Chapter eleven
A month later, Sam said her good byes to Jack and the twins before she left for the Academy.
When Sam arrived at the Academy and was in her room, she quickly got her things sorted out and went to get her uniform and other things that she would be needing for the next four years while in training. She met some of the other cadets, including the two who would be receiving her revenge.
That night when she was in the mess hall, she was going along the line getting her food and drink. She got them and was walking over to a table when she heard a crash. She turned to see an elderly women dropping a container with dishes in it next to a table where the two trouble makers where sitting.
“Hey watch where you are walking.”
Sam noticed that the guy who spoke was pulling his leg back under the table while the others tried not to laugh. Sam walked over and crouched down and helped the woman pick up the dishes.
“Thank you, dear. I can do it. It's my fault for tripping.”
Sam help picked up the last of the dishes and put them in the container. Then she picked it up and stood up and walked over to the cart. She turned around and looked at the woman.
“It’s not your fault, that cadet deliberately stuck his foot out.”
“Well, thank you for your help.”
“No problem, Ma'am.”
“What’s your name, dear?” She looked up.
“Sam!” The woman’s eyes widen, then Sam looked at her in shock.
“Mom!”
“Yes. Sam you look great in that uniform. I should bring my camera on Friday. We know Jack would love you see you in uniform.”
“I know he would, Mom” Sam said quietly making her mother-in-law grin.
“You know, if Jack was here and saw what that cadet did...”
“I know what he would do with him.”
“Same here. Will you be okay?” Sam asked a bit louder.
“I will. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I better get my dinner and as for the cadet, leave him to me.” Sam gave her a wink before turning around and walking over to where her dinner waited and sat down and started eating while thinking of getting revenge on the two cadets in question.
Over the next five months, Sam kept herself busy studying, although she didn't need it. However, she did need to keep up the pretense. When she wasn’t doing that, she was in the lab working on her project. She had also been going to the firing range to keep her firing skills sharp.
On one occasion at the range, a colonel was also doing target practice. When he finished, he was watching Sam and he got his binoculars out to see where she hitting. He was shocked to see her hit the bull’s eye every time, including moving targets. When Sam ran out of ammo, he walked over to her.
“Cadet?” Sam turned, stood at attention and saluted. He returned her salute.
“At ease.” Sam then relaxed.
“Colonel.”
“Cadet, I'm impressed with your firing skills. Where did you learn to fire at your targets like that and get a bull’s eye every time?”
“Practice, Sir. I've been doing it for five years, Sir.”
“I'm impressed. But, I’ve never seen anyone do what you did. Good work, Cadet.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“What’s your name, Cadet?”
“Cadet Carter, Sir.”
“First name?”
“Samantha, Sir.”
“Very well, Cadet Carter, keep up the good work.”
“Yes, Sir.” She stood at attention and saluted, which he returned before he walked away. Sam smiled then turned to reload again.
A month later, Sam had the day off so she drove home to spend it with her mother-in-law and the twins. Since it was, Sunday they were outside watching the twins playing with their toys.
“Mom, did you enjoy the display Friday?” She laughed.
“Yes, Sam. What did you do?”
“Classified.” She laughed.
“Well good for you, at least you got your revenge on one of them.”
“Sam, Mom, what are you to talking about?” Jack asked as he walked over to them.
“Jack, remember when I told you about what happened to the cadet that tripped me?” Sam stood up so they could hug and kiss, then they sat down.
“Yes...Sam what did you do?” he saw her grinning.
“Well one day after I finished my training first and I was in the locker room, I broke in to the cadet's locker and put drops of hot massaging oil in his underwear and taped a whoopee cushion in his pants. So since it was lunch time... when he sat down…”
“Sam you could have gotten into trouble.”
“Na. I was careful. Anyway, I made up some skunk juice and put it in the cushion so every time he sat down…” Jack’s mother laughed.
“He was moving around a lot, and every time he did.... no one would sit with him at lunch time.” His mother said.
“And for the rest of the day, including when we had classes for the rest of the afternoon” Sam said smiling.
“Samantha Carter, what am I going to do with you?”
“Kiss me!” Jack leaned over and gave her a kiss.
