Page 114 of Caged

After everyone else left, my dad said, “Jay, I trust you believe your mother and I had no idea your brothers had given you that nickname.”

“I know,” I answered without making eye contact. I’d been careful not to mention my brothers , or why I thought I was a mistake, the one and only time I’d mentioned it to my parents.

Stepping in front of me, he waited for me to shift my focus from the floor. “We love you. We always have.”

“I know, Dad.” The emotion in his eyes made me uncomfortable, so I went back to staring at my shoes.

He gripped my shoulder. “You’ve grown into a good man. I just wish you could see it for yourself,” he said, reminding me of what Cate had said.They’re proud of you.

I renewed the vow I’d made in the cage; to be a better son, a better brother, and a better employee. To be the man I knew I was, not the troubled kid I used to be.

“We’ve always been proud of you. You didn’t have to join the Marines or Special Forces to prove your worth.”

I clapped him on the shoulder and smiled. “Actually, I did. I needed to prove it to myself.” I wouldn’t have changed if I’d stayed here. “The Marine’s gave me a purpose and helped me find myself.”

He nodded and changed the subject. “And just for the record, I knew you spoke Arabic, and Spanish too, if I’m not mistaken?”

“Better than Jamie, but not as good as Isabelle.” Spanish was Isabelle’s, Jamie’s late first wife, native language.

“How’d you find out? You hack the Marine data base?” I joked. Dad used computers but hacking was out of his wheelhouse, though he’d hired someone who could—and Doug was damn good.

Good enough to hack the USMC MARSOC records?Maybe.

“No, I have friends in high places.” He winked.

“Damn, Dad. You know that’s illegal and unethical.” Two words I wouldn’t have attached to my father in a million years.

“A father does what he has to when his son refuses to keep him in the loop.”

Shit.“How much do you know?”

“Enough to know last week wasn’t your first time being held in a hell hole.”

My head spun to the kitchen where mom was loading the dishwasher.

“Relax, I only told her the good stuff. She’s strong enough to hear it, but it doesn’t mean she should have to.” I’d had the same thought in the hospital.

He confessed he knew broad stroke information because a friend he’d served with was near the top of my chain of command. No legal lines had been crossed.

“If you ever want to talk…”

“Thanks. But I think I’ll go help Ma.” I needed a break from the emotional rollercoaster.

“Good idea.”

Once the kitchen was clean, I grabbed a beer.I have one more secret to reveal. “Can I talk to you guys?”

“Of course,” Ma said, patting my shoulder.

Dad looked at my beer. “Will I need one?”

Need was a strong word. “You might want one. You too, Ma.”

With beers in hand, I told them about Sara, making my mom tear up when she realized I’d been ready to propose to a woman she’d never met.

“I’m sorry, Ma. I wasn’t in a good head space when it came to the family. And I planned on bringing her home and introducing you to her before I proposed, I promise.”

“What happened?”

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