71 year old John Dodge, retired military, now sits in a nursing home, his body riddled with cancer, waiting on the grim reaper to come for him when he is given another option.

Chapter 9

“So I’m officially Kathleen Elizabeth Marlete now?” Kat continued thumbing through folder she had been handed. Picking up the new driver’s license and inspecting it, “This shows I’m only seventeen? I thought you said we were going to make my age older?”

“All things considered,” Matt cautioned, “We thought it best to give you more time to get used to the new you. We have a house just off base being set up for you and your mom to move into.”

“My MOM!” Kat exclaimed, “Who in their right mind would take that job?”

“I did,” Deb confessed.

“Why in the hell would you do that?” Kat wailed.

“For one,” Deb responded, “You may look like a young lady, but you act like a cantankerous old man and you talk like a sailor out on a three day pass in Singapore.”

“But…” Kat tried to speak.

“I’m not finished young lady!” Deb grinned evilly, “You have spent the last fifty plus years getting away with talking and acting as you do. Most the brass turned their heads because of the job you did, the rest, well they were too damn afraid of you to say anything. Someone has to show you how to fit in or else you will be useless not only to yourself but to the DOD. John Dodge is dead, you are not him anymore, you are his daughter.”

“As far as the age,” Matt interjected, “How long ago did Rose die?”

“Eighteen, almost nineteen years ago.” Kat said quietly lowering her gaze to her lap.

“Did you ever cheat on Rose?” Matt asked.

“What kind of a fucking question is that?” Kat’s head shot up and she glared at Matt, “I’d never do anything that would have hurt my Rose!”

“Then you can’t be John Dodge’s daughter and be any older.” Deb concluded.

Kat sighed then looked up at Deb and grinned evilly while crossing her arms under her breasts, speaking in a quizzical voice, “So mom? How did you and dad meet? Did he sweep you off your feet? Was it love at first sight? Or were you just another notch in his belt?”

“I’ve told you before sweetheart,” Deb dropped into the role, “I was working at the hospital in Landstuhl when your father’s old team was brought in. When he heard what had happened he jumped on the first airline he could and flew over. He had retired by then, but he still thought of those men as his best friends. I’m not sure how he got through the security to get into the ward, but there he was barking orders at doctors and nurses like he owned the place and those men were his children.”

“Crap you were there?” Kat’s eyes went wide.

Deb nodded, “I was the one who set your hand after you broke it punching that brick wall.” Deb continued, “You were so angry that you were not there to keep them safe.”

Tears began rolling down Kat’s cheeks as repressed memories of that day came forward, “That was a bad time,” Kat sniffed. “So you met me back then?”

“Yes,” Deb sniffed back her own tears, “I thought you were an arrogant asshole.”

“Yep she met you alright!” Matt chuckled.

“But then I saw though the act,” Deb observed, “For you, it was the only way you knew how to show your love for those men. I didn’t know who you were, but could only imagine you were important as every time an MP came up to you, you pulled something out of your pocket and he would step back and salute you. I never knew what you were showing them until you volunteered for this project.”

“Yea, that’s the only time I ever flashed that damn thing around.”

“I figured it had to be your medal of honor, one of those is like the Holy Grail in the military.” Deb went on, “So your father and I got close while he was there, even gave me his address and phone back in the states. I wanted to look him up when I got back, but I was so afraid he would think I was trying to rope him into marrying me because I was pregnant. After you were born I began work on my PHD and between caring for you, work and working on my doctorate, I was just too busy to think about a relationship.”

“Bullshit,” Kat pretended to sneeze while saying it. “But it’s a touching story that people will probably eat up and it puts the two of us together in a place that we really were at the correct time. So I take it my new birthday shows nine months after I was in Germany?”

“40 weeks almost to the day,” Deb grinned.

“OK,” Kat countered, “Everyone has convinced me why this needs to be done this way, but Deb you haven’t told me why you want to be my mom?” Kat looked directly into Deb’s eyes.

Deb lowered her eyes, not able to keep eye contact with Kat, “I, I fell in love with you.”

“You mean him, the man I was?”

“Yes and no,” Deb tried to explain, “Yes I did fall in love with you back then, but not the man, it was his spirit, your spirit, your heart. A heart so big and filled with love that you stared down eight armed MPs that first day, daring them to try to drag you out of that hospital. I even remember what you said to the MPs, you told them that you didn’t know how many of them it would take to drag you out, but you were damn sure they didn’t bring enough!”

“Luckily they didn’t call my bluff.” Kat giggled.

Pointing at the center of Kat’s chest, “I fell in love with what is in there, not your looks, not your manliness, I fell in love with the heart you have hidden in there.” Deb looked straight into Kat’s eyes, “After finding out that you were hear as a volunteer, well once I got to know you for the few days we have spent together, I realized I wanted to be a part of your life, to be there for you like you were for those men back in Germany.”

Kat smiled at Deb, “So do I normally call you mom or mother?”

“So you are ok with this?” Deb fretted until she saw Kat begin nodding and grinning from ear to ear, Deb smiled and replied, “I think you’ve been too much of a tomboy to call me anything but mom.”

“Wait a minute what’s this PHD shit, I thought you were a nurse?” Kat’s eyes narrowed as she looked up at Deb.

“I have a doctorate in Psychology.”

“Pull the other one sweetheart,” Kat hissed.

“What?” Deb blinked several times, “You don’t believe I am a doctor?”

“No, that I believe,” Kat sighed heavily, “It’s just really convenient how the person that fell in love with my spirit and wants to become my mother just happens to be a shrink.”

“You’ll come to see that what I have said is true honey,” Deb smiled.

“Your options are pretty limited Old ma… um Kat,” Matt added.

“My being a psychiatrist was the deciding factor in them allowing us to do this.” Deb explained, “They were going to assign someone to watch and evaluate you. This way you have someone with your best interests in mind.”

“I assume my other option is to stay here and let the other doctors poke and prod me?” Deb and Matt both nodded.

“So when do we get to go home mom?”

