Psychologist Neil is a civilian embedded with a division of Marines sent out as part of a peacekeeping mission overseas in the Pacific. When the local political situation erupts into open civil war, the American troops are ordered to evacuate. Neil escapes in a small plane, along with several military personnel. The plane crashes into the sea, with only Neil and a Marine surviving. They're swept over a reef and deposited in the lagoon of a deserted island. As they work together to survive in the hopes of being rescued, mutual respect warms into friendship. But Neil's feelings grow deeper, and he keeps them hidden from his companion. How would the Marine react if he knew the feelings Neil harbors for him? Can what they share in isolation carry over if -- or when -- they're rescued?

Marooned with a Marine

I had to think to remember what he was talking about. I shrugged.


“I—don’t,” he began, and stopped, poking the fire with a stick. I had the sense that he wanted to smooth things out. I glanced at him, for he had an unhappy expression on his good-natured feature.


I sighed. “Look,” I said. “Don’t worry about it. I’m used to that kind of thing.” Then, unable to keep myself from dipping into bitterness, I added, “One does.”


“I’ve known some—in the Marines,” he said, looking into the fire. “Since don’t ask don’t tellended.”


I considered. “How did your—colleagues—take it?”


“Oh. I don’t know.” He paused. “One or two had trouble. We attended seminars. Those, who had trouble with it, they brought up the issue they had around working with people like that—from the point of sin. Some are pretty hard-core Christians.”


I nodded. “How did the instructors respond?”


Chapter 25