Chapter 77
"If there are no questions, them everyone is dismissed," AJ told them.
"Sir, I have a question!" Harriett spoke up.
"Yes, Lieutenant?" he inquired worried at what she might ask.
"Sir, did you say you were going to be a father again?" she asked cheerfully.
Blushing just a bit, Admiral AJ Chegwidden replied, "I think what I actually said was that Commander Kennex' sister is having my child, but yes it works out to be the same thing, Lieutenant."
"Then I would like to offer my congratulations, Sir!" Harriett chirped.
"You might also like to know that the lady in question has agreed to become my wife. You'll all be able to meet her this Saturday. Commander would you like to do the inviting?" AJ asked turning to Krystal.
Wishing she could kick his shins but good, she turned back to everyone with a smile plastered to her face. "Everyone is invited to Admiral Tom Boone's home this Saturday at l330 hours. Tom and I would like you to help us celebrate our wedding. Please everyone do come and bring a date or your children. The wedding will be held outside so it would be perfect for the little ones."
"Oh! A wedding! How wonderful! Congratulations Commander!" Harriett offered.
Bud stepped forward and also offered his well wishes, "I hope that you can also forgive my part in Monday's events Commander!" Bud begged.
"There's nothing to forgive, Lieutenant, you were only following your Commanding Officer's orders," she told him. "Now, if you'll all excuse me I really do need a cup of coffee to wake me up. All these wedding plans are hard on the nerves."
"Dismissed, everyone," AJ told them and went back to his office.
As Krystal was coming out of the break room on her way to her office with her coffee in hand she saw the bottom half of a man standing at Lieutenant Sims' desk. "I'm looking for a Commander Kennex," he told Harriett.
"I'm Commander Kennex, can I help you?"
"You could tell me where you want these, Ma'am," the floral deliveryman said looking around the largest bouquet of deep red roses that she had ever seen.
"Oh, my how beautiful. Bring them in my office please," she said leading the way and motioning for him to put the on the desk. Opening up the card it read, 'To my Goddess of beauty, it's three days until you are mine so here is a small token to tell you how I feel about you. These ten years of waiting are almost over!' There were thirty roses in the bouquet, the ten years times the days until they were at last together as man and wife!
"Oh, Tom I love you so much and look how thoughtful you are, to me." She leaned over and smelled the sweet smell of the roses. "Three more days and I'll be Mrs. Thomas Boone. Will the time never pass?"
Krista spent her day making wedding arrangements. She called Rhonda about staying open late that night so she and Krys could come and look at gowns, then she called Pete to ask if he would be willing to do the photos of the wedding.
"Krista, how can you ask me that? A wedding with you there? Do you know how that would hurt?"
"Pete, you know that we could never work! We both wanted different things from life, I wanted a home and family and you wanted to travel the world. You'll find someone someday that can share your dreams with you, I know you will."
"No one as wonderful as you, Krista!"
"Not true and you know it! I saw you and Rhonda out the other night! She is perfect for you! Now, will you do the wedding, or should I call someone else?"
"Sure, I'll do it for you. On one condition…"
"What?" she questioned guardedly.
"That you will give me one last chance to change your mind and go out with me!"
"I can't Pete!"
"Why!"
"Because I'm pregnant and engaged!"
"No! To who! By who!" he demanded.
"You don't know him, but he'll be at the wedding. Please, Pete, do this for me?"
"Okay, Krista, just to get a look at the guy that beat me out!"
To be continued…