Chapter 10

Old Navy was not what Kat had expected when ‘mom’ had said where they were going there. Having never bene inside one of their stores Kat had expected the store to deal in, well navy clothing, dungarees, maybe some of the old seafarer style pants, but the place turned out to be more like a normal clothing store. Kat did like the idea of buying some tee shirts with their logo on it, she thought wearing one would be kind of poetic justice, since she was in reality old Navy herself and had stopped to look through a rack of them.

Kat had picked out a couple when Deb said, “If you want to buy some of those, we need to find ones that fit correctly dear. Those are not the right size.” Deb began digging through the rack of tee shirts selecting several fitted tees all bearing the Old Navy logo. “Go try these on.”

Kat took the tees and began looking around for the changing rooms. Spotting them near the back of the store she began walking over, while Deb continued looking through the racks of shirts selecting a few more items before following Kat. Standing outside the changing room door she heard Kat, “Mom these are too tight.”

“Open the door and let me see.” When the door opened Deb could see that the shirt was in fact a perfect fit and told her so.

As the two argued over how the shirt should fit as compared to how Kat wanted it to fit another woman walked by about Deb’s age, “I see you have a tomboy on your hands too,” the woman chuckled, “My Samantha is the same way, she is so worried that boys are going to stare at her chest it’s almost impossible to get her to wear anything that fits.”

“I know what you mean,” Deb grinned at Kat, “You would think my Kathleen here was born a boy the way she acts!”

“Well dear, that top looks great on you,” the woman said, “You have a great figure, you shouldn’t be ashamed of it. I bet that pink one would look wonderful on you too.” Pointing on the bench in the changing room where she has tossed the tees down.

“Yes hon, I would love to see how you look in that too, try it on,” Handing her the others that Deb had picked out, try these on too.”

Putting on each shirt one by one, then having to model them for Deb took time. When Kat tried on the cami that Deb had thrown in the pile, she first refused to open the door to let anyone see her in it but Deb eventually talked her into it.

Finally through trying on the tops, Kat put them back on their hangars and was about to open the door when a pair of jeans hit her in the face. “Try these on too” She heard Deb on the other side of the door. Knowing it was a lost cause Kat did as she was told and began removing the baggy jeans she had on. Before she could squirm her way into the new jeans two more pair came flying over the top of the door, “These are cut slightly different, let’s see how they fit too.”

Stepping out of the changing room Kat looked up at Deb, “I think I need these in one size bigger, I had a hell of a time getting into them.”

Deb stuck one finger into the waist band of the jeans Kat had on and moved her finger back and forth along the top of the pants pulling them slightly as she did, “No hon these are the right size, they’re supposed to fit this way.”

“I can’t get my hands into any of the pockets!”

“That’s why we carry a purse dear.”

Leaning forward Deb whispered in Kat’s ear, “You want everyone to see the imprint of a tampon in your back pocket? Or worse, having one fall out of your pocket in front of everyone when you are trying to fish something else out of your pocket?”

Kat’s eyes grew wide from the visualization of what she had just been told, “I, I’ve seen girls with ones that look like they were made out of blue jeans, maybe one of those wouldn’t be too bad to carry around.”

“Good girl, now try on those other jeans, so we can pick out which ones we want and get out of here.”

From there Deb dragged her to the mall, mainly because J.C.Penny’s was there, but walking back through the mall Kat stopped when she something caught her eye, “I want one of those.”

Deb looked over at the black tank top on the mannequin. In archaic white lettering it Read ‘I solemnly swear that I am up to no good with the words I, swear and good in larger lettering than the rest.

“Let’s go see if they have it in your size,” Deb grabbed her by the arm and led them into the store. Once inside Kat began acting like a kid in a candy store looking through the different shirts they had in stock. Finding one like she had seen in the store windows in her size, Kat continued looking through the shirts. Finding another with The Cheshire cat from Alice in wonderland with part of the cat invisible that Read You may notice that I’m not all here myself, Kat grinned as she added that to the one already across her arm. Another quickly followed that read ‘Free Insults’.

Hearing Deb chuckle Kat turned to see what she found funny and found Deb looking at her, “What?” Kat chortled, “I love shirts with funny sayings on them. Oh this one is great!” Kat said picking out another, then reading it out loud, “Your jealous because the voices don’t speak to you,” tossing it across her arm with the rest. Kat giggled as she held up another shirt, “Don’t make me drop a house one you!” she laughed. Kat finally walked over where Deb had been browsing through the store. “I’m done.”

“Good, Go try these on, I think they would look great on you.” Deb handed her a blue halter dress with white trim and a red plaid dress.

“Dresses?”

“I’ll make you a deal,” Deb smiled, “You try those dresses on and I’ll pay for all those shirts you picked out, no questions asked.”

Dropping her shoulders in defeat, Kat took the two dresses and handed Deb the shirts to hold as they headed toward the rear of the store and the changing rooms. They left the store with all the shirts and much to Kat’s dismay, both dresses. On the way back to the car Kat began to realize why Deb had parked on the other side of the mall. After several more stops in other stores and even more skirts, blouses and dresses Kat finally managed to drag Deb back to the car so they could leave. “I know you intentionally parked as far away from J.C.Penny’s as you could,” Kat stated bluntly.

“Guilty.”

“What? No excuses or arguments?” Kat stuttered.

“Nope.”

“You’re not even going to try?”

“Nope,” Deb grinned over at Kat, “You need these things, I know some of them you won’t wear that often, but girls have closets overflowing with clothes. If someone saw how few things you have right now they would ask questions. Did your wife wear dresses allot?”

“No not really, Rose usually wore jeans unless something special was up.”

“Did she have a lot of nice clothes, dresses, skirts?”

“Oh hell she took up her closet and over half of mine with shit she never wore.”

“My point exactly, and you have one year of high school to get through, I’m sure you will make a friend or two and sooner or later those friends will get a glimpse of what is in your closet.”

“Why would they go in my closet?”

“Any number of reasons, maybe to help you pick out the perfect outfit for some occasion like a date.”

“Uh that ain’t happening!”

Chapter 11

“Gated community?” Kat looked curiously over after Deb pulled through the gate and continued driving.

“You have a problem with it dear?”

“No I guess not.” Kat thought about it for a moment before grinning, “But it does cut down on my target practice.”

“Kat!” Deb scolded.

