Fickle Fate

Fate has a funny way of showing you what you want at the damnedest times. I was standing there with my buddies while watching some highlight reel for the last night's game when the most attractive woman I've ever seen walked into the bar. She was about 5'5 with shoulder length brown hair. It had a little bit of curl to it causing it to ride around her ears and when she swept her sunglasses up and used them as a head band, her eyes got me. They were grey-green and intense. They locked onto Mario and I figured this was his date. He'd been talking about the girl for the last three months. Honestly, the rest of us figured she was a dream but here she was. Of course, him talking about the girl had kept those of us in the unit mostly sane while sitting out in a sandbox thousands of miles from home. My own luck had been a box of cookies and a letter telling me I was going to need another place to live when we got back. The unit took care of me though and got me into housing. My sister did one better and picked up my dog. I heard from my brother-in-law she slapped that bitch silly, too. Did I mention I love my little sister? I do. I really do. Anyway, the brunette walked over to Mario and slapped her hands on his tunic shirt before dragging him down for a kiss. He slipped one arm around her and held his beer out of the way with the other. When they came up for air, he introduced us by our last names. He just called me Irish. My last name is Gairden. I'm actually of Scots descent. I just saluted her with a couple fingers and went back to watching the highlights.

I was only out with the boys tonight as their driver. I stopped drinking about the same time my sister got married. I was also the most senior non-com. It made sense for me to be designated driver. I had no idea how much fun it was not going to be. They got hammered and about the second time I had to stop one of my buddies from rearranging the furniture of the bar, I decided we needed to go. I got the girl, Diana, to help me load my very intoxicated friends into the Hummer and we headed for the base. The security staff took one look at the contents of my vehicle and waved us through. I dropped everyone back at Mario's place and went off to the barracks. That night I saw Diana's eyes when I tried to sleep. I couldn't take care of matters with my own hands so to speak since my roommate was a light sleeper. I needed an apartment and decided that I'd deal with that as soon as I woke up.

The next morning my apartment hunting got waylaid when Mario called to ask me to take Diana back to town. I have no foggy idea why I agreed to this since she'd haunted a series of seriously pornographic dreams all night long. I picked her up about twenty minutes after the call. She noticed the ads on the seat when she climbed into my vehicle. She shot me a look, "I can help you with finding a place. I work in a realty office."

"Really?" I shot her a quick glance as I took us through the main gate. Nodding at the detail on the gate.

"Yeah. It's my mom's agency but I could ask. I'm getting my license which is why I need to be in town for class this afternoon. I took a cab to the bar last night since I figured I'd end up back at Mario's." She seemed a little down about that last comment.

"No romance last night?" I wondered and could've kicked myself when I realized I had actually said that out loud.

She laughed. "No. He passed the fuck out." She shot me a look. "Sorry. You don't need to know what your boss did last night."

I stopped at the red light to the on-ramp for the freeway. She had no idea. "Actually, I'm kind of his boss."

"Mario said he was the top." She looked at me.

"He is the top. How much do you understand about the rank structure?" I checked traffic and merged onto the freeway. We were headed into the city center now.

She said, "Not much. I mean, I know a sergeant is lower than a lieutenant and a specialist is lower than a sergeant."

"Well, I am kind of just under lieutenant and a little bit higher than sergeant. Top is a nickname for his position in the unit." I kept both hands on the wheel. I started to get a little freaked out in traffic. Where we'd been could do that but the therapists had figured this would be tricky and I was going through all the exercises in my head. She was actually helping me in a strange way.

"Oh, I guess I see. So what do you do?"

I ran down some of my duties but I didn't give her all the details. When you are the sergeant major in a combat unit, there's a lot of things to do. I'd gone in at 17 with a letter of permission from my parents. Well, it was either get me into the service or try to keep me from killing the guys who'd hurt my sister while they waited for trial. Boot camp and the rest of the training had kept me busy while the trial had taken care of the bad guys. I had also been in combat units since my first deployment. It hadn't been what I had planned but that's the way life goes. Combat promotions don't always stick but in my case they did. I think I mentioned Fate is a fickle bitch sometimes?

