Soldier Up by Unknown Page B

what can I do for you?”
                  “You can just call me Colonel or Alex either is fine.”
                  “Alex it is then, what can I do for you?”
                  “I have your husband here sitting in front of me and I just offered him a job with the 19 th and he said he needed to talk to you about it.  I would love to try to get this resolved today I have to head back to Los Angeles tonight.”
                  “John,” said Mel. “What’s going on?”
                  “Hi Mel, well as you just heard they offered me a job, it’s part-time meaning a weekend a month and two weeks each year.  But, I would have to get re-qualified in some things so that means I would be gone for a month to start with.”
                  “Oh, well is it something you want to do John and how will it affect you regular job?”
                  Major Clayton thought carefully before answering, “Yes Mel it’s something I want to do. As far as work goes I have the time I can take off, besides they don’t really have much of a choice they have to let you go for military stuff.  They don’t have to pay you while you’re gone but they can’t fire you for it.”
                  “Then do it.” Mel stated.
                  “But what about you and the kids?”
                  “Well I still have ten weeks off with pay and my mom is more than willing to help and we also have Lucida. So I don’t foresee any problems, when would you leave?”
                  Major Clayton looked at the Colonel, “Mrs. Clayton he would leave as soon as you can let him go and he can get it approved through work.”

Chapter Fifteen
     
    It had been a month and a half since she had seen John he had gone back to Fort Bragg North Carolina for training.  They had talked often while he was gone and skyped a lot.  Now she was at San Francisco International Airport to pick him up, it was just him and her, she left the kids are home with her mom.  She missed him terribly; they had never been apart really since the day they met over three years ago. 
                  Now she waited anxiously for him down near the security exit where all of passengers come out of.  The problem is she was looking for John in civilian clothes, not Major John Clayton US Army Special Forces. She wasn’t blind she did see a Solider in the mix of people coming down the corridor, but she couldn’t see John.  As the Soldier got close she noticed he was headed straight for her then she realized it was him.  She had never seen him in uniform and to be honest she had no idea what he would look like in uniform but there he was.  ‘Oh my God!’ she thought look at all those things on his uniform! ‘Wow and he’s mine too!’ she was grinning from ear to ear, ‘Just wow” she thought. ‘That is one beautiful Soldier!’ she couldn’t take her eyes off of him.
                  He smiled when he saw her, “Hey sweetheart, what’s shaking?”
                  She hugged him with all her strength and had tears streaming down her cheeks.  Everyone in the terminal area who could see what was happening started to applaud; it was a great home coming.  They walked over to the baggage claim area and waited patiently for his suit case and duffel bag.  Once they had he bags he donned his Green Beret which really made him standout and Mel was beaming with pride, he looked so awesome in the uniform.  People in the terminal did stare at him; quite a few stopped him and thanked him for his service.
                  The drive home was anything but quiet, she had so many questions about what he had done and everything on his uniform.  He explained all of the qualifications badges and what they meant that alone set her head spinning she couldn’t fathom how hard some of those courses must have been.