Chapter 168: Morning
*Ninth General Order of the Navy - To call the petty officer of the watch in any case not covered by instructions*
Dean and Reese got back to the hotel later than they had planned. But after everything had settled down and Dean thought about it, she really wanted to find the old biddy who called the cops.
“I mean, seriously? What. The. Hell?” Dean asked as they sat in a private dining room at an excusive restaurant. “Does she call the cops on single dads with teenage daughters?”
“I want to know what the hell they told her.” Neo grumbled. “Thanks for calling, but please don’t do it again.”
“Like, ever.” Cheryl added and they all gave a small laugh.
They laughed and enjoyed the meal and for the first time all day, Dean smiled and laughed and enjoyed herself. After they got back to the hotel, Gigi went and hung out with Dean for a little bit and offered to come do her hair in the morning.
And morning seemed to come earlier than expected. At five thirty, Gigi entered the suite as Dean was getting out of the shower.
“Usually when I’m up this early it’s either for a swim meet or painting.”
“Usually if I’m up this early, it’s either for babies or I haven’t been to bed yet.” She stopped there she stood and grinned as she thought about something. “Or I’ve been to bed, but not to sleep.”
Dean couldn’t help the laughter as the other woman sat her down in the chair to do her hair and makeup. “Or you’ve had to listen to my uncle and Helen.”
“Only when they’re in one of the offices. The bedroom and the-“
She froze with her eyes wide, a brush in one hand and hairdryer in the other.
“We all know about the playroom.” Dean laughed.
“Well, I’m glad that you knew.” Gigi went back to blow drying the light brown tresses. “I thought it was a safe room and asked for the combination.” She shook her head. “Your uncle is a mean bastard.”
“Didn’t think you liked men.” Dean grinned.
Gigi scoffed. “He opened the playroom and then asked if I still needed the code.”
Dean busted out laughing, doubling over, holding her stomach. “Please,” she gasped, “please tell me that you said yes.”
“Kind of felt like I had to.” Gigi admitted as she guided Dean to sit back up. “Tell me why the hell we’re up this early doing your hair.”
“We have to leave the hotel no later than seven.”
“Is this your uncle being all over achiever again?”
“No, gates open at seven, we have to be on the base or whatever it’s called by eight. Have to be in our seats by eight forty-five and it begins precisely at nine. The Navy waits for no one.”
“Is that the dress you’re wearing?” she motioned to the dress hanging on the closet door.
It was a fitted, knee length black dress with bright blue pearl buttons and trim at the hem. The outfit also had a lightweight cardigan in the same blue and a thick peacoat in matching black.
“Yeah.” She couldn’t help the smile that crossed her face and the soft sigh that escaped her. “He was with me when I got the shoes, and he loves them. I wore them to his awards ceremonies, graduation and a few dates.”
Gigi walked over to look at the high heeled shoes. “Damn. I’m having some fantasies about these shoes.” She looked over at the younger woman. “Not like that. Okay, ... now I am.”
Shaking her head, she walked back over to the chair that Dean was sitting in. “Damn, the things going through my head right now. And I don’t even like penises. But damn.”
Dean rolled her eyes as she smiled at her friend. “Just imagine if you did.”
“Nah.” Gigi grinned. “I got some other ideas. And they include those shoes behind the head of a certain female firefighter.”
Dean turned bright red, and Gigi laughed.
“You have a little experience with that?” she asked as she began to roll the hair on her heated curlers.
“Yes.” Dean admitted quietly. “The day he left, he…”
“Uh-huh. And?”
The smile that was on her face got bigger and brighter.
“Yups. He make you see stars?”
“I think the whole damned world exploded.”
“He’s a keeper. And not just because he can make the world explode.” Gigi said as she placed the last curler. “I’ve seen that ring of yours. And the flowers that you got on your first day of school. But it’s more than the gifts.”
She started to apply makeup as she spoke.
“Your whole face lights up when you talk about him. When he calls, even though it’s only for a few minutes, your demeanor changes.”
“He was my anchor for me after my mom died.” Dean admitted. “If he hadn’t been there…” she sighed and looked up at the older woman. “I don’t think I would have made it through if he hadn’t been there.”
“I don’t know what I would do if I lost my mom.”
“I lost myself for a while. And there he was, calm and strong. Never demanding that I do anything except grieve. And when I…”
After a brief pause, Gigi gently tipped Dean’s face up a little. “What did you do?”
“I practically threw myself at him.”
With a small laugh, she resumed her task at hand. “And what did he do?”
“Covered me up and told me that I would regret giving up my virginity while I was emotional.”
“He was right. Look up.” Gigi applied mascara before asking her next question. “What did you do?”
“Told him I hated him and never wanted to see him again.”
“Obviously, you don’t feel that way anymore.”
“I don’t think I felt like that then either. I just… I … hell, I don’t know.”
“I do.” After a light dusting of powder, she moved to taking out the cooled curlers. “You had all those emotions trapped inside and you needed a release. A way to expel all the energy and emotions.”
“That makes sense.”
“My dad will be glad to know that all the money he spent on college is not being completely wasted.”
“He doesn’t really think that does he?”
“No.” Gigi laughed. “He wouldn’t care if I ever did anything with my degree. The only request he has for any of us it to be happy.”
“All parents say that.”
“By the time dad retired from playing, he hated the game. Since he was little and showed talent, his parents pushed him to play. The first few years when he was pro, they practically stole everything from him. He had paperwork ready to file to block them from his accounts and evict them from his house when they crashed and were both killed.”
“I don’t remember them. Mom said that they were horrible people and dad never talks about them.”
“I thought he was a coach.”
“He is and he likes the game again. But he never put any pressure on any of us kids. Close your eyes.” She sprayed Deans’ hair with hairspray that said it was preferred by four out of five on location weather reporters. After placing a few bobby pins, she sprayed it again.
“You, go get dressed, I gotta go feed some babies.”
At six forty-five, or slightly after, Dean knocked on the door across from hers. Ty opened the door as he held his daughter who was looking all around with wide curious eyes and a happy grin.
“Hey, little bit.” Dean gave a light kiss to Ariel and little hands grabbed for her perfectly styled curls.
“Oh no you don’t. Your aunt Dean has to look awesome for her man.” Ty admonished with a sweet singsong voice.
“And she looks wonderful.” Helen said holding out her arms and Dean rushed into them.
Helen wore her burgundy wrap dress that was Reese’s favorite. No one was sure if it was because it was the dress that she wore on their first date. Or if it was for a reason that no one wanted to voice.
Jaxon wore a pair of khaki slacks with a dark blue polo. His long hair was meticulously braided, and Dean assumed it was done by Bunny. He had trimmed up his beard that he had recently started to grow.
Jolene sat on the couch with a sleeping Jaina in her lap. The older sister wore a fitted gray skirt suit that had black accents and gold buttons. As always, her necklace graced her neck with her little spider hanging out on his fine chain web. Her hair was cut into a bob and had a blue under color hiding under her light brown hair.
“Are you guys ready?” Childs asked from where he sat in the corner in his IGYS uniform.
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