“So what are we going to do about Thanksgiving?” Sam smiled then pulled back.
“Well, I could contact Mom and Dad and invite them here. What do you think, Jack?”
“Sounds good to me.”
“Good. I'll give them a call before I head back to the Academy tonight.”
“Oh, how’s school?” Sam smacked his arm.
“Very funny, it's boring. I'm top of my class and I've won all the awards they have so far, and Colonel Thomas said by Christmas I would receive my small arms expert marksmanship ribbon. He wants me to qualify by then, he had me tested after he saw me at the shooting range last month.” Jack raised his eye brows in question.
“Does he know what year you are?”
“Yes. I told him, he is impressed.”
“Well, I'm impressed, Sam.”
“Thanks, Mom, but the Colonel is not the only one who has his eyes on me.”
“Oh, who else?”
“Major Davidson. He told me he's quite impressed with my training and if I keep it up, I'll be getting the Air Force training ribbon.”
“Really, Sam can you do it?”
“Yes, Mom, I can handle it.” They talked for the rest of the afternoon as well played with the twins.
That night, Sam tucked them into bed and gave them a kiss good night before she had to be back at the Academy by curfew. Jack and Sam spent ten minutes together before Sam left. They both knew what the training was like and what to expect.
Sam was able to return home on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, just in time for dinner. When she walked into the house, Jack greeted her with hugs and kisses.
“Hey, how’s training?”
“Good. I missed you!”
“Missed you, too.” They kissed again.
“Come on. The family’s here.”
They walked into the living room to see Jacob and Mel playing with the twins.
“Mom, Dad.” They looked up.
“Sam, how are you?” Sam hurried over and sat on the floor with them all.
“I'm good.” Then the twins walk over to her.
“Mommy” they both said.
“Yes, I'm your Mommy, missed you both.”
“Missed you.” Sam gave them both a hug and kiss, then looked at her parents.
“Sam, the twins are wonderful” Mel said.
“Yes they are and can be trouble makers as well, just like their father” she said then turned to give Jack a grin.
“Hey, I resent that Sam.”
“Well, it’s true Jack.”
“Very funny.” He sat down behind her on the couch.
“How’s training?” Jacob asked.
“Good. I’ve won two awards so far.”
“Really? That is good news.”
“Yes, it is and there’s more to come, but I'm not saying, not ‘til my graduation.”
“Sam.”
“Dad.” She looked at him and grinned.
“Come on tell us.”
“Nope. How are things in Washington?” They talked for ten minutes then they walked into the dining room for dinner.
After dinner, Sam bathed the twins and got them ready for bed. The adults and Mark gave them good night kisses before Jack and Sam put them to bed. They watched them sleep before leaving to return to their guests.
Later that night ,when they were in bed, they talked and made love, which they had missed before falling asleep in each other’s arms.
The next day, Jack and Sam cooked lunch before Jack’s brothers and their families arrived for the day. When they did, Sam made the introductions while Jack was getting everyone drinks. They all talked and laughed when Jacob and Mel told them stories about Sam. They all had a great day in talking and to get to know each other.
The next day, all of the families flew back home. Sam had a four day pass, so she was able to spend Friday, Saturday, and most of Sunday before having to return to the Academy that afternoon, after saying her good byes to Jack and the twins. Sam spent the evening working on her science project.
At Christmas, Sam was looking forward to spending it with Jack and the twins. When she reached home she was shocked to see her family there.
“Mom, Dad, this is a surprise.”
“It was Jack's idea” Mel said as they hugged.
“Well, I did say Jack can be full of surprises.”
“That’s true Sam, so how's training coming along?”
“I’m doing well.”
Sam had a great Christmas, birthday and New Year since Jacob, Mel and Mark were spending two weeks with them. The day that they left to fly back to Washington was also the day Sam had to return to the Academy.
Over the next three years all of Sam's professors and trainers where quite impressed with her. She received top marks in everything and won every Academy award that they had.
For Sam’s twenty-first birthday, Jack invited all the cadets, his work mates, family and friends to the Garden of the Gods Country Club for Sam’s surprise party.
