31 comments/ 90880 views/ 84 favorites Johnny Comes Marching Home By: Web_Spinner There is no sex in this story. The young man in this story is not Rambo. He is a brave American who like so many others have served their country proudly. * Johnny thought back to the last time he had seen the McKuens. It had been just over three years ago. It was right at the time he was enlisting in the Army. Johnny had just graduated high school and wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father, uncle and grandfather. They had all served their country. Johnny's mother wasn't too pleased with his decision, especially with what was happening in the middle east but his father was proud of him. That summer the McKuens had come back to his hometown for a visit. The McKuens and his parents had been friends since the year before he was born. That was when they had moved into the house next door to the one his parents live in. Johnny's mom and Mrs. McKuen had been pregnant at the same time and Johnny was born one month before Mrs. McKuen gave birth to her daughter Amanda. Everyone calls her Mandy though. It was only natural that Johnny and Mandy had grown up together, their mothers being best friends and all. The two kids were practically inseparable until they were fourteen when Mr. McKuen was transferred across state. Even during the fifth and sixth grades when the guys teased him about hanging out with and icky girl he didn't care. She was his best friend. Then during the seventh and eighth grades when boys started noticing girls he began to realize that his best friend was about the cutest girl in school. He was even more proud to be her best friend and hang out with her. Then the summer between their eighth and ninth grade years Mr. McKuen announced they were moving. Johnny and Mandy were almost heartbroken that the were going to be separated. They promised each other they would write often and would always be best friends forever. They did write each other a lot in the beginning and each summer either her family would come for a two week visit or he would go with his family to visit them. During these visits Johnny and Mandy would renew their friendship. Every year Mandy grew more beautiful. But as they entered their junior year their letters became less frequent and during their senior year they only wrote a few times. Johnny recalled the last day of the McKuen's visit at the end of his senior year. It was the end of their two week stay and Johnny had spent every day with Mandy. Two days after the McKuens returned home Johnny would be reporting for basic training. Mandy hadn't said anything up till then about Johnny joining the Army but before they left that morning she took Johnny into his bedroom and shut the door. For several minutes she had just stood and stared at him looking him up and down. Her eyes filled with tears that began to roll down her cheek in big drops. Suddenly she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight and then gave him a soft kiss on the lips. "You had better take care of yourself, Johnny. You're my best friend," she said and then ran from the room. Johnny stood there in a daze and his fingers pressed against his lips where she had kissed him. Twenty minutes later he was waving as she and her family drove away. That was the last time he had seen her for these last three years. Johnny finished his basic training and the next year his unit was sent to Iraq where he served for twelve months. He had a few close calls but made it out okay. Then he had finished his tour of duty at Fort Hood. His grandfather had served during World War II and his father had been in Viet Nam. Both had returned with medals for bravery under fire. Like them, Johnny had also received two medals for courage. At any time he ever had a doubt he would ask himself what his father and grandfather would have done. And now, like them, he understood why they didn't like to talk about the horrors of combat. There had been many a time that he thought about Mandy and even dreamed about her kiss. The thought of her helped him to persevere through the rough times. She had told him to take care of himself and he didn't want to disappoint her. He had saved almost all his pay and with the G.I. Bill was going back to school. The college he had chosen just happened to be the same one Mandy attended and was located in the city in which her parents lived. Johnny had no desire to live in a dorm and was on his way to look for an apartment after spending the last month visiting his parents. It had been his mom's idea that he stay with McKuens until he found an apartment. Diane and Frank McKuen had been enthusiastic in wanting him to stay with them. Mandy had her own apartment near the campus and was going to be starting her senior year. Johnny's reveries were interrupted as he pulled into the drive way. He had no more than stepped out of his car when the front door had opened and Mrs. McKuen came running out and threw her arms around Johnny. They hugged each other and she stood back and looked at him. "Goodness gracious Johnny but you are so handsome. You sure have filled out." He gave her a grin. "Thank you Mrs. McKuen. I have to say you haven't changed a bit. Still pretty as ever." "And you've become quite the charmer," she said with a smile that showed she was pleased with his compliment. "But, I think your old enough now to call me Diane. Frank wanted to be here to greet you too but he had to work. He'll be here later this afternoon. Until then grab your bags and I'll show you to your room." Johnny grabbed his bags out of the car and followed Diane's lithe figure into the house. He had been honest in his compliment of her. One only had to look at Diane to see where Mandy had gotten her good looks from. Johnny put his bags in the spare bedroom and then went to the kitchen with Diane. They sat at the table talking over glasses of iced tea until the front door opened. Mr. McKuen announced he