Their Way - Andrea and Jay

This story and the chapters to follow are fiction. None of the characters exist and their names are all fictitious as well. Any names that match individuals in real life are purely a coincidence. But then...one never knows.

Please read the previous story parts.

This is a story about a military family. Not every military family has the same experiences as this one obviously. And no, military people and their families are not saints. They have their failings as we all do. But they do serve our nation and put their lives and loved ones on the line for us.

So...sit back and enjoy the adventures of Andrea and Jay. (And some other people in their lives.)

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Mid May 2006 Savanah, Georgia.

Monday morning, they went for an early run together. It was their first ever such run. She pushed herself more and he held back a bit for her. When they got to the track near the park, he took off and didn't stop until he lapped her. She wasn't surprised. Jay was a long-distance runner and all county the last two years. She didn't want to hold him back. Hold him back. That thought haunted her. Was she? Would she hold him back in life if they kept this up?

They had gotten up too late to go for runs, shower and have sex. And they did a lot of kissing and fondling in the shower. But they left each other hot and bothered when they realized how late they were. Jay left for school first and Andrea for work minutes after.

She called for an appointment with her doctor so she would prescribe birth control pills. She got an appointment and saw the doctor later that day. It helped that she had handled her doctor's home refinance loan. She had a month before she could go bareback with Jay. She wondered if she would last that long. As she picked up her prescription at the drugstore, she picked up a box of ribbed condoms. Just in case, she thought.

She had the urge to call Heather and talk to her. She was her only friend in town she could trust. She dialed Heather's number and waited for her friend to pick up.

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Jay sat in one of his classes spacing out with a smile in his face. In his mind he relived the weekend and wondered where life would take them next. Their entire weekend had been spent having sex and talking or sleeping. He had lost count how many times he had cum or how many times he made her cum. He was drained. It was a miracle that he was able to run earlier in the day. He was sure his running time was off. Did sex really impact athletic performance? He wondered in earnest and planned to look it up online.

He barely noticed what the teacher was saying. A fact that did not go unnoticed by Jane sitting two seats away. She stopped him after class.

"Hey why did you snub me over the weekend?"

"You have plenty of admirers and customers," he replied. "You don't need me."

"I made no plans thinking we would get together. I was left with Finerman...fucken Finerman Jay! The bottom of the barrel. Do you hate me or something?"

"No Jane. I actually don't. Unlike the other assholes you fuck and let the world know, I actually care about you."

"Get the fuck out of here. All you care about is getting laid Jay Mayers. Its why we get along. Fuck, suck, cum. Go home."

"There's more to it than that Jane."

"Oh shit...you found a girl! You got laid."

"No...Actually I didn't."

"You found a guy?"

He laughed. Jane was good with the one-liners and made him laugh as well as cum.

"No Jane. You should know better."

"Whatever," she said making a hand cutting motion. "If you don't make plans with me soon, you will be dating your hand like you used to."

"We never dated."

"For people like us, that was a date Jay. You: Jane wanna fuck? Me: sure, pick me up in five."

He smiled at her and shook his head.

"I'll get back to you on that," he said.

"I better hear from you soon or I'm changing my fucking schedule Mayers," she said walking away.

Jay looked at his friend with benefits and felt sad. As her spectacular ass walked away, he realized that he and Jane may have had their last encounter the night his mother got drunk. And surprisingly he was ok with it.

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"Hi Andrea," she heard Heather say exited on the other side of the line. "How are you?"

Andrea took a deep breath before she spoke. Last chance for her to keep things to herself.

"Hi Heather, everything ok with you?"

"Well, things are the same...you know."

Andrea knew that Heather and her husband were having problems. Most marriages of combat soldiers did. The men were coming home from deployment different than when they left. War did that to them. Even women soldiers were coming back changed. And it was usually for the worse. Heather's husband had come back with PTSD and a case of impotence. The harder Heather tried to help him or suggest help, the more he withdrew from her. He had resorted to volunteering for extra duty on base to be away from her. Poor heather was at her wits end.

"Heather, I have a problem. We need to talk. Can you come over after work?"

"Sure. Is everything OK?"