“What?” One side of Kat’s grin curled up devilishly, “You have any idea how hard it is to simulate a moving target that is actually afraid of getting shot?”

“We don’t own any guns,” Deb shook her head.

“If you say so mom,” Kat giggled.

“This looks like the place,” Deb pointed out, “Read it off that paper hon. Kat quickly picked up the printed page and read the address off to Deb. “Yes this is it, our new home.” Deb pulled into the driveway and up to the closed garage door. After making sure the keys they were given opened the door the two began hauling in the spoils of the shopping trip which they dropped on the couch in the living room after wading through the moving boxes to get to it.

The two decided on taking a quick tour of their new living conditions, and to make sure the movers had at least set the beds up like they were instructed to do. Downstairs they had the large living room, which was mostly filled with boxes. The kitchen which was also filled with a considerable amount of moving boxes, a dining room, a room Deb determined would be her office, a guest bedroom and a family room.

Off the kitchen was a door that led to the garage, which they found was also full of boxes. French doors off the family room led outside to the back yard which held a good sized in ground pool complete with a diving board and a slide.

What got the most attention from Kat, in the backyard was a brick island that held both a large grill and a brick oven. When she saw that the oven was wood fired she started jumping up and down like an excited teen.

“I take it from that display that we are going to have some nice meals out here?” Deb joked.

“Damn straight we are!” Kat began babbling about the wood fired oven and baking breads and pizza.

“OK, I get it, you really like the outdoor oven.” Deb reassured Kat, “Just as soon as we get settled, we’ll find you a supply of whatever wood you need to use it.”

Kat ran over and hugged Deb, “Thanks mom, I’ve always wanted an oven just like this, this is awesome!”

“Careful honey, remember your strength,” Deb said through the pain.

“Oh shit, I’m sorry, It’s just all this… I forgot.”

“It’s ok hon, I’m glad you like it.” Deb kissed her on the forehead, “Matt helped allot in finding this place.”

“I’ll give him a big hug too,” Kat giggled.

“Just don’t break any bones.” Deb reminded her daughter.

Continuing their tour of the house they found four bedrooms upstairs the master bedroom and one other had private bathrooms while the other two shared one that had a door that entered into each room. The only bed that had been assembled as it was supposed to, was the one in the master bedroom. “No worries,” Deb put in when she saw the problem, “We can share my bed tonight. Let’s dig out some sheets and get the bed made. Tomorrow I’ll call Matt and he can chew the movers out and get someone out here to do what they were supposed to do in the first place.”

“I can put the other beds together mom.” Kat volunteered.

“I know you can hon but the point is, they were supposed to have it done for us.” Deb insisted, “Plus I am sure Matt would like to impress you with his manly skill of yelling at people for not doing their job.” Deb giggled.

“I guess I was pretty good at that?” Kat stated.

“Legendary from what I am told.” They both couldn’t stop giggling.

After getting the bed ready they wandered over to Kat’s room. “What are all these boxes here?”

“Remember I told you that we had to make it look like you have grown up as a girl?” Deb stated, “these are your old things, your toys, posters, clothes that no longer fit, your stuffed animals, all the things a girl would have laying around in her closet or on shelves in her room.”

“It’s going to take forever to go through all these boxes!”

“I tried to get you to do that before we moved honey,” Deb laughed.

Going back downstairs they both began unboxing in the kitchen and storing everything away. They had gotten through about a third of the boxes when the doorbell rang. “Kat would you get that please,” Deb asked as she was putting away some odds and ends. Clearing a stack of boxes Kat was halfway through the living room when she heard Deb, “Slow down to human levels please.” Kat stifled the laugh as she opened the door.

“Hi and welcome to the neighborhood, we’re your next door neighbors,” The woman who stood on the front stoop said as the door opened. “I’m Barbra Adams, and this is my daughter Becky.” A teen girl stood behind the woman timidly waved. “Is your mother home?”

Knowing how her own grandchildren acted, Kat turned toward the kitchen and shouted, “Mom, it’s the neighbors, here to welcome us into the neighborhood.”

“Show them a path into the kitchen honey,” Deb shouted back.

Once she had guided the pair into the kitchen Mrs. Adams looked strangely at Kat and asked, “how’d you manage to get to the door so quickly through all this?”

“Oh,” Deb quickly interrupted, “Kat’s big into gymnastics, she finds that maze in our living room fun.” Kat smiled and nodded at Mrs. Adams.

“Kat?” Mrs. Adams clucked.

“It’s short for Kathleen, she has always been such a tomboy, and my job doesn’t make it easier. I really hope this is the last move we have to make.”

“Oh?” Barbra questioned, “What do you do for a living?”

“I’m a doctor, I work for the military though,” Deb answered, “For a long time we went where ever they needed us, but I think we have finally managed to find a permanent location.”

“A doctor? Your husband must be proud?”

Kat snorted noticeably and tore into another box.

“I’m sure Kat’s father would be if he were alive today,” Deb answered.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to pry,” Mrs. Adams said. Kat snorted again.

“Kat why don’t you go show Becky around?” Deb asked thinking it best to get Kat away from this woman before she said something that couldn’t be explained.

"Was auch immer Mutter, solange ich weg von dieser neugieren Hünding kommen kann," Kat spat out.

Deb glared at the girl, “Why don’t you show her your new room?”

“Come on Becky, I’ll show you around,” Kat motioned for Becky to follow her. “Do you like to swim?” They heard Kat ask as they walked out of the kitchen into the dining room.

“What was that she said?” Mrs. Adams looked at Deb questionably after the two girls had left.

“Kat has gotten real touchy about her father since he passed away.”

“That’s understandable, but what language was that?”

“When Kat gets upset she slips back into German?”

“She speaks German?”

“We moved to Landstuhl when Kat was seven. Kat’s German is often better than her English.” Deb confessed, “I had to make it a rule that only English was used in our house or she would have never used it there.”

“So you’re Army?”

Deb nodded, not seeing any reason to correct Barbra since she wouldn’t understand the difference it made being Department of Defense and not regular Army, “I got a transfer to the base hospital here, figured it a good idea to get Kat back home before she completely forgot her roots.”