was home and Diane told him they were in the kitchen. Johnny rose from his seat as Frank entered and was caught in a bear hug and then an arm pumping hand shake. "My God, Johnny, look at you. You have sure grown up." Johnny thanked him and like Diane had done Frank told him to call him by his first name. Diane set about preparing dinner while Johnny and Frank went into the living room and talked. Frank had also served in the Army so they compared stories. Dinner was just as good as he expected it to be. Diane was a great cook and Johnny had had the pleasure of eating her cooking many times over the years. After dinner they sat together in the living room reminiscing about the past. Just before eight the front door opened again. Johnny's heart skipped a beat when a beautiful young woman stepped inside. He barely had time to stand up to catch her as she streaked across the room and almost leveled him as she jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed. His arms likewise wrapped around her returning the squeeze. He set her down and they looked at each other carefully. "It's so good to see you, Johnny," she said enthusiastically. "Same here, Mandy. You are prettier than ever," Johnny said in awe. It was true. The last three years had been really good to Mandy and she was a very fine young woman. Johnny heard a cough from behind Mandy and looked up to see a guy about his age standing behind her. He'd had only had eyes for Mandy and had missed his entrance. Mandy turned to look at him. "Gary, this is my oldest friend, Johnny. Johnny, I would like you to meet my boyfriend Gary," she said. Johnny felt his heart fall but quickly thought, 'Of course she has a boyfriend.' He hadn't really thought about it but it only made sense. Any girl as pretty as she was would have guys chasing her. Johnny quickly put a smile on his face and stuck his hand out. "It's nice to meet you Gary." Gary did shake Johnny's hand but didn't say anything. He just looked him over. Johnny's eyes turned to Mandy when she spoke again. "I meant to be here earlier but I got tied up. Anyway, Gary and I are on our way to meet up with friends at a club. Would you like to come with us?" Johnny glanced back over at Gary and saw a none too friendly look. "I appreciate the invite Mandy but I'm a little tired from the drive. I think I'll just stay here and turn in early." Mandy gave him a little pout but accepted his decision. She gave her mother and dad a quick kiss and was gone as almost as fast as she had arrived. Her parting words were that she wanted to get together and catch up on things with him. Johnny set back down as the door shut. "I don't know what she see's in him," Johnny heard Diane mutter under her breath. They talked for another hour until Johnny excused himself to turn in. After a quick shower he hit the sack and before he fell asleep he thought about Mandy. She had looked wonderful. Then he thought about her boyfriend Gary. He knew by the looks that he got that Gary didn't like him. Johnny thought that could be understandable. He wondered how he would feel to be in his place and meeting her oldest friend who was another man. Johnny also wondered about his reaction to Gary. He didn't like him. He didn't think it was just because Mandy had introduced him as her boyfriend. There was just something about him. He reflected on Diane's statement after they had left. It was obvious she wasn't crazy about him either. Johnny woke at the crack of dawn. He still hadn't learned to sleep in after three years in the army. He got dressed and brushed his teeth and shaved and quietly made his way to the kitchen. He was surprised to see Diane already there putting on the coffee. She told him she always got up early on the mornings that Frank had to work to make his breakfast. Johnny sat at the table as she busied herself at the stove. Frank came in dressed for work just as Diane set the plates on the table. Once he had eaten Frank kissed his wife and wished Johnny luck on his hunt for an apartment and left for work. Johnny helped Diane clean the kitchen then asked her if she knew anything about apartments close to school. Diane took him into the study and turned on the computer. She brought up an apartment locator service that mapped all the local apartment buildings. She showed him which complex Mandy lived in and then left him to use the computer. One nice feature is that you could query the site about what size and price range you were looking for and it would return a list of units available. Johnny already knew that most of his classes would be on the south side of the campus as that was where the engineering buildings were. Mandy's apartment was on the north side of the large campus. Johnny quickly dismissed the idea of looking for an apartment in her complex. He was pretty sure that would only cause problems with Gary. Not so much for him but for Mandy. Instead he made a list of the ones with available units on the south side and left to check them out. As luck would have it he found what he was looking for on his third stop. It was a one bedroom corner unit on the second floor of a two story building. As the apartment manager led him up the stairs he noted a cute coed coming out of the unit below the one he was looking at. He was able to put down a deposit and have his rent start in two weeks. That would give him one week to get moved in before classes started. Once the paper work was done Johnny noted that it was still early. He drove to the McKuen's and told Diane of his good fortune. He then said that as it was still early he was going to drive back home to spend more time with his parents before classes started. Diane was disappointed he was leaving so soon but understood. Johnny promised he would visit when he came back. Diane fixed him some sandwiches for the drive and gave him a kiss on the cheek before he left. Johnny's parents were surprised but happy to see him home so soon as he had only been gone