Amnesia:A Navy Seal Erotic Romance(9)

Cole had dozed off on the ride home. He had already touched down on USA soil, now the strange land and vicious battle was long done. It was all a dream. But Cole had painful wounds to show for it. His leg was in a cast and he would have to walk on crutches for some time. He would need a lot of physical and psychological therapy from the PTS but at least he was home, a proud protector of the U.S.A and its citizens. He had made something of himself, despite the odds.

"Home. I'm back home." he muttered, as the bus rolled on.

Cole noticed just how quiet the bus was. The dream had brought him back to that tragic day losing Wolfman. Jimmy had miraculously made it, and was quickly evacuated with the sudden reversal of events. Cole would later be awarded a Gold Medal of Courage for his valor but he wasn't concerned with glory. All he wanted was his Team back home and safe. Wolfman had been the only casualty that day, when the odds of any of them getting out alive were slim to none, as each of them had recognized.

The bus zoomed along the highway until it reached Cole's familiar hometown. It stopped at the stop sign, where the painted bench and the small tree were still there but with some noticeable differences. The stop sign was now cracked along the edges, and the paint on the bench had almost totally faded while the tree was almost unrecognizable, so much bigger than before. The branches and the leaves actually stretched over the bench and someone could sit comfortably under its shade on a hot summer day.

Cole noticed the little changes and smiled as he got off the bus.

"Everything changes." he said to himself.

"Cole!"

At first he didn't recognize her; tall, and slender, with long, black wavy hair, a beautiful figure with full breasts mostly hidden behind an ankle-length flowing sundress, a natural exotic looking beauty. But with the way she was waving and jumping all over, Cole had to take notice of Kaylee. He noticed just how she had become quite a stunner of a woman. Even though they were in contact here and there through the internet, and he saw the odd picture of her, Cole was still taken aback by how much Kaylee grew into her still developing features as a child. Facebook pics just didn't do her justice, he thought.                       
       
           



       

She was no longer the tomboyish twelve year old girl that he had left behind. She was now a tall and shapely young lady. Cole didn't know it, but Kaylee was just as surprised at seeing him look so different from the gangly sixteen year-old troublemaker he once was.

"Holy smack," she thought, noting his ripped abs, massive chest and arms, very visible behind his snug white t-shirt. His quadriceps boasted a size she had never seen on a client athlete before and he was truly a sight to be seen. His usual brown wavy hair, longer and even more tussled than usual. But it was his strikingly manly chiseled face that made her quietly gasp, not wanting to reveal her observation.

"Kaylee! It's been so long!" Cole said.

The two of them smiled at each other and hugged, sending a shiver down Kaylee's entire body.

"You look sooo different!"

The two of them caught each other saying the same thing at the same time and both of them laughed heartily at their shared remark.

"Hey stranger, how ya' doin'?" Cole casually asked, with a twinkle in his eye.

"I've been great! Everybody's waiting for you at the Town Plaza. Big welcoming party and all. Everybody's talking about what you did to save your Team. There's even going to be a parade for this weekend!" she proudly declared.

Cole controlled the urge to blush. He looked away from Kaylee. He didn't want her to think he was staring at her welcoming green eyes, but he couldn't help it. Kaylee was a natural, stunning beauty he observed, standing close to her.

"I was just doing what I was trained to do. Each of us would have done the same for the other." Cole insisted.

"No, it wasn't! I heard about how you sacrificed yourself for your Team, something that opened the door to saving all, but one, I'm so sorry to hear." And you banged up your leg pretty good too, lucky that was all!" Kaylee exclaimed. "How's your noggin?" Kaylee teased, knocking on his head, like he used to do to her as a kid.

Cole was quick to downplay his actions again.

"It's part of being a SEAL. With some physio I'll be back on my feet in no time." He grimaced in pain, trying to hide it.

"Don't worry. You'll be losing those crutches in no time. I promise." Kaylee said, with finality and hint of something he didn't yet know.

"What do you mean?" Cole said. He looked at Kaylee with a slightly confused look on his face.