I pulled up in front of her apartment building and realized it was the same complex my sister lived in. I said as much when I eased the monster I was driving into the visitor parking. I said, "Since I'm here, I guess I should say hi." She thanked me for the ride and headed into the complex. I watched her walk away for as long as I could. She had an amazing set of cheeks.

I finally shook myself and wandered off to Claire's condo. She opened the door with not much on and I knew I was interrupting. "Sorry. I should've called first." I stepped back from the door and she laughed.

"We're going to the pool you idiot." She grabbed my arm and dragged me inside. Her husband took that moment to stroll in and laughed when he saw me looking at my sister's thong bikini she just had to show me.

He took pity on me and found me a pair of trunks and t-shirt to wear. I am not very overly enthusiastic about showing off my body. Scars do that to you sometimes. In my case they were physical and mental.

They finally got me down to the pool. I was still wearing my cap and sunglasses. Thankfully, I was wearing my sunglasses. I am sure they are the only reason I didn't get slapped for openly staring when I saw Diana in a thong like my sister's next to the same pool. If she couldn't see my eyes, she wouldn't know I wasn't blinking. Maybe I could get through this.

I spent the rest of the afternoon listening to Diana and Claire discuss Mario and his lack of, well, it seemed like everything but a big dick. I finally interrupted, "Look, I get it. He's a dick with a big dick." My sister sputtered and her husband Max nearly spewed beer everywhere. "You need to tell him what you want. We've heard nothing but how wonderful you are for the last three months. Talk to him and I mean sit his ass down and talk. But make sure the two of you are sober, okay?" Diana smiled at me then gave me huge hug.

"Thanks." She stood up and sauntered off. I watched her ass again. I was in so much trouble.

"Good job, Rio. I was trying to get her to start looking at you instead of that dipshit." Claire snapped.

"I don't need any chaos right now. I just need a place for me and the dog." I slid my lenses down and gave her a hard look. "I also don't think I need that girl. She's hot but I don't think she's got a clue about me." I shrugged. "I need to get my shit together before I even think about another relationship."

Max leaned over and clapped a hand on my shoulder. "I get it. Why don't you talk to the lady who runs the complex. I know she just had a couple people move out and we know she allows dogs."

I nodded in response and decided I probably should get back to base. Max told me he would text me the number for the complex manager later.

I grabbed my fatigues from my sister's and headed back to visitor parking. I'd had a good afternoon with them and playing with my Staffordshire terrier mix. Bongo was never the sharpest knife in the drawer but he really did love me. All fifty pounds of that dog with his square head and broad shoulders always tried to snuggle into my chest. I missed that uncomplicated love.

I got two text messages that night. One from Max with the manager's name and number. The second was from Diana asking me if she should still look into finding me a place. I sent a message back to Max thanking him and a message to her saying, "Sure. Need a yard for my dog."

I still had a hard time with the dreams but at least the ones bothering me now were erotic and not about the three previous months. I was staring at myself in the mirror when my roommate walked in. She took one look at me and burst out laughing. "You need to get laid." This was after a week of seeing Mario's girlfriend after my duty hours while looking for a place.

"I know." I responded, tiredly.

She slapped me on the shoulder, made me throw on my cleanest uniform and when we were both dressed appropriately she hauled me off to Luscious. The city had a few really good bars and this one was one of the best. We had no trouble with the cover charge, the bouncer just waved us in.

It helped, I think, that we looked like a couple. She was so tiny and femme. I was just the opposite. I was built from working out and making sure I could handle the guys and their bullshit. She was in the admin section and I am not saying she wasn't muscular but she didn't work the weights like I did. We were just friends. She liked her girls just as girly as I did. Anyway, we had a great time until I lost her. I figured she found someone to play with and wished her luck. Sheila was always getting more than me. I realized I was not actually in the game and decided I should pull my head out of my ass and see if there was someone who would rock my world, for at least the night. I didn't find anyone I wanted to play with. I headed back to the barracks. I stopped and got a small bottle of Tahoe Blue Vodka. I'd tried it once in Reno on some R&R and liked it. I wasn't planning on getting drunk but I did want to sleep without the ever haunting brunette.