overnight. He spent as much time as he could with his folks and the two weeks passed quickly. When it was time to return to his new apartment it didn't take long to pack as he had only the few things he had bought since his discharge. He spent his first two days moving in and doing some shopping for things he figured he would need. He stopped in to see the McKuen's the evening of his second day. He was in luck to arrive right on time to be invited for dinner. As they began to eat Diane looked at him. "Mandy was a little miffed at you for taking off so quick." He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm sure we'll have time to talk sometime now that I'm back." Diane looked at him a little funny but let the subject drop. They visited for another couple hours before Johnny left to return to his apartment. Just as he was about to go up the stairs the door to the unit below him opened. The cute coed he had seen the day he had leased the apartment stepped out and Johnny decided to take the time to introduce himself. She said her name was Susan and she was starting her sophomore year. Johnny told her that he was a starting freshman. She looked at him in disbelief and told him he didn't look like he had just graduated high school. Johnny laughed and explained that he had spent the last three years in the Army so was getting a late start. He noticed her look him over as she reappraised him. Johnny really hadn't had that much contact with women since high school. Even when he was stateside and had weekend leave he preferred to stay on base and save his money. He had been considered cute by the girls in high school but he wasn't the hard body more mature man that he was now. Susan said she was on her way to meet some friends but hoped they would see each other again. He returned her sentiment and went up to his apartment thinking that he had made a good choice on choosing where to live. The following day he was just hanging out after lunch when there was an insistent knock on his door. As he swung the door open Mandy pushed him aside and stomped inside. "Why did you just take off and leave without talking to me," she spat out. Johnny stood there confused by her attitude. Her mother had been right when she said her daughter was miffed at him. He scratched his head and shrugged his shoulders. "Geez Mandy. I'm sorry. It's just that I found this place really quick and I kinda wanted to get back so I could spend some more time with my folks. I've only got to see them once in the last three years." Mandy looked at her life long friend standing before her looking like a child who had just been scolded by his mother. 'Of course he would want to spend time with his parents,' she thought. Her anger instantly melted away. "I'm sorry Johnny. I guess I can be so thoughtless sometimes. It's just that I have missed you and I was so excited when mom told me you were coming." Johnny crossed the short distance between them and hugged her. "I'm here now. Let's sit and we can talk." They sat on the couch and talked for the next two hours. Mandy started first, telling Johnny about her life for the last three years. She talked about her major and her classes and things she had done. The one thing that she didn't talk about was Gary. Johnny didn't ask as he really didn't want to know. He then told her all about going through basic and life in the Army. She noticed that the one thing he didn't talk about was the year he spent in Iraq. Their mothers were always in contact through e-mail or phone calls so she always knew where Johnny was. She remembered how relieved she had been the day that her mother had told her was back in the States. As they talked Johnny was able to take his time and study his friend. Perhaps it was just him but he thought she was beautiful. She grown into the woman that he had imagined she would become. He loved to listen to her talk and when she laughed it sent tingles down his spine. Finally Mandy looked at her watch and said she had to go. Johnny figured that she was going to meet Gary and wondered if he knew she was here. He really didn't care one way or the other because the last two hours had almost been like the old days. Johnny walked her to the door and as he opened it she hugged him tightly. "I'm glad you came home safe," she whispered. "Me too," he said remembering those who hadn't. Johnny didn't hear from Mandy over the next few days and once classes started he spent his first week learning his way around. He learned this wasn't like high school as he had homework assigned on his first day of classes. It was on Thursday that Johnny realized that it was already past seven when he finished studying. He didn't feel like cooking and ordered a pizza to be delivered. When he stepped out to pay the pizza delivery guy he spotted Susan returning to her apartment. He called down and asked her if she would like to share a pizza with him. She said sure and give her a second to drop her books inside. Ten minutes later they were sitting on his couch biting into their first slice. As they ate they got to know each other. Johnny learned that she was from the Midwest and was majoring in marketing. He told her about where he grew up and some of his life in the Army. While Johnny didn't feel that either of them were infatuated with the other he did find it pleasant to spend time with the pretty brunette with those big brown eyes. Over the next two weeks they got together twice. She invited him into her apartment for dinner one evening to repay him for sharing his pizza and once they got together to just sit and talk. It was near the end of his third week of school that Mandy called him. He hadn't heard from her since the day she had come to his apartment. He knew he could have called her but figured she was busy with Gary and school. She apologized for not calling earlier and said she was hosting a little get together on Saturday at her place and wanted to know if he would come. Johnny