Chapter 12

Becky silently nodded in answer to Kat’s question as she stared at the pool though the double French doors that separated the dining room from the back yard. Becky loved to swim but had little opportunity to do so. Becky was never good around crowds, they made her nervous and the thought of boys seeing her in a swimsuit was more than she think about. Becky was picked on enough at school about her looks, she could never go out in public in something as revealing as a swimsuit. “I, I love to swim,” Becky almost whispered, standing there thinking how nice it would be to have her own pool in her yard.

Kat didn’t notice that Becky had stopped until she heard the girl’s soft voice almost too low to make out what she said. Kat had seen the look on Becky’s face in other people and while she couldn’t read her mind, Kat knew what Becky was thinking, “Once we get settled in you’ll have to come over and go swimming with me.”

“I, I don’t know.”

“Please?” Kat smiled at Becky. “Mom’s already said I can’t use the pool unless there is someone with me. She’s afraid I’ll hit my head or something and drown.” Of course Kat and Deb had never discussed this, but it was something Kat had been very strict on with his children and grandchildren.

“I, don’t have bathing suit that fits anymore.”

“Then we’ll just have to buy one,” Kat saw that Becky was ready to come up with another reason not to do something that she obviously wanted, “My treat, I need to buy myself a new one anyway since most of my clothes seem to have been eaten by the twilight zone in the move. I think my mom had something to do with that. She hated the way I dressed.”

“My mother won’t let me even look at a skirt that shows more than my knees.” Becky emphasized.

Realizing that Becky thought Kat was into short revealing dresses she laughed, “I’m most comfortable in old jeans and a tee shirt. Mom hates my old jeans and had tried to throw out several pair on me. Most the time I take out the garbage, so I go through it to make sure none have been accidentally thrown out.” Kat said as she led Becky through the rooms downstairs.

After touring the downstairs Becky asked, “Can we see your room?”

“Sure but it almost as bad as the living room right now, my bed isn’t even put together yet.” Kat led her new friend upstairs. At the top of the landing Kat pointed out her mother’s room and the two spare rooms as she led Becky into what would be Kat’s room.

“Wow your room is huge!” Becky exclaimed, “And you even have your own bathroom!” Becky said after she saw the bathroom through the open door inside Kat’s room.

Becky helped Kat begin sorting out the boxes in her room, the contents of some surprised Kat, as she found an assortment of clothing for a girl in a couple of the boxes, all of which was well worn for the most part and many too small for her to wear.

Becky began grinning as she started dragging one box of clothes into the walk in closet in Kat’s room, “Come on Kat, I’ll help you put this stuff away.”

Kat could have cared less if the clothes ever got put away, but she went along with it, trying to show the same enthusiasm as Becky suddenly began showing. Becky quickly took control of organizing the closet, even began directing Kat where things should go or not go as Kat tried to keep up with Becky’s new found energy.

Kat was beginning to feel that she was just in Becky’s way, although she did love how much doing this excited Becky. Kat figured it must be one of those girl things she may never learn, so she began dragging the boxes one at a time into the closet. Kat had just stepped out of the closet for the last box of clothes when Becky squealed, “It’s so Cuuute!” and came running out of the closet with a purple dress that looked like it would fit a nine or ten year old. “Oh my god, I bet you looked so good when you wore this!” Becky giggled, “Was your hair as long back then? Oh my god I bet the little kids thought you really were Rapunzel!” Becky began hopping up and down on her toes, “You have got to dress as Rapunzel for the school’s Halloween party! You are going to finish school here? Please say yes? If you go I’ll go.”

“Halloween is a long time away, but if you still want to by then I think I can force myself into a dress.” Kat answered, looking mischievously at Becky, namely her shoulder length red hair, “On one condition.”

“Sure anything!”

“You have got to dress as Ariel.”

“Uh, but…” Becky’s enthusiasm suddenly died and she looked down at her feet, “I can’t, Ariel’s pretty and I’m fat.”

“You’re not fat.”

“Yes I am.”

“OK so what if you’re not fat by then?”

“But I will be.”

“OK so how about this deal,” Kat said reaching up to hold her chin between her thumb and forefinger, “If you are still fat by Halloween, you don’t have to do it, buuuut, if you aren’t you have to dress up as a Disney princess with me.”

“Ok I guess,” Becky smiled weakly up at Kat.

“Girls, Pizza’s here!” They heard Deb shout from downstairs.

“Pizza,” Both girls said to each other in unison then turned and almost ran down to the kitchen.

Everyone sat around the kitchen counter on the stools that lined it and made some small talk while they ate. Kat was on her fourth slice when Becky looked at her and asked, “How can you eat like that and stay so skinny?”

“Exercise,” Kat said with a mouthful of pizza, While Kat’s metabolism did run much higher not just allowing but forcing her to eat larger quantities, she knew from experience that exercise was the key to staying healthy and losing weight. Swallowing what she had in her mouth Kat looked toward Deb, “Speaking of which, can I borrow the car tomorrow mom?”

“Why do you need the car?”

“Becky and I need to go shopping for swimsuits so we can use the pool,” Looking over at Becky’s mother, “If its ok with you I mean. I told Becky how mom works so much and it’s unsafe to swim alone, so I asked Becky if she could come over so we both could use the pool.”

“I guess that’s ok,” Barbra looked over at Becky who looked like she was ready to get down on her knees and beg, “But you’ll have to use your allowance to get the bathing suit.”

“Uh, I though since how Becky is doing me such a big favor with this, that I could pay for hers along with mine.”

“Yes you can take Becky shopping, but you can’t have the car, I’ll drop you two off at the mall. Oh and while you’re there you should pick up a new phone.”

“Why can’t I use the car?”

“I need to run into the office tomorrow for a bit.” Deb answered, “Oh and maybe pick up a new laptop if you can find a decent one there.”

“Good idea mom,” Kat grinned, “I can use it to find a car once we have Internet access.”

“Nothing flashy or expensive Hon,” Deb smiled at Kat.

“Actually I was thinking of a fixer-upper.”

“You like to work on cars dear?” Barbra looked shocked.

“Back in Germany, Kat was considered the motor pools mascot, she was always hanging out there and helping. She still won’t admit it but I think she had a crush on one of the mechanics back then.” Deb grinned evilly at Kat.