It didn't work. But I didn't have nightmares either. I had no idea if it was the vodka but the dreams weren't erotic they were downright platonic. We had been sitting on a deck watching a sunset while the dog sat under my hand. Weird dreams were becoming normal.

The next weekend, I went out on Friday night. Still found no one who I really wanted to play with but no more vodka while at the bar. Sheila found me at around one in the morning staring at the ceiling. She laughed, "Struck out again?" She started rifling through her locker for a spare set of clothes and her bag.

"Yeah." I sighed at the ceiling.

"Look, you gotta move on after the bitch." She tossed a boot at me. I caught it out of reflex.

"That's not what's bothering me." She turned around and stared at me.

"Oh, no, you are not doing this to yourself." She reached over and took my face in her hands. "No way, Rio. You are not going after a straight girl."

"I am not going after anyone, Sheila." I shrugged. "It's the dreams that are bugging me. I can handle the ones from overseas but the ones about living here are scaring the shit out of me."

She nodded philosophically. She looked door to the hall and then at me. "Get your ass up. I have an idea. You might not like it but you need to get your pipes cleaned." Then she proceeded to get me up and moving. A cab ride later and we were in Luscious again. This time I was pressed into having two shots of Stoli, back to back. Lubricant, Sheila called it. Then we were on the dance floor with a pair of beauties. Both of these girls were smoking hot. We had arrived just before last call.

We ended up back at some apartment in the city. Sheila in a room next to the one I was in screaming how much she loved whatever the girl was doing to her. I wasn't too concerned with Sheila since I had my head down between the legs of the blonde I was with. My tongue and fingers were stroking and teasing her unmercifully. She screamed as I sucked her clit into my mouth and then fluttered my tongue across it while my middle and ring finger searched out the soft, spongy spot at the front of her pussy. She slammed her thighs around my head in ecstasy and I couldn't hear Sheila anymore. When that same girl wrapped her lips around my nipple, grazed me with her teeth and strummed my own overheated sex, I guess I screamed too.

The next morning, I was lying under the blonde when my phone went off. She moaned a bit in her sleep as I eased my way to my pants. I found the phone and saw it was Diana. "Hello."

"Hey, I found a place for you. You have to see it. Can you come by and pick me up?" She was excited.

"Yeah." I looked over at the blonde. She was lying on her side watching me and playing with her nipples with her right hand.

"Okay, swing by at about one and I'll have the keys." She rattled on for few more minutes about how fantastic the place was and how I was going to love it while I watched the blonde start stroking her pussy with her other hand. I have no idea what I said about meeting Diana. I did remember to set my alarm and went back to the blonde.

At noon, I woke Sheila and told her she had the choice of grabbing a cab or riding out to see the house with me. She disengaged herself from the blonde she was tangled in and told me to let her shower. I let her shower then we wandered down to my Hummer. She stared at me from the passenger seat. "What?" I snapped.

"Feeling any better?" She snickered as she said it.

"Yeah. Kind of. At least I didn't have any dreams last night." I smiled at her.

We picked up Diana and she gave me directions from the back seat. I could see her glancing from me to Sheila and wondered what she was thinking. We found the house in one of the suburbs. We walked around it for a while but I knew I was going to buy it when I saw the large backyard with the dog run. It was perfect. I smiled at Diana, "Okay, who do I need to talk to?"

She smiled back, "Don't you need to talk to her about making a purchase like this?" She shot a glance at Sheila.

It hit me then what the look had been for. "Uh, no. She's a friend. And she's headed for Germany in about three months." Sheila looked from me to Diana. Trying not snicker, I'm sure.

"Oh, I thought you might be together. When you mentioned her name, I heard Mario say you were living together." Sheila, who had been trying to be good, lost it. She just absolutely lost it. She bent at the waist trying to catch her breath.

I stared at Sheila for a few moments before it hit me why the hell it was so funny. Diana had no clue. "Oh, we're just roommates. Nothing going on." I stammered.

"Oh. That's cool." Diana shot Sheila a look then decided it was business with me. "My mom has the papers at the office. She said she can see you on Monday after your shift."

I made the appointments and then looked around the house again. It was perfect; three bedrooms, two and a half bath, large kitchen, big garage and the dog run.