almost turned her down then asked if he could let her know for sure later. He waited until he thought Susan would be home and went down and asked her if she would be interested in going to a party with him. When he told her that it was being hosted by a couple of senior students she readily agreed. He later laughed when he was alone how fast she accepted his invitation when she learned that it was seniors and not a freshman party. Must be some kind of social status thing. Johnny called Mandy back and told her he would come. She seemed pleased. That was until he arrived on Saturday night. Mandy answered the door when he knocked and her face lit up when she saw him but when she noticed the cute brunette standing next to him and her face fell. Johnny quickly introduced Mandy and Susan to each other. Mandy had been raised well by her parents and quickly put on a welcoming smile and invited them in. As they were standing in the living room and Mandy was pointing out where Johnny could put the beer and bottle of wine that he had bought Gary came up behind her. Johnny noted the glare he received from Mandy's boyfriend until he spotted Susan. Johnny thought he looked at her like a hungry wolf on the prowl. In fact he ignored Johnny and walked right up to Susan and held out his hand and introduced himself. Johnny again had the feeling that there was just something about Gary that he didn't like. There was another knock at the door and Mandy left to answer it. Johnny led Susan into the kitchen to put the beer and wine in the refrigerator. He kept one beer for himself and poured a glass of wine for Susan and returned to the living room where there were already five other couples. Johnny took a look around and was impressed with the size of the apartment. He knew that it was a three bedroom unit that Mandy shared with two other girls and though he hadn't seen the bedrooms, the kitchen and living room were quite spacious. Never having been shy Johnny introduced himself and Susan to some of the other people in the room. One of the girls turned out to be Mandy's roommate and when she realized who he was she told him how nice it was to finally meet the guy that Mandy talked about so much. Johnny noticed the look of curiosity he got from Susan. He hadn't really told her much about Mandy other than they had know each other for a long time. Johnny Comes Marching Home As they mingled with the other guests he came to realize that this was a gathering of Mandy's girlfriends and their boyfriends. As Mandy played the dutiful hostess he subtlety kept track of her. He noticed two things. One was that she didn't seem to be pleased with Gary's open flirting with the other women in the room. And the other was that she often looked at him with an expression that he couldn't read. She seemed to stay on the other side of the room, away from him and Susan, and he couldn't figure out why. He wondered if it was because he had brought a date, but that didn't add up as she was with Gary. After they had been there for a couple of hours Susan excused herself to use the ladies room. The way the apartment was laid out the bathroom and the three bedrooms branched off of a hallway and weren't visible from the living room. Susan returned about ten minutes later and tugged at Johnny's arm pulling him to the side. "What the hell is with that Gary guy? I thought he was Mandy's boyfriend?" she asked. "Yeah, he is. Why?" Johnny replied. "Well he just hit on me when I was in the hall." He had noticed that Gary had slipped into the hallway shortly after Susan had left the room but really hadn't thought much of it. Now he looked over to where Gary was once again flirting with another of Mandy's friends. Gary looked back at Johnny and gave him a smirk. Johnny felt his anger grow but he didn't really see that there was much he could do without causing a scene and ruining Mandy's party. He considered taking Mandy aside and telling her about what Susan had said, but then again he wasn't sure that it was his place. He remembered their pledge to each other all those years ago to be best friends forever but she wasn't acting very friendly tonight. He wasn't sure that she wouldn't turn on him as the bearer of bad news. The hardest part for him is that he wasn't used to being indecisive. The Army had taught him how to react and take control of a situation in the heat of battle but this was different. No one was shooting at him and he wasn't really sure about the battle lines. Johnny and Susan stayed for another hour and she stayed close to him. Gary stayed on the other side of the room away from him as if he was wary of Johnny. He should be. As they were leaving Johnny and Susan stopped to thank Mandy for inviting them. Mandy in turn thanked them for coming. Just before they turned to go Johnny and Mandy stared at each other for a few seconds and again he couldn't fathom the look she gave him. Johnny saw Susan to her door and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She didn't invite him in and he didn't press for anything more. While he wouldn't be against partaking of her favors, his mind was preoccupied with what had happened at the party. Johnny didn't hear from Mandy for the next two weeks. He had visited her parents a couple times but they never really talked about her. Diane did ask if they had seen each other and he told her a couple of times but they were both busy with school. He was getting to the point that he was going to call Mandy and find out if she had a problem with him. Before he did though, he had an encounter with Gary. He had taken a break from the books and hit one of the local restaurants that were dotted around the campus and mainly catered to the students. This one happened to serve a great roast beef po' boy. Here you ordered at the counter and then took your food to one of the booths that lined the side wall. Johnny had taken a seat in the back booth and had only taken a couple of bites when he