Two Days Of A Dream (9 page)

"Well, before this all started I was at home, in Lincoln, Nebraska, alone, on a Friday night, thinking about how I don't have a number three."

"Nope." She looked around her tent. "I don't need a boyfriend, and after living with five hundred other soldiers for six months, some alone time would be nice."

Kelly understood her feelings but ... "After living alone for eight years, alone time isn't appealing to me." Kelly fingered the gown that she had almost forgotten in her arms. "Last night I decided to be spontaneous."

"You look pretty pampered, so I guess that's saying something, huh?" Coleman leaned over and rubbed the material between her fingers. "So you think you're dreaming?"

"Sure. There's lots of stress, but when a campaign comes together and the bottom line is big, you just want to do the victory dance."

"Why do
you
have to look dignified?" Coleman looked Kelly over again and snorted.

Blood rushed to her face. She wished she wasn’t in the oversized sweats with messy hair and no make-up. The thought stopped Kelly cold. She didn't have any make-up on. She shook herself and blinked a couple of times.
Who cares?
This is a dream
. She dragged herself back to the question.

"First, my position requires it; second, I'm a woman in a man's career. Everything I do is scrutinized more because I'm a woman."

"Yeah most of the time ... well, half the time ... maybe." Now that she thought about it, Kelly wasn't sure how much she did enjoy it. Sure, it had its moments, but did it bring her joy?

"I don't see how you can like it at all if you can't do the victory dance."

Coleman was right. Kelly had never done the victory dance, and there were many times she had deserved to. "For a dream, I sure have a lot to think about."

Coleman shook her head. "I could be getting my stuff done, but instead I'm sitting here listening to BS and babysitting a crazy person."

"Like I said, no BS, just dreaming." Kelly leaned back and looked around. "So, what were you planning on doing before I came along?"

"First I was going to do laundry, but I'm stuck here with you."

"If I had shoes, I could go with you and help." Kelly looked at her foot where it still stung. She didn’t want to look eager.

Coleman sat up and eyed Kelly. "You would help me?"

Kelly shrugged. "Sure, it’s better than sitting around watching the wind blow." Plus, making brownie points with her guard couldn't hurt, either.

Coleman cocked an eyebrow. "Yeah, right." She found the flip-flops inside her footlocker. "Here." She tossed them at Kelly before grabbing a drawstring bag.

Kelly slipped on the flip-flops then laid her gown gently on the cot before joining Coleman at the front of the tent. She limped slightly, and could feel the spot where the burr had embedded itself in her heel . It was going to be sore for a while.

Coleman stepped out of the tent with Kelly on her tail but turned immediately to face her with her finger almost touching Kelly's chest. "You try to run away, and I will chase your ass down and beat you to a bloody pulp."

Kelly had no doubt in her mind that Coleman would do exactly what she said. She raised her hands. "I wouldn't know where to run even if I wanted to." It dawned on Kelly that she had no idea where she was. Iraq was as foreign to her as Mars. She didn't even know which direction she was pointed.

Satisfied, Coleman hefted her bag over her shoulder and took Kelly's upper arm to make sure she didn't try anything. In other circumstances, Kelly would have been insulted but having this connection with Coleman actually was comforting. She didn't tell Coleman that, because she doubted Coleman would have appreciated her candor, and she was too embarrassed to admit it. And to think all these years she had thought she was so tough.

Chapter Fourteen

With his eyes closed Duran reached for the satin, but it had disappeared. He felt all around him on the cot. It had just been there, in his arms. He couldn't find it anywhere. Captain Richards breyed next door and Duran jerked to sitting, eyes wide. It was still light outside and he scrubbed his face with his palms. His head was so foggy. He needed more sleep. Flopping back, his eyes closed, but his mind wouldn't shut down.

"Sleep," he chanted quietly to himself. "Sleep."

The image of his king-sized bed bloomed behind his eyelids. Ah, now there was a comfortable bed! It was firm with a three-inch pillow top that could cushion any sore spot he had and plenty of room to stretch out and get comfortable even with two. He could just see himself with his arms wrapped tightly around her, cuddled up tight with his wife's blonde head tucked under his chin.

His wife was a brunette with dark brown eyes. What was he thinking?
Man I really am sleep deprived,
he breathed. "Sleep," he demanded

Crumpling onto his pillow, he sighed. "Sleep."

Relax, think of nothing
. "Sleep," he whispered to himself.

Nothing.

Sleep.

Chapter Fifteen

The two women traveled past more tents than Kelly had ever seen in her life. With each turn she became more lost. She would never be able to find her way back.

Coming to an open area with large tanks labeled ’water,’ Coleman let go of her. "Here, hold this while I get some tubs." She tossed Kelly her bag.

Barely catching the smelly thing, Kelly held it away from her and looked around, wondering why they had stopped here. Coleman walked over to a stack of tubs and pulled two off the top and came back, placing one on a makeshift table. The other she took to a tank and filled. Careful not to slosh, she returned and placed it next to the empty one.

Coleman laughed at Kelly's incredulous expression as she pulled out a small jug of laundry soap. "If the explosions didn't clue you in, let me. We are in a war zone, lady. We do everything the hard way here." She poured a small amount of soap in the tub with water. Pulling out her camo clothes, she sorted them on the table.

"Here, start with my uniform tops while I fill the other tub." She shoved the pile at Kelly.

"And do what?" Kelly, with her mouth open, looked at the other woman.

Coleman took the heavy camo material from Kelly and tossed them in the tub. "Swish them around in the water to get the dirt out."

Kelly shoved her sleeves back and put her hands in the comparatively cool water. It was kind of nice, as hot as it was outside. She moved the shirts around but couldn't see how they could get clean like that. She pulled one out and shoved it back in like she had seen done in the old movies. All she accomplished was slopping soapy water down her front.

"So where'd you get such pretty slave labor?" He wasn't giving up. His smile fluttered Kelly's stomach, and on a second thought Kelly figured maybe he wasn't
too
bad.

"Well, then I guess I'll have to introduce myself." He turned his big smile on Kelly and tipped his camo cap. "I'm Private Parker, Daniel Parker. My friends call me Danny."