One Week Later…
Michael, Kat, and Chris all went about their usual business. Michael also pretended that Chris and Kat were not a couple. Though Michael now knew that Kat had a good side, she was till stubborn as hell at work. He guessed it was because she was woman in a male-dominated field. Joan was often the same way. Speaking of which, he had meant to ask how thing were going for the kids as well as Roland. He was scheduled to return home soon so he was hoping to have a nice dinner with maybe Claudia Joy and the Burtons. He could always talk to Claudia Joy when he got home. He heard a knock at the door and saw Chris standing in the door frame, "Colonel Richardson, how may I assist you?"
Chris came in and closed the door behind him, "It's actually more a personal matter sir. Kat would kill me if she knew I was talking about us here. Can I ask you something?"
"Of course," Michael nodded for him to continue.
"Well, you and Mrs. Holden have been married for quite some time, I know," said Chris, "But you obviously had to ask her. And all I really wanted to know is, what was it like?"
Michael thought about it for a few moments. He didn't really want to share too much of his personal life, but then again who doesn't like to talk about their engagements, "Well, we were both in Paris after college graduations and I took her to dinner one night and asked if she'd become the new Mrs. Holden. It was one of the most terrifying and amazing experiences of my life."
Chris nodded, "Okay thank you sir," he said.
It had been three weeks. Three weeks since Nicole had gone into a coma. Charlie had found herself living in Germany, putting her life at the Youth Center on hold. She heard someone stir and looked over to find Nicole with her eyes open looking around the room. She looked over at Charlie and smiled, "Hi," she said.
"Niki!" Charlie shouted excitedly, tears forming in her eyes, "Niki, you're okay!"
"Of course, I'm okay. But may I ask, who are you?" asked Nicole.
Charlie burrowed her brow confusingly and said, "Niki, honey, it's Charlie, you know, your wife?"
"Wife? Aren't I a woman?" asked Nicole.
"Yeah," confirmed Charlie. By now the doctor had heard the noise and come into the room.
Nicole shook her head, "Then you can't be my wife. Women marry men. That's what my Mom told me."
"Well, some women marry other women and you were one of them," said Charlie, "What's going on doctor?"
"Well memory loss is very common with head injuries," said the doctor.
"Well how long will it last?" asked Charlie.
"It's hard to say," he said, "Sometimes a week, a month, a year, and sometimes it's permanent damage."
"Is there anything you can do?" asked Charlie.
"Unfortunately there's not much we can do," said the doctor, "The best thing for Captain Galassini at this point is for the most familiar comforting to people to be with her in hoping to help improve her memory."
Charlie nodded understandingly, "Thank you doctor." She walked back over to Nicole's bedside and took her hand.
Nicole looked at their entwined hand and asked, "You're really serious about this whole married thing aren't you?"
"Yes, my name is Charlie Mayfield. We met at a karaoke bar and we started dating. You proposed to me, we married in D.C. and now we have a baby on the way as well."
"You're having a baby?" asked Nicole.
"No," said Charlie calming her down, "We're adopting a baby."
Nicole nodded as she took in the information, "Well if we're married how come I can't remember?"
Charlie took a deep breath, "Well Niki, you are in the Army, you're a Captain of Intelligence. You went to Afghanistan and you were in an accident. You hit your head and were in a coma. And now that's why you can't remember anything."
Nicole nodded, "Well if I do like women, I can see why I married you."
Charlie chuckled. She knew Nicole was in there somewhere. She just somehow had to get her out again.
Blake entered the house after a long day. He scrubbed his hand over his face and then pulled out the twelve-week sonogram out of his ACU pocket. He smiled every time he saw the scan of his son or daughter and then the smile disappeared knowing that he might not meet him or her face to face for a long time. Tonya came down the stair when she heard him enter. He looked and said, "Hey babe?"
"Hi," she said a little confusingly after observing his actions for the past few moments.
"How was your day?" asked Blake hoping to lead jup to his news.
Tonya shrugged, "Started looking at items for our baby shower registry, childbirth classes, and where I might want to have our little munchkin," she said, "How about you?"
Bleak took her hand and sat her down on the couch, "That's what I wanted to talk to you about. They need more medical doctors in Afghanistan. They randomly chose a whole bunch of doctors from Mercer…"
Tonya wiped away the tears already running down her cheeks, "And let me guess you were one of them."
"Unfortunately," said Blake, "I'm sorry I wouldn't want anything more than to stay here and be with you through all of this."
"I know you can't help it. it happened to me too," she said, "When do you deploy?"
"Next week," he answered.
Tonya kissed him and they both gradually deepened the kiss, "Well then I'll have to make the most of you for a week then wont i?"
"Yes mam," Blake chuckled suddenly amused by it all following his suddenly eager wife to their bedroom.
