A week later


“I received orders,” Mo sat atop Lisa’s desk, her voice cracked. “I leave for Alaska in three weeks.” Her eyes read frantically over the papers in her hand. “I don’t understand. Why are they sending me away so soon?”


Lisa took the papers from her. “Save it. The colonel is breaking up the team. We all came in together and for continuity purposes, she wants us to leave together. Our replacements arrive tomorrow.”


Mo’s eyes began to well. “So this is it? This is how it ends?”


“Yeah,” Lisa forced a smile. “Stacy’s going to Scott AFB, IL when she returns for maternity leave. Tony and I are going to Hanscom, MA. John’s going to Guam and Charlie is headed Mildenhall.”


“I can’t deal with it,” Mo brushed a tear from her cheek. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do without you guys.”


“You’ll get by one horrible day at a time.”


Mo sighed heavily and looked out into the sea of Servicemen and civilians busy with work, Lisa’s eyes followed hers. “I’ll never experience anything like this again.”


“None of us will.”


Tess hurried into the office, placed her laptop on her desk and joined Mo and Lisa. “Hey! Why the long faces?” She asked, twisting her ginger hair into a bun.


“The colonel’s breaking up the team. We’re all PCSing in three weeks.”


“Good!” Tess took a seat. “Just in time, I’m going to Hickam AFB.”


“Hawaii?!” Lisa frowned. “How’d you swing that assignment?”


“Frank got me in. I was gonna tell everyone tonight over dinner.”


“You little devil,” Mo said. “You’ve learned the game and played it well. Congrats!”


“Thanks,” she spied Jeanette walking in with a tall handsome gentleman in tow. “Who’re they?”


Lisa’s stomach flipped. “Shit! That’s Master Sergeant Russell, John’s replacement.” She hastily cleared her desk. “He wasn’t supposed to arrive until tomorrow. The Major’s gonna have a fit.”


“Why?” asked Tess.


“We don’t have anywhere to put him, no desk available until the communications guys finish the wiring. It can’t be done until after hours.” Mo replied.


After awkward introductions and small talk, Lisa invited him to dinner. Shameless as she was, Tess didn’t bother hiding her attraction. Then again it wasn’t everyday that a Hugh Jackman look alike strolled in the office oozing charm. Try as he may to show each of the ladies equal attention, his attention was soon pulled back to Tess. Mo tried to distract him with questions about his past: He was originally from Scotland and came to the U.S. to attend university and joined the AF shortly after. His last duty station was Korea. He was single and hoped the ladies would soon remedy that problem.


Tess swooned. He was in her crosshairs and she was in his.





It was to be their last dinner together. The house was noisy as ever with kids running to and fro. For three years they’d shared at least one meal a week. Their children bonded to one another…everyone was “Auntie” or “Uncle” and they were cousins. In some small way they’d created their own family microcosm. They’d seen each other through long hours, birth, death…the loss of parents and children; marriage and divorces; graduations and personal growth; the ups and downs of day-to-day life. They’d supported one another not with meaningless words but with actions—they were there, present, whenever needed. They’d hurt and healed together because none was stronger than the sum of all parts. Each individual brought something special to their family. And each would take something away.



Yes, they’d gather together in nine months for Charlie and Paula’s wedding, however it wouldn’t be the same as seeing each other everyday. This would be felt deepest by Sarah—she was losing the only real mother she’d known. She wouldn’t be pacified until they agreed to her spending her summers with Paula. Surprisingly enough this worked out for everyone—John would be in school and Paula could use the company. Leave it to Sarah to come up with a mutually beneficial solution.



The departure of Stephanie and Ryan began a tearful domino effect in the group. Within days Lisa and Tony would be gone followed by John and Sarah. Mo and Tess took personal leave and went to help Stacy get settled into her new duty station in Illinois before Mo was off to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska and Tess to Hawaii. Gio left the service and he and Cathy returned to his hometown in Minnesota.


Charlie and Paula were the last to leave. And watching the distant behavior between each of their replacements only solidified Paula’s belief that what they’d shared was indeed precious and rare. Her last day in the office, she gave MSgt Russell a bit of advice: Take care of one another.






                                                              THE END









Where Are They Now:

Cathy and Gio live in Minnesota on a huge horse ranch with their six sons.

Stephanie and Ryan live in England with their three children. Ryan is still in uniform.

Mo is still in uniform and lives in New Mexico with her husband and son.

John is still in uniform and he and Sarah live in Florida. Sarah graduated school earlier and is now completing her undergrad studies. She spent every summer thereafter with Paula. John remains single.

Lisa and Tony both left the service and live in Florida with their two children. The consulting firm Tony and Charlie were building is now based in Vancouver and has gone global—their clientele list reads like Forbes.

Tess lives in New Mexico, not too far away from Mo, with her husband. She married MSgt (now Chief) Russell and they have two sons. She oversees all DoD contracts for Tony and Charlie’s firm.

Stacy is still in uniform and married. Her husband is raising (with the help of Shawn’s nieces) the twins and their son in Michigan while Stacy completes her final year in Iraq. Captain Canfield and Stacy keep in regular contact.

As promised, Charlie left the service after his last enlistment. He and Paula married in a lavish ceremony and now live between Vancouver, Florida and West Virginia with their four children—three sons and a much pampered little girl. Along with Lisa, Paula oversees new development for their husband’s company. Charlie is a devote Christian (through not an evangelical nut case) and has never touched another drop of alcohol.

Sadly, Shawn’s father passed away within a year of his son but he spent his last days with his granddaughters…spoiling them rotten! Shawn is never too far from their thoughts…it has become a tradition within their circle to name one son in his honor. As you can imagine it’s very confusing—too many Shawn and Sean’s.


Once a year everyone gathers together in Gatlinburg Tennessee for a week long reunion. Loud, kids running around, cooking up a storm and laughing…something’s never change.