"Yeah, just need to talk to you about something that's bothering me."

"Why not. You certainly hear about my problems."

"It's not an obligation Heather. I do it because I love you."

"I know Andrea and I love you too. If it wasn't for you, I would have gone crazy a few years back."

"No, you wouldn't off," Andrea replied. "We kept each other afloat. Just come get me and we can go get some fish or something."

"Must you bring up my culinary weakness?"

"I really need to talk."

"OK. Give me thirty and I'll be there."

"See you. And bring the girls."

"You too...Toots."

They laughed at their inside joke. But kept it down at their respective jobs. All people these days knew that "the girls" meant their tits.

Andrea left Jay an email saying she would be late having dinner with a girlfriend and would be home by seven at the latest. In five minutes, he replied for her to not worry. He would feed himself.

"Don't forget" he e-mailed her back. "Don't forget to water the palm trees."

She laughed at that. He remembered her talk about not drinking too much and how spies ditched their drinks at embassy parties.

Forty-five minutes later she and Heather were seated at a table on the patio of an out of the place seafood restaurant. A secret gem in Savanah, it served fresh fish they both liked.

"So," Heather said staring back at Andrea's eyes. "What gives?"

"You know my son Jay, right?"

"Well, I haven't seen him since the funeral Andrea. That was what two years ago?"

"A bit more, but yes," Andrea replied. "I'm sorry I haven't had you over at the house since."

Andrea had not just refrained from inviting Heather over. She had refused to go out with her friend like they used to. But they still talked on the phone and e-mailed. Even after Robert's death. But the personal contact and girl time they had shared Andrea had chosen to stop right after Robert's death. Heather had missed her friend but respected her grieving time. This was the first time they had gotten together and seen each other for over two years. Heather saw it as a good sign. Or was it?

"I understand Andrea. You went through something all us wives live in constant fear of. I don't know how I would have dealt with it. Probably fell in a bottle or something."

"Thank God I didn't do that, not until recently anyway."

"What happened?"

Andrea shook her head.

"I had a bad day and went to a bar before going home. Had too much to drink and they called Jay to come collect me."

"Damn girl." Heather smiled. "You should have called me. I could use a night like that."

"Maybe next time," Andrea said hoping there wouldn't be one of those.

"OK," Heather said noticing Andrea's agitation. "So...Jay...what about him?"

"I haven't told him yet."

Heather got quiet and serious as she stared back at an equally serious and quiet Andrea.

"Afraid to?"

"Yes," Andrea replied. "Wouldn't you be?"

"I would guess. But you know you have to, eventually don't you?"

Andrea nodded staring at and playing with her food.

"I know, but I'm still scared how he will take it."

"He's eighteen by, now isn't he?"

"Yes, since last February."

"Hun, I know it's your call, but when are you planning on telling him?"

Andrea's lips started trembling. She felt so vulnerable just then. It was a role reversal for the two longtime friends. It had always been her the strong one and Heather coming to her for advice and comfort.

Heather reached out and touched Andrea's hand. Andrea grasped it as if holding on to a life preserver in the ocean.

"What if he hates me...what if he leaves me?" she was now crying. Her face was turned away from people. But a couple nearby was perceptive enough to notice. Heather nodded to their concerned faces politely and focused on Andrea.

"He will not hate you or leave you. Not the Jay I remember."

"Oh Heather, he is so good to me. He kept me above water when things looked hopeless. If I didn't have him, I would be lost. I would be...alone," she sobbed again, but managed to keep it barely together.

"Hey, let's get out of here OK?" Heather said and waved to the waiter for the check.

Andrea nodded and used her napkin to wipe her eyes. She reached for her purse and credit card, but Heather stopped her by slapping her hand. The sting made her snap to and focus a bit, but she was still scared of losing her one and only son.

Heather paid the bill and ushered Andria out of the restaurant and to her car. She was glad she drove. Once they were both in and belted, she started and drove around town until they hit a park near Andrea's job. After they talked Andrea would hopefully drive home.

She let Heather drive and let herself cry. It was cathartic.

"How do I tell him I'm not his mother Heather?"