“WHAT!” Kat objected. Becky couldn’t stop herself from giggling.

Chapter 13

Kat was helping her mother clean up after Barbra and Becky had left to walk home. “It seems you have already made a friend.” Deb smiled over at Kat.

“Becky is very nice, and I get the feeling she doesn’t have any friends.” Kat cocked her head to the side as she looked at Deb, “She almost began to drool when she saw our pool, so I used that old water safety rule to talk her into swimming with me. She seems really self-conscious about her looks, thinks that little bit belly fat she has makes her fat and unattractive.”

“It’s a girl thing hon, we are all like that at least a little at her age.” Deb contended, “She was probably a late bloomer and was teased about it by the other kids in school, and she still sees the ugly duckling when she looks in the mirror.”

“I think she’s pretty.”

“She is, but I bet you noticed she had very little self-confidence.”

“You’d thought differently if you saw how she took command of those boxes of things in my room, most of that stuff is stowed away and it was mostly her doing, what little she let me do, she directed me to do exactly how she felt it should be done.”

“Did it bother you that she did that?”

“No, I just found it interesting how different she acted, I liked it. It’s not like I know what skirt to match up with what blouse, or which shoes. My whole closet is organized better than a Marines footlocker. Everything is organized by size and what it goes with and she explained her whole process as she did it.” Kat said proudly, “I hope she will help me with the stuff we bought today.”

“Wow, I wonder if she would mind doing the same for me.” Deb chuckled.

“By the way, where did all that stuff come from?”

“Second hand shops, thrift stores and places like that,” We thought it best that you had some old clothes. Some intentionally bought in sizes too small for you to make it appear you had outgrown them.”

“I knew they were going to do that, but a Disney princess costume for an 8 year old?”

“Oh you bought that!” Deb chuckled.

“I never bought that!”

“It was a costume you bought for one of your granddaughters, Matt was thoughtful enough to return it to you.” They both found themselves laughing at that.

Kat explained what had happened when Becky found the costume and about the deal he made with her.

“You do realize that losing weight for women is more difficult,” Deb explained.

"Erzähl keinen Scheiß" Kat grinned.

“What?”

“Didn’t you tell me that I should curb the cursing? And since I’m supposed to have lived in Germany for over half my new life, if I did curse shouldn’t it be in German?” Kat reasoned, “So I’m staying in character.”

“Oh so you’re saying women having more trouble losing weight is bull?”

“Yes, and I’ll prove it.” Kat vowed, “I’ll have Becky in an Ariel costume right alongside me even if I have to learn to sew and make it myself.”

“Just remember she’s not a green recruit and you’re not a drill instructor.”

“Yes mother.” Kat smiled at Deb, while wondering if she could find a way to use the bases obstacle course.

Chapter 14

“Thanks mom,” Kat said as she stepped out of the passenger side of her mother’s car. Becky quickly followed out the rear door. “Thanks Mrs. Marlete,” Becky said while closing the rear door.

“Call me when you’re done, and don’t forget, phone and laptop.” Deb said from inside the car.

“Yes mom, phone and laptop.”

“And no jeans!” Deb added.

“Yes ma’am.” Kat snapped to attention and gave her mother a crisp salute.

Once inside the mall the two girls found themselves on a mission. Kat to find a swimsuit that she could get Becky to wear and not feel ashamed of her body, and Becky to get Kat into the skimpiest suit she could talk her new best friend into wearing. After several stores Kat saw the perfect one for Becky to try on. It was called a miracle suit, and had some kind of material that acted like a girdle to flatten the stomach.

Kat had Becky almost in the dressing room to try it on when Becky saw the price tag and almost freaked out on Kat. “Do you see how much this costs!”

“No why?” Kat tried to play down the price that she had already seen.

“Its a hundred and fifty dollars!”

“So, try it on anyway, see how it fits, we can always look for something like it.”

Their discussion drew the attention of a sales lady nearby who walked over, “Can I help you girls with anything?”

“Yes my friend really likes this suit but doesn’t understand why it has such a high price compared to some of the other ones?” Becky glared at Kat for getting the sales lady involved. “And Becky is really worried about looking good in the one we buy.”

Taking the swimsuit from Becky the sales lady began her pitch, “This is what we call a miracle suit, it will make you look ten pounds lighter just by putting it on. It does cost a bit more, but that is due to the patented fabric that shapes and firms without bulky linings or girdles. If you are worried about a little bulge this is definitely the suit for you dear.” Becky’s eyes lit up and the thought of the suit doing what it claimed.

“So try it on already,” Kat grinned.

“But it cost so much.” Becky argued.

“So, if it does what it is supposed to do, I think it’s worth it.” Kat countered.

Becky took the suit back from the sales lady and went into the changing room. “Thank you,” Kat quietly told the sales lady. It didn’t take long before Becky stepped out wearing the suit, “I can’t believe how this pulls in my tummy.” Looking down as she ran her hand across her tummy.

“That looks wonderful on you dear,” The sales lady said.

“Yea, wow,” Kat was at a loss of words.

“The light blue goes great with your eyes,” The sales lady continued, “and your hair, you remind me of the little mermaid wearing that.” Becky blushed at hearing that.

“Sold!” Kat purred.

“What?” Becky protested, “I can’t let you spend this much money for one swimsuit.”

“Ok then I’ll buy you two of them!”

“What? NO!”

“It’s my money, if I want to spend it on my best friend I will,” Kat stuck her tongue out at Becky.

“Are you sure?” Becky gulped, “It really is allot of money.”

“Money does no one but the bankers any good sitting in the bank,” Kat chuckled.

“You do know my dad’s a banker right?”

“So?”

“OK you can buy it for me but only if I get the final say on the one we pick for you.”

“I’m not wearing something with only a string up my crack, so don’t even go there.” Kat warned.

“I promise,” Becky grinned, “no thongs.”

“Good because mom would kill us both if she came home to find me sporting a full moon out by the pool.” Both girls began giggling, “Go get dressed and well see what we can find for me.”

“I know the perfect place to find one for you,” Becky giggled.

***

“I’m not going in there!” Kat stopped abruptly when she saw where Becky was dragging her.

“Why not?”

