Just as they thought everyone had arrived, Denise heard another knock at the door, to which she asked Claudia Joy to answer the door. Claudia Joy did as asked and found Blake and Tonya on the other side, "Tonya!" she said excitedly.
"Hey we heard about the troops overseas and wanted to make sure Frank was okay," said Tonya.
"Until we hear further, he's fine," said Claudia Joy, "Denise! It's Tonya and Major Hanson, are they allowed in?"
"Of course!" Denise called from the kitchen.
Claudia Joy moved aside to let them into the house, "Congratulations by the way." They both stopped confusedly, "On the little one."
"How did you?" asked Blake.
"Denise told us," said Claudia Joy.
"Oh," he chuckled, shaking his head at not thinking of the obvious answer, "Thank you Mrs. Holden." The couple followed Claudia Joy to the living room, though there weren't many seats left.
"Here, I can stand or find a stool," said Jackie gesturing towards her seat.
"Thank you Jackie," said Tonya.
"Ladies and Roland, some of you already know Tonya and her husband Blake…" said Denise.
"Wait a minute? Husband?" asked Charlie shockingly. She knew Tonya had a boyfriend but didn't know she was married.
"Yeah, we just got married," said Blake.
"Congratulations," said Roland. Blake and Tonya nodded in appreciation.
"Anyways, for those who don't know them, this is Blake and Tonya. Guys this is Maggie Hall, Latasha Montclair, and Holly Truman correct?" asked Denise. They all nodded in confirmation.
"Does anyone want anything to drink while we wait for news?" asked Gloria, "I mean except for Holly you all are over twenty-one correct?"
Everyone nodded and Maggie asked Holly, "Wait, how old are you?"
"Eighteen," she replied.
"I have to skip the alcohol as well," said Tonya.
"Really Tonya?" asked Roland, feeling there was something more. Tonya never missed out on a nice glass of red wine unless…
"It's in our son or daughter's favor," Tonya smiled as she along with Blake braced themselves for the round of congratulations they received. A news report appeared on the screen just as the noise died down.
"After high alert in Afghanistan, civility comes about the reported Taliban members have left the area. It had also been reported that a Captain of Intelligence has helped make peace in the area once again…"
"You go baby," Charlie whispered to herself more than anyone else though a few eyes did glance over at her.
"So you are married to the intelligence captain," said Blake.
Charlie nodded, "Yeah. I know there have always been rumors but we couldn't confirm anything until the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. And even then Niki still isn't hugely public about our relationship and marriage."
Tonya shrugged, "We couldn't be public for a while either."
Denise rolled her eyes, "Only because it was fraternization."
"Wait really?" smirked Gloria, "How did you meet?"
"We both deployed to Africa on the medical team and we had to work together," Blake said nonchalantly.
"But he's a Major; I was a Specialist so we couldn't date. At least not publically. He transferred to Fort Lee and when my contract was up, I joined him. And we were actually going to wait a few more years to get married but then…"
"I knocked her up," grinned Blake and Tonya glared to which Blake shrugged innocently, "How about you? How did you end up with Galassini?"
"At Fort Drum actually," Charlie smiled at the memory, "I went to a karaoke bar with my roommate from Syracuse and Niki was singing Girls Just Wanna Have Fun horribly off key because she lost a bet."
"I thought she said it was Hit Me with Your Best Shot?" asked Roland.
"Don't side with her," mocked Charlie jokingly. "I bought her a drink. We started dating. She proposed. We married in D.C. about six months ago."
"Ah that's the most weirdly romantic story I've ever hear," said Holly, "Better than my stereotypical story. High school sweethearts. He proposed at graduation. He enlisted. End of story."
"It's still your story," said Claudia Joy, "Mine's similar."
Denise gave her a confused glance, "You and Michael didn't meet until college."
"Yes, a political science lecture on military related law resulted in twenty-five years of marriage," Claudia Joy chuckled.
Denise chuckled, "And my treating my daredevil husband resulted in marriage too."
