Jack and Jill: Army

  ***

  Jack went inside and found the men’s changing area. He removed his Army fatigues and folded them neatly. Then he removed his swimsuit from the duffel, and put it on. Then he put his fatigues in the duffel. It was only half full, so he carefully folded the top and exited the building with his duffel bag tucked under his arm. Outside he looked around for Jill but didn’t see her, so he waited for her to appear. He began looking at the people walking back and forth to the beach from their cars. Jill eventually came out of the ladies’ changing area. She walked toward Jack, but he didn’t notice her until she was directly in front of him.

  “Hi, Jack.”

  “Oh . . . hi, Jill.” Jack began looking at Jill’s one-piece swimsuit with fervid interest. Her suit bore vertical rows of red and white stripes like an American flag. On the upper left quadrant there was a rectangular section that was blue and decorated with rows of white stars. It had the appearance of a flag that was tautly stretched around her slim, feminine body.

  “Oh my. I don’t know what to say,” Jack said as he stared at Jill’s swimsuit.

  “You don’t like my suit? I guess it is too gaudy, isn’t it. Maybe it’s too patriotic, that is to say that maybe I shouldn’t wear clothes that look like our flag. Maybe it—”

  “Jill, I mean that I absolutely love it. It’s, well, to be honest, it’s very . . . sexy.”

  “Oh, in that case, I am glad that I wore it. I was afraid you’d be ashamed of me wearing this today. I worried about it all night.”

  “Ha, you have nothing to be worried about. You look terrific.”

  Jack and Jill started walking to the beach. Jack noticed that Jill carried her duffel so that the US Army insignia was clearly visible, while he had carefully folded his duffel so that the insignia was on the inside of the folds and couldn’t be seen.

  “Is it all right with you if we pick a spot away from the crowd?” Jack pointed down the beach, suggesting a location about two hundred yards south.

  “That looks good.”

  Jill took the lead as they walked down a narrow wooden ramp that lead down to the sandy beach. Jack looked at the back of Jill’s bathing suit as he followed her. It was indeed a modest one-piece suit. But, it fit snugly and showed Jill’s curves that he previously had only imagined. His gaze traveled up the back of Jill’s slender figure, watching her slender legs navigate the ramp, how her patriotic swimsuit wrapped around her narrow waist, up to the nape of her slender neck. I am glad we changed into civilian clothes.

  The spot they chose wasn’t crowded. They set down their duffels, and Jill folded hers like Jack’s so the Army insignia was not visible. She then spread a blanket on the sand so they could sit down.

  “This is nice,” Jack said, trying not to stare at Jill’s bathing suit. “It is quiet, relaxing, and intimate.”