I want everyone to look at Joan. Perfect mother, solider, friend, and a perfect example of a lady."
Everyone applauded and Joan smiled.
"Chances of my daughter joining are high, and if so. I want her to follow in Joan's example. Of course,"
Again everyone cheered and applauded. Joan was so happy to hear that she got teary eyed for the second time.
"Now I believe Joan was an untamed woman. Like me. She has a dignity that when facing opposition stood tall. A solider but a last nonetheless"
Applause kept going and Joan walked up on the stage and hugged Denise as she kept going.
"Kat, you should learn from our Joan. Joan wouldn't move onto a man whose wife just died, nor would she think her friends like her. No show her damned face where she is not wanted. You are no lady, and God forbid the enemy capture you. For what will they do with a whore?"
Everyone gasped and all the soldiers looked at Frank, he was mortified.
"I'm sorry I shouldn't have brought up a no good ninny into this." Denise walked down the stage. She walked towards the door. "Don't bother Frank with my behavior, because I don't give a damn." She winked at Frank and left.
Michael shot Frank a glare and he knew he was in for a major disciplinary report. No one dared speak for several minutes and Frank was about to leave when he was stopped "Colonel Sherwood what was that?" Michael demanded
Frank gulped, "I believed it was a quote from gone with the wind. I counted two, could have been three."
"Silence Colonel!" Michael snapped "Be in my office tomorrow 0800 do you understand me soldier!"
Frank stood straight "Yes Sir"
Michael walked away and Frank left the party mad as hell. He went to go to the car but Denise had left, so he went back to see if Roland could give him a ride home.
Denise was at home. She laughed at herself and couldn't help but feel proud. Of course she was so rude but so liberated. Claudia Joy would have been mortified but she knew she would have been glad that she said it.
Her laughter was cut short when Frank walked through the front door and let it slam "You know you probably just ended my career don't you!" he shouted, he was in her face, something she wasn't used to.
"Good!" She laughed. "What did that some of bitch say to you"
"Denise this is not funny, how the hell could you be so damn ignorant!" He wants me in his office tomorrow at 8AM!"
"How dare he! He knows you like to sleep 'til at least nine!" She laughed again
Frank was beyond shocked "Are you high Denise?"
`"It's true! Besides, that bastard can't face me with truth so he thinks he'd get even with you."
"Well you just made a huge mistake and tomorrow I will pay the price so I hope you are happy with yourself!" he shouted and went to the bed room leaving Denise lone in the living room in silence.
"Fine, just walk away like always!" She yelling in vain
Denise spent the next three hours alone in the living room while Frank was in the bed room pacing and trying not to explode on her.
Denise stood up and slowly walked towards her bedroom
Frank was pacing the bed room rubbing his head, she knew he was mad.
But she knew she had to face him. She pushed the door open. He stopped and looked at her. She shut the door behind her.
He didn't say a word only glared at her and then ignored she was even standing there.
"Frank, say something."
"Just drop it Denise, go to bed" he said and she felt like she was a teenager being ordered around by her father,
"No father!" She mocked.
Frank just looked at her but didn't speak, he was beyond furious.
"Let it out." She ordered
"Twenty-five years in the army and never once have I ever been more humiliated in my life!" he screamed "Never once in the twenty three years that we have been married have I ever been ashamed to call you my wife until tonight!" That cut Denise like a knife, he had never ever been ashamed of her and that stung.
"Really" She managed. "And how did I shame you?"
He looked at her like she was crazy "Are you really asking me that?"
"Yes frank. Was it my dress? Was it my lack of even wanting to go? Was it that I had an opinion? Was it the fact I let the world know? Was it that I wasn't going to be held back? Was it the truth? Or was it that I am not the perfect wife you want show off?"
"Oh Denise give it a rest, the simple fact is Claudia Joy is dead and you are scared as hell someone is going to take her place" he snapped "And newsflash sweetheart, whether you like it or not Michael is eventually going to move on and if you can't accept it that's just too damn bad!"
"He can't!" She yelled with tears in her eyes. "Claudia Joy isn't gone! Never to be replaced! She won't, you hear me! And Michael should be the one ashamed for kissing her! Claudia Joy was too good for him"
"She's dead Denise!" he shouted "She is never coming back!" Now he was just being cruel and Denise felt like she had the wind knocked out of her.
She covered her ears. "No!"
"Yes Denise, she is gone!"
"No" she begun to whisper
Frank walked toward her and she stepped back No!" she said and covered her face and ears, she was mere seconds away from a nervous breakdown. "You didn't love her like I did. And neither did Michael!"
"Denise he was married to her for twenty five years he did love her" he said "but she is gone and he has every right to move on.'
"So soon?" she said like it was insane.
"Denise it's been almost six months" he said
"A year would have been better!"
He stepped toward her but once again she backed up, Frank was starting to worry.
"I'm going to sleep on the couch." She said as she took her pillow
"Fine, whatever" he said and she left the room and went to the living room, he heard her sobbing when he laid down and he hated that sound, especially when he couldn't do anything about it.
She as awoken to the soft sound the door shutting closed. Frank was going to pay the price if her behavior.