I spent the next month or so getting all the paperwork together for my new home. I had all the money for the down and escrow from my last deployment. Combat pay had some advantages. Not letting the girl I had been living with have access to my bank account had kept that money dormant and it was ready for me to use.

I decided on a housewarming barbeque. Claire, Max, Sheila and my buddies all descended on the house. I had been grilling for hours before everyone showed up. Bongo was having the time of his life in the dog run. He sat and begged and people wandered over and fed him tidbits through the fence. I manned the grill while Claire took care of being the hostess for me. Max and I shared a six-pack of Kaliber, a non-alcoholic beer. He wanted to be able to drive and I wasn't in the mood for being tipsy. Tipsy made me horny and that was not a good place to be with all my buddies girlfriends around. I knew I could seduce most of them and didn't need the drama.

The evening went well. Mario showed up with Diana and then proceeded to vanish. I didn't think much of it until I wandered past my kitchen and overheard her talking to my sister. "I don't know what his problem is, Claire. He was so happy to have me around when they first got back, now he is so distant."

"Maybe, he just needs time to adjust. Rio needed that." Claire seemed to be thinking about me.

"Maybe." Diana mused. I figured I should let them know I was in the hall.

"Yeah, maybe he needs time to adjust to being back. It was his first deployment." I mused aloud as I walked into the kitchen.

"I don't think that's it. He couldn't keep his hands off me. Now, he won't touch me." Diana sipped her margarita. "I think he's found someone else."

"What? Then he'd be stupid." I said and wished I'd kept my mouth shut.

Diana gave me an appraising look. "You think so?" Was all she said.

"Yeah. You're smart and sexy. He'd be an idiot." I said again. I gave her a once over and decided I had to get out of my kitchen before I got even more stupid than the man we were discussing. One did not chase straight girls and expect not to get broken hearted. Don't get me wrong, I have done some very hot curious girls, but I didn't go out of my way to attract them or have sex with them. I grabbed the appropriate storage containers and went out to put away the leftovers.

My sister and Diana stayed in the kitchen. I had no idea then that I became the topic of conversation. I'm not sure what I would've done if I had known they were talking about me. I probably would've put a stop to it. Then again, I still didn't know Diana did NOT know I wasn't a guy. My short hair and androgynous face got me laid by the curious girls who wanted the butch to show them without really having to do anything and I was okay with that. Scars, remember? If I didn't have to show them, I didn't have to explain them.

A few months later, Mario wandered into my office and stood at attention next to my desk. I looked up and saw he was staring at me. "Issues, Rodriguez?"

"No, sir." He still stood there. I gestured to the chair in front of my desk.

"I need to break up with Diana and want to know how to do it without being a dick." He finally grunted out.

"What're you asking me for?" I glared at him.

"Well, she's friends with your sister." He shrugged. "Besides, you're the one we come to for advice."

I scrubbed a hand over my face. Then I took a long look at him. "What's the problem with her?"

"Nothing. But, I put in for Korea and don't want her to have to wait for me." He looked at me. I knew he'd put in the transfer since I'd had to sign it.

"Okay. Then sit down and talk to her about it. She's a smart girl. She's already figured out you are putting distance between you. But, you need to break it off this time. No hanging on to her, Rodriguez. If you let her go, let her go." I made sure to look him in the eyes and he met mine. He nodded and headed out of my office.

Two weeks later, I was at my sister's when Diana knocked. I knew they had become closer friends since the barbeque. She was crying and Claire hauled her off to the bedroom for a heart to heart. Max and I decided we wanted nothing to do with the tear-fest happening in the other end of the condo. We headed out to their small patio and fired up his grill. We were talking over the steaks and veggies when the girls came back. Diana gave me a once over and then flopped down onto the couch. Claire started the blender and I knew it was going to be an interesting evening. Max and I exchanged a glance. I felt for my brother-in-law. We both knew what happened when Jose got involved with Claire. Max walked into the kitchen, poured the tequila into the blender for Claire and kissed her on the forehead. He looked at me and shrugged. I didn't blame him. He whispered in her ear and she hugged him. He was off to his office and I was stuck with the damn grill. He smiled apologetically and strolled out the front door. I looked up at the sky and wondered what I had done to deserve the next few hours.