Major Frank Sherwood rung the doorbell to the Post Commander of Fort Marshall, Major General Michael Holden's home, his wife and son waiting patiently behind him. They had been invited to a formal dinner with their close family friends. Formal attire had been requested for the evening and the Sherwood's cleaned up rather nicely. Frank and Jeremy in their formal dress blues and Denise in a lovely knee-length blue dress.
Moments after the blonde had pressed the button, Claudia Joy Holden answered the door. Wearing a purple dress, she quickly smiled and embraced Denise, happy to see that her best friend could make it.
"Don't you all look nice." The Army Wife smiled, releasing Denise and leading them all inside.
"You look great too, Claudia Joy!" Denise grinned enthusiastically. The three Sherwoods followed Mrs. Holden into the living room where the rest of the 'tribe' was gathered. Jeremy and Frank watched as Denise quickly huddled with them. The Sherwood men kept to themselves, feeling slightly isolated in the room full of Army Spouses. Jeremy's eyes wandered the room hoping to find the youngest Holden, he was more than disappointed when he didn't see her. This was her house, where could she be?
"I would've been just fine at home." The nineteen year old whispered to his father. He could feel the eyes of his mother's friend's on his back and it made him more than slightly uncomfortable. Roxy LeBlanc had just announced she was pregnant, shouldn't people be focusing on her now? Pamela Moran was looking at him not so subtly, but he'd just have to deal with it. Maybe they'd get tired of him by the end of the night.
"You're staying. End of story." The blonde said firmly, not wanting to reminisce over what happened when he was left home alone a month ago. Frank patted his son's shoulder gently.
"I feel like everyone's staring." Private Sherwood admitted, he wasn't used to talking to his father so openly like this. Two months ago he wouldn't of just kept that information to himself.
"Cause they are, boy." Frank advised the nineteen year old, a slight smile on his face. He could see the group of Army Wives…and Corporal LeBlanc, looking at them.
"Great pep talk." Sarcasm dripped from the soldier's voice.
"Well if you were them, wouldn't you stare too?" Frank asked; he was trying to be more sensitive, he really was, but the Major was still getting used to it. The blonde had never been his son's confidante before, as it turns out Jeremy didn't know how to confide and Frank didn't know how to comfort. But they were slowly, very slowly, getting there.
"Probably." He smirked, as Dr. Burton entered. The Sherwood men nodded their heads in greeting. Dr. Burton had his daughter in tow, his wife Lieutenant Colonel Joan Burton was still deployed.
"Okay we can all make our way to the dining room now…wait, where's Emmalin?" Claudia Joy announced, looking around the room. The brunette in question wasn't found.
"Emmalin, hurry it up!" General Michael Holden called up the stairs, he had just finished taking a call in his study. He was getting hungry and didn't feel like waiting another half an hour for his daughter to finish doing her hair.
"Five more minutes!" Emmalin yelled down. The soldier was thankful to hear her voice, finally. He'd rather not be all by himself tonight and her company would make the dinner incredibly better, no matter who was staring at him.
"You said that ten minutes ago!" Claudia Joy sighed, shaking her head.
"Fine, fine! I'll be there in a second, I'm putting my shoes on now!" Emmalin swore, standing at the top of the stairway now. The seventeen year old slowly descended the flight of stairs, taking his breathe away.
Emmalin wore a form-fitting red dress, the slim halter cut top exposing the firm cleavage she normally kept well hidden. The dress ended just above her knees revealing a pair of the sexiest legs the soldier had ever seen. She was wearing light makeup and had spent God knows how long pulling her hair into pretty curls. The last time Jeremy had seen Emmalin get all dolled-up was at that kegger a few days ago and the dress she had been wearing then revealed a lot too, but this dress was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen her in.
"Weren't you just complaining about people staring, boy?" His father teased, bringing Jeremy from his daze. If Jeremy kept staring at Emmalin like that, he was going to burn a hole right through her.
"What?" He asked confusedly, turning to look at the Major.
"Just try not to get drool on your dress blues, boy." Frank laughed, walking into the dining room.
"I wasn't drooling." Jeremy persisted. He turned to see the seventeen year old approaching him. He smirked at her as she reached him.
"You look nice in your dress blues." The Army Brat smiled, gently touching his arm briefly to steady herself. She was anything but graceful in a new pair of heels and was teetering slightly. He was sort of impressed that she'd managed to get down the stairs with out falling.
"You look amazing." He whispered honestly, glancing down her figure again.