“It’s Victoria’s Secrets!” Kat pleaded, “I’ve seen their ads and from what I saw Victoria don’t have too many secrets left!”

“Oh come on!” Becky grabbed Kat’s hand and pulled her long into the store.

Surrounded by all the lacy underwear, Kat felt like some kind of pervert in the store. She was startled when a sales lady came up, “Can I help you ladies find anything?” She asked.

“We’re looking at swimsuits,” Becky dug a folded page out of her purse, “I printed this off your website.”

The lady took the page, unfolding it and looked, “Yes we have this style in stock, what size are you dear?”

“Oh it’s not for me, it’s for my friend,” Becky motioned at Kat.

“This your first time in one of our stores sweetie?” The sales lady asked Kat.

“Uh, yea, I mean yes.”

“Don’t worry, I think all of us are a bit embarrassed the first time we imagine how sexy we would look in some of these things.”

Kat allowed the sales lady to lead her further into the store and found herself in a changing room holding a leopard print one piece suit to put on. Kat actually felt relieved that Becky hadn’t even tried to her to try on some of the more revealing two piece suits they had in stock.

Stepping out of the changing room Kat kept pulling at the back of the suit as it climbed uncomfortably high in between the cheeks of her butt. “I don’t like the way this fits.” Kat complained.

“I was afraid of that, although it does look great on you!” Becky tossed Kat a two piece suit, “Try this one on.” Kat couldn’t get back into the changing room fast enough to take off the suit that was giving her a constant wedgie.

Stepping back out in the black two piece bikini, “I have underwear that covers more than this!”

“May be, but look at yourself in the mirror!”

Kat turned to look in the full length mirror and found herself turning this way and that looking carefully at herself, “Holy crap!” she finally said, “I’ll cause car crashes if guys see me in this!”

“Well duh! You’re gorgeous silly, its perfect!” Becky excitedly said, “You have GOT to buy it!”

“At least this one isn’t giving me a constant Wedgie.”

“One of the reasons I had you try a one piece, they all do that to some extent. It’s even worse after they get wet.” Becky giggled.

“I think you just want me to look really hot, so the boys are drooling over me instead of you!”

“Curses, you have uncovered my evil plot before I got the chance for my villainous monologue!” Becky laughed.

Kat continued posing in the mirror looking at herself in the bikini. Realizing she liked how she looked in it even if she did think it was a bit skimpier than she had wanted. It did cover her butt better than the one piece had, honestly making her feel more dressed than that one too. Smiling over at Becky, “I think you’re right, I do have to buy this.”

After changing back into the jeans and tee shirt so they could leave, Kat spotted another bikini very similar to the one they had picked out but in a deep emerald green. “I think that would look so hot on you!” Becky’s encouragement was all Kat needed as she began looking for one in her size. Leaving the store with both bikini’s they began looking for a Kiosk that sold cell phones.

Not ever owning a cell phone Kat was glad she has Becky with her to pick one out. Between the two they finally decided on one of the many providers, picking the same one Becky used as much because it allowed unlimited talk and text with each other as it did with the choice of phones they carried. Kat was busy with the boy behind the counter filling out the paperwork when Becky interrupted, “I’ll be right back.”

“Where you going?” Kat looked up from the paper she was filing out.

Becky pointed across the hall to a drug store, “I don’t know about you, but if we’re going to be spending allot of time in the sun, I’ll need sunblock.”

Chapter 15

Coming out of the drugstore Becky almost ran into a large boy.

“Hey watch where you’re going!” The boy yelled at her. Becky cringed, taking a step back when she heard the voice of Doug Sempfer, middle linebacker on their school’s football team who also enjoyed tormenting Becky every chance he got. “Well if it isn’t Becky,” the boy chuckled looking her up and down as if she were a piece of meat, “Looks like the titty fairy finally paid you a visit too!” He reached up and grabbed her breast.

“Doug that is going too far!” Konner shouted, “Get you god damn hands off of her!”

“Look who finally grew a pair guys!” Doug laughed. “Does Konner got a girl friend?” The other two boys grinned at Konner who was now blushing beet red.

“You, you should leave her alone,” Konner spoke much quieter.

Grinning at the boy who was obviously larger than him, Doug laughed, “You going to make me?”

“No but I will!” Kat said stepping up beside Doug grabbing his outstretched arm by the wrist then twisting it around behind his back while sweeping his leg out from under him all in one fluid motion. Doug landed face first on the floor, with Kat’s knee firmly planted in the small of his back. Becky stood in shock at how quickly Kat had taken the much larger boy.

Leaning forward with her face close to Doug’s ear, Kat spoke just loud enough for everyone close to hear, “You ever lay a hand on her again, I will fucking remove it!” Then louder, “Do I make myself perfectly clear!”

“Get this bitch off of me!” Doug shouted to his friends.

Kat felt someone grab her by the hair and yank her hard backwards, rather than resisting she let the momentum carry her backwards while raising her hands up above her head preforming a backwards somersault. When her hands found the floor, she kicked her feet up and back, coming up into a handstand the momentum carrying her over and her knees hit the boy’s shoulders that had grabbed her one on each side. Crossing her feet, she pinned his neck between her legs. Immediately dropping one hand and pushing against the floor with the other, Kat twisted her body as she dropped to the floor, pulling the boy over her, transferring the momentum to his body, throwing him sideways into the other boy who had stepped forward to aid their asshole friend. With an unnatural grace Kat continued to roll over her shoulder to land crouching on her feet.

Before the three boys could collect themselves off the floor, mall security arrived. While they may not have been real cops, the Tasers each held stopped the boys from trying anything further.

“That crazy bitch broke my arm!” Doug shouted cradling his arm with his other hand.

"Sei Froh, das du deinen Arm noch benutzen kannst du verdammtes Arschloch!" Kat hissed.

“Ok I want all of you to follow us,” The other mall cop ordered. Kat walked over to the Kiosk to get her bags where she had left them with the boy behind the counter.

“Where do you think you’re going?” The mall cop demanded.

“To grab the things I bought before that jack ass tried groping my friend!” Kat spat back over her shoulder as she reached the Kiosk. The boy behind the counter reached down for the two bags, then opened the bag with their company log on it and shoved the Victoria’s secret bag inside, before bringing it up and giving it to Kat.

