Leo, I'm sorry. Let me get you a fork. You can learn to eat with chopsticks slowly. It is better that way and I promise not to laugh at you. Rick is different. I can laugh at him."
Tomi started to get up, but Rick was already out of his chair and holding her arm. He headed towards the kitchen. "I'll get a fork for him, Tomi."
"Have you known Rick very long?" Tomi asked Leo.
"Really, no. Only since September when I went to work for him on his tanker. He's a very good crew chief and teacher."
"You're married. Must be hard to be away from your wife."
Leo laughed. "It really is. We got married in the summer just before I transferred to tankers. Rick can be considered lucky in some ways."
"Rick isn't married then?"
"No, he isn't."
"We're getting to know each other, and I would like him to be my friend, but I would not want to interfere with a relationship he might have with another woman."
"I wouldn't worry about that, Tomi. He's a very mature and generous person so he wouldn't get into some complicated relationship. I know he will be honest with you and I can tell that he considers you a friend and will be careful not to hurt you."
"Thank you Leo."
"Sure Tomi."
Rick handed Leo a fork before sitting back down. "Here wimp. I wouldn't want you to go hungry. Of course you could always eat with your fingers, but I wouldn't want anybody to think that Tomi wouldn't give a customer an eating utensil."
"Gee thanks, Rick. I'm sure Tomi appreciates your thinking about her business." Rosko replied with a smile.
"Is he always so mean to you?" Tomi asked Rosko with a smile.
"Only when he's showing off. He wouldn't want anyone to think that he's easy. You know what I mean? A soft touch."
"Yes, I do understand. And now I understand Sgt. Davis more than I did before."
"Just what do you mean by that. Tomako Tomanaga?" Rick asked trying to be serious.
"I am sure that someday you will understand me Rick-san.
There is my taxi. Now I must go home and rest."
"You have a private taxi?"
"Oh, yes. He is my uncle. Ojisan. He brings me here in the morning and home in the afternoon.
When will I see you again?" Tomi asked not addressing either crew chief.
"I don't know our flying schedule yet. Leo has to do paper work tomorrow. I will be back though. And I'll come early when I know that you're here."
"Arigato, Rick. I'm looking forward to seeing you. Both." Tomi said. The both seemed to be an after thought.
"So Leo, what shall we do now? Shop some more or go back to the base and take the Kruse twins out to dinner at the Club? If I don't see Cheryl shortly I am going to be in deep do-do."
"From what I heard last night, you already are. She was actually ticked a bit because you didn't show up then. I had the feeling that even though she knew you wanted to see Kim, Cheryl expected you to show up at their place with Kim in tow."
"I'm sure that you're right. So to Koza we will go and I shall endure my punishment."
"What do you think she will say if she finds out you have two girlfriends?"
"What are you talking about? Kim is my only girlfriend."
"Okay. I haven't seen you with her, but I have seen you with Tomi. You were both flirting with each other and some kind of relationship is growing between you whether either of you know it or not.
She wanted to know if you were married and whether you had a serious relationship with another woman. In so many words that is what she asked."
"What did you tell her, Leo?"
"That you weren't married and that I didn't think you had a really serious relationship with any woman. In so many words."
"I didn't realize that you were a man of so many words, My Friend. You're right. If Cheryl figures out that I may be interested in two woman, sleeping with one and the other very pregnant with somebody else's baby I will be in major trouble."
"Cheryl's under the impression that she is going to meet . . . Kim? That correct?"
Rick nodded in the affirmative and Leo went on.
"That you are going to bring Kim with you tonight."
"Damn."
"What?"
"Kim and I didn't exactly part in great terms this morning. She left for Nishihara before I woke up and last night I asked her to come with you and I today. She flat refused. Actually acted offended that I would expect her to meet you and hang out with us. Then she left for her home in Nishihara before I was awake and expected me to meet her there before lunch.
