by Lea
~Chapter 3~
The knock on Jax's door came way too early in the morning for his piece of
mind. I'm getting to old for this shit, he moaned to himself as he stumbled
to the door. The banging continued unabated until Jax reached the door.
"This had better be good!" Jax hollered as he opened the door.
Standing in front of him was Rebel, all decked out in fatigues and ready
for work. "I'm here to take you to breakfast, you big lug. I'll wait in the
lobby. Can you be ready in 10?"
"Yes I can. And what time is it anyway?"
Rebel laughed as he checked out Jax standing in the doorway wearing boxers
and a black sports watch. "It's 0700. I have to be on the flight line in
an hour, so snap to it!" He was still laughing as he walked away.
Jax groaned as he dug through his duffel bag in search of his shaving kit.
Locating it, he grabbed a towel and headed to the showers.
Nine minutes later, Jax was standing in the lobby waiting for Rebel to get
off the phone. Jax was again dressed in "civvies" for the day. He would be
back in dress blues soon enough. He had on a blue t-shirt and jean shorts
with sneakers. His hat and sunglasses were still in Rebel's mini-van, so
he hoped to retrieve them soon.
"You get beeped again by the little lady?" Jax almost said something smart
but stopped himself when he remembered Linda last night.
"Yes. Kelly is due any day now and having a lot of false labor. You'd think
since this is our third child, she'd be used to this by now, wouldn't you?
WRONG! It gets worse with each one. For some reason, the "pain the you forget"
comes back in full force when you have to do it again."
"Rebel, why didn't you tell me any of this yesterday? You don't need to be
out drinking with the hounds when your wife is about to have your baby!"
Where did that come from, Jax wondered. Linda was the answer to that
question.
"She's fine with it. She knows she can trust me. Now, let's go. I'm
hungry!"
Jax followed Rebel out to the mini-van. He put on his hat and glasses before
he got in and buckled up. Rebel drove the short distance to the Officer's
Club. This time when he got out of the van, Jax folded his hat, sticking
it in his back pocket as best as possible. He pushed his sunglasses up on
his head.
Rebel led the way to the hostess stand and watched as she openly admired
Jax. She stood motionless, staring with her mouth slightly open, until Jax
coughed purposefully. She hastily grabbed the menus and seated the gentlemen
near the entrance so she could continue to gawk.
"You did it again, Phoenix! Maybe I need to rethink Kelly's invitation for
tonight."
"And what invitation would that be?"
"Kelly would like you to join us for dinner this evening, around 1800 hours
if you don't have plans."
"Oh I couldn't. I don't want to put Kelly to any additional trouble in her
condition."
"It's no trouble, Phoenix. Kelly's cooking regardless. Please say you'll
join us. This may be the last chance for a while. This baby is going to be
here soon, at least Kelly hopes it'll be soon!"
"As long as you're sure…"
"I am. If I thought this would be a problem for Kelly, I'd have nixed her idea immediately. She really wants to meet you. I'm just not sure if I should let you near my wife though, given the effect you have on women." Rebel nodded his head towards the hostess. She had her elbows propped on the counter with her chin in her hands, starring dreamily at Jax.
"Rebel, your wife is safe with me. I would never go after another man's wife."
What Jax left unsaid was that he was not in a position right now to go after
any woman, even single ones. Women were definitely off limits for the time
being. "So just shut up and eat before you're late!"
Rebel dropped Jax back off at the BOQ before he headed over to the flight
line. He was checking out the enemy aircraft with the avionics maintenance
crew before Jax and a couple of other pilots took them up on test runs starting
tomorrow. Also, Jax's plane would be coming in today on a C-5A Galaxy cargo
plane since Jax had opted to drive cross-country. Rebel wanted to have it
checked out for Jax.
Jax went up to his room in the BOQ to find his trunk sitting in front of
his door. It was the standard military issue trunk with his name stenciled
across the top: Jasper "Phoenix" Jacks. He spent the rest of the morning
unpacking his trunk and duffel bags.
Once he had completed the task, he stood in the middle of the room, scrutinizing his life. Any number of people, his father and brother included, thought he was crazy to give up a life of luxury, wealth, and ease for this. He lived a nomadic life where everything he owned fit in two duffel bags and a trunk. A life where one room looked like any other, where he dressed like everyone else.
Jax still stood out in the crowd, however, he had made sure of that. His
reputation, for flying and with women, preceded him wherever he went. Sure,
any number of people thought he was more than crazy, he was insane. But,
it was the life he wanted. He was living his dream. Who could ask for anything
more? Jax just wished his father and brother could understand. He did not
need their approval, just their understanding. It would make things so much
easier in the long run.
Jax decided to go into Las Vegas for a couple of hours to check out the new
scenery. He decided he would grab some lunch and take in the sights. He took
the T-top off of the Corvette before he headed to town. He was quite a sight
to behold in his black sports car with his obligatory hat and sunglasses.
Heads turned whenever he was stopped at a light. He decided to avoid the
tourist traps, instead choosing a little mom and pop diner far removed from
the strip for lunch. He was amazed at the changes in Las Vegas in the previous
three years. It was really turning in to a family vacation spot.