“I put the one bag inside ours, figured you didn’t need to give those assholes anything to talk about.”

“Thanks,” Kat smiled at the boy,

“That was some serious kung fu shit you did,” the boy whispered to Kat.

“My ninja outfit is at the cleaners.” Kat giggled.

“I’d love to learn how to do that.” The boy smiled at Kat.

“Maybe we can get together and I can show you some simple take downs,” Kat smiled meeting the boy’s eyes.

“Young lady stop flirting and get a move on!” The mall cop shouted.

Kat’s face turned bright red when she realized that it must have looked like she was doing exactly that with the boy. Spinning around she began to walk slowly back to the group.

“I’m Will by the way,” The boy said loud enough for her to hear.

“Kat,” Kat twisted around to look back at Will as she continued walking.

Kat and Becky walked side by side behind the two mall cops and the group of boys as they were led to the mall’s security office. “I need to call my mom,” Kat whispered to Becky.

“What’s the number,” Becky asked as she dug her phone out of her purse, “I’ll text her.”

Kat recited the number to Becky who fervently swiped her finger around on the touch screen. *This is Becky, Kat and I was attacked by some boys, Kat says need help asap.*

Before she could put her phone away it dinged an incoming message, *Please tell me she didn’t kill anyone?* Becky showed the message to Kat before answering. Becky’s phone dinged again,*Help on its way, DO NOT SAY ANYTHING!* Becky showed Kat the last message.

“Crap!” Kat whispered to Becky, “I’m in trouble.”

“But they attacked us,” She whispered back. Before they reached the security office two uniformed police officers had joined the group and followed them into the small office. Kat and Becky were led off and into a room while the group of boys were led into another.

Sitting alone in the small room Becky looked over at Kat, “What happens now?”

“They let us sit and stew for a while, letting us worry and talk to each other while they listen to see if we say anything incriminating while we think we are alone.”

“You been watching too much TV,” Becky giggled nervously.

“It’s interrogation 101,” Kat smiled, “Remember I grew up on an Army base.”

“So what do we do?”

“We wait.” Kat sat patiently with her hands in her lap, as if she didn’t have a care in the world while Becky fidgeted nervously.

The two had not sat for more than fifteen minutes when the door flew open, and Kat’s mother rushed in wrapping both girls up in her arms, “Are you two alright?”

Through the open door they could hear arguing.

“I’m fine mom,” Kat stated.

“What about you hon?” Deb looked at Becky.

“I’m, I’m okay,” Becky sniffed back a tear, “Kat stopped them.”

Glaring at Kat, “Thank god all you did was bruise their egos!” Her features softened and became a smile, “But I can’t be mad at you for defending your friend. Let’s get you both out of this place.” Deb stood and led the two girls out of the interrogation room.

“I don’t care what this paper says, this isn’t Army jurisdiction!” One of the Mall officers yelled up at an Army officer.

“That paper states otherwise, so you will hand over all video surveillance pertaining to this incident or these MPs will remove you while we retrieve it. You will also be charged with obstructing an ongoing military investigation!” Becky’s eye grew wide when she saw two Army officers and six MPs in the outer office.

“I’d do as the Major asks,” One of the police officers recommended, “Papers are legit.”

“Major,” Deb interrupted, “May the girls and I leave now?”

“Yes Doctor, they are free to go.” Matt glared at the security officer waiting on him to say anything. The MPs stepped aside clearing the door as Deb led the girls out of the security office.

“Wait, he has our bags!” Becky pointed at the security officer.

“Do you have property that belongs to these girls?” Matt questioned.

“It was put into evidence.”

“Give those girls their property now.”

“But we haven’t had time to determine if those items were paid for.” The guard explained, “For all we know those boys could have caught them shoplifting.”

“That is the last straw!” Matt’s voice boomed, “I want this piece of shit behind bars for obstructing a military investigation.” Two MPs moved forward each grabbing an arm and began dragging the man out of the office. Looking at the two remaining security guards, “Who does that leave in charge here?”

“That would be me sir.” A younger guard gulped, “Jim get those videos the man wants, He’ll want the backups too! I’ll get those bags that belong to the girls.” The guard turned around and began fumbling with a large set of keys and unlocked a door behind their desk. Behind the door appeared to be a closet where he reached in and brought out two plastic shopping bags that he placed on the counter. Kat and Becky quickly snatched their bags off the counter and headed toward the door with Deb.

“Captain, If you would take over here, I’ll see that these ladies make it to their car unmolested,” Matt looked over to his partner Jake.

“Yes sir Major.” Jake smiled.

“So,” the police officer who had seemed to take the lead in this looked at Jake, “Will there be any charges?”

“No.” Jake grinned at the officer, “But would you like to help me put the fear of god in those wanna be hoodlums?”

“Hell, I’d pay just to watch!” The officer laughed.

“OK first the boy whose only involvement was knowing those three other creeps.”

Chapter 16

Konner had no idea how long he had been waiting when he saw the door begin to open in the small room the security guards had told him to wait in. Some time ago when he had begun to think they had forgotten about him, Konner had got up and tried the door but found it locked form the outside so he sat back down and waited. It was all Doug’s fault, why did he have to be such as ass toward Becky. She may not have been cheerleader pretty, but she was far from ugly. Konner thought she was really damn cute.

“Konner McKay?” An Army officer spoke as he walked in, followed by a cop who closed the door behind them.

“Yes, yes sir,” Konner stood up.

“We’ve watched the surveillance video of what happened, you are not in any trouble since it is evident you were trying to stop the boy from molesting the girl.”

“I’m sorry sir,” Konner sighed, relieved that they knew he had tried to stop Doug, “I, I should have done more, girls especially ones as pretty as Becky don’t deserve to be treated like that.”

“Well son,” Jake began, “The only thing you may have done differently was not to shout so loud at him.”

“What?” Konner was really confused at what the man was saying.

“When you shouted at the other boy, it drew Kathleen’s attention. Becky is the first real friend Kathleen has had since she escaped.”

“Escaped?” Konner’s eyes went wide, “From what, where? Was she in prison or something?”

