This work is fictitious, and any similarities to any persons, alive or dead, are purely coincidental. Mention is made of persons in public life only for the purposes of realism, and for that reason alone. Certain licence is taken in respect of medical procedures, terms and conditions, and the author does not claim to be the fount of all knowledge.
The author accepts the right of the individual to hold his/her (or whatever) own political, religious and social views, and there is no intention to deliberately offend anyone. If you wish to take offence, that is your problem.
This is only a story, and it contains adult material, which includes sex and intimate descriptive details pertaining to genitalia. If this is likely to offend, then don't read it.
Unfortunately no politicians or lawyers were injured or killed in the writing of this story, and no one else was either.
If you enjoyed it, then please Email me and tell me. If you hated it, Email me and lie.
I will always welcome contact.
AUTHOR'S HEALTH WARNING
Dear Reader,
Life can be a crock sometimes, so if it all right with you, I actually prefer happy endings. So, if you want the hero(ine) to have a really miserable time, READ SOMETHING ELSE.
But if you want to see good prevail, and end up with a soppy smile, then I have achieved what I set out to do.
Please enjoy.
Tanya
tanya_jaya@yahoo.co.uk
The legal stuff.

This work is the property of the author, and the author retains full copyright, in relation to printed material, whether on paper or electronically. Any adaptation of the whole or part of the material for broadcast by radio, TV, or for stage plays or film, is the right of the author unless negotiated through legal contract. Permission is granted for it to be copied and read by individuals, and for no other purpose. Any commercial use by anyone other than the author is strictly prohibited, and may only be posted to free sites with the express permission of the author.

Monique

by Tayna J

Part 22.

“And now, a special award for some special students. As you know, the University has had an exchange programme running for a few years now, and this year has seen several young men and women from across the globe join us for part of their education. Well, today we have seen our own young graduate, and receive their awards. So now, we pay tribute to six young people who have stayed with us for a year, and are to be awarded special diplomas in their chosen fields. Some will go on to complete their education at home, or even remain in the United States, but to all who have had the additional burden of working in a foreign language, we are grateful to have had you with us. We are all much richer because of you.”

It was late May, and I was seated with the other foreign students, next to Rachel. The Dean was waffling, and I was feeling the heat. We were wearing rented robes and mortarboards, and I felt a complete fraud.

I had flown to Scotland on the 21^st December and met Alex’s family. They had all turned up at EdinburghAirport to meet me, and such was the greeting that I almost burst into tears. Alex’s mother, Eileen, was a lovely lady, and although she looked nothing like Mama, she reminded me of her, as she was so warm and loving. My mother had been blonde and quite petite, but Eileen Drummond was a big woman, with red hair. She wasn’t fat, but she was what eighteenth century artists would have called voluptuous.

They lived in a large house just outside the city, and Alex’s mother had turned the rather plain garden into a super place. Although now in mid winter, I could see the borders and features and imagined that in summer it was a riot of colour and fun.

Becky and Roz were typical teenagers, and were very curious to see the paragon that their big brother had described to them. I had realised that I would have some way to go to live up to the picture he would have painted of me, so I had dug out some of my best continental clothes, and re-coloured my hair back to blonde.

As I had walked, pushing my luggage trolley into the arrivals concourse, dressed in my black angora dress and my mothers diamond earrings. I had got my make up just right, and I knew my stocking seams were straight, as I had spent nearly half the flight making sure they were. The businessman sitting next to me on the flight had tried his best to charm his way into my affections, and I had been at my most French. I had teased him unmercifully, only to tell him I was almost engaged to an army officer.

Alex saw me immediately, and Andy just after him. Alex just smiled, and I felt my heart just melt. I knew at that moment that he was the man for me, and resolved to tell him so at the first opportune moment. Andy just watched his son, with a curious smile, and his mother was still looking at each person in turn.

One of the girls, Roz I think, stared at her brother, and following his line of sight, thereby noticed me. Her mouth opened and closed again, then she nudged her sister and pointed. Both smiled and turned to their mother. By this time I was upon them, Alex just held out his arms, and I melted into them.

It was like coming home. We had been apart for nearly four months, and he smelled just as I remembered.

“Welcome home,” he whispered to me, as if reading my mind.

I reluctantly broke off our hug, and let him introduce his mother and sisters to me. I was surprised as I got a warm hug from each of them, and then Andy hugged again me at the end.

“We have heard so much about you, Monique, it is as if we have known you for ages,” Eileen said.

Roz and Becky pushed my trolley and I put my arm in Alex’s.