noticed Gary coming in the door. He was with a girl and it wasn't Mandy. Gary was obviously too wrapped up in flirting with the girl that he didn't notice Johnny in the back of the restaurant. They ordered their sandwiches and took a booth four up from his. They sat side by side with their backs to him. Johnny watched them talking with their heads close together and began to fume when they exchanged kisses. He lost his appetite and tossed the uneaten half of his sandwich into the handy garbage can and walked out. He didn't look at Gary as he passed and reckoned he didn't notice him. Johnny returned to his apartment and continued to brood over what he had seen. That son of a bitch was obviously two timing Mandy but he already suspected that. He knew he should do something about it. He was still unsure about approaching Mandy directly and decided to talk with Diane and seek her advice. After all she was Mandy's mom. Johnny stopped by the McKuen's the next day after his classes. It was just Diane there as Frank was still at work. She had the natural instincts that most mothers have and could tell that something was bothering Johnny. They sat in the living room and Johnny told her of the events, both at the party involving Susan and what he had witnessed at the restaurant. He also told her about having the feeling that there was some kind of strain on his relationship with Mandy. One he didn't understand. "That son of a bitch," Diane snarled. Johnny was slightly taken aback at her language. "I knew he was no good. I've just been hoping that Mandy would realize it." "The problem is I just don't know what to do about it. I don't want to see Mandy hurt and I'm afraid if I tell her what I know she will ending up hating me for it," Johnny said. Diane looked at him and nodded her head. "You may be right, Johnny. Under the circumstances I think I should be the one to tell her. However she's going to want to know how I learned about this and I really don't see any other way than to tell her the truth. Can you deal with that?" He thought it over and nodded. "Yeah, I can. She's too special to be treated like this and she may hate me either way but we have to do what's best for her." Diane said she would call her daughter as soon as he left and have her come see her. She asked him to come back after his classes the next day and talk with her again. Johnny went back to his apartment and tried to study but finally gave up when he couldn't concentrate. He kept worrying about what would be the consequences from the Diane's talk with her daughter. He went to bed that night still very troubled. He wouldn't have been surprised if Mandy had come to his apartment and yelled at him for interfering, but she didn't. He wasn't any better the next day. He thought he should have just skipped class as he didn't even hear half of what was said. As soon as he could, he headed back to his apartment for his car and drove over to talk to Diane. When he arrived she led him to the couch. She told him that Mandy hadn't taken the news well and had become furious and stormed out. She assured him that she knew her daughter and she would come around to understand that they were only acting from the heart and it was her they were concerned about. She suggested that for now it might be best if he didn't contact her. Johnny agreed with her and was just getting up to leave when the front door flew open and an irate Mandy stormed in. "You son of a bitch. How dare you go to my mother and tell her that my boyfriend is cheating on me," she railed at him. She was standing in his face as she shouted. Even though Johnny was six inches taller than her he tried backing away from this angry hellcat. "Mandy, you have no right to speak to Johnny like that," Diane admonished her daughter. "Oh no. How would he like it if I went and told his mother that that slut he's sleeping with is screwing around on him." "Amanda Lynn," Diane growled using her full name. "If you can't keep a civil tongue in your mouth you can just leave and not return until you can." Mandy just stared at her mother and suddenly burst into tears and sank to her knees. Her body shook as she sobbed into her hands. Acting on instinct both Johnny and Diane gently took her by the arms and lifted her up and sat her on the couch. Johnny remained standing, full of despair at the pain he knew Mandy was feeling. Diane sat next to her daughter and pulled her into her arms and began to console her. When Diane looked up Johnny pointed at himself and then at the door telling her that he was going to leave. Diane shook her head no. Torn, Johnny remained where he was. Eventually Mandy's sobs slowed, then turned to just sniffles. "Mandy, we need to straighten this out right now before you end up saying things that you will forever regret," Diane said softly to her daughter. Mandy didn't say anything but she stopped sniffling. "I want you to look inside your heart Mandy. Has Johnny ever done anything in your whole life to intentionally hurt you?" Mandy sniffled again but slowly shook her head no. "Do you think that he has changed so much that he would want to hurt you in anyway now?" Mandy looked up slowly into Johnny's face and saw the pain and sorrow that was etched there. "No," she said loudly in answer to her mother's question. Mandy stood quickly from the couch and wrapped her arms around his chest and held on tight. "I'm sorry Johnny. I didn't mean to say those things." Johnny gently put his arms around her and held her to him. "It's okay, Mandy. I know he hurt you. I'm sorry." Mandy kept her head pressed sideways on his chest. "Actually I knew he was an asshole. I was going to dump him anyway. I just didn't everyone to know what a loser I am for dating him in the first place." "Never say that, Mandy. You are not a loser. And no one who knows you would ever think that," Johnny said forcefully. Mandy whispered, "Thank you." She released her hold on Johnny and Diane told her to go wash her face. Johnny sat back down next to Diane. "What was Mandy talking about you sleeping with someone?" Diane asked him. ""A couple of weeks ago I went to Mandy's for a little party she had. I took my downstairs neighbor with me. We've kind of become friends but that's all. We aren't sleeping together." Diane looked at Johnny and considered her daughter's reaction to his bringing a date to her party. She smiled a knowing kind of smile. 