“I’m not supposed to tell anyone this, but you seem like a good boy with a good head on your shoulders.” Jake began reeling the boy in, “If I tell you this you have to swear not to tell another soul.” Konner nodded. “Son you must say the words, this is eyes only top secret, not one word to anyone!”

“I swear I won’t say a word.”

“Her father was a top level assassin for the Chinese government,” Konner’s eyes widened further and his jaw dropped, “He fell in love with an America woman and tried to defect but they were caught before they could get out of China. Our government was able to negotiate the release of her mother, but not before she gave birth to Kathleen. Even though citizenship follows the mother in all international law, they refused to let her go.

This was so they could use the baby girl as leverage against her father to make sure he did as he was told.” Jake saw how Konner was glued to his every word. “Over the years her father taught her everything he knew about fighting, kung fu, ju jestu, karate, tie boxing, you name it he had a black belt in it.”

“Shit, he sounds like a friggn Ninja?” Konner exclaimed.

“Shhh,” Jake put his finger to his lips then glanced around, “Ninjas don’t exist anymore.” Jake winked, “And we aren’t going to tell anyone any different are we?”

“No…not me.” Konner shivered.

“Several months ago after careful planning, Kathleen’s father created a diversion and she was able to escape to the US and was reunited with her mother.”

“So she is like in witness protection or something?”

“Something like that, but you can’t tell a soul. If they find out where she is they will come after her.”

“You can count on me sir.” Konner stood straight with his chest out.

“Good boy, now get out of here.” The cop opened the door so Konner could leave. The cop watched through the door until he saw the boy was back out in the mall proper. “Holy shit! I had a hard time keeping a straight face, you ever thought about becoming a writer, that bullshit you fed the kid would be a best seller!”

You ain’t seen nothing yet,” Jake grinned, let’s see how the other three like the raised by badgers story.”

Chapter 17

“So Major now?” Kat grinned up at Matt.

“Yes ma’am, as of last week.” Matt smiled.

“You know him?” Becky leaned close to Kat as they walked.

“He works with my mom.” Kat whispered back.

“Speaking of that,” Matt stopped and turned to Kat, “Karen knows everything. Figured she would weasel it out of one of us eventually anyway”

Kat stopped abruptly at the news, “She knows?”

“Who’s Karen?” Becky asked.

“My um, sister,” Kat stated.

“You have a sister?” Becky’s eyes lit up.

“Actually she has several of them and some brothers, half brothers and sister. Kat shares her father with them, but they have a different mother.” Matt stated, “I’m married to Kat’s older sister Karen.”

“Matt found out about Kat and I when he was in Germany.”

“So you and Kat’s dad… When he was married?” Becky gasped.

“No, no nothing like that, John’s wife had died a couple years before I met John, Kat’s father.” Deb explained, “I fell madly in love with Kat’s father, then he got shipped off to the war and it became hard to keep in touch. Well when I found out I was pregnant, I knew he would feel obligated to marry me, I couldn’t do that to him. So I never told him about Kat until I heard he was dying.”

“Wow Kat, hanging around you is better than watching those soaps my mom watches!” Becky giggled.

“So your father set aside an equal child's portion of his estate for you, or I should say Karen did.”

“But dad already gave me money?” Kat stayed in character.

“Karen insisted when she found out, and she’s the only person I ever seen that could out stubborn the old man.” Matt grinned, “She’s also expecting a phone call and an invite for this weekend to welcome the sister she never knew she had into the family.”

They walked in silence the rest of the way to the car. Matt held the door for Becky to get in the back, then did the same for Kat then leaned down to the window and said, “From the video it looks like your self-control is getting allot better.” Thinking how hot headed the old man used to be. John wouldn’t have through twice about breaking both of the guy’s arms for stunt like that.

“I managed not to rip his arm off,” Kat stuck her tongue out at Matt. Matt chuckled as he stood and watched the car drive off.

Becky asked a bit timidly from the back seat, “Could you really have ripped his arm off?”

“I really wanted to when I saw what he did to you!”

“You did?”

“Damn right I did, You’re my friend and guys should never treat a woman that way!” Kat pronounced, “Any guy that does deserve his ass relocated above his shoulder blades!”

“I still can’t believe it, you took out those three huge guys like they were nothing.”

“I think mom started me in martial arts classes before I could walk,” Kat smiled at her mother.

Deb nodded, “Pretty close, I think you began them when you were four.” Smiling over at Kat, “You were in love with the Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles back then.” Kat frowned at her mother while Becky snickered. Changing the subject, “So did you girls find some bathing suits you liked?”

“Kat spent too much on mine,” Becky protested.

“Did not, I spent more on mine.” Kat added.

“How much you enjoy the thing you buy is much more important than how much it costs.” Deb smiled, “With that said, do you like the bathing suits you bought?”

“Ohmygod! I can’t believe how mine makes me look!” Becky blurted out before she realized it.

“From that reaction I would say that it was worth every penny!” Deb chuckled, What about yours Kat?”

“I’ll show them to you later,” Kat mumbled and looked away from her mother.

“Why is that hon?”

From the back seat Becky began giggling, “She bought a bikini!”

“I wanted a one piece but the ones that I liked gave me a terrible case of wedgie when I tried them on.”

“It isn’t risqué is it?”

“No, just a bit more revealing that I was ready for.” Kat conceded, “But better than the ones that fit so tight in my crotch and butt that it left nothing to the imagination.”

“OK so let me see what you got.” Deb said. When Kat pulled the Victoria’s secrets bag from within the other Deb’s eyebrow shot up, “Victoria’s Secrets? Maybe you are starting to outgrown being a tomboy after all.” Deb chuckled when she saw Kat blushing.

Pulling the two bikini’s out of the bag Kat held them up for Deb to see. “I thought you said they were revealing? Those are almost tame compared to what some women wear as bathing suits now. But why two hon?”

Becky got me to try on the black one and we both loved how I looked in it so I had to get it, and the green one, well it’s,” Kat lowered her voice to almost a whisper, “it’s pretty.”

“Nothing wrong with wanting pretty things honey,” Deb smiled, “When we get home you two can put those on and hit the pool, I may even dig up my old bathing suit and join you.”