Bette sat up and wiped her mouth. She looked at her watch and said, "6 minutes left. Ha! That’s a record."

Tina chuckled and slowly stood up to get some dry clothes. Bette had been hurriedly putting on her uniform.

"Porter!" Tasha called out.

"Coming coming!" Bette shouted running into the living room.

"We already know you did Porter," Tasha teased.

"Shut up!" Bette whined, "…with all due respect Captain."

Tasha chuckled, "let’s go, we gotta pick up our M-16s before meeting at the jet."

"T!" Bette called out.

"I’m here baby," Tina said grabbing her purse.

"There should not be so much screaming at 5:30am," Alice said.

+

"You’re late," Helena said firmly as Bette, Tina, Alice, and Tasha walked in.

"Sorry General," Tasha said as she and Bette saluted.

Helena returned the salute then turned to the other soldiers in the unit. Each platoon was made of three squads, and in each squad there were ten soldiers. In the main platoon, Bette’s platoon, Angus was one squad leader, Shane was another, and the third was a skinny brunette named Dana Fairbanks. The company was made up of 15 platoons and they were all controlled by platoon leaders, but the head honcho was Tasha.

"Captain, have the platoons pick up their M-16s while we have our staff meeting with the platoon and squad leaders," Helena said.

"Aye," Tasha said. Tasha left to give the order.

Jenny walked up to them handing a coffee to Helena. "Thanks honey," Helena said.

"You’ll be careful?" Jenny said touching Helena’s cheek tenderly.

"You know I will darling," Helena said leaning forward and kissing Jenny’s lips gently.

Jenny wrapped her arms around her neck and deepened the kiss.

There was a loud hooting from behind and the women parted blushing.

"That’s enough," Helena said with a small smile.

"That’s not as bad as Bette was doing before we came here," Tasha muttered.

Bette narrowed her eyes at her, "what the fuck."

"The only thing better then going away sex is coming back sex," Angus commented, "don’t worry Bette, I totally don’t blame you."

"Careful Angus that’s my sister you’re talking about," Bette joked.

"Alright let’s get started on the staff meeting," Helena called out.

The platoon and staff leaders stepped closer to Tasha and Helena as the wives and husbands walked away out of earshot.

"As you know platoon 1, under Porter’s command, is the head platoon," Tasha said, "we will be raiding the Colombian forest to reach the center where the main operation is taking place. Porter’s platoon along with General Peabody and I will be leading everyone. Everyone else is to watch out backs and provide backup. Now our only new member is Sergeant Fairbanks, so Porter will brief you in our procedures and techniques."

"Aye Captain," Dana said saluting.

"Excellent, fall out, grab your weapons, and prepare for boarding," Helena said.

"Aye General!" Everyone shouted.

The leaders received their weapons then went to their spouses to say goodbye. Dana went straight to her red-headed wife Lara, who hugged her tightly and kissed her.

Tasha, Bette, Shane, and Angus kissed and hugged their wives tightly as they prepared to leave.

"You’re gonna be okay?" Tasha said caressing Alice’s face.

"Yeah Tina and I have prepared alumber parties and we have invited Jenny and your new squad leader’s wife Lara," Alice said, "it’s easier to cope together."

"I love you," Tasha said.

"I love you too," Alice responded.

"Alright time to board," Helena called out.

There were tears and sobs as the soldiers parted from their loved ones and walked to the jet. Helena waited until everyone got on before getting on herself.

"Helena," Jenny said grabbing her arm as she turned around.

"Yeah honey?" Helena asked.

"I wrote you a poem," Jenny said handing her a paper, "keep it with you, and when you miss me read it to yourself."

Helena unfolded the paper and read aloud, "my love Helena. I love with every inch of my heart, I hate that we have to part. You are near me in my soul, you’re the one who makes me whole. When you miss me in your fight, just read these loving words I write."

Helena looked up at Jenny with tears in her eyes. She kissed her passionately then put the poem in her shirt pocket.

The army wives gathered together and watched as the jet with their loved ones left maybe never to return.

Tina wiped away her tears and said, "girls, we gotta stick together."