Chapter 9
Judy's flight home had been uneventful. She had plenty of time to run everything around in her mind many, many times before her plane landed. She had decided the best thing to do would be to tell Bob everything and hope that he would forgive her.
It was early afternoon when the cab pulled up to her house. She paid the driver, stepped out and started for the door.
Next door, Susie Allen and Calvin Gibbs were seated in lawn chairs chatting away. Judy looked straight ahead at the door of her home.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Franklin." It was Calvin, bowing his head and grinning wryly. Without a word, Judy stepped up on the porch and slipped her key into the door.
"Thank God!" she whispered, eyeing the goodbye note she had left for Bob. "I beat him home!" Putting the suitcase on the floor, she looked all around the living room, wondering if the house would ever seem the same to her, after all she had been through.
She had started for the kitchen to make a fresh pot of coffee, when the phone began to ring. Susie? Calvin? Ken Henry? Whoever it was, she wasn't interested in talking to them. Another ring. "Oh Hell!"
"Hello!"
"Hi, honey, what's the matter?"
"Bob? Bob, is it really you?"
"Of course it's me, honey. Who did you think it was?" He had never called her before while on a mission and the sound of his voice had really caught her by surprise. When it finally dawned on her who, indeed, it was, she couldn't control her excitement.
"Oh Bob! Where are you, darling? Are you coming home soon?"
"Yeah, honey, that's why I called. I'll be in this evening and there's a million things I want to tell you. But mainly I just wanted to hear your voice and to tell you that I love you madly."
She couldn't control the tears that came. "Oh darling, I love you so."
"So we're deeply in love. Is that anything to cry about? Listen, Honey! You put on a fabulous dinner, with candlelight and the works and I'll see you at seven. Gotta run, baby. Bye."
"Bob!" It was too late. She heard the click of his receiver and gently laid hers back down. That's alright, she thought. Better that I tell him everything face to face.
She spent the remainder of the afternoon preparing the feast of feasts. She had run to the store and picked up all the things Bob loved, then stopped at the liquor store for a bottle of their favorite wine. It was six o'clock now and everything was ready, but Judy herself. Taking a last look at the table she turned and hurried into the bathroom for a hot shower.
Judy took great care in dressing herself. She chose Bob's favorite dress, perfume and lipstick, wore her hair back the way he liked it and carefully applied her eye make-up. Everything was set
Back into lie living room where she picked out his favorite records and stacked them on the stereo. Then into the dining room to pour the wine and light the candles. Everything had a totally romantic atmosphere about it.
She heard the base taxi pull into the driveway and watched the beam of the headlights flash on the wall, immediately taking her back to the evening it had all started, with a stupid argument.
The doorbell startled her back to the present. She ran over and opened the door. There stood Bob, in a handsome civilian suit.
"This is for the lady I love." He handed her the soft red rose he had hidden behind his back. Judy threw her arms around his neck and cried like she had never cried before.
"Bob, oh Bob. I've missed you so."
"I've missed you too, honey. Say, aren't you going to ask me about my uniform?"
She stepped back, wiping her eyes. "Well yes, dear, I was wondering why..."
"Thought you'd never ask, lady. This is my new uniform, after the first of the month, anyway. I've resigned my commission, Judy. We're going back to Ohio. I've even lined up a great position there. If you'll let me in, I'll tell you all about it."
Judy was so excited with the news she couldn't think right. "Come in, silly." She backed up, holding the rose to her cheek.
Bob took a look around the house. "It's nice, but we'll do better in Ohio."
"Bob! I have something to tell you, Bob. Please sit down a minute." He could see the seriousness in her eyes, sat on the edge of the sofa and looked up at her.
"Darling, when you left, I was hurt, angry, and terribly lonely. Things started happening and..." Bob had jumped to his feet and was covering her mouth with his hand. Then he replaced it with his mouth. It was a kiss she had never known he could give; passionate, yet soft and tender. His lips were warmer than they had ever been. When their mouths parted he whispered in her ear.
"Don't say another word, honey. Whatever mistakes you have made since I left, they're nothing compared to mine. But they say that people learn from their mistakes. I have. I've learned that you're the only woman I could ever love, and that my commission was only keeping me from you. I've changed in every way, Judy, and things are going to be different from now on. If you've learned the same things and can honestly say you love me, than what we did doesn't make any difference. It's not worth bringing up."
"I love you, Bob," she cried.
"That's all I need to hear, Judy." He gently lifted her chin in his hand. "Can dinner wait a little while?" Judy nodded, as he bent down, lifted her in his arms and walked to the bedroom door.