Drowning in Her Eyes by Patrick Ford Page A

at them all. There must be four hundred people here , he mused, people with dreams, people filled with excitement at starting their adult lives, people looking to a great future. What will happen to us all?
    It was merciful that he did not know.
    * * * *
    The evening seemed to end suddenly. Jack looked at his watch. It was eleven- thirty and the party goers w ere disper s ing. They bade their acquaintances good night, old and new alike, and climbed into the car. This time Susan moved across to Jack and put her head on his shoulder. “I feel as though I ’ m in a dream, ” she said. “Please don ’t wake me up. ”
    As they approached Susan ’s house, she asked Jack to go up to the lookout once again. They parked as before, looking down on the city that had become a new home for both of them. Jack put his arm around her shoulder s , tilted up her chin and began to kiss her, softly at first, brushing her lips and cheeks with his. He looked into her eyes again, glittering in the distant lights. I am lost , he thought. I will never escape her beauty and her lovely eyes .
    They kissed again, hungrily this time, tongues seeking out each other. He could taste her lipstick, her perfume, a faint trace of mouthwash — the whole of her. She twisted on the seat to place bot h arms around his neck, so she could face him, and pressed her body into his. He felt her soft breasts against his chest and almost swooned with the plea s ure of it. He placed his hand on her knee then gently ran it up under her dress. He could feel glossy nylon, then the lacy top of her stocking and the wonderful soft, warm texture of her upper leg. She moaned softly and eased down in the seat to give him access to the sweet silken skin of her inner thigh. She moaned again and kissed him harder. “Oh my . Oh my, ” she whispered.
    Something made him stop. He looked down at that sweet face. “Not here, ” he whispered. “When it happens, I want it to be perfect. ” He kissed her with great passion for a long time. “Your parents will be waiting, ” he said, “it ’s time to go home. ”
    She kissed him again, and pressed his hands to her breasts. “I don ’t want to go home. Stay with me forever. ”
    â€œI can ’t, ” he said. “I can ’t . ”
    When they reached the door , he kissed her . She clung to him, pressing her body into his, twining her legs around his thigh and pushing herself against him. “Soon, ” she whi s pered, “Please . I love you and I want you so much. ”

    Meanwhile, in a large oval office in a large white building on Pennsylvania A v enue in Washington, DC, a big man from Texas called Johnson had finished his meeting. He had instructed his Joint Chiefs to place the 101 st Airborne at combat readiness. Before long, he would be adding further units to the list.

    Armidale, New South Wales, Australia: 1964

    Susan slipped quietly through the door. As usual, her mother was sitting up waiting for her. Marci had fallen asleep in the chair, a magazine spilled from her hands. In the yellow light, she looked old and tired. For the first time, S u san noticed a few s ilver strands in her dark hair.
    Oh Momma , she thought, you worry so for us all. I know Daddy is very ill. I have seen the bloody handke r chiefs. I have heard his ragged breathing and seen the lines on his face. Mom, you cannot be everything to all of us. You cannot live our lives for us. Be nice to Jack for I love him with all my heart. My time in your care is ending. My life will be with him now, forever, and ever.
    Later, in her bed, Susan remembered the feel of him, the smell of him, and the taste of him. She remembered his ge n tle touch on her thigh, how the desire had flooded through her, turning her legs to jelly, making her wet with anticip a tion. God, how she wanted him. Please God make it soon, make it soon!
    In the morning, she was surprised her mother did