I think I'll give her a couple of days then see how she takes an invitation to go someplace with us. I really like her, but I'm not about to change my whole life and drop my friends because she thinks they are below her. And I don't know where that thought came from."
"It must be what you have thought about and it's bouncing around in your subconscious."
"Ok Doctor Rosko. I'll play it by ear and see where we go."
"Let's find Kruse before we do anything else. He probably knows what is going on with our scheduling and also about dinner tonight." Rick said as he and Leo stepped off the base shuttle and went across the street towards the flightline snack bar less than a block away.
"He should still be on the flightline for a few more minutes, Leo." Rick spoke when he picked up the base phone to call job control and have them contact Kruse to meet them at the snack bar.
The crew chiefs had barely started to drink their coffee when Bob came into the snack bar.
"I'm at your beck and call, and I bear good tidings from our leaders above. In their infinite wisdom, and generosity, they want to be sure you guys get your combat pay and exemption from paying income tax this month. They haven't been able to schedule 3653 for a combat mission until near the very last of the month, maybe not then. So to be sure, I talked them into letting you crew a Combat Apple, EC135 on an 8 hour mission tomorrow.
Leo, I have to take you to the photo lab right away and have your portrait taken. In your flight suit."
"So what is this bit of generosity going to cost us?"
"Nothing, but my charming Irish wife expects to see both of you at the club for dinner at 1900. And for my safety, you had better be there or she will beat me to a pulp and not cook for at least a week and that is worse than the beating. She really can't physically hurt me if I keep her away from pots, pans, dishes and knives."
"We have already committed to dinner and we're treating you and Cheryl. But I have to warn you. There will only be the two of us. Rick's love life doesn't seem to be as it appeared earlier." Leo answered.
Bob looked at Rick with questions in his eyes.
"Kim is acting differently, or I hadn't noticed it before. She wouldn't go to Naha with Rosko and I today. And come to think of it, the night that you and I went to dinner with her in Koza, it was like you weren't there. Just makes me wonder that's all."
"Actually he has an interest in Naha which is raising doubts in his head." Leo added for Rick.
"Like in the Kokusai Coffee House? Why does that not surprise me?" Bob Kruse asked with a knowing look and smile directed at Rick.
"You know about the coffee house connection, Bob?"
"Oh yes. In fact I introduced them."
"Okay, what time is preflight tomorrow?" Rick asked.
"Take off is 1000 hours. You don't have to do the preflight. The EC's regular crew chiefs will do that. Just be on the ramp by 0900 and the crew chief will brief you and you can do the walk around with the A/C.
It will be at least an 8 hour flight depending on the weather which sounds like shit."
"Oh great. What's the forecast?"
"Typical monsoon season. Low ceilings, lots of rain and big, tall cumulus clouds from the Philippines to about Taiwan. It will be a fun flight."
"Gee thanks." Both crew chiefs commented together.
"God, now I hav
e Siamese twins to deal with."
EIGHTEEN
"You're stalling."
"No I'm not. I just feel the need of some exercise, so I want to walk to the club."
"You're stalling because you don't know what to tell Cheryl. You're afraid of her."
"I'm not afraid of her. I just don't want her to get pissed at me or to think I'm not being fair to either myself or the girls."
"Okay. The club is across the intersection so let's cross. I'm starving. Besides I didn't do anything wrong."
"What time is it?"
Laughing, Leo looked at his watch. "Mine says the same thing yours does. It's 1920 and we're already 20 minutes late"
How did I ever get in this mess. I shouldn't have told either of these 'friends' of mine about Kim then Cheryl would never have found out about her and I could pass Tomi off as just a friend.
She is just a friend. After all she's as good as married, or at least a new widow. One whose husband was killed in combat no less. I'm just being a nice guy who is being nice to a woman who needs a bit of 'nice'.
Jesus, I just used 'nice' three times in one sentence about a very attractive woman who is beginning to turn me on and is making me think about no one else but her. And she isn't even available. That Navy Officer friend of hers will probably get me court-martialed if I step out of line with her. Or her taxi driving uncle will have the Japanese or Okinawan Mafia beat me to a pulp.