We went to the car park, and they had a Toyota Land Cruiser. Soon we were well on the way to their home, and I was so happy to be next to Alex at last. As we pulled into the drive I saw the large grey house. It seemed very familiar, yet I had never been here before.

“It is so funny, I almost feel that I am coming home. Silly isn’t it?” I said.

“Not at all. Wherever you are. That is home for me,” Alex said, and I had to work hard not to cry.

They had given me my own room that just happened to be next door to Alex’s room. I unpacked, and he lay on my bed grinning like a fool. The girls helped me unpack, and were amazed at the amount of clothes I had brought for only ten days.

“What you have to realise, girls, is that Monique has a distressing illness,” Alex said, and the girls looked horrified at me.

“Aye, she can’t pass a ladies’ clothes shop without buying something in it,” he said, and I threw a pair of shoes at him.

“What you guys don’t realise, is that I don’t actually have anywhere to live. I’ve a room at University, but that’s it. My sister and I have sold our family home in London, and so I’ve to take everything with me wherever I go.”

“Are you really French?” Becky asked.

“Yes.”

“But you don’t sound French.”

“Comment environ maintenant? Est-ce que je sonne français maintenant?” I said.

“Oh,” she said.

I smiled.

“My mother was French and my dad was English. So I am both,” I said.

“Cool.”

“Hey, shall we go Christmas shopping tomorrow?” Alex asked, trying to steer the subject away from my personal life. He was more sensitive about my background than I was. I smiled, as I imagined him introducing me to people: ‘This is my fiancée, Monique, who is pretending to be French, but actually works for the CIA, and kills people.’ I thought it was just as well he didn’t know that I was an heiress to millions and used to be a boy. I knew that eventually I would have to tell him.

We went down stairs, and Eileen put on the kettle for tea. I found them a warm and happy family, and as I had missed out on such a luxury for many years, I was only too happy to fit in as best as I could. At one point, Alex and the girls were running some errand or other, and Eileen and I were alone in the kitchen.

“Alex has kept us all amused over the last few weeks,” she said, with a smile.

“Oh?”

“Once you called to say you would be able to come, he became a right royal pain in the arse. It was as if he had two personalities, one gloomy and dull, and suddenly he became this bouncy, chirpy character, who, as your arrival drew near, managed to get up everyone’s nose.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Oh, don’t be silly. It is so nice to meet you at last. I felt really hard done by when the two boys came home, and all they both did was sing your praises. I was so pleased, as Alex seems to have come right out of his shell, and I can only put that down to you.”

“Oh, I think he always had it in him,” I said.

“I agree, but it took a special someone to bring it out. He is a very different boy to six months ago.”

“He is very special to me,” I said, and she looked at me.

“I saw your ring. Does it mean what I think it does?”

I smiled, and held my left hand out. The little blue stone winked at me.

“He has asked me to marry him at least five hundred times. I put this on here just in case I actually say ‘yes’. But I thought it best that we both get further along life’s path before committing ourselves to marriage,” I said. “But I have every intention of saying ‘yes’ after he passes out from Sandhurst.”

Eileen nodded.

“Very wise, I kept telling him to wait, but he told me that he has made his mind up, and that is that. The amount of girls who have almost flung themselves at him recently is remarkable. He has simply said he is already accounted for, and won’t even look at them.”

I just smiled.

“I know what he feels like. I have had a lot of very nice boys trying to persuade me that he is not worth saving myself for. But, you see, I happen to love your son very much.”

Eileen gave me a hug, and was close to tears.

“I am so pleased, for you both. I know when I met Andy, it was the same, we both knew, and the rest of the world no longer mattered.”

Andy chose that moment to enter the kitchen, and he laughed.

“Why is it I have this knack of always walking in on a member of my family hugging Monique?” he said, still chuckling.

“I think it likely that Monique will be our daughter-in-law before too long,” Eileen said.

“Oh, I’ve known that since I first met her in London. Alex would be a complete arse to let her get away,” he said.

Christmas was the best I had ever had. I missed Mama dreadfully, but somehow felt she would have approved of my ‘adopted’ family. I gave Alex a stocking full of small gifts that I had put together. Then I told him that I would marry him, and he hugged me so hard, I thought my spine would snap. However, I told him that any formal announcement would have to wait until after he passed out of Sandhurst.

It was like a dream, and everything and everyone was so wonderful. I had enough money to buy the family super gifts, and I was embarrassed by their generosity to me. Needless to say, I managed to buy some more clothes, and the girls found it hilarious.

Alex and I managed to sneak together for some of the nights, and made love at every opportunity. I had visited the campus medical centre about a month or so before the Christmas break, and was now taking the pill. Our sex sessions were such a joy, I doubt whether we managed to be quiet enough to remain undiscovered.

