Sleeping with a Soldier

Vivian watched the parade as it went by. The veterans first, the old men with their wheelchairs and walkers, aided by the younger generation of soldiers, women among them now, too. Behind them came those in support, the firefighters in their crisp pale blue uniforms, the paramedics in their darker blue, the school kids, all marching behind in honour of those who’d given their lives, for the freedom of these generations.

Vivian loved watching the parade every year, loved seeing how the actions of the past were still remembered by the young kids today. The past was so indelibly tied to the present and the fact that people still acknowledged that gave her hope for future generations to come.

As the parade came to an end she joined with crowd to follow behind, to gather at the cenotaph and listen to the speeches and join in with the prayers and hymns.

“Vivian?”

The deep voice next to her made her heart race. She turned, her gaze meeting that of a solider in full uniform.

“Angus?” He looked well, his shirt hugging his broad chest, his jaw freshly shaved, though his blue eyes carried a hurt that hadn’t been there in the past. “You made it back.”

He nodded. “It took a long time, but here I am.”

Tears pricked the corners of Vivian’s eyes and she pushed them away. “I missed you.”

“And I you.” His voice was husky, and he coughed to clear it. “Shall we join the throng, have a cuppa?” He held out his hand.

She nodded taking his hand. Together they wove through the crowd, finding a seat tucked away in a corner to reconnect.

“You saw action then?” she asked.

His gaze dropped to his tea. “I was on the front lines. I saw far too much. Far more than I ever want to see again.” He looked up at her face. “Now I just want to drink in all the beauty of the world, in the hope I can erase all the ugliness of it.”

“Oh Angus.” She lifted a hand to cup his cheek. His eyes seemed to water, but he closed them before she could be sure. “I love you, Vivian. I’m sorry I left. I’m sorry it took so long to get back.”

“You’re here, now,” she whispered, sliding across the seat to get closer. “That’s all that matters.”

He opened his eyes again, his eyes wide with need, and moved in close for a kiss. “Can we go for a walk? I’m starting to feel hemmed in.”

She nodded, and they abandoned their drinks, following the streets down to the riverbank. Willows trailed in the water, ducks floating on by, or else waddling across the grassy banks.

“Beautiful.” Angus stopped to take in the view. “So much has changed since I left.”

She nodded. “It’s the one constant.”

He turned to face her, tilting her chin up to meet his kiss. She wrapped her hands around his neck, pressed her body against his.

“Are there any secrets nooks around here anymore, or have they turned it all into park?” His voice was husky again, sending a shiver up Vivian’s spine.

“Oh, there’s one spot.” She smiled, taking his hand and leading him along the river, past the manicured park to the overgrown tangle of bramble and hawthorn. There was a narrow, barely used trail, and Vivian’s skirt kept getting caught in the thorns, but eventually they made it through to a small clearing.

They kissed again, and now the need he’d been holding back took over and he pulled at the buttons on her blouse, his kiss deeper and hungrier than she’d even known.

She gave herself up to him. She’d missed him so much, missed this, and their hands were all over each other, as they pulled off clothes. He spread out the clothes on the ground as a makeshift blanket and lowered her onto it, his mouth everyone; suckling at her breasts, kissing her stomach, delving between her legs.

“Oh, Angus!” Vivian closed her eyes, tears welling at emotion of it all, having her love back again, the pleasure she’d missed all this time. Her back arched under his expert touch, and soon she climaxed, grabbing his shoulders to pull him up and kiss him, tasting herself on his tongue. She spread her legs, and he pushed into her, thrusting fast and hard as though he could somehow bury himself inside.

She clung to him as he came, digging her fingers into his shoulders. When they were down he rolled onto his side, pulling her into his embrace, running his fingers through her hair.

“I missed you Vivian, so much.”

Tears welled again. “I missed you, too, Angus. When I learned you died—” Her voice broke and she had to cough to clear her throat. “When I learned you died my heart broke, I thought surely I couldn’t keep on living.”

“But you did?” Angus pulled back to hold her gaze.

She nodded. “I did. I married, we started a family.”

Angus pulled her close again. “I’m glad you had that opportunity.”

She shook her head. “I died during childbirth. I lost too much blood. I’ve been waiting for you ever since.”

Angus kissed her. “I’m sorry it took me so long.”

She held his gaze as she brushed her hand through his hair. “It doesn’t matter. You’re here now, and we’ve got the rest of eternity to be together.”

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