Chapter 58

"I saw this wedding dress in a little boutique downtown and I want to go in and see if they have it
in my size. The wedding is going to be in Tom's yard out in the open under the blue sky and white floating clouds. You'll stand up for me, and AJ will stand up for Tom. So far that is it. Except Tom has the most amazing rose garden you've ever seen," exclaimed Krystal finally running out of breath.

"What are the guys are going to wear?" Krista suddenly looked nervous as she waited for the feared answer.

"Probably their mess dress uniforms, Krista. They've worked very hard for the honor. Think of them as monkey suits if it helps," grinned Krystal. "It'll only be for a little while, and for me surely you can make it that long."

"I'll try for you, Krystal. What do you want me to wear?" After what her sister wanted to do for her there was no way she was going to tell her how much just the thought of being around men in uniforms scared her.

"What's your favorite color, Kris? Wear that, and be happy for me that day."

"Lilac is my favorite color," she told Krystal.

"The wear something lilac and it will be a perfect wedding," grinned Krystal. "I'm so glad I have you
back in my life Kris, you'll never know how...lonely it was without you."

"Okay, I'll have to see if I can find something in the maternity department, and if not I could make something. I'm so glad that we found each other again, too!"

"If you need any money just yell. Actually I have some money for you from father's death. There was
some insurance money put back for us. I put it in a bond and never touched it, so half is yours."

"NO! I don't want anything that was dad's!" Krista went pale and backed away from Krystal.

"Kris, calm down! Its only money! Honey, there is nothing about it that can hurt you…why are you so scared?" Sudden dread filled Krystal, she wondered if all these years she had been wrong? Had their father done to Krista what he had done to her? She had thought that she was the only one he had been abusing, she'd been glad her sister had been spared what she went through. But now Krystal began to wonder if she'd been wrong all these years to believe that her sister had been safe! "Krista, what did he do to you? Please tell me!"

"No! I think its time you went to work now Krystal. I'll call my doctor if you still want to go through with the transplant, but you need to go now," Krista told her holding the door to the shop open for Krystal to leave.

"Yes, I still want to do that for you, and we will talk about dad one day! This is NOT over!" Krystal said as she left the shop.

As she closed the door on her sister Krista muttered, "Oh yes it is, you will never know what dad did to me Krystal! I protected you all those years ago and I'll continue to do so!"

As Krystal settled into her new office, she was tired and stressed out, even though it was still early afternoon. She now had a new fear to add to the ones about her sister's health! And there was still the packing and move this evening along with the cookout tonight. Thank goodness Tom was handling the cookout without insisting on giving her another cooking lesson. She hadn't learnt everyone's names here yet but they all seemed friendly. Commander Rabb stuck his head in the door.

"Hello, I'm Commander Harmon Rabb, remember me? May I come in for a minute?" he asked grinning.

"Yes, of course Commander Rabb."

"All my friends call me Harm. I hope we can be friends," he said as he sit slumped in a chair opposite her desk.

"We don't know one another well enough to be friends yet Commander," replied Krystal remembering him from the day before.

"Not yet, but we could be if you'd have dinner with me tonight?" he asked raising his tall frame up in the chair. "I know all the good places to eat around here."

"I'm sure you do, Commander, however I have other plans. I'm having dinner with my fiancé, Admiral Chegwidden and my sister," she smiled, at shooting down the Commander, thinking 'Better luck the next time!' But all she said was, "Sorry, but you see I'm already taken."

"Who's the lucky guy, Commander, if I may be so bold to ask?" he frowned.

To be continued…