“As a woman?”
“Sure. So, now I am just so glad the burden has been taken away. How about you?”
“I think I would have just got on with life as I was, and been a lonely and miserable cow,” she said.
“But, hey, it’s not our problem anymore. We have each other, and we’re free of the whole thing!”
She wrapped her arms around me and squeezed.
“Mmm, I know, and I am so happy,” she said.
We went in and went to bed. She was so affectionate and loving, I almost cried. I felt I didn’t deserve her.
The next morning she was already up and dressed by the time I awoke at 07:00. I was pleased, as I was a morning person too. She was dressed in a stunning pair of shorts and a yellow vest. She had some training shoes on. She looked real good.
“Come on lazy bones, let’s run,” she said.
I slung on my combat pants, boots and black tee shirt. She handed me a glass of OJ and we were off out the door. We ran through the base, and more than a few heads turned as we passed, but none to look at me. We left the base, running through the local community for a while. I was pleased that my knee seemed great, as there wasn’t even the slightest twinge.
We did a circuit of the road system, heading back to the Fort. The guards waved as we re-entered. I showed her round the base, so we stopped at the gym for a while, and did some stretching and push ups. She matched me to one hundred and twenty this time, and then laughed and gave up. She was one tough girl.
We jogged back to my quarters, and she received several whistles from some of the guys. She just grinned.
“I never got that before. It is quite nice,” she said. I just shook my head and chuckled.
“Would you have liked it?” I asked.
“Probably not. It is like starting again,” she said, smiling broadly.
“Well, you do look great, and I feel real proud of you,” I said, so she blew a kiss at me.
We got back and showered together. She was very tactile and loving, I wished that she was not having her period, but she did things to me with her mouth that blew me away, literally!
I went down to stores and sorted out my personal issue equipment and uniform. My transfer was official, so I sent most it on to Parris Island. My dress uniform I kept with me, with my new rank insignia. I intended to get married in it, as I had the last time. But I was entering this marriage with a whole new attitude.
Gilly was on the phone to her Mom, to find that she had booked a church and a marquee for the reception. She had already started sending out invitations. We had a date now, the 14th August. I called the Colonel to let him know. He told me he would try to get there for the 11th, so as to have a couple of days before the event.
Our business in America complete, we got a lift to the airport. Macey arranged to have my car taken to Parris Island for me, so it would be there when we returned. The booking clerk took one look at me, and realised that a standard seat was not an option for an eight hour flight. Gillian flashed her eyes and persuaded him we were suitable for an upgrade and, hey presto, we got into business class!
I have flown in all kinds of aircraft, some should never have taken off, and others nearly didn’t. But I really hate modern airliners, with the canned air, canned food, tiny TVs and radio, and plastic cabin crew. This time, in a big comfortable seat, with the most beautiful girl in the world beside me, I knew what it meant to be at peace.
She was excited at the prospect of going home, as she was very fond of her parents and her brothers. However, I sensed she was dying to show me off, and wanted to see her mother’s reaction to the new, improved, Gillian MacLeish.
We landed at Heathrow at about seven in the morning local time. I had lost six or so hours somewhere, but I had done that through excess beer several times.
We had to change terminals at Heathrow, to catch the shuttle to Edinburgh from a different terminal at eight thirty.
Forty-five minutes later, we started to descend over Edinburgh, and I began to see a little of her homeland.
“Are we going to rent a car, or what?” she thought to me.
“What choices do we have?”
“We go by bike, which is impractical. We rent a car, or we get a taxi, but I think it will be too expensive.”
“If we are going to see Scotland, and I’ve heard it rains a lot over here, then let’s get ourselves a rental car.” I thought to her.
“Okay.”
“Hey hon?”
“Mmm?”
“Let’s get a good one, none of these little cars, okay?” I said.
She just laughed.
In the event, it was a wasted conversation, because as we walked out with our bags, there was an enormous shout.
“GILLIAN!”
A very tall army officer approached, I wasn’t into British ranks, but he had a crown on an epaulette that was attached to the front of his combats. I knew her brother, William, was a Major, so I guessed this was he. He had a Scottish beret style, a Tammy, Gilly told me. It had a red plume behind the ornate badge. He looked every inch a soldier, and I liked what I saw. No spare weight, lean and hard, he was my height, but a shade less weight, but his eyes had a twinkle. This man had a sense of humour, and if he was Gilly’s brother, he would be okay.
“Will!” she shrieked, running towards him and leaping into his embrace. She was wearing one of her new skirts and pretty tops, and even after nearly fifteen hours travelling, she still looked gorgeous.
Will held her at arms-length and stared.
“Bloody hell, Gilly, what has happened to you?” he said, surprise oozing from every gesture and expression.
“This has happened to me. Will, meet my husband to be, this is Ed Ryan. Ed, my love, this is Will, my brother,” she said.
Will looked at me, and we quickly got each other’s measure. He smiled, holding out his hand.
“Anyone who could have tamed my sister deserves her. How are you, Ed? Oh, and many congratulations”
I shook his hand, it was firm and dry, no excessive pressure; here was a man with nothing to prove.
“I’m good, thanks, Will. I’m afraid that I had to resist the urge to salute.”
“I am glad you did. Here, Gilly, give me your bags.”
He took his sister’s bags, and we left the terminal. We walked over to an army Land Rover and he threw the bags in the back.
“Three seats up front, with Gilly in the middle we’ll be fine,” he said, so we jumped in.
I had seen this type of vehicle a lot, particularly in Africa, it was the Brit’s equivalent to the Jeep, and I was impressed. Basic, but very functional; it was soon taking us out from the airport.
“Where do you want to go?” he asked. He had a similar accent to his sister. Not so much an accent, more a way of speaking.
“I must hand in my resignation to the university, and clear out my lodgings, but we can do that anytime. But I do need to collect my bike,” she said.
“Well, I am prepared to give you a lift all the way home. If you want, you can get the bike, so we will make our own way,” he suggested.
‘Do you mind being without me for a while?’
‘We can never be without each other as long as we have this gift.’
‘Mmm. I love you, and want you to do things to me. Nice squelchy things!’
‘Gigi, stop it!’
“Okay, I know Ed won’t mind,” she said.
He drove us into Edinburgh, and I was surprised at the age of the place. Much of the city was very old, and she showed Will where to park. We followed her up to her lodgings, where she picked up a few things. We carried a couple of cases to the Land Rover, and she appeared in her leather jacket and pants, carrying her black helmet. She put the clothes she had been wearing into her pannier, together with her shoulder bag. A few people were about, mainly members of the faculty, and they stared in surprise at her. She looked stunning, so I felt something rise in my pants. I recalled what she had looked like when she used to wear no makeup, and could immediately see the difference.