"Really? I wouldn't ever wear something like this, my mom picked it out." She laughed quietly, biting her fingernails. Emmalin was modest, but definetly not shy, and she hated clothes that showed so much of her body.
"I'll keep my opinions to myself till you turn eighteen, jailbait." He glanced around to find that they were now alone, he reached out to affectionately stroke her hair. God, he loved her hair, it was always so soft and silky.
"Cradle robber." The brunette stuck her tongue out teasingly at the nineteen year old. They slowly walked into the dining room, where everyone was too busy with seating arrangements to notice their brief absence.
General Holden was at the head of the table with his wife at his right, Denise and Frank to her right, Trevor LeBlanc next to Frank, Roxy next to Trevor, Pamela Moran next to Roxy, Dr. Roland Burton and Sarah Elizabeth next to her, Jeremy next to Roland, and finally Emmalin in between Jeremy and her father.
After the white China dishes with the banquet meal had been set out, the group loosely grasped hands for a quick prayer, Dr. Burton leading them in thanks. Emmalin gently laced her finger's through Jeremy's, he stroked the back of her hand tenderly under the table cloth.
"Dear Heavenly Father, we gather here tonight to thank you for the many blessings you have given us. There's been a lot of happenings between us recently and we ask for your guidance. Please bless this food to nourish our bodies. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen." Spoke Dr. Burton, everyone following with a union of 'Amen'. The teenager's quietly held hands under the sanctuary of the table cloth, his thumb gently rubbing the back of Emmalin's hand in slow circles. They both were slightly aware that Dr. Burton knew what they were doing, since he arched a brow at both of them. They held hands through the rest of the meal, with Roland being too nice to ruin it for the teenagers.
"I hope God gives all of us enough to eat, because Roxy here's eating for two! Every grocery store in Charleston's in danger!" Joked Pamela, teasing her best friend.
"This baby doesn't know the meaning of the word diet!" Laughed the blonde, rubbing her tiny baby bump as Corporal LeBlanc smiled proudly.
"When I was pregnant with Emmalin I craved everything. It was awful!" Chuckled the hostess as she passed a bread roll to her husband.
"No. What was awful was trying to find her pickled chicken's feet at two in the morning. The woman wouldn't let me back in bed until I found her some. I was sleeping on the couch for almost two weeks!" Chuckled Michael, setting a napkin on his lap.
"That's nothin'! Wait until the baby's born and you both start sleeping in five minute shifts." Frank laughed. "Jeremy would just start screaming in the middle of the night until he was 'bout three months old. I got more sleep in a war zone than I did when he was a baby."
"How do you do it Roland, when Joan's away?" Asked the Corporal, bringing attention to the new father who was gently rocking Sarah Elizabeth to sleep.
"I put in as many hours as I can and when I cant take it anymore I call Denise and Claudia Joy." He laughed, smiling at his friends.
Emmalin smiled at the baby, she loved babies and Sarah Elizabeth was such a cutie. Jeremy watched her coo at the doe-eyed infant, a small smile forming on his lips.
"Then we come over and he passes out from exhaustion." Claudia Joy laughed.
"I hope Trevor doesn't get deployed for a least a year after the baby's born. I don't know if I could handle three kids by myself."
"We'd help." The redhead promised, rubbing her best friend's belly.
"I can't wait for grandkids! Jeremy, I'm expecting at least five grandbabies and I've decided I don't want to be called Granny or Grandma, they should call me Nana! Grandma makes me sound like I'm 70." Denise told her son, receiving an astonished stare from the two Sherwood men.
"Mom, don't you think it's a little soon for baby talk, I'm not even dating right now?" He squeezed Emmalin's hand gently, she smiled secretly at him and squeezed back.
"Listen here boy, you're getting married before any new Sherwood's arrive. You got that?" Frank informed the nineteen year old, glancing between him and Emmalin suggestively.
"Wouldn't dream of it any different." Jeremy promised, clasping Emmalin's hand under the table still.
"I love babies. Emmalin is having ten children." Claudia Joy decided, which came as news to her daughter.
"Ten? You want me to have ten kids?" All the seventeen year old could do was stare wide-eyed at her mother. Ten? Ten kids? Who did she think would be delivering those kids? Emmalin had seen the 'Miracle of Life' filmstrip in Life Science class and she didn't think she wanted to experience that ten times.
"Yeah. I can't wait to spend all my time spoiling them rotten." The FRG leader laughed, the bewildered look on her teenager's face was priceless.