After lunch, Jax returned to his room to read some of the materials Rebel
had given him. He wanted to go in prepared tomorrow. It was an honor to be
invited to teach and Jax wanted to be as good at teaching as he was at flying.
Before Jax knew it, it was 1730. He hurried to shower and change before heading
over to Rebel's house. He put on a pair of nice jeans and a green striped
polo shirt before slipping his feet in to a pair of well-worn loafers. He
left his hat and sunglasses in the room. Although he felt naked without them,
it seemed rude to wear them tonight. Jax stopped at the BX florist on his
way over to pick up a bouquet of flowers for Kelly Hancock.
Rebel lived in base housing so the drive there took minutes. Jax was surprised
when he didn't see the mini-van in the carport. He almost thought he had
the wrong house until he saw "Maj. R. Hancock" on the sign by the door. Jax
just loved the way the military let everyone know where you lived! Heck,
who was he kidding, the sign would probably be next to his door by the time
he was off duty tomorrow!
Jax parked the car in front of the house so Rebel could park when he got
home. He walked across the well-manicured lawn and knocked on the front
door.
An attractive very pregnant young woman answered the door. It was obvious
she had been crying. "You must be Phoenix." Kelly pushed the screen door
open.
"And you must be Kelly. These are for you." Jax handed her the flowers as
he stepped inside. "I'm surprised Rebel isn't home yet. Is everything OK?"
Kelly sat down on the nearby chair and began crying in earnest. Great, Jax
thought. What did I say?
Kelly managed to pull herself back together. She wiped her eyes with her
sleeve and ran her fingers through her brunette tresses. "I'm sorry, Phoenix.
It's just that Rebel got put on alert about an hour ago. He was on the flight
line when the order came in so he got drafted."
Alert was an interesting phenomenon. For purposes of an alert, flying personnel
(any body who was essential to the aircraft and its mission in the air) were
divided in groups. When your group was put on alert, you stayed in a house
on the flight line, ready to go at a moment's notice until the alert was
cancelled. An alert lasted for an indeterminate amount of time.
Jax felt sorry for Rebel's wife. Here she was, ready to deliver at any minute,
and her husband was unavailable for her. "Let's just cancel dinner tonight,
Kelly. You don't need this." Jax began to back out of the foyer towards the
door.
"You're wrong there, Phoenix. I need the distraction, desperately! My next
door neighbor took the girls because I was so upset. If I were left alone
right now, I think I'd go crazy! Please stay." Kelly took his hands in hers
as she spoke with him.
"I have a better idea. See if your neighbor will keep the girls a little
longer. I think you need a night on the town!" Jax could see the turmoil
in Kelly's eyes. It tugged at his heartstrings.
"Jax! I couldn't! I'm not fit to be seen in public, let alone with a gorgeous
man! Look at me, I'm a wreck!"
"Wrong! You're a vision of loveliness. Besides, you go out with Rebel, don't
you?" Kelly nodded hesitantly. "Then you've already been out with a gorgeous
man and I'll be offended if you don't go out with me!"
"How can I refuse? Can I fix my face please?"
Jax gladly agreed to give her time to freshen up while he went over to the
neighbor's house to let her know of the plans. Jax noticed a boy and two
girls playing in the front yard as he walked over. He assumed they were Kelly's
girls. He was amazed at how young they were and now she was having another!
Jax couldn't fathom having one child, let alone three. He did not even have
the time right now to date, let alone settle down.
By the time Jax got back to Kelly's, she was standing on the front porch
waiting. He could tell that she had put on makeup, but for the life of him
he could not understand why. She was pretty either way. Rebel was a lucky
man.
Jax and Kelly went to the Hard Rock Café for dinner. While they agreed
it was a place to be avoided for the most part because of all the tourists,
tonight was definitely a night when the distraction was needed. Jax listened
as Kelly told stories of how she and Rebel met, the bases they had been stationed
at, and about the girls.
"I'm sorry, Phoenix. I must be boring you to tears! Why have you let me babble
on like this?"
"Because I enjoy listening to you talk." Which was true, he realized. Normally
all this "family talk" annoyed him so much he wanted to crawl out of his
skin. But, Kelly was a charming companion.
"You are just too sweet. Why are you still sing-" Kelly grabbed her
stomach.
"What's wrong? Are you OK?" Jax was more than a little nervous. He could
tell by the look on Kelly's face that something had just happened.
"Umm, I don't know how to tell you this, but, my water just broke."
Jax looked at Kelly's intact water glass on the table before the facts hit
him smack in the face. He walked around the table to assist Kelly to her
feet. He threw enough money on the table to cover the bill before helping
Kelly to the car.
"Are we going to the hospital on base?" Jax was amazed at his trepidation.
He fought life and death battles in the air and thrilled to the challenge.
Why was a pregnant woman in labor making his knees knock?
"Yes. That's where I'm supposed to go. Jax?"
He looked over at Kelly and knew what she was going to say before the words
even came out of her mouth. He prayed she would change her mind before she
asked.
"Jax, I need you to be my coach since Rebel's on alert."