"You are his mother. The only mother he ever had. The bitch was a just the egg donor and incubator. We've talked about this before Andrea. You raised the boy. She wanted to give him away to strangers like he was a bother."

"What if he hates me for not telling him sooner?" Andrea asked sniffling and wiping her nose.

"Sooner he wasn't an adult yet...fuck that Andrea. Sooner you were a mess. You lost your husband and your life was turned upside down. He has to understand and if he doesn't, I'll come over and smack some sense into him."

Andrea smiled at that.

"Heather he is six foot tall." She said now smiling at her friend.

"I don't give a shit," Heather said as she pulled over into the park parking lot. "He won't hurt either of us. You raised a good son."

Andrea nodded and smiled to her.

"Oh Heather, he is such a beautiful man. Handsome and caring and...loving. And so perceptive. It's like he can read my mind."

"Shit Andrea! I need a man like that. I know he's young and all, but...never mind. I'm still hung up on my hubby."

Andrea looked at Heather now with concern. She knew that her friend was dealing with her own issues.

"I'm sorry Heather, I shouldn't have dropped this on you."

"No! What are friends for?"

"I know, but still."

"Still...whatever Andrea! We are like the sister I never had. I have never been this close to a woman other than you. I love you girl. Don't you ever worry about coming to me. OK?"

"OK," Andrea replied looking at her with a smile.

They smiled at each other and the staring between them lingered. It had been so long since...

Andrea leaned toward Heather and the younger brunette did as well. They looked at each other again as if questioning each other and then kissed lightly at first and a bit harder after. When Heather reached out for her with her hands, Andrea made sure she only hugged her. This was all she could handle. Any more complications and her mind would burst. She had been tempted to tell Heather everything but had held back. Maybe some other time down the road. But not now. Not when she was still conflicted about how far she and Jay were taking their relationship and when Heather was dealing with so much at home with her husband.

Heather moaned as they kissed and pulled back.

"I am so horny Andrea. I haven't been laid in close to two years. I could strip you and have your dildo fuck me on the park bench right now."

Andrea smiled at her. Memories of their times alone when their husbands first deployed after 9/11 came back to her. Again, the complications at this moment were too much for her to stir that hornets' nest.

"Thank you, Heather," she whispered to her up close and gave her another kiss. "I still love you girl."

It was heather's turn to stifle a sob and wipe a tear.

"I miss you Andrea. I really do. If you had not at least called and e-mailed I would be totally lost the last two years. We may no longer have the sex, but I still feel close to you. You know, that right?"

Andrea nodded as she looked at her friend and ex-lover. She still cared for her even though they had been physically apart for so long.

"Heather, hang in there. Things will get better."

Heather shook her head.

"he refuses to get help or let me near him Andrea. He stays at the base most of the time. We are separated for all intents and purposes. He told me to go fuck another man for heaven's sake. He said for me to get some pleasure he can't give me. What happened to my husband Andrea?"

Andrea nodded.

"What happened to mine Heather?" she replied with sadness, but with resolve. She knew Robert was dead and not coming back. In Heather's case, her husband was damaged inside and refusing help. She was occasionally watching his living corpse stroll into their apartment to pick up his things. Much worse for Heather. Much worse.

"We chose this life Andrea," Heather said with a faraway look. "I expected everything but this. I expected him dead or injured. Maimed even. A lost leg or arm. I could live with that if I still had his love. Instead I have this shell of my husband who can't wait to go back to the war so he can end it all by catching a bullet."

Andrea gasped and for the first time since that fateful day thought she was luckier than someone else. The thought shocked her and simultaneously soothed her. And then the guilt hit.

"Is there anything I can do?" she asked Heather who was now looking out the window resigned and beyond hope of ever getting her husband back.

"No Andrea. No. Because he doesn't want anyone to help him. Even the Army tried to send him to counselling sessions. He did and somehow managed to pass the review. They are deploying him in August. Like everything is fine."

"Do they know about..."

"No Andrea. He won't say it to them, and I can't destroy the little dignity he has left by letting them know. You are the only one who knows."

"I love you Heather," Andrea said realizing she had no problems compared to her friend.