"Well, finally Rick Davis. I think that you have been avoiding me." Cheryl Kruse squealed as she threw her arms around Rick and kissed him firmly on the lips. "God, how I've missed you. If it wasn't for Bob telling me what is going on and covering for you I would think you lost interest in me."
"Cheryl you know that isn't true and I couldn't do that to you. But I do have a life away from the family."
"Cheryl." Bob Kruse put his arm around his wife's slim and trim waist and drew her to him. "Give Rick and Leo a chance to sit down and get a drink before you accost them."
"Yes, you're right Bob, but I worry about these guys and need to touch them to be sure that they're real and here with us." She reached for Leo while not letting go of Ricks hand and kissed him lightly on the cheek before turning back and kissing Rick again.
The four friends reached their table and sat with Cheryl across from her husband so she could play footsies with him. With Rick on one side and Leo on the other, she was happy as she gripped one hand of each friend.
"Okay, Rick, fess up time. I've been bullshitted by my darling husband and Leo refused to give me a straight answer about your girlfriends.
"Really Cheryl, is the cowboy language necessary?" Her husband asked trying to hide the smirk on his face. He knew his wife well enough to know that she was at least upset with Rick if not downright mad at him for not coming to see her sooner and talking about his encounters as he had always done over the past four years since he became a part of their family.
"Yes, it is necessary. I'm sorry, but damn, what's going on?"
"I'm ready to have a drink and order some food. How about you Cheryl? Can you leave me alone long enough to let me order?" Rick asked.
"No." But she smiled and looked at her menu. "Can I have a C/C and water, Rick?" She asked with a smile knowing that was what he would order for himself. "And a small rib steak. Medium?"
"Yes, My Love." Rick answered before turning to Bob and meeting his eyes.
Why do you let your wife do this to me? She plays both of us like a fine tuned violin.
They smiled at each other both knowing full well what the other man was thinking and also knowing that neither of them could do anything about the little dark haired package of dynamite sitting at the end of the table except to accept and love her.
Until their drinks arrived there was no serious talk from anyone. As soon as the waitress set their drinks in front of them and silently left them, Rick met Cheryl's glance and both smiled and held their eye contact.
"I'm sure that you know lots of what I am going to tell you, because your husband cannot keep anything to himself and has told you about everything I've done since I first came to this fabulous island."
Rick told a condensed version of meeting Kimiko on his first trip to Okinawa and how she was waiting for him when he arrived a couple of days ago and admitted that he wanted to see her and spend the night with her on the first night he was back. But he glazed over his trips to Naha and his budding relationship with Tomako though by the expression on Cheryl's face and a quick glance at Bob told him that she knew more about Tomi than he was telling her. Bob had obviously told his wife more than Rick was willing to admit.
"When's Tomi's baby due?" Cheryl asked out of the blue.
How did she know about the baby? Of course, Bob. Thank you. I sure blew that one. I should have told Cheryl about the baby upfront.
"About the second week of December."
"So you will still be here." Cheryl made it a flat statement.
"Yeah. I guess I will. Why? What has the baby to do with anything?"
"Just curious.
Does Kim always expect you to to be where she tells you to be? I mean, does she sometimes ask you if you would like to go somewhere? Or do something with friends?"
NINETEEN
ENGINE START!
That was the word that Rick and the rest of the flight crew of Razorback-62 had been waiting for. The razorback's copilot had been left on radio watch in the cockpit and was now hollering from his side window, "The CP is on the horn, we're a GO!"
There was a tangle of arms and legs as the flight crew vaulted for the entry ladder. Rick signaled Rosko to fire up the starter air cart as he snatched his headset from a rung of the ladder a split second before one of the pilot's heavy booted toes came down onto the same ladder rung.
"Clear on four! You have rotation!" You have ignition!" Rick repeated three more times in rapid reverse number sequence as they started each engine.
