Free Two Days Of A Dream by Kathryn Gimore Page B

blonde head tucked under his chin.
    Yes, golden blonde hair and big, blue eyes. The blue eyes danced on the back of his lids.
    Beautiful. Smart. Playful. The wrong color.
    Duran lerched upright
    His wife was a brunette with dark brown eyes. What was he thinking? Man I really am sleep deprived, he breathed. "Sleep," he demanded
    Crumpling onto his pillow, he sighed. "Sleep."
    Relax, think of nothing . "Sleep," he whispered to himself.
    Nothing.
    Sleep.

Chapter Fifteen
     
    The two women traveled past more tents than Kelly had ever seen in her life. With each turn she became more lost. She would never be able to find her way back.
    Coming to an open area with large tanks labeled ’water,’ Coleman let go of her. "Here, hold this while I get some tubs." She tossed Kelly her bag.
    Barely catching the smelly thing, Kelly held it away from her and looked around, wondering why they had stopped here. Coleman walked over to a stack of tubs and pulled two off the top and came back, placing one on a makeshift table. The other she took to a tank and filled. Careful not to slosh, she returned and placed it next to the empty one.
    "Okay, now we can wash clothes."
    Kelly looked around again. "Here?"
    "Yeah, what did ya expect, a Laundromat?"
    "Of course I expect a Laundromat. No one does their clothes by hand anymore."
    Coleman laughed at Kelly's incredulous expression as she pulled out a small jug of laundry soap. "If the explosions didn't clue you in, let me. We are in a war zone, lady. We do everything the hard way here." She poured a small amount of soap in the tub with water. Pulling out her camo clothes, she sorted them on the table.
    "Here, start with my uniform tops while I fill the other tub." She shoved the pile at Kelly.
    "And do what?" Kelly, with her mouth open, looked at the other woman.
    Coleman took the heavy camo material from Kelly and tossed them in the tub. "Swish them around in the water to get the dirt out."
    "Like washing pantyhose?"
    "Yeah, but you don't have to be so gentle."
    Coleman took the other tub to fill, muttering all the while under her breath and shaking her head.
    Kelly shoved her sleeves back and put her hands in the comparatively cool water. It was kind of nice, as hot as it was outside. She moved the shirts around but couldn't see how they could get clean like that. She pulled one out and shoved it back in like she had seen done in the old movies. All she accomplished was slopping soapy water down her front.
    "Can you really get your clothes clean like this?"
    Coleman snorted. "It gets them clean enough to wear again. You get used to it."
    Kelly doubted she would ever get used to it, all the while thankful this was only a dream.
    "As long as you get most of the smell out, I'll be happy."
    Ew.
     
    They were halfway done drowning Coleman's tops when three guys meandered into the area. Coleman ignored them.
    "Hey, look, Coleman's doing her laundry. Are we in time for your delicates?"
    The two bigger ones thought their short, stocky friend was funny. Kelly thought he was obnoxious. Coleman ignored them.
    Coleman nudged Kelly when Kelly paused to look at the intruders. "Keep working."
    The men didn't take the hint of Coleman's cold shoulder and gathered around the women’s work area.
    "So where'd you get such pretty slave labor?" He wasn't giving up. His smile fluttered Kelly's stomach, and on a second thought Kelly figured maybe he wasn't too bad.
    "Go away, Parker." Coleman slapped a shirt back into the dirty water, splashing the obnoxious man and his friends.
    "Ah, don't be like that, introduce us."
    "Go away, Parker."
    "Well, then I guess I'll have to introduce myself." He turned his big smile on Kelly and tipped his camo cap. "I'm Private Parker, Daniel Parker. My friends call me Danny."
    He stuck out his hand and Kelly took it, soapy water squishing in their palms.
    "Hi Danny, I'm Kelly -"
    "Stop, Kelly, don't encourage him or he won't go away."
    "Maybe Kelly wants to encourage me." He still had