Kaylee smiled at him for a few moments, enjoying his anticipation of her response.

"Didn't they tell you? I just graduated from Med School and my internship's done. I'm in charge of your physio, I volunteered for it! But don't worry I know what I'm doing." She said with a proud grin.

Cole was taken aback by what Kaylee said. Since he had left, she had really grown up. All those days of playing as little children, he had never really pictured her as more than a kid. Somehow Facebook images still hadn't convinced him she wasn't still twelve years old. She had always been like a little buddy to Cole, one whom he knew he could trust and confide in, a best friend type. But now she was all grown up and she had actually achieved her dream of working in the health field. And she was telling Cole that he would be her first patient, as a post grad.

"Just think, it'll be just like the old days when you used to come over after you got into a fight. I remember putting a Mickey Mouse Band-Aid on one of your many scrapes, which you hastily tore off. I never did that again!" Kaylee laughed.





Chapter Three



Shattered Illusions





When Kaylee volunteered to take care of Cole she was full of excitement and anticipation. After all, his case was so meaningful and symbolic on so many levels. He was her first client, fresh out of med school and internship. Normally, it wasn't that easy to get a full assignment so soon after graduation. But Dr. O'Bannon liked Kaylee, her smarts, past client results, her work ethic and put in a good word for her. Some strings were pulled and she managed to get Cole's case.

When Cole first told Kaylee that he was going away, the night of the fateful accident, she had been devastated. Although not badly injured, she had surely felt he would be around for a little longer before leaving. She never let on how much she quietly adored him, as it always seemed like he didn't really care, or notice. But Kaylee always hoped that somehow, someway they may have a chance. With Cole's enlistment, she had to put it out of her mind. She forced reasoning before her heart, and now he was back, and there was an air of secret hope.

The advent of social media seemed to lessen the impact of the blow on Kaylee's heart. They became connected through the social media but Kaylee never really expected them to get closer. She knew many SEALs were ‘Bad Boys', and had a host of women ‘at the ready'. Kaylee wasn't that type of girl, and was a realist, despite being a hopeless romantic. She had naive innocence about her, and remained a virgin, despite the many boys attempting to win her heart, and body.                       
       
           



       

She had her dreams of being a physiotherapist and it seemed that Cole was fortunate to have an opportunity, in what turned out to be a perfect fit, with the Navy Seals. They were his family now, and he thrived in the presence of the comradeship, loyalty, intensity and danger. He had become ‘All That He Could Be', just as the Military slogan promised. He was fearless, fit, clever, and extremely tenacious. If anyone would succeed, he would. And he did.

All that changed when Cole got injured and he was sent home. This was a perfect chance for Kaylee to spend time with her childhood friend, and she jumped on it.

And she hated every moment of it.

Kaylee checked out all the equipment at the clinic. She tweaked the treadmill and checked that everything was in order. There was nothing else she could do while waiting for Cole. He was late, again, as always. This had become their routine as the sessions went on. The pomp and pageantry of Cole's homecoming party and parade had long come to an end. Reality showed up different to her imagination in helping him recover.

Cole had moved into his late parents' house. He also got a job as a mechanic to keep from going stir crazy while on the mend. He was supposed to rest, but paid it no attention. Kaylee noticed that Cole seemed relieved his father had passed on while he was on his tour of duty, but Kaylee never dared mention this to him. She kept her observations to herself. He had become aloof, was depressed, and kept mostly to himself in the company of car parts.

Kaylee tried to encourage Cole, telling him that it was a blessing his injury wasn't worse and he should take his physio seriously. She had put together a brilliant physio program that would enable him to recover, if he actually did his routine as directed. Cole however, was an ass, loud Harley and all. The view of him hobbling over to his Harley with his bad leg, and securing crutches to his saddlebag was quite the sight to be seen. He shouldn't have been driving it at all, it was dangerous and it just delayed his healing progress. He was on a course of self-destruction. To make matters worse, he had recently smelled of cheap liquor. Wiping out on his bike, worse, doing so when drunk would be the end of him, and his career, if he lived through it.