'Maybe there's still hope yet,' she thought. Mandy came back in the room looking contrite. Johnny, figured that if she had forgiven him that was the best he could have hoped for. He made an excuse that he had a test he really needed to study for and after one more hug from Mandy he left so she and her mother could talk. On Friday Johnny found he was again able to pay attention in class. It felt like a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He was sorry for Mandy in that she had made a bad choice in selecting a boyfriend but that wasn't is fault. On the other hand he was happy that he did something to get the louse out her life and that though angry at first she had apparently forgiven him. Saturday morning Johnny was debating going for a run or taking his clothes down to the laundry room. Before he could make up his mind there was a knock on his door. He opened it to find Mandy. She had a big grin on her face that made him happy to see. He stood back and invited her inside. As she entered he looked her over. She had her hair in a pony tail, a pink tee shirt and jean skirt. She was absolutely adorable. "Hey bestest friend. Whatcha doin'?" she asked cheerfully. "Well, I was pondering a great philosophical question. Whether to go for a run or do my laundry. But now that you're hear you can save from such heavy duty thinking," he said with a straight face. Mandy giggled and gave him a big hug which he returned. "Actually I was thinking this would be a good day for a picnic and wondered if you would like to join me." "Hmmmm," Johnny said as if pondering her question. "Let's see. Laundry, a boring run or going on a picnic with the prettiest girl I know. Geez, you sure no how make things complicated," Johnny teased. Mandy slapped his chest. "Stop teasing me. Put your shoes on and let's go," she ordered. "Ma'am, yes ma,am," Johnny replied with a salute and dodged another slap. Johnny pulled on his cross trainers and took Mandy's arm and led her downstairs. She insisted on taking her car as it already had the picnic basket in it and she knew just where she wanted to go. Johnny got in the passenger side and let Mandy drive. She headed out of town to a state park and they chatted as they drove. Mandy made no mention of her now ex-boyfriend and seemed to be pretty happy. After they had parked, Johnny carried the basket and followed Mandy as she led him up on top of a bluff that had a nice panoramic view. Mandy laid out the blanket she had brought and they sat down to enjoy the day. It was the beginning of fall and the weather was perfect. The sky was blue with just a small cloud dotted here and there. They talked for awhile and then Mandy broached the subject she had been wondering about. "What was it like over there?" she asked. Johnny knew what she was referring to. He paused as he reflected on the time he spent in Iraq. "It's a lot different than here. There's a lot of good people that live there that are terrorized by factions of people who want to make everyone live by their rules." Mandy watched him as he talked. He was staring off into the distance as he recalled those days. "There were bad days and good days. You always had to be on your toes. But I served with some really good guys. We always looked out for each other. I wouldn't want to have to go back but I'm not sorry that I did." "I really am glad you came home safe. I worried about you every day," Mandy said quietly. Johnny looked at her and gave her a soft smile. Her words meant a lot to him. Mandy reached into the basket and started to bring out the food she had packed. She had a plate of various cheeses and one with cold cuts and a loaf of French bread. She also had packed a bottle of wine and two glasses. They ate in silence switching their gazes from the scenic view in front of them to looking at each other. At that moment there was no where else in the world Johnny would have rather been. Johnny and Mandy spent another two hours on the blanket before returning to her car. They were quiet on the ride home. Johnny looked at Mandy several times and wondered what she was thinking. When they arrived back at Johnny's apartment Mandy got out and stood at the front of her car. He asked her if she would like to come up and was disappointed when she said she needed to get back to her apartment. Mandy didn't move right away but continued to look into Johnny's eyes before standing on her tiptoes and gently kissed his lips like she had done that day over three years ago. "Thank you for today, Johnny. It really meant a lot to me," she said softly. Johnny fought the urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her with all the passion he felt. He nodded instead. "It's been the nicest day I've spent in a long time," he said. Johnny waited until Mandy's car was out of sight before going upstairs. He went ahead and took his laundry down to the apartment laundry room. This was one of least favorite chores because of the time it took just sitting and waiting, but as his mind was on Mandy it seemed to hardly take any time at all. Johnny neither saw or heard from Mandy the next two days. Tuesday afternoon around five she showed up at his apartment again. "Hey Johnny." "Mandy! This is a nice surprise. Come on in," Mandy came in but she looked a little unsure of herself. "I rented a movie that I wanted to watch and, well, I was going to watch it at my apartment and, uh, well, there's there's too many girls over there and it get's a little noisy, and, well, I was kind of wondering..." Johnny