"I can't wait to get them all hyped up on caffeine and sugar and then as soon as it starts kicking in, I'm giving them right back to Emmalin." Confessed the two star General.
"Well you will be. For at least a few years." She smiled, good naturedly at her parents. The conversation of children continued as the teenager's managed to discreetly excuse themselves.
Emmalin pulled Jeremy by the arm into a closet, where they could obtain a small moment of privacy. She quietly closed the door behind them and switched on the light panel, illuminating the tiny closet with harsh fluorescent radiance. The walls were lined with shelves and filled with various cleaning and cooking items, the Holdens must have been using it as a storage unit he realized.
The petite brunette reached up to wrap her arms around the soldier's neck, placing a soft kiss against his cheek. Jeremy's arms wrapped around the girl, pulling her flush against his chest. The girl could feel the soldier's muscles through his dress jacket. She kissed down his neck and jaw, giggling. She knew he wouldn't kiss her back but Emmalin still loved their one-sided encounters.
"We are not having ten kids." He whispered, his hot breathe tickling her ear.
"Not five either. One day, a very very long time from now, I might give you three though." The seventeen year old teased standing on her tippy-toes to brush her lips lightly against his.
"Three's good for me." He smiled, glad that they had managed to get away.
"Kiss me." Emmalin pleaded her eyes glancing into his, up close Private Sherwood's eyes had green and gold flecks decorating them.
"I can't for eight more months." He said firmly.
"You can too. I won't tell." The Army Brat promised, her hands gripping his broad shoulders.
"I've kissed you twice already." He admitted, somewhat ashamed of his lack of resistance to her.
"Twice? When?" This was all news to her, she remembered the hospital kiss but Jeremy hadn't touched her since.
"On the forehead in the hospital, and again after you feel asleep the night of the party."
"Those don't count!" Emmalin moped, she wasn't resting until he kissed her.
"They do too." Jeremy chuckled, stroking her hair.
"No! Because I was crying the first time and sleeping the other. And it doesn't count if it's not on the lips." She pouted, her arms wrapping around his neck loosely.
"Come here." The soldier sighed, gently lowering his lips to her forehead, he placed a soft kiss on her temple. A little self-indulgence wasn't always a bad thing, and if she said it didn't count as kissing then technically he wasn't doing anything wrong.
"Still doesn't count, Jeremy." Emmalin smiled regardless of her words. Pulling her dress up slightly, she climbed into his arms, her legs enveloped tightly around his toned hips, the Army Brat trailed kissed across his forehead and cheeks. He gripped her thighs tenderly, supporting her weight so she wouldn't fall.
"You look very handsome in your dress blues, Private." Emmalin laughed, her full juicy lips leaving soft trails on his neck. She stroked his hair fondly, smiling at their close contact. She loved being in his arms.
"Ma'am, I don't date civilians." Jeremy played along with the brunette's little role-play. Hiking her farther up his hips to keep her small frame from falling.
"Mmmh. Would you consider making out with one in a storage closet?" Emmalin teased, her hands fiddling with his white shirt collar. Jeremy gently placed Emmalin's back against the wall, still gripping her legs.
"Ma'am you don't look quite eighteen yet, I wouldn't wanna get Court Marshaled." He whispered quietly, raising a brow, his lips inches from rosy ones. One day Emmalin was going to hurt him for teasing her so ruthlessly…but until then.
"Ohh, I'm most certainly eighteen Private Sherwood. Wouldn't lie to a someone who served my country, would I? And besides, my Dad outranks you." Emmalin laughed, claiming his lips again. She dashed kisses across his forehead and cheeks, the nineteen year old could feel her smiling into the gentle touches.
"Exactly, your Dad outranks me." Jeremy smirked, one hand running through the seventeen year old's chocolate colored locks.
"You don't want the Post Commander's daughter to put in a bad word, do you?" Emmalin laughed, stroking his buzz cut.
"Wouldn't want that all, Miss Holden." Kissing her forehead. God, she needed to turn eighteen already. He didn't know how much longer he could stand not kissing her. Especially when Emmalin wanted him to kiss her so badly. His gaze wandered down to her full pink lips, they looked soft and inviting, colored a light coral to compliment her dress. He'd bet money that her tongue tasted as good as she smelled, like sweet wild lavender in the springtime.
"Then kiss me, please." She kissed his mouth lovingly. All he could think was how sinfully good it felt when their lips brushed.