Jack booked a night at the hotel for them and booked a spa treatment for Sam, as part of her birthday present. When it was time and they were in the hotel room, Jack escorted Sam down to one of the private rooms. When he walked in with Sam next to him the lights where out.
“Damn the staff must have forgotten to turn on the light” Jack said then the lights were turned on.
“Surprise!” Everyone shouted, then they sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to Sam who was still shocked.
When she recovered she gave Jack a hug and kiss before walking over to her family to give them hugs. Then Jack got her to follow him to the front of the room to the microphone. He passed it to her.
“Wow, talk about surprises... Jack, thank you.” She gave him a kiss.
“Thank you all for being here. This means a lot to me. Family, friends....cadets, thank you, all of you. In few months, I'll be graduating from the Academy and I already have plans for my... our future.” Sam said the last part while looking at Jack.
Then she looked at every one who was there.
“I hope you all enjoy yourselves tonight and I hope I get a chance to talk to you all, thank you.” Everyone applauded.
Sam passed the microphone to Jack. “Thank you all for coming and as Sam said, enjoy your selves and ‘Yes, Sam, there is cake for afterward’.” Most of the guests laughed.
“So enjoy.” He put the microphone down and noticed Sam walk over to a table.
“Daniel!”
“Sam, happy birthday.” They both hugged.
“Thanks.”
“Sam, these are my parents Claire and Melburn Jackson.”
“Hello, it's nice to meet you both” Sam said as she shook their hands.
“It’s nice to meet you too, Sam, and happy birthday.”
“Thank you.”
“What do you do Sam? You mentioned an Academy.” Claire asked.
“I’m a cadet at the Air Force Academy, Mrs. Jackson.”
“Please, call me Claire.”
“Sure, Claire, I completed a PhD in theoretical astrophysics.”
“Wow, young and smart,” Melburn said.
“Yes, I am, but I try not to show it. If you will excuse me, I hope you enjoy your selves tonight.”
“Sure, it was a pleasure meeting you, Sam.”
“You too.” Sam smiled as she walked away and over to another group of guests.
Over the next three hours every one enjoyed themselves and their meals. When it was time, Jack got Sam and they walked up to where the microphone was located.
“Excuse me, can I have every one's attention please?” Everyone turned to Jack.
“I hope you all enjoyed your selves tonight and were able to talk to Sam... As I normally say ‘there's no party without cake’.” Then one of the staff push a big cart through the door and down to the front.
Every one saw the cake. When Sam saw it, it was an eighteen by thirty by three inch cake. It was covered in white icing with a key design in the middle with the number twenty one and 'Sam' on it. There were Air Force insignia, split atoms, lab coats, hearts and other designs on the cake. When Sam saw the cake she was shocked by the size of it.
“Sam knows what’s on the cake and as for what’s in it, there is only one way to find out!” He picked up a knife and passed it to her. Sam cut the cake and looked at it closely. Every one laugh with what she was doing to the cake.
“Sam, you're supposed to eat it, not study it” Everyone laughed.
“I can't help it, Jack, you know me.”
“I do.” He passed the microphone to Sam.
“Thank you for this cake and I know I get a.... bite from Jack about the cake. Thank you all for the gifts but your being here means a lot to me, thank you.” Everyone clapped just as the cake was taken away to be cut up.
Sam walked over to her parents. “Mom, Dad, kids asleep are they?”
“Yeah they tired themselves out” Mel said.
“Well, I'll make sure that there’s a piece of cake saved for them to have tomorrow.”
“They would like that, we were waiting for the cake, and then we can take them home.”
“OK. I'll go and see what I can do about it.”
“Thanks, Sam” Jacob said.
Sam walked over to where the cake was being cut up. She spoke to the women there then returned five minutes later with a box in hand.
“Here you go, here are five pieces, take Mark with you he's almost asleep himself.”
“Am not” then he yawned.
“Come on Mark. ’Night Sam.” Mel and Jacob carefully stood up with kids in their arms. Sam passed the box to Mark.
“See you tomorrow.”
“OK, Sam” Mel said as they walk towards the exit.
Author's Notes: Feed back, yes please
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]