Now she felt guilty she handled things all wrong, the truth was she felt threatened, she felt like he best friend was being replace and it hurt her. She didn't even bother getting up, she just laid there waiting for Frank to get home, when he did she could tell it was bad "Morning" she said timidly.
He stared at her.
She glared at him as to say what happened
"Extra duty for the next six months, we're lucky to still have a place to live" he told her.
"What all was said?" She calmly asked.
"He told me that if I wanted to keep my job I better learn how to control my wife and her outrageously disrespectful outbursts" he said
At this she got angry. "How dare he."
"Denise we are lucky I didn't get kicked out after your little rant" he said
"Oh, I hate him. I hate him more than that whore. I hate I'm I hate I hate him. I'll always hate him," She shook her head.
He sighed "Here we go again" he said and just left the room.
She placed her hand on her head. "Oh, why am I always the bad guy?" She whispered.
She followed Frank "Okay Frank what do you want me to say?" she asked
He only gave her a look of anger "Nothing."
Tears welled up in her eyes "Do you want a divorce" she asked
He stopped cold at her comment.
"Do you?" she asked again, she was dead serious and that shocked Frank.
"Damn you woman!" He snapped. "You do nothing but cause me misery and heartache!"
Denise nodded "I'll be out in a few hours" she said and left the room.
"No Denise," he went after her.
She was in the living room by the time he caught up to her and she hit the floor, the emotional turmoil from the last few days was just too much and she finally broke, she was curled in a ball sobbing, gut wrenching sobs.
"Denise!" He went over towards her. She was shaking her head. "Leave me alone!" She yelled.
Frank ignored her and got down beside of her and tried to hold her, but she fought him, her skin was clammy and cold but she was sweating, he could feel her heart beating through her chest.
In the end she gave in and held him tightly. As if she would lose him if him if she didn't
"Okay, it's okay baby" he said rocking back and forth "Calm down okay, everything okay," he was afraid if she didn't calm down they were in for a trip to Mercer.
"Frank I'm sorry for the extra duty, It should be me being punished not you"
"Denise honey it's okay, I don't mind it sweetie, and no it isn't your fault, you just miss your friend, shh it's okay" he said rubbing her hair and back to soothe her.
"But why so much, it's me he should deal with"
"No honey, he isn't going to say a word to you, I wouldn't let him" he told her
"And why not" she asked
"Because you are my wife, it's my job to stand up for you and I haven't been doing a very good job of that lately" he said "I'm sorry"
"No Frank it's me. You did nothing wrong"
"Shh yes I did you were hurting and I didn't make it any better on you yelling and being mean to you" he said wiping the tears that were falling from her eyes, she was still shaking but now clinging to his shirt as if her life depended on it.
"No I shouldn't have, I made you lose your reputation!"
"Who cares?" he said "All that matters to me is you and Molly"
""Frank how did you handle that, all those people staring at you and oh the look on Michaels face, he was so angry" she said
"I just walked away" he said
"How furious was Michael when you tried to apologize for me?"
"It doesn't matter" he said not wanting to upset her more than she was.
"Tell me, be honest with me"
He sighed "He was pretty angry but it doesn't matter" he told her
"And in front of everyone too"
"It's in the past honey" he told her "Can you stand, your shaking pretty bad I think we may need to go to Mercer."
"No! I've caused enough trouble already."
"Denise you just had an anxiety attack and I think your still holding back" he said "I won't leave you but we need to go" he told her
"I'm fine, I don't want to go. Now don't make me."
"Okay, okay but you need to calm down for me okay" he told her "You're sweating but your cold"
"Ok, anything for you"
He smiled and held her and rocked back and forth until she finally started to calm down "Okay, I'm okay" she said but he knew better, this was far from over.
She smiled and nodded
Denise stood up "Frank I know I have been a lot of trouble lately but I love you" she said pulling him with her.
He stood. "I know you do"
"Do you still love me?" she asked, Frank didn't like this side of her, insecure and not knowing for sure that she was loved.
He laughed "so much Denise." He said as he kissed her.
She gave him a small smile "Good" she leaned into his arms "I can't believe I called her a whore in front of everyone"
"I couldn't either, boy you are still a rebel and the 'god forbid the enemy gets you what will they do with a whore.' Boy that took it home"
Denise laughed "Yeah I have to admit, it felt good to lose it for once" she said "I'm tired of trying to be perfect all the time."
"When have you ever been perfect?" He laughed
Denise's mouth dropped and she burst into laughter and pushed Frank playfully "Watch it cowboy"
"Or what" He smirked
"I might just have to go rebel on you" she said laughing
"What? By ranting about me on a stage? Give it your best shot"
"Don't tempt me" she teased
"You can't rant about perfection. In that case the 'whore' will really want me" he teased back
"Frank that's not funny, she tries anything on you and I'll go ten kinds of crazy on her air force hooch behind!" she said then started laughing "I have put up with too much all these years to let some hussy steal my man!"
He laughed. "You are something"
"Tell me something I don't know" she laughed and jumped into his arms, he nearly dropped her because he wasn't expecting it.
"Like what?" He asked as he carried her.
She shook her head "Just shut up and kiss me"
And he did
He carried her to their room, and they made love before falling asleep being sure of one thing, no matter what they loved each other and together could get through anything.