"No. But I could be pursued to take you out Friday, around seven." Dark brown eyes met light amber ones as he subtly asked her for a first date. They had been seeing each other monogamously for a while now, and he thought it was time he took her out. Emmalin had been more than patient though, he knew she wouldn't mind waiting for a date a little bit longer if he wasn't ready. Things had moved lightening fast in the last month, not just between them but in his counseling as well. His PTSD was far from cured, far from, but he was making progress. He'd been discussing Emmalin with Dr. Burton and they'd reached the conclusion that a date wouldn't be inappropriate.
"Mmmh, you wanna take me out on a date?" She smiled wide, revealing a perfect white smile.
"Never said it was a date." The soldier teased. His words instantly made her smile drop, her eyes blinking showed how shocked she was.
"Is it?" Emmalin looked at him wide-eyed, she'd be more than just slightly disappointed if he said 'no'.
"It's a date." He nodded, laughing, his left hand cupping her head softly, his right reaching across her to keep her steady. He wouldn't want her to fall from his arms and roughly land hit the floor.
"Really? That would make me very happy." Emmalin smiled, genuine happiness shining through her eyes. Full lips trailed across his face before finding his lips again.
"Good. Dinner and a movie sound okay?" He kissed her cheek.
"That sounds nice, Jeremy." She kissed him roughly this time, clearly ecstatic.
The couple turned their heads as they heard the closet door squeak open, reveling Major Sherwood. The blonde examined the two teenagers slowly, taking in the way they were holding each other, his son's faintly wrinkled dress uniform, and Emmalin's now messy hair.
"Sorry to interrupt but we're headin' home, boy." Frank explained, as the two walked from the storage unit.
"Ugh…yeah." Jeremy replied not quite sure what to say after being caught with a seventeen year old by his father. Emmalin gently reached out to smooth the wrinkles from the Private's clothes, she lightly licked her thumb using it to clean the lipstick she had gotten all over Jeremy.
"Smooth her hair, boy. Everyone's gonna know you were goin' at it, if she goes in there lookin like she's had a romp in the hay." Frank told his son, in response he gently straightened Emmalin's hair. Jeremy used his thumb to wipe the General's daughter's lips free of what little remained of her coral lipstick.
"We weren't going at it." Jeremy corrected as Emmalin latched onto one of his arms as they walked through the kitchen, entering the now empty dining room.
"Sure you weren't." Frank grinned sarcastically, though he was certain the girl did most of the kissing. He and Dee always stressed the importance of law obedience, and one of the laws was nothing under eighteen.
The three stepped into the living room, where everyone was gathered except the General (who had another business call to tend to), and Pamela Moran (who had children and an estranged husband to tend to). Denise Sherwood smiled as she gathered her purse and sweater, bidding her friends farewell. Emmalin reluctantly released Jeremy's arm, pouting that he was leaving so soon.
"See you Friday?" The soldier whispered against her ear, she walked him to the porch.
"And maybe before then?" Emmalin smiled, watching their mothers hug
"Maybe." He replied, smoothing her hair from her forehead.
"Thank you for coming, Jeremy." She beamed at him, as they said good bye. Watching his back retreat from her, she roughly swatted his ass when she was sure Claudia Joy wasn't looking. He chuckled and shook his head in response, still following his father to their car.
"Sorry, couldn't help myself." Emmalin called after him, laughing as she turned to re-enter her home once again. Denise smiled and hugged her when the Army Brat opened the front door, leaving in a hurry after her husband and son.
"Still not dating, boy?" Major Sherwood asked after they finished the short car ride home. He looked at his nineteen year old, curiosity getting the best of him.
"I'm taking her out Friday, if you must know." Jeremy told his father. They never used to talk about girls and he wasn't sure what to say or not say, especially where the Post Commander's daughter was concerned.
"I must. Make sure she doesn't wear that lipstick, it's not your color." Frank teased, slugging his son playfully on the shoulder.
"Ha ha ha. You're throwin' stones at a glass house here, old man." Jeremy teased, faintly recalling one Thanksgiving where Nana Sherwood, Frank's elderly mother, caught his parents going at it on the dining room table.
"Be good. She's seventeen and I'm trusting you, boy." Frank said, his tone serious, looking his son in the eyes.
"I haven't even really kissed her yet, you've got nothing to worry about." He assured his father, climbing the stairs to change out of his dress clothes.
"Night, boy." Frank called.
"See you in the morning." Jeremy replied, disappearing into his room.
It had been a long day, they had work and therapy in the morning so all the lights dimmed in the Sherwood household for the night.