Jesus, is it noisy! Rick thought climbing the crew entry ladder and into the relative quiet of the flight deck. The cockpit was a welcome relief after the chaotic sounds on the ramp with generators and air carts running full blast and all four of the EC135's engines running.
Rick hurriedly settled himself into the IP's seat behind the pilots while the ground crew waved them out of the revetment and onto the taxi-way behind the 'Follow-Me-Truck.'
Razorback-62 was an EC135. A KC135 tanker modified into a radio relay aircraft for use in Southeast Asia while maintaining its ability to refuel other aircraft. Its name came from the scattered array of several razor-blade shaped radio antennas on top of the fuselage.
All four engines were idling in a mellow whine and Rick checked that all the aircraft's systems were in the 'green' while they waited for a C141 which had just landed to clear the active runway. A misty rain hit the windshield; everyone on the flight deck looked up at the rapidly obscuring sky.
This is not what Weather had forecast at all the crew chief was thinking, Rain later in the day yes, but what was all this?
The increasing wind was pushing fast moving clouds in. There was no doubt amongst the crew that it would not be long before the sky would be completely obscured in rain and low flying clouds. There was already some scud clouds amongst the approach lights at the far end of the runway.
At the flight crew briefing just a short time before, the Operations briefer had been a bit ominous with a statement he made. "We don't expect you will have much radio traffic from the ground, but we're going to have to keep you in the area until at least 1800 hours."
Then the weather forecast had been typical monsoon season forecast. All the synopsis and weather maps for the Philippine Sea and South China Sea predicted overcast skies, low ceilings and rain showers. But the ceilings for the most part were to remain above IFR minimums for the next 24 to 36 hours. "All of the mainland of Southeast Asia is closed down. Anderson AFB on Guam, is still open and it is
a sure thing to stay that way, at least for the duration of your mission. Clark AFB in Manilla is still open, but we expect it to go below minimums and close at any time." The chubby Staff Sergeant from Weather droned on, "There is a major low coming across Typhoon Alley moving NNW at about 20 knots. We expect it to hit the mainland of Southeast Asia at approximately 1900 hours today. Definitely no sooner than that."
Rick was lost in his own thoughts about the nasty weather so all he caught over his headset was, "62 cleared for takeoff."
They rolled swiftly out onto runway 23 and the pilot lined the EC on the runway's white painted centerline with the ease of long practice and confidence. Both pilots pushed hard on their toe brakes as the jet engine's RPMs spooled up The aircraft strained against the engine's thrust. There was slight lurch when both pilots released their brakes in unison and pushed their yokes full forward. 62 was finally speeding towards the far end of the runway over 2 1/2 miles away. The runway marker lights were becoming a blur and Rick heard "V-1!" in his headset then a second later heard "Rotation!" The nose came up smoothly as in unison each pilot pulled his yoke back. The thump-thump of the mains slapping the expansion joints in the concrete lessened and then disappeared seconds before the runway approach lights flashed under the heavily loaded EC's belly.
The pilot had transitioned to his flight instruments shortly after he had started his take-off roll. There was just a short space of misty air between the dark gray, nasty looking East China Sea and the bottom of the black, rain laden clouds. He started a gentle turn to the left as the clouds pressed against the windows and rolled off the barely visible wingtips. The rain was streaming across the windshield and the dull drab day on the ground had become instant twilight.
The copilot raised the landing gear handle and the thumps of the main landing gear locking into the up position was followed by the high pitched whine of the hydraulic motors raising the flaps into the wings. Everybody on the flight deck visibly relaxed when the pilot rolled the EC's wings level and settled down into the climb out to cruise altitude. The boom operator poured the pilot and navigator a cup of coffee while under the pilot's watchful eye, the copilot flew the aircraft. Next to Rick the navigator was bent over his radar screen watching their traffic. A JAL DC-8 had departed from Naha south of them and was climbing almost due north towards Japan. Across but below the EC's flight path.