Two Ships that pass in the Night

Cap got back to his bungalo, his briefcase full of the days exams and papers to be graded. He was tired, and he knew he had to stand guard as soon as he got the school work out of the way.

He looked in his mailbox. There was a letter in there. He took it and went inside.

"Bills, probably."

He tossed the briefcase and mail on the couch and turned on his T.V. The evening news was pouring out of the speakers and he opened a can of something or other to microwave for supper. He changed into his customary shorts and t-shirt.

He watched the news then the microwave dinged that it had completed its magic. He got a fork, a glass of tea, and sat on the couch to eat his evening meal.

He opened his mail.

"You are cordially invited to the wedding of Miss Guinifer Stewart and Major John Smith..."

Oh, yeah... Now he remembered. Miss Stewart was the Cheerleader coach, Art and Music Teacher. Cap had seen her a lot on the campus and around, but they didn't talk much. She was a looker, but kept to herself a lot. Seemed to spend a lot of time walking at night. He left her alone, but kept a protective eye on her. She never seemed to smile much. He wondered what it was that bothered her.

Oh well, he'd never know. She was getting married now, and going to leave the school. He remembered what a fuss the female faculty made about it. Gave her a wedding shower, and all. Cap stayed clear mostly because he wasn't in her circle of friends. It was still nice of her to invite him to her wedding. He'd have to get a suit or something, because wearing his livery in there would make him stand out too much and it was, after all, HER special day.

The routine went on. Teach classes, grade papers, stand guard. Nothing broke the monotony of it, and nothing changed. At times his loneliness ate at him, and melancholy accompanied him out there late at night. But it was as it was supposed to be.

He was, after all, a failure. The only thing he had going for him was that he was a decent man at military tactics and leadership. Outside of that... not much to boast about. He guessed that to attempt to have it all; wife, family, and be a knight and Captain was asking too much. So he had to settle for half, not all. So here he was. Respected on both sides, but not loved anywhere. So be it.

The day of wedding he went to the church and did his usual wallflower imitation. They were ushered into the chapel, and he sat alone several rows back in the crowd, nondescript.

The groom came in, dressed in Formal Air Force Dress Blues. He had ribbons and decorations and his pilots wings. The man was impressive and handsome.

"That figures," thought Cap.

Another pilot was his best man. He was equally impressive.

Cap fidgeted in his seat. Can we get this over with?

Then Miss Stewart came in. All eyes fell upon her. Cap felt his jaw drop. The long golden hair, the white wedding gown, the veil. He gawked at her despite himself. She was as beautiful a woman as he had ever seen. Wow, was all he could manage to think.

She went up to the altar and the minister performed the ceremony. Cap knew it by heart, for he had married hundreds of his own people back home. Sure, there were minor variations, but it was all the same beautiful and meaningful ceremony. It was a ceremony he was more than sure he'd never get to have performed on him. He fought back the depression and told himself to enjoy the moment, dammit! This was a day to be happy! Stop being so greedy and be happy for someone else for a change!

So as Ginny turned and was presented as man and wife with her husband, they began the walk back through the aisle. Right then, Cap and Ginny's eyes met.

Smiling, Ginny looked out at the people and she and John walked down the aisle together. People were taking pictures and smiling, everyone was happy, except...

She made eye contact with that odd fellow they all called "The Captain". She barely recognized him in a regular suit and tie. In that brief moment something burned into her soul, something she would not forget for the rest of her life. And for that she'd never be sure she had made the right decision. Something wasn't right here. She felt it. But it was too late to do anything about it. Her smile left her briefly.

At the reception Ginny was all aglow. She was enjoying the moment of a fulfilled childhood dream. And yet...

She saw that fellow "Captain" again. He was doing what he always did at gatherings; staying out of the way and being inconspicuous. That made her angry for a second; why should she give a damn!

And yet....

She shook it off. He never paid any attention to her and she knew practically nothing about him.