started laughing at her. "Mandy, I would love to watch your movie with you." Mandy's face lit up and she gave him a grin. "I don't want to be a bother." "It's never a bother to have you here. Listen, I was just going to make some spaghetti. Would you like to join me?" "Yeah, okay." Mandy followed Johnny into the kitchen. She watched him as he cooked up the meat for the sauce but stopped him when he went to add the herbs and spices. "Here, let me do this part and you cook the noodles," she said. Johnny gladly relinquished his spot and watched as Mandy added the tomato sauce and then added the seasonings the way her mother had taught her. When it was ready she and Johnny filled there plates and sat at the table. She watched him as he took his first bite and watched his eyebrows raise and he gave her a big grin. "Wow, this is really good. It's your mother's recipe isn't it?" Mandy nodded. "Yeah, I remember when we were kids you would almost eat yourself sick when she made her spaghetti." Johnny laughed. "I don't know how your dad stays in shape. If your mother cooked for me every night I would weigh a ton." They ate dinner and quickly cleaned the kitchen and then Mandy took a seat on the couch as Johnny started the movie. He sat next to her and even as the opening credits were rolling he wanted to put his arm around her and hold her close. Instead he just casually put his arm on the back of the couch behind her. Just being alone with her was more than he had hoped for a week ago. The movie seemed to end all too soon and Mandy said she better get home. "Anytime you want to get away from party central my door is always open," Johnny said. "It's more like hang out central. There's not really that much partying going on but when you get five or six women all trying to talk at once it can get noisy," Mandy said. Johnny opened the door for her and she gave him a quick kiss and hurried down the stairs. Johnny spent the rest of the evening whistling a happy tune. Mandy came over again Thursday afternoon and asked if she could hang and and study as it was quieter at his apartment. And that's what they did. Both studied for their classes. It reminded Johnny of the days when they were in grade school and would do their homework together every afternoon. They again spent the day together on Saturday. Mandy talked him into going to and arts and crafts show, not that it really took any convincing on her part. Johnny was happy to just be with her. Johnny spent Sunday alone with his thoughts. He had to admit what he had always known. He was in love with Mandy. Sure it had started as a childhood crush but somewhere inside he always knew that as every year they matured so would his feelings for her. He loved spending time with her and would never give that up but inside it hurt that he couldn't tell her how he really felt about her. He would rather face a thousand armed insurgents than risk losing her friendship by having her reject him. Once again Mandy came over on Tuesday afternoon. This time she had no movie or books to study. She just said she would like to spend time with him. She had been there less than an hour when there was a knock on the door. Mandy looked at Johnny and he just shrugged his shoulders and went to answer the door. He found Susan on the other side. "Hey, Johnny. Was just wondering if I could stop by. I'm bored and would like to have someone to talk to," she said. Johnny was about to tell her he had company but figured what the hell. He and Mandy were only talking anyway. "Sure, come on in," he said. Susan stepped inside but stopped when she saw Mandy sitting on the couch. Johnny was looking at Mandy and noticed she suddenly had a sour look on her face. "You two remember each other from the party, right?" Johnny asked. "If you're busy I'll go," said Susan. "No, no. We're just talking." Johnny took her arm and led her over to the couch and sat her down next to Mandy before she could protest. Johnny sat on the other side of Mandy. The conversation for the next fifteen minutes was stilted and uncomfortable for the two women. Johnny decided it was time to clear the air. "Susan, the other day Mandy was wondering how many times you and I have had sex," he said with a smirk on his face. Johnny Comes Marching Home "What? We've never slept together," Susan protested before Mandy could speak up. "I think you're a nice guy and all but the only time we've even gone out was to Mandy's party. I'm not a slut." "I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to imply you were. It's just I think Mandy might have had the wrong impression about our friendship. Between the two of you she's the only one I've taken baths with naked." Mandy's eyes grew wide in astonishment. "What the hell are you talking about. I've never been naked with you, in the bath or otherwise," she spluttered. I laughed hard at the mortified look on her face. "Actually Susan it's true. Mandy just doesn't remember. Actually, neither do I. You see I was born a month before Mandy and our moms were neighbors and best friends. It was my mother who told me that when we were little toddlers our mothers would often put us in the tub at the same time." Mandy and Susan both cracked up laughing. The ice was broken and the conversation flowed freely now. Susan asked a lot of questions about Mandy and I growing up together. By the time the two ladies left my apartment they were at ease with each other. Johnny and Mandy continued to spend time together three or four days a week. Just before the Thanksgiving holidays Johnny received a call from his parents. They told him he wouldn't have to drive home for the holidays as they were coming up and would be staying with the McKuens and they would all celebrate the day with them. That was wonderful news. As his parents wouldn't be arriving until late Wednesday evening he wouldn't see them until Thanksgiving morning. Since the McKuens lived on the north side of town Johnny was