"So many sets of college sweethearts here," said Latasha, "I met Quincy at a frat party in college. He was the D.J."
"Better than me. I chatted online with Hector for a month and married him after our second in-person date. We all know that didn't work out so well," said Gloria.
"A lot better than me," said Jackie, "Kevin was actually my father's best and favorite recruit. At least until Dad found out he was with his daughter."
Everyone chuckled, "Never expected that out of a General's wife," said Latasha.
"Hey you would never guess that I met Joan at a Victoria's Secret," said Roland.
Denise and Claudia Joy gave him astonished looks, "In all the years we've been friends, you've never, EVER mentioned that," said Denise.
"And what were you doing in a Victoria's Secret?" asked Claudia Joy.
"I was in the Radio Shack at a mall in Chicago and happened to walk by the Victoria's Secret where Joan was working," said Roland.
"Colonel Burton!" Charlie emphasized.
"Yes," said Roland.
"Working at a Victoria's Secret?" asked Tonya.
"She had to make ends meet in college and apparently they paid a decent salary," said Roland, "Anyway I went in and did the whole 'Try on this dress' bit."
"Works every time," said Blake high fiving Roland.
Tonya looked at her husband skeptically, "And how many times have you pulled that scenario?"
Blake humbled himself, "Never sweetheart," he answered hoping to avoid the wrath of the recent pregnancy hormones his wife was blaming her moodiness on lately.
"Anyway, I eventually went down to the bra an underwear segment and I could tell she liked me a little or God knows she wouldn't have agreed to do that," chuckled Roland, "And then our first date was a Bears game."
"That makes more sense," said Denise relieved to hear that bit of information, "What about you Maggie? How did you meet your husband?"
"Uh no I'm good," said Maggie.
"Come on, we all shared our stories," protested Latasha.
"I shared my story," pouted Holly.
After much opposition, Maggie finally gave into the pressure, "Okay fine! Well, I'm not going to talk about my first husband. That was just a disaster. But I met my current husband while we were both deployed."
"Where?" asked Jackie.
"Iraq," replied Maggie, "I was fixing his Hummer and he was kind of bossing me around until I told him off."
"Wait a mnute? How did you get from there to here?" asked Latasha holding up her ring finger for emphasis.
"No, you all asked how I met my husband. Not how we got married," said Maggie.
"Fine," everyone agreed. It was getting late anyway so everyone slowly made their way back to their houses. Only Claudia Joy, Denise, and the Hansons were left.
Blake stood and said, "Well we should probably get going…"
"What about the last bit of news?" asked Tonya.
"Oh yeah," said Blake sitting back down again.
"More news?" chuckled Claudia Joy lightly.
"Yeah," said Tonya though she paused and swallowed thickly.
"You okay Tonya?" asked Denise concerned.
Tonya shook her head, "Nausea just struck me all of a sudden."
"That can happen," sighed Denise, "Do you need some ginger ale or crackers?"
"Potato chips have actually been helping," admitted Blake.
"Uh. I don't think we have any," Denise admitted honestly.
"I carry some," said Tonya pulling some out of her purse, "At least until I get through this 'can strike at any time' sickness."
"Well what's your news?" asked Claudia Joy.
Blake said, "Well the reason we're here at Fort Marshall is we're actually moving here. They reassigned me here again."
"Oh that's great! Are you guys near the hospital?" asked Denise.
"Yeah just down the street," said Tonya, "I'll be working as and RN at Mercer again. Maybe be part time at the College of Charleston but I kind of have other things on my mind right now."
"I'm sure," Claudia Joy agreed.
Blake looked at Tonya and asked, "You feel well enough to get back home?"
Tonya nodded, "Yeah I feel a little better," she said and stood up along with her husband.
Denise wrapped her arms around Tonya and said, "Get some rest. You and the baby are going to need it."
Tonya nodded, "Okay."
Claudia Joy embraced Tonya as well and said, "Best of luck and we'll hopefully see you around town."
Blake nodded and said, "Have a good evening Mrs. Holden, Mrs. Sherwood."