At Christmas lunch, the whole extended family was there, and they sat eighteen round their huge dining table. Alex announced to the assembled mass that we were now engaged, and that it was the best Christmas gift I could have given him. The family were so accepting of me, that I burst into tears, and found that nearly everyone else had as well.

The holiday passed in a flash, and soon it was time for me to leave. Leaving was so hard. In Eileen, I had come to see another mother, and I felt she understood. The girls were fun, and were the sisters I had never had. In Andy I saw the father that my father had never been.

Alex was flying to Heathrow with me, as he was going to start Sandhurst in a couple of days, and he wanted to see me for as long as possible. We sat together in the Airport until I had to go through and catch my flight back to Washington.

We had grown up, and he was now twenty. We were both convinced that marriage was right, but were in no rush to tie the knot. I was content for him to know that I was his, and he was mine.

Our goodbye was long and tearful, yet we knew that in a few months, we would be able to be together more.

As my plane took off, I looked down on the airport that had been the first place to which I had fled after my father was murdered. Still, I always seemed to be passing through. I knew I was now a very different person to that frightened and confused soul that night.

My attention was brought back to the graduation ceremony, as people started to applaud. They handed us our scrolls, and we all had our photographs taken. I had one taken with Wayne and Gary, two of the biggest and hunkiest guys in the year, now both good friends.

Rachel and the other overseas students grabbed me and we had our picture taken, and then Stacey wanted one taken with her. The General, her Dad, winked at me in a conspiratorial manner, and thanked me for keeping her safe.

I promised not to lose touch, and we all had a very emotional time saying farewell. Eventually I was at the side of the road with my luggage. The ubiquitous Ford pulled up, and soon I was on my way back to Langley.

Chris was waiting for me and smiled as my huge pile of luggage filled his office. I slumped into a chair, exhausted.

“Well done kid. You did brilliantly.”

“Thanks, but he’s still out there.”

“He is, but we’ve a man on him.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. He’s moved, he’s in North Africa now.”

“What’s his game?”

“He’s trying to pool his scattered resources. He lost a fortune when the Zurich job went down, and now he’s trying to fight his way back up. He has access to funds, but not as easily as before.”

“What was he doing in the University?”

“We don’t really know. The man you saw him with is an arms dealer. So I think he is trying to negotiate a deal. But whether it is guns or explosives, and why, who knows?”

“So, what do I do now?”

“One of Aziz’s deep cover contacts has been left in post. He is a serving U.S. Air Force Major, and seems above reproach. It was deemed politic to leave him alone, and let him believe he was in the clear. We want to let him give us whatever he knows about Aziz’s plans. If we wheeled him in, and he gave us nothing, we will have nothing. But, if he is to be allowed to show us what the plans are, then we get both.”

“So?”

“He has been in Military Intelligence for many years, and knows most of the players. He doesn’t know you. And the General has asked for you by name.”

“The General?”

The door opened and Howard Munroe stood there.

“Have you told her yet?” he asked.

“Not yet, General, I was just about to.”

I looked form one to the other. I had seen the General only a couple of hours before, at Stacey’s graduation.

“I have the family in the car, I said I had to check on some things,” he said, grinning.

“Why me, not that I am objecting, but there must be better people for the job?” I asked.

“You come highly recommended, and besides you expressed a desire to wear a sexy uniform,” he said.

“As long as I don’t have to keep the French accent going,” I said.

“You may have to adopt a home grown accent,” Chris said with a grin.

“You are going to an Air Force Base, to a training wing, just for a couple of weeks. You recall that you have held an honorary commission in the Air force since graduating from the camp in Virginia?”

I nodded, a formality, I had thought.

“Well, we need just to finish off the training. You are up to speed on the IT systems, but we need to make you a little more military,” Howard said.

“As long as I can get to Sandhurst by the 7^th July,” I said.

Howard nodded.

“Your young man?”

“Yes.”

“So that part was true?”

“Very much so.”

He smiled.

“I think we can do better than that.”

“How?”

“You’ll find out. But, first you need to explain to Stacey who you really are. She is a friend, and I feel she needs the truth, this way you won’t compromise your position. How you do it is up to you.”

I agreed, but wanted some time to myself first.

“Come by for dinner when you have finished your course, okay?” Howard said.

“Yes Sir,” I said, and mock saluted him.

He laughed, and left us.

I spent three days with Chris, and by the time I was taken to the Academy, I was blonde again, and dressed in the uniform of a first lieutenant in the US Air Force. My name was now officially Monique Bonnard, just for a change. Apparently, I had been promoted.

since 11/28/04