Chapter 17

"I suppose you've thought of the cake and a photographer for her too, right?" AJ asked.

"No, not yet, any suggestions? We're putting this together in a hurry, as you can tell," Tom replied.

"Rings, cake, photographer, music, dress, flowers, minister, and punch, spiked of course. You will need a lovely bridal gift to be given to her on the wedding night. A honeymoon that she will never forget, think you got that one covered? Oh, yeah, guests would be nice," he laughed, scratching Dammit's ear. "Yeah, you better have a marriage license. Did you want a prenup? Other than that can't think of anything else right off hand. Course I'm not a wedding planner."

"You sound like you are! Good lord, how do you know all...ah shit, sorry, old man, I forgot you just broke off your engagement..."

"No problem, old buddy. I didn't learn this from Meredith. I helped Harriett with her and Bud's wedding, but if you tell anyone, I'll have to kill you," he snapped. "I would only do this for a friend. You won't need food since it is a small wedding so a cake should be plenty. However, if you want a prenup, I will be glad to write up one for you."

"No, I don't think that is necessary, she is welcome to all I have!" Tom confessed to his friend.

"Are you sure? Sometimes it's better to have a prenup on hand just in case. Take my advice it can come in handy. Just talk to her about it."

"No, there's nothing that I wouldn't let her have. You don't know her, AJ, she's as sweet and as uncomplicated as they come!"

"It's your life and your money," AJ shrugged. "I'll be here if you change your mind. But you can bet your bottom dollar I'll be at the wedding."

"Thanks, AJ, that means a lot to me, I'll have to get on all those things you mentioned! See you Saturday, if not before!"

Monday, July 19, 2004

0845 EST

JAG Headquarters

Falls Church, Virginia

For the past four weeks, AJ searched for Krista. He went around to several clinics and described what she looked like, but no one recognized her. He checked with the OBGYN's and again with no luck, no one had heard of her. Finally, going to some adoption agencies, he explained what had happened and while they were sorry, they could be of no help. They had seen no one that fit Krista's description. AJ even went to the local police department, but they laughed at him. She was a grown woman and had left of her own accord so there was nothing they could do for him. He'd ever gone so far as to take out an ad in the personals. Nothing! He couldn't sleep, or eat. He could tell he was slipping at work. What else could he do to find Krista and his baby?

Then out of the blue, that Monday morning, he heard her voice in the bullpen, he had been looking for her for weeks and all of a sudden there she was, right in the other room. AJ was going to find out where she had been and why she had run out on him like she had. He stormed into the bullpen and saw her, even though her back was to him he knew her right away, that amazing hair even though it was up in some kind of bun, but the thing that had halted him in his tracks was the uniform she was wearing. If he had known she was in the Navy, she would have been easier to find, even with only a first name to go on. He was going to find out why she had lied about that too!

Ignoring the call of "attention on deck", he took Krista by the arm and started to drag her into his office saying, "It's a damn good thing you didn't wait any longer to get here!"

"Sir, if you treat all your new attorney's like this I wonder why they even show up at all."

He spun on his heel and looked her in the face, "Don't try and play that game young lady!" he exclaimed, and then noticed the way her uniform fit...she was no longer pregnant! "What have you done to my child?" he snarled.

To be continued…