"I love you too Andrea," Heather said with a forlorn and distant look out the window. "I better get you back to your car."

Andrea said nothing as Heather drove her back to the bank. Heather said nothing either. When they got there, Heather leaned in for a quick kiss and pulled back. Andrea wanted to say something but didn't know what.

"Call me when you need to, OK?" was all she managed to say.

Heather nodded as Andrea closed the door and then the SUV drove away.

Andrea walked into the house and ran up to Jay's room. He was doing some stretching but she grabbed and hugged him. he was surprised and held her back as she held him tighter and tighter.

"Hey, Hey," he said. "Is everything ok?"

"Yes Jay. It's great. For us everything is great."

"For us?"

"Yes, I had dinner with my friend Heather. Things for her and her husband are going from bad to worse. I am so lucky to have you in my life. So lucky I have you love me."

Jay was quiet. What could be so bad that His mother thought she was luckier. Heather's husband was still here and alive. His father was dead and gone forever. But then he had been hearing about soldiers coming back damaged inside. No outward wounds. But a mess internally. Wives were dumping them. All the stress and no one had a handle on it. He made a note to ask her later. Maybe tomorrow.

"Did you eat dinner?" she asked still holding him.

"Yeah, don't worry about it. Mom are you ok?"

She pulled back from him and looked up at him with a forced smile. Her lips trembled and he could see tear tracks on her face that had ruined her make up. He hadn't see that for a while. It worried him.

"I have you and Leslie are ok..." she made a face at that. "We have each other Jay. I love you and you love me. All that matters."

"Good then. What do you want to do?"

Andrea gave him a knowing smile.

"I know what YOU want to do."

"I haven't had to twist your arm lately," he replied.

"No, you haven't Jay. And it's been a treat. A pleasure and a gift from God."

"What's come over you tonight?"

"I just realized how lucky I am. As if I needed a reminder."

"How about you take a shower and we relax. We can do whatever you want. So long as we're together."

Andrea leaned up for a kiss and he did not disappoint her. Their kiss was deep and passionate. Then he broke it and slapped her ass.

"Shower woman. Don't make me drag you in and run you dressed under the water."

"Promises, promises," she said and ran out of the room. He made like he was trying to catch her, and she screamed like a young girl. A young girl. Andrea felt so alive just then and lucky. Lucky to be alive and to have him in her life. As she stripped to nothing in her room and reached for her short robe, she realized something she already knew. She was in love.

Thursday the same week. Early May 2006 Savanah, Georgia.

Jay woke up in Andrea's bed, still naked, but covered with a sheet. A ray of sunlight hit his face from the window...ok, daylight. Annoyed he turned his head. His first instinct was to return to sleep. Then his mind cleared, as he realized where he was and also what had transpired the week before.

'I'm in my mom's bed.' He sat up rubbing the sleep from his eyes. 'The bed I had sex with her.'

He jumped up off the bed smiling.

Jay went to the bathroom. After he was done peeing and washing his face, he went to his room to get dressed. He couldn't help but notice there was a note on his bed.

Hi Jay,

I went for my run. Stopping at the store. Be back soon.

Love you

Andrea :)

He put on a fresh pair of shorts and t shirt and went downstairs. He looked for his clothes from yesterday. She must have picked them up that morning. They had both stripped each other naked as soon as she got home.

'She..." she" ...not mom...she...Andrea.' The thought bounced around his mind as he tried to find a place...no. An answer to it. 'But she IS mom.'

This was the woman that had given him life, raised him, loved him, protected him. She had been mom until just last week. Now she was" She" ...her...Andrea. A magical woman who in a week had transformed from parent and guardian to lover. At the moment he was glad he was alone. It gave him time to think about it all. He grabbed his phone from the living room coffee table and hopped in the kitchen.

She had made coffee. That again...not mom...but "She," her, Andrea.

He sat down with a cup and went through phone messages.

Shawn: dude, you ditched us? Seriously?

Rick: did you meet a guy and fall in love? Wtf man?

Jay laughed at that.

Jane: I had a dick up my ass, but not yours.

Jay responded: don't see no dick...did you fuck the invisible man?