going to pick up Mandy on the way. They were at her parents house by nine in the morning so Mandy could help their two mothers prepare all the food. It was a tradition with their families as with many American families that while the women prepared the meal the male members would watch football. It was near the end of the half of the first game and the Cowboys had the ball in the red zone when Johnny wanted a refill on his iced tea. He headed for the kitchen and just outside the door he heard the roar of the crowd on the TV. He stopped and turned around to see what was happening. From where he was standing he couldn't see the women in the kitchen but could hear them talking. "Mandy, I don't mean to pry, but it's been awhile now. Have you thought about dating?" he heard Diane ask. This caused his ears perk up "Actually, I have," Mandy said. "Do you have anyone in mind," her mother probed. "Well, there is this one guy I know. He's really nice and he hasn't asked me out on an official date but I'm hoping he will." When Johnny heard those words his heart crumbled and his stomach heaved. He rushed past his father and Frank into the bathroom. He stood over the toilet fighting the waves of nausea that tore at his midsection. Through the sheer effort of will he managed not to lose his breakfast. "Johnny, are you okay," he heard his dad call through the door. "Uh, yeah dad. I'm fine. That last glass of tea kind of hit me fast," he answered. Johnny got himself back under control and walked back into the living room and took his seat on the couch. He looked straight ahead and locked his eyes on the TV. Probably twenty minutes later his father punched him in the arm. "Was that a play or what?" his father said excitedly. "Yeah," Johnny said in agreement though he had no idea what he was agreeing with. Even though he had been staring at the TV, he hadn't seen a single play. Just then Diane walked into the room. "Come on you old farts. Lunch is ready," she said. "And you too, Johnny." Frank and his dad chuckled but her attempt at humor went right over Johnny's head. He was too numb to think. He just followed everyone into the dining room and went to sit in the first chair he saw. Diane grabbed his arm and pulled him down a couple of chairs. "You sit here Johnny." He barely noticed that the seating was one male then one female. He was between his mother and Mandy. Another Thanksgiving tradition they had is that each person would give thanks for something. Mandy's father who sitting on her other side began and it went around the table. Johnny was next to last following his mother. He was at a loss for words when it was his turn. He paused. "Thank you lord for bringing our families together." He couldn't think of anything else. Mandy was last. "Thank you lord for bringing home those that we love from their perils in distant lands." Johnny's parents and hers gave a heartfelt "Amen." Dishes and platters were then passed around. Johnny took each one as it came his way and put a little bit on his plate oblivious to what it was. Everyone but him was soon merrily chatting away as they ate. He pushed his food around and occasionally picked something up on his fork and put it in his mouth. He finally realized that the room had gone quiet and everyone was staring at him. His mother reached over and put her hand on his arm. "Honey, are you okay?" she asked with motherly concern. This seemed to snap Johnny back to reality. "Uh, yeah mom. Sorry everyone. I guess I was just thinking about, well, just some things. Really I'm fine." He made a big show of shoveling food into his mouth. Slowly everyone started talking and eating again. Johnny even did his best to join in. After lunch everyone pitched in to help clean up. That tended to make it a little tight for space in the kitchen. When he had fumbled and dropped the third piece of silverware Diane patted his cheek and told him to go sit in the living room. Glad for the respite he took her advice. He had been sitting alone for some ten minutes when Mandy came in and grabbed his hand and pulled him through the kitchen out into the back yard. "Okay Johnny. What the hell is going on. And don't you dare lie to me. I've known you all your life and something's wrong." Johnny stared at Mandy trying to think of what he should say. Finally his shoulders sagged. "I've just been thinking that we spend a lot of time together and maybe it's time I step back so, well, what I mean to say is it's time for you to find someone. You know someone special." Mandy's eyes filled with tears and began to run down her cheeks. "Do you want me to go away? Don't you care about me?" The man who had stood his ground in battle and never flinched felt his heart being torn to shreds. The tears of his breaking heart streamed down his face. "Dammit Mandy, of course I care. I love you with all my heart. I just want you to be happy." Johnny wasn't prepare for what happened next. He suddenly found himself laying on his back on the lawn. Mandy was on top of him kissing him as if her very life depended upon it. It took him several seconds to realize that the love of his life was kissing him. His arms wrapped around her and he shook as he pulled her tight and began to return her kiss with the same passion. Their tongues intertwined in a union of love. Neither would ever recall how long they lay there confirming the love that had been there for their entire lives. Finally they broke apart, gasping for air. From some distant region they heard the words spoken by Diane. "It's about damn time." As one they looked over at their parents standing on the porch. The faces of all four were bearing the smiles of approval. Both mothers had tears streaming down their faces as they hooked their arms into their husbands and led them back into the house to leave the young lovers their privacy. We too shall leave them their privacy. But rest assured, their love is true and strong and will guide them through their lives.