Chapter 45

The drive to Bud and Harriett's was mostly a silent one, not only were both of them tired, but they were basking in the afterglow of great sex. They pulled into the Roberts' driveway and saw the living room curtain pull back and one of their kids peek out.

Bud had the door open before they reached it and was laughing about something. As Mac and AJ entered the house they heard Steven and Alaina, their two fifteen year olds, arguing. "Come on pay up! I said they'd be here before midnight and it's only…"

"2354," Mac interrupted.

"See, Mom always knows the exact time it is! You always set your watch ten minutes fast so you're not late Alaina. It doesn't mean that everyone else goes by that time! You owe me a dollar!"

"I do not!" she protested. "It's so close to midnight that it hardly counts!"

"Not that I approve of you gambling, but we have also taught all of you to honor your commitments. Was the bet that we would be here before midnight?" AJ asked his newest daughter.

"Yeah, we were trying to figure out just how much sex you guys would get in before you remembered that we had school tomorrow and come and get us."

Harriett had been standing quietly in the background during this exchange, but blushed profusely when both AJ and Mac saw Bud hand her a dollar.

"You two go up and get the rest of the children up, your mom and I need to have a talk with the Roberts'," AJ instructed.

Both of them mumbled, "Yes Sir," and did as they were told. As they went up the stairs, the adults saw Alaina hand Steven his winnings. Mac had been able to hold her laughter until her children had disappeared upstairs, but not a second longer. She was almost doubled over at the guilty looks on Bud and Harriett's faces.

"So, the two of you were betting on our sexual activities too?" AJ questioned, trying to keep his 'Admiral's' face.

"Yes Sir!" Bud was the first to cave in. "The kids were telling us how the two of you are always 'going at it' and even Harriett said that you had told her you wanted to 'ravish your wife'," he stopped suddenly at AJ's stern look.

"So, what was 'your' bet?" he demanded.

"The same as the kids Sir."

"And you bet against me Bud?" AJ asked with a sigh of regret.

"Well yes, Sir, I mean…it's not that I thought you couldn't do that at your age, it was just that it was way longer than…I mean you are seventy Sir! But to tell you the truth, I'm glad I lost the bet! I mean…if you're still going that strong at seventy then there might be hope for me too when I get to that age!" Bud finally ran out of steam and stopped talking.

Mac had almost controlled her laughter up until the point where Bud gave his reason for being glad to lose the bet, and it didn't help at all when AJ patted the younger man on the shoulder and simply said, "Thank you, son."

"And don't forget that you promised to sit for us sometime next week so we can have an evening free to do the same!" Harriett reminded them cheerfully.

"We won't forget, my dear," AJ told her. "You just let us know what night Bud might be up to it," he teased.

Bud stood there in open-mouthed amazement that his former CO was teasing him about his sexual abilities when his own wife shocked him even more by suggesting, "Maybe you could give him some pointers AJ!" Harriett had long ago gotten out of the habit of calling AJ 'Sir'. It was still hard for Bud to remember even though neither of them was in the military any longer.

"I didn't think you had any complaints, Harriett!" Bud stuttered, wondering if his masculine prowess was coming into question.

Harriett was trying to reassure him that he always kept her satisfied when the Chegwidden children came trooping down the stairs. The three youngest were being carried by the teens, since they were too groggy to walk.

"Well, I think it's time to get these kids into their own beds," Mac spoke up and started hustling them out the door. She and AJ each took one of the little ones, leaving only Steven to carry out the other.

By the time they reached McLean all seven of the kids were asleep. Their parents hated to wake them, but knew sleeping in the car wasn't wise either. Only waking the four older children, AJ, Mac, and Steven carried the younger ones into the house. Everyone was in bed and asleep by 0100 hours.

To be continued….