Jai diao (ใจดียว – heart single) Constantly in love!

Chapter - Fourteen

Ben - Rekindling

Angie did not make our renewal easy, but that one kiss followed by two dozen more spoke like claps of thunder. Each one shook our hearts fiercely. The pain was eclipsed by the love we shared. As I kissed every inch of my goddess' body, a flood of hope beaconed us to absorb the abundant bliss. Two nights of passion penetrated the armor that kept us apart.

I awakened to a richness of laughter, and a thump that could be none other than Lilly plopping between Angie and me. A familiar, "I love you Daddy," and "I love you Mommy," saturated us with delight. The aroma of sausage tickled my nose. Granny had slipped into the kitchen earlier to prepare breakfast. We could hear Pappy fussing about the morning heat.

Radiating from the television in the living-kitchen area, the early morning news echoed into the world announcing, "General Robert Olander was withdrawing from the fighting arena. He had held the title of International Champion for the last two and a half years. The retirement from MDCC was propelled upon him resulting from his new responsibilities. He was thrusted from second-in-charge to Commander of the Allied Military Forces in Thailand. He is replacing Major General James Matthews."

Furthermore, "General Bernard Stackenburger will acquire Olander's position as Deputy Commander. Stackenburger comes to us from the Command Staff Center of Southeast Asia, housed in the Philippines. He was the former Strategy Coordinator for Support Personnel." The announcement brought me to my feet. I had no idea that these things were happening, I called my mentor and friend, and Dawkmymy said he was not home. She indicated that she had no idea when he would return, but she would have him return the call when he came home.

Angie embraced my hand kissing each finger with the eagerness of a child gobbling an ice cream cone before it starts dripping. Her love was blasting forth like a rocket pointing toward Mars. She claimed my heart with one divine kiss. The rest confirmed that she was mine and only mine. Why was my mind blinded to her amorous advances? I must have had the mentality of a stubborn and cantankerous mule.

She possessed the gentleness of a cotton boll, and the kindness of an affectionate lamb. Her demeanor acquired the freshness of pure cool water on a sweltering day. Angie's faithfulness increases during the throes of making love.

Angie's mother was humming, "You ain't Nothing but a Hound dog" by Elvis Presley. When we went to breakfast, she sported the hint of a smile. Her steps bounced through radiance overflowing from every gesture. Without saying it, she spoke, "My family deserves the finest including serenity." Preventing conflict was her goal, since Angie and I would explode at the slightest provocation.

Hopefully, the days that took me from ecstasy to gloomy are past. I will never travel in that direction another time. Stupid is generating the identical blunder time after time. Angie deserves appreciation, adoration and attention in its uppermost manner.

I called the Olander's again. Dawkmymy informed me, that the General was in Don Muang interviewing a couple of transfers. He'll return later this evening. I shared with her what I had heard in the morning news. She confirmed that it was true, but he will have to give the details tomorrow.

We went to church as a family, I hate to report that the whole time Angie and I were separated did not find me attending any church on a regular basis, and then only at weddings and funerals. "However, she insisted that Lilly, Granny, Pappy and I go with her.

Part of the preacher's sermon was on forgiving one another. Lilly yelled, "Like you and Momma, isn't it Daddy?" I gritted my teeth and in a whisper, "Yes darling! Shush, let the preacher finish his sermon." The whole congregation cackled.

Angie said, "Dawkmymy called claiming that the General wanted us to wear our dress uniforms. Lunch was informal, but afterwards a short meeting will be held and pictures will be taken." I was deep in thought, wondering, why we were having a meeting after lunch. Sunday meetings were unusual. It must be important, or a crisis needed to be considered.

Those in attendance were General Gofourth and his recent wife Edith, General Matthews and Ling Noy, General Lockhart and Nang Chom, General Olander (Bob) and Dawkmymy, General Stackenburger and Pitma, Captain Thompson and Malsa, and finally Angie and me.

Lunch was picnic style. Dawkmymy suggested that we remove our dress coats. The meal consisted of Memphis style BBQ pulled pork shoulder with tomato based wet sauce, and Texas type BBQ sliced beef brisket including a medium dry rub. The sides included Southern Mississippi potato salad, Kentucky vinegar coleslaw, Boston baked beans and Thai chilies smashed into a puree. All in attendance bragged on the meal.

After washing our hands, we assembled in General Olander's den. His lair was larger than his office at work. It was strange that the wives were included in the meeting. Everyone was cozy and friendly. Our assembly could not include sensitive matters since we were laid back, but it must be important.

Bob began, "One of you is not aware of what today's get-together concerns." I know for sure that if it was told, it must have been long forgotten in my memory. He went on, "First of all, it is incumbent for me to issue an apology on my part of a deception where I participated."

He prolonged with a grin, "Even still the trick played by the guilty parties worked to the good, and two wandering souls were brought back together. The gathering today combines a confession and a celebration. I admit that I gave Major Crossman the wrong evaluation form. It was a working copy. The finished copy finds you in the top five percent. However, what I said about not being able to recommend him for promotion was true. Will Generals Gofourth and Matthews assist me in removing Crossman's rank from his dress coat?

Oh my, they are going to humiliate me in front of these people. I will be embarrassed to go anyplace. Why make me go through the shame?

"Gentlemen will you place the new rank on his shoulders. Ben, the reason you could not be promoted is because you recently have been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. You have been the one complaining that your work is not as good as it was in the past. That is not true. You were the best major in what is now my new command."

He further illustrated, "The other sham is that Angie is not my new PR Officer. She is the new Commander of the Cargo Detachment here in Chiang Mai. The three years you were apart permitted her to go to flight school and get her certification to pilot a C-130 cargo plane. She has been on the job for six weeks. My wife and daughter had her, Lilly and her parents hidden in another building in the complex. They provided a car and a driver to take her to work and back daily. On two occasions, both of you came close to bumping into each other.

"What about the leave where I went to Texas and St. Louis?" "We knew where you were every minute. Lockhart had a retired CMS friend act like he resided at your former residence."

"Most of the scheduling clerks were glad to manufacture waits in the name of love. Angie's great aunt was called by Malsa, who reminded her that Angie left six days prior. The aunt is a sweet lady, but she gets a little mixed up when it comes to times and dates.

His response was increasing, "The long-lost buddy, that flew you to Scott AFB and then drove you to St. Louis was Mike's friend. Even Angie was not aware what Dawkmymy and Malsa had orchestrated. All this was done, because we care for you and Angie. It was motivated, as a result of our adopted son and brother regretting the biggest mistake in his life."