Claudia Joy, Denise, and Jackie were gathered at Denise's house and Jackie had more than a few words to say about Gloria and Patrick, "I mean they only went on one date how much can they like each other?" asked Jackie.
"Apparently enough to…" said Denise.
"Oh can we not go there," said Jackie, "Don't get me wrong I love that girl but, Gloria and Patrick?"
"Why not?" asked Denise.
"They have nothing in common," said Jackie,
"Well they have you," said Claudia Joy
"But in completely different contexts," said Jackie, "I gave birth to one and am friends with the other."
"I don't know Jackie sometimes opposites attract," said Denise.
"Come on, can you really see Gloria as an officer's wife?" asked Jackie.
Claudia Joy shrugged, "Well we all couldn't see Roxy as an officer's wife at first but so far things are working out for her."
"How is Roxy doing?" asked Denise curiously.
"Busy with the twins," Claudia Joy chuckled, "misses us but overall adjusting well. Also saw Pamela recently who's also doing well." The group of three heard a knock at the door and Denise went to answer it.
"Tonya?" she asked surprised.
"Hey am I interrupting?" asked Tonya.
"No not at all, I'll get you some water," said Denise.
Tonya felt another bout of nausea, hoping it was just from Blake's upcoming deployment and not more morning sickness. Denise handed her the water and then asked, "So what's up?"
Tonya took a deep breath, hoping got hold back the tears, "Blake's deploying next week."
The other three ladies' hearts ached for Tonya. With newly married stress and motherhood fast approaching and now a deployment in the mix, "I'm so sorry Tonya," said Jackie.
"Thank you," said Tonya.
"Is everything okay, Tonya?" asked Claudia Joy.
"Yeah it's just…" Tonya quivered, "It's just that what if something happens to Blake the same way something happened to Jeremy? And I mean this time, I'd have to raise a baby on my own…" said Tonya caressing her swelling midsection protectively, a small smile forming at the thought of the little life inside.
"Tonya, you can't go there until it actually happens," said Jackie. With both Kevin and Patrick deployed, she had no time to think of the what ifs without working herself into a state of panic.
"Yeah Tonya, we'll all be there for you," said Claudia Joy grabbing her hand.
"Yeah doctor's appointments, shower, nurseries, childbirth classes anything," said Denise. Tonya nodded still not 100% convinced, "does Blake know how you feel?"
Tonya shook her head, "We started to talk about it but we just ended up…"
"Having sex?" Denise ventured.
"Yeah," said Tonya, "The real reason I came over here is to ask Denise if she could be my partner for the childbirth classes."
"Of course," said Denise.
"And while you're here," said Tonya looking at Claudia Joy, "How squeamish is Emmalin round, you know, bodily fluids?"
Claudia Joy thought about it. In Emmalin's twenty-one years of life, she didn't know that about her daughter, "I'm not sure why?"
"Well, besides Denise and my own Mom, I was wondering if Emmalin wanted to help coach me through the birth. I don't know I just feel that maybe someone right around my age, It would help take my mind off of things."
"She's home, you can call her and ask her," said Claudia Joy.
Tonya called Emmalin from Denise's driveway. It wasn't long before Emmalin picked up the phone, "Hello?" she answered.
"Hey Em, it's Tonya," she said, "Well I guess the first thing I wanted to tell you is Blake's deploying next week.
Emmalin stayed silent for a few moments and then said, "Well I'm very sorry Tonya." she knew how awful it felt when her Dad deployed, and she wasn't married with a baby on the way.
"Thank you," said Tonya, "which kind of brings me to my second point, winter break starts for you in December correct?"
"Yep, first week is finals week and then break," said Emmalin, "Why?"
"Well you can say no if you're uncomfortable with the idea, but I was wondering in addition to Mom and Denise, I was wondering if you could be at the birth?" asked Tonya apprehensively.
"Me? Why?" Emmalin asked surprised.
"I don't know. I guess I'd just feel more comfortable if someone closer to my own age was there to help take my mind of the contractions and pain," said Tonya.
Emmalin stayed silent for a few moments and said, "Yeah sure, whatever you need, if it'll help you, I'll be there."
Chris and Kat had just the restaurant after a lovely date night. Normally they didn't go to fancy restaurants and frequented sports bars more often the not, but tonight was going to be special. Well, at least Chris hoped it was going to be special. He had driven Kat to the same park he had taken her on their first date, where they strolled through hand in hand, "stars are beautiful aren't they?" asked Kat.
"Nothing's more beautiful than you are," said Chris and stopped, "Kat I have a question to ask you."
"Shoot," said Kat but was confused when Chris reached into his pocket.
He took a deep breath and said, "Katherine Paige," he got down on one knee and opened the box in his hand to reveal a diamond ring, "Will you marry me?"