So why was she paying so much attention to him all of a sudden? It was creepy and not right. She was married! This was her wedding reception, for goodness sakes!

"Something wrong?" her husband asked.

"No, John, just a little case of the jitters."

He kissed her and told her it would all right. He went over to some of his squadron mates. Ginny's eyes went back to the Captain. He had that infuriating bored look and leaned back on the wall. He just looked around, and at no one in particular. He held a cup of punch that he had only sipped out of, and the ice had already melted. Nobody was talking to him, and he looked for the world like he wanted to be someplace else.

Someplace else with vast fields, tall mountains, trees as tall as skyscrapers.

Places where mythological creatures existed. Castles, towers, picturesque towns, majestic ships. Leading armies in the service of goodness, light, and righteousness. Defending the weak, protecting the innocent.

"marching into hell for a heavenly cause...."

She saw it all in an instant.

And then she knew she didn't belong here, married to this man. Suddenly she felt dizzy, and fainted behind the reception table.

She fell on soft grass, surrounded by lovely wildflowers. The trees on either side reached almost to the clouds, it seemed. She had a garland of flowers in her hair. She felt so happy and peaceful. She looked passed her feet and several children that looked strangely familiar to her cavorted in the field beyond the pic-nic lunch that was spread on a large table cloth before her. She looked to her left and there sat the Captain, saying words of caution to the children, but laughing at their antics. There were several horses and an odd looking wagon standing nearby. She sat up and started to say something to the Captain....

She opened her eyes and looked right at the concerned face of the Captain. He was holding her up a bit from the floor. She felt something; a rightness, a sureness, a security in those arms that she never felt before.

"Are you okay, Miss Stewart, uh, Mrs. Smith?" Cap said to her.

"I think so. I think I fainted..."

Everyone was relieved. John was there. He pushed Cap to one side

"You okay honey? Looks like all this we had to do finally caught up with you. You need some air or something?"

Ginny was helped to her feet. She stood there wobbly and kept glancing at the Captain. He looked back at her, sort of confused. Had he experienced that feeling too?

John comforted his new bride and soon Ginny was lost in the activities of the reception. Some young girl caught the bouquet and Cap himself caught the garter. To him, that was nothing new. He ended up with the garter at several wedding receptions. It was a cruel joke to him. He gave the garter back, as usual and went back to being a wall decoration.

Just for a kick, Cap put in Elvish on the car with shoe polish a poetic verse about life, happiness, and bonding together for all eternity. He stepped back and looked at his work. Only two other people there could read it, Paul Arcon and Nat Cristian. Paul just shook his head. Cap always was a pure romantic. Nat just laughed at it. Some asked what did it say. Cap told them as best he could. They all thought him odd for doing that and just shook their heads.

Ginny and John came out, in a barrage of birdseed and bubbles. They quickly ducked into their car, kissed, and took off. Everyone waved, and Ginny once more looked into those eyes that had mesmerized her so powerfully earlier. That was the last time she saw the Captain, for she didn't return to the girls home. But what she saw in those eyes stayed with her forever. Something wasn't right. And she was never sure what it was. Even after being married to John she still needed to take those walks at night. She never told him who she really was. She was never freed of her past burden.

Cap stayed overlong as the reception wound down. Even if people here ignored him, he still had need to be among other people. He did not want to go home to that empty house, but eventually he did. He drove his car in his driveway, got out and went into his bungalo. Papers need grading for Monday. He put on his shorts and t-shirt, turned on the T.V. and worked his way through a frozen pizza he had cooked in his oven.

He felt very alone again. Almost like he was lost. But, strangely, when he picked Ginny up off that floor.... Something he had never felt before had hit him. And it just as quickly passed. He felt needed, wanted, and he would almost say loved.

But she was gone, and he'd never see her again. Just another fantasy. Ginny Stewart was no more, she was now Ginny Smith and on her way to Hawaii for her honeymoon.

Its just the way things were. And for Cap, they never changed. He graded papers and listened to the T.V. and felt the emptiness of his bungalo.