The Traveler Part 2

Please read part 1, it fills in all the details.

Repetition is boring, tedious, do you agree? If you don't, well.....

After Mr. Blue Eyes handed me my dream dress in a bag,  we walked around, window shopping. He tried to steer me into a few shops, I wasn't chancing it. He would have done almost anything for me at this point. It's so rude to take such unfair advantage.

We walked around, window shopping, talking, he tried to kiss me a few times, how long could I keep holding him off! I still held to my base values, self respect, ideas of going slow to get to know a guy.

He was a bit feisty, full of surprises. We would be walking along and I would be looking in a shops window display. He would dart inside the shop and stand inside, striking a G.Q. pose where I could see him. Oh, yeah, he was sooooooo charming. Rut-roh, raggy!

The night was closing in, the shops were closing. Cinderella had her dress, her Prince Charming and, I have to add, some gorgeous shoes and kept them both on.

My 5" stilettos' were better than any dam glass slipper!

We drove back to Hickam AFB, good music on the radio. We were comfortable enough to drive without speaking, listening to the radio, looking over at each other and smiling. It was enough.

We arrived back at Hickam AFB, in the shoppette parking lot. He got out of the car to open my door. This was the first time he did this. I wondered if he was afraid to be seen with me because of military protocol. I stepped out, my dress fell to the side, he looked down at my legs and did something I still remember. He pulled my dress back over my legs, took my hand and helped me out of his car. I appreciated this respect back then, I appreciate it, now.

I must have looked a little startled, he smiled and said ~
"I will only kiss you when you tell me it's okay."
he pulled me into his arms in a tight hug, my heart was pounding.
He asked me if I would like to go to the beach the next day, maybe catch some lunch on the North Shore?
YESSSSSS! My heart pounded even more.

Me : "Yes, I would like that."
Him : "So, pick you up, here at 10 am?"
Me : "Yes, see you tomorrow."

I turned to walk away, he reached in, grabbed the bag with my magic dress inside it, handed it to me and pulled me close to him for another tight hug. Oh, my!
He released me, kissed my forehead, got in his car, drove away.
Feeling a very foreign loneliness after such an epic night was new to me, I had only felt this twice before.

I had a hot pink bikini that I had bought at the base thrift shop. It was only 10 cents, yet, it made me feel like a million dollars! We were going to get some lunch after the beach, so I put a casual dress in my beach bag to cover up when we went for lunch.

The beach was post card breathtakingly beautiful! We played tag and splashed each other in the waves. I was laying on the blanket, taking everything in. The ocean, the salt in the air, sunshine, children running & playing. At one point he just got up and ran into the waves, disappearing into just splashes of water as he swam out further. This was his way. He was a smart alpha male who needed varying intermittent space. He needed it, he took it, while still being a gentleman. No explanation nor apology needed.

The sun felt so good and my belly was so white, I had worn the hot pink bikini for the first time. Had only ever worn 1 piece bathing suits up to that point. It was a bold step for me to take. It gave me just a taste of the freedom that I had longed for all of my life.

Must have fallen into a very light sleep, laying on my stomach. I woke, finding him pressing on my upper shoulder with the pad of his pointer finger. He was checking to see if I was getting a sun burn. He grabbed a bottle from his beach bag to put some light sun block on me. I loved his touch. So caring, protective, masculine. I shivered. He smiled, blushing, it was adorable, the way he blushed.
Thinking back, OH! The thoughts he must have been having. Maybe I would have been the one blushing had I been less naïve.

We went to a small lunch stand across from the beach, no cover up needed, yet, I still made use of it. He bought my first local style plate lunch. Kal-bi, rice, mac salad & kim chee! Onolicious!

It was now 3 pm, time to start driving back to Hickam AFB. I was a little sad, it was only the third time we had gone out, together, yet, I liked the feeling of being with him more than getting nibbled by the lonely bug.

We arrived back at the shoppette parking lot, there were a lot of people standing around, so, he made the fatal mistake of driving to the back of Barracks 1843, to drop me off. A few people were standing outside their rooms, at the railing, on the third floor. They were looking right at us. He felt it was safe, so, he got out, came around, opened my door, took my hand and helped me out of his car. I wanted to kiss him for many reasons. He pulled me to him in a tight hug, he must have read my mind as he looked into my eyes. I nodded "yes", that it was okay to kiss me.

He leaned in, and gave me a very sweet kiss, on my lips. WOW!

The Peanuts Gallery whooped and cheered. All except one of the guys. He had asked me out and I had told him "no".

I think he was the one that narc'ed on us.

He asked me if I would like to go out for dinner, on  Monday, I was working, so, I told him I was free on Thursday, the 24 hour break switching from 3 swingshifts to 3 midnight shifts. He asked to pick me up at 1800 hrs behind the barracks. It was a date!

As I walked up to my barracks door, the "narc" guy asked me.

"Hey, isn't that a blue sticker on your boyfriends car? He doesn't look like he could be a dependent son."

I just smiled, went in to my room.

On Monday morning, there was a knock on my door. A very authoritative knock. I thought it would be "him", Mr. Wonderful.

It was the 1st Sgt. The 1st Sgt handles problems with people in the squadron that are of a bit more serious nature. He told me to put a uniform on & accompany him. I had been ratted out. We were going to his office in SPHQ. Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitttttttttttttttt!

The 1st Sgt asked me what the "nature" of my relationship was with my "officer friend". I sat there, mute, scared, torn.
He said, "Airman, answer me g_d  d_m_it!"

He then said,
"This is a first offense, you're still new to the Air Force, I will let this slide with a verbal warning. Fraternization between officers and enlisted is strictly off limits, understand? You can't see him again. No communication whatsoever.
He, also,  received a warning!"

1st Sgt called a patrol car to take me back to my barracks room. I had to go to work at 1300, I couldn't take time to cry. I sure did feel like it. Through the next 10 hours, I was sobbing on the inside, smiling on the outside. When I was back in my barracks room, after work, barely getting inside the door, closing it, locking it. I put my back against the wall, slid down to sit on my glutes, pulled my knees to my chest and sobbed. I ripped the SP beret from my head and threw it all the way into the closet/sink area.
I woke up there, the next morning, still in uniform, on my side, in a fetal position with a red nose, puffy eyes. Life had to go on.

On Tuesday, there was a knock at my door, my heart skipped a beat. It was a floral delivery for me. 6 beautiful fragrant tea roses. The card said,
"Look the meaning up.......all good things."
The meaning of tea roses is "I will always remember."

This is the how the magical ocean blue, mandarin dress came to me. Mr. Wonderful's  essence has stayed with it, for me, even now.

Even my 3 daughters felt the magic without knowing the legend.

My youngest refers to it as "The Holy Grail" of dresses!

In truth, it almost is. This is why I titled my blog entries ~
"The Traveler."

Tune in to my next blog entry if you want to laugh, cry & be entertained!

I stand
I deliver
I'm out!
*smile*