Page 34 of Destiny Reclaimed
He had some money saved, actually, a decent amount from before he left for war, and then what little he’d made in the service had mostly been saved as well. But, until he had his ducks in a row with a job and all, he didn’t want to risk dwindling it down to nothing.
“Thanks,” he finally replied. “Gwennie and I actually talked about this last night, and I think we’ll take you up on the offer.”
His mother’s smile couldn’t have gotten any larger. She glanced at his dad, drawing out a grin and a nod from him.
“It will be so nice to have sound in this house again,” his mom added.
He knew what she meant. His parents were people of few words. They didn’t need to say anything to each other, it was like they could read each other’s minds. He supposed after forty-five years of marriage that was how most couples were, and he wanted that for him and Gwennie.
She smiled a bit more wickedly. “And the sound of children would be nice.”
Jack raised his hands, palms facing his mother. “Whoa, let’s not rush things.” Though he put the brakes on in terms of rushing into parenthood in front of his parents, he’d love nothing more than to start a family with Gwennie right away.
His dad chuckled, and his mom’s sweet laughter filled the kitchen. God, how he had missed his parents while he was gone.
“Well, I have to go,” his mother said as she scooted her chair back, the wooden legs scraping across the hardwood floor. Her gaze focused on him. “Our Friends of the Library Club is getting the books together for the book sale this Saturday. It’s a little fundraiser we do twice a year now. I should only be a few hours.”
Like a true gentleman, his father stood along with her, walked her out to the entryway closet, and helped her with her coat. He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and out the door she went.
Jack watched as she backed out of the driveway in her coupe.
“Well, what are we going to do today?” his dad asked with a knowing look in his eye indicating he already had a plan for them.
“First thing, I want to call my old boss about a job.”
“So, you want to keep flying?”
“Yeah, despite the war. I still love to fly. The freedom of the air.” When he spoke of flying, a sense of independence overcame him.
The man nodded with understanding.
“When you’re done with that, I want to show you something. I’ll be in the study.”
“Okay.” The playful grin on his father’s face sparked his curiosity.
Jack called his prior boss from the kitchen phone. A sense of relief washed over him as the man offered him employment, though with a minor stipulation. His boss noted he wouldn’t be starting him flying right off, but rather, he’d have to complete a few hours of training over the next several weeks to re-assimilate him to civilian flights again. Though he was disappointed he couldn’t get in the air right away, he respected the man and his decision, and continued the conversation to discuss salary.
After disconnecting the call, he headed toward the study on the opposite end of the house to see what his father wanted to show him. As he entered the wide hallway lined with family history, he paused to view the first photo on the wall. It was of two teenagers with their arms slung around each other—his great-grandpa Ben Cornelis and his cousin Simon Dupont taken before the two snuck off to join the Army to fight in the Civil War. Photos were scarce from back then, but this one survived the years.
Slowly, Jack worked his way to the study where his father waited, taking the time to ponder every photo along the way. Photos of his ancestors, then photos of his parents, then him. Reminders of what mattered most—family. His heart filled with joy at the thought that someday, pictures of Gwennie and their children would line this wall, too.
“That one is my favorite,” his dad said, pointing to a photo of his wife standing in front of the ambulance she drove during the first world war.
Jack supposed it would be his favorite since that was where the two met.
“Brave beyond what she should be. She scared the dickens out of me a few times during our runs to the front to pick up wounded.”
The father’s tone held as much pride as Jack felt when he thought of his mother’s service, and his father’s, too. He couldn’t have asked for better role models.
Jack swung his gaze down one side of the hallway wall and then back up the other. He couldn’t be prouder of his family’s military history. A lump lodged in his throat at the thought of not only the Duponts stealing it, but more importantly, what that maneuver could do to the present and future—how it could impact the greater good. There was far more at stake here than the impact to his family. The world relied on them, though most didn’t know it.
The weight swelling in his throat grew to the point of nearly choking him off when he recalled the secrecy of his role as a Preserver. How could he possibly keep this from Gwennie? How had his dad kept it from his mom all these years?
“There were times I wanted to tie her to a chair to keep her out of harm’s way,” his father said pulling him away from his private thoughts. “But you know her. She probably would have got the upper hand and hogtied me first.”
He and his father shared a laugh at the true statement.
Somberness soon pushed aside his joy. “Dad, I was hoping to ask you some questions today about our duty as Preservers.”
