The Coach says, “I’m coming too, I’ll keep Sam safe, even if she has to use me to throw at somebody.”
Sam hugs her grandpa. Helen has not said anything finally says, “I think you are all crazy. Just hire some security guards for outside the restaurant. That should scare the shit out of any would-be thief.”
I agree with Helen, and I will hire security guards to surround the restaurant. Sam will be safe, so I do not feel bad about taking her now. I know if I did not she would never forgive me, or it would break her spirit. One of many things I love about Sam. Sam does not see herself as weak or small. Sam sees that she has the potential to do anything.
The room is very silent, and Misty clears her throat almost everyone jumps. Misty says, “I can’t go with you Marshall, but you can go.”
Marshall has a surprised look on his face as he turns to his wife. Giggling she says, “I know you wouldn’t go unless I let you, but you would not be my Marshall if I made you stay.”
I pull Helen into a hug I whisper, “Thank you for your suggestion, and I’ll make sure at least a dozen security guards are around the restaurant.”
Helen pulls back looking into my face she says, “So everyone going to keep Sam and you save is for nothing.”
Finally smiling I very softly say, “No, it’s for love and that’s far from nothing.”
Giggling Helen says, “Good because you know I’m coming too.”
What could I do at that point? The only thing actually could do was to give Helen a hug, and say, “I think the aircraft is full with Marshall, Helen, Dad (the Coach), and Sam coming along.” The one I booked to fly out was quite a bit smaller than the one that was to return. The four extra passengers it would be pretty well full.
I can tell each of my brother-in-laws and sister-in-laws wanted to come too, but I convinced them to stay with Kathryn. Kathryn called her doctor who refuses to let her go. Since Misty and Reese went to the same Doctor, he also refuses to let them go as well.
Daniel and Kara both want to come as well, asking the second time I tell them, “How many people you think it’s going to take to keep Kathryn off that aircraft? If she cracks Kara, you are one of the few people she will listen to what you say. You won’t be able to stop her if you are on the airplane.”
Kara asks, “You really think she will listen to me?”
With a smile I say, “Of Kathryn’s four sisters, you’re the one she respects the most. You’re the one she always tried to be like, the one she wanted to be proud of her the most.”
Kara looks at me confused before I continue, “Don’t forget I can practically read her mind now. I know she loves all her sisters, but you’re the one she puts on the pedestal the highest.”
Daniel laughs at a memory that comes to his mind. Looking at Kara he says, “Remember back when I graduated from high school and a beautiful twelve-year-old girl comes up to me and gives me a kiss. What really shocked me wasn’t that you kissed me, it was the feeling I got.” He looks into his wife’s eyes, “You ran off before I could say anything. Your little sister’s stayed around for a moment or two more before she left she smiles at me and says I’m going to do just like Kara and marry an older guy.”
Kara has a shocked look on her face before Daniel continues as he chuckles at her expression. Hugging Kara he says, “You think I would forget our first kiss? What you did not know is that kiss had a greater effect on me than even I knew at the time. All through college, I could not look at another girl without her reminding me of you. I did not even really date because of that. I am just glad, that JJ fell in love with Kathryn. I would never be happy with anyone else, my Love.”
Daniel pulls Kara into a long kiss, when they do break it is to giggles from the children. Kathryn smiles at her sister before she says, “If you hadn’t ran off so fast after you kissed him for the first time I’m pretty sure he would kiss you just like that if Daniel had the chance.”
Daniel looking lovingly into Kara’s green eyes says, “I wanted to, but she confused me when she ran off. If I knew she was in love with me, I would have stood up to my brother-in-laws. They’re very protective of their little sisters, it’s a good thing JJ is a black belt or they might just have killed him.”
Eddie laughing slaps Daniel on the back and says, “Part of the reason I was so mad the first day I met JJ, was that Kathryn already had a crush on him. I figured he was going to hurt her so before he could I would just run him off.”
My other two brother-in-laws come over hearing what Eddie said, they both laugh and Michael Junior reaches into his wallet before he hands me his martial arts card. I notice, he has been training and now sports four belts of his own. Mark and Eddie do the same; they each have multiple black belts, in multiple disciplines. Michael Junior says, “When I left here and went to college, I just began training with you. At college I ran into a couple of people, they were watching me do my workouts. They invited me to the dojo they were a member of, I went to my first testing and was surprised when the Sensei handed me my first belt. When Mark join me, he joined my dojo too, and then Eddie. Eddie even surprised the Sensei at how good he is.”
Michael Junior continues, “I know why you trained us, other than the fact that we ask you to. You did teach us a lot of things, some things Dad been trying to preach into us for years, things like discipline and hard work.”
Eddie getting a smile for Michael Junior says, “When we first met you, we were so proud of ourselves with no good reason to be. In other words we were arrogant, self-centered and more than a bit of a bully. You have the skill to put the three of us on our ass, three times each, without hurting any of us, will just our pride mostly. I wonder why Dad and Mom let you do that, until one day I had to go to the local courthouse for a speeding ticket, there was a father setting in the courthouse waiting to see what was going to happen to his son. His son got into an altercation with another young man, as in most fights things happen that you never intend to at the beginning of the fight. He set there in tears waiting to hear the verdict from his son’s conviction. His son could get fifteen years to life. I realize we were heading down that same path till a young man thrown us on our asses and open our eyes.”
I look a little shocked, and Kathryn giggles beside me. The brothers give me a second before Mark continues, “You really opened my eyes, here you are a natural born athlete, and the biggest nerd I know. I mean that in the nicest way too. We did not find out for a while that you made your fortune from two Internet companies that you sold. Then you turn our little sister into this trading genius, who else you know makes a million bucks inside of a week. By the time I left for college, we figured out who was buying the cars for us, giving us full scholarships with no academic or athletic requirements.
You never asked us to accept you, but you assisted us as your family. You never tried to bully, buy or direct our affections or our friendship. You did not tell us what you are doing for us, you did not ask for praise or even acknowledgment. You have the strength and skill to bully anyone you want, but you treated everyone like they were your equal, your friend. It is no wonder people love you, it is impossible to hate someone like that. JJ the more I got to know you, the more I saw how good of a person you are. The more I saw how much you love my sister. It’s no wonder Mom and Dad let you marry her.”
Helen giggles and says, “Them two getting married was just legalizing what they are. They are the two most married people that I know of, I’m not looking forward to seeing JJ on the night of the second he’s going to be several states away from Kathryn.” She describes what happened on third of July when they separated us. “It was like ripping their souls out, leaving behind empty bodies. Kathryn and JJ didn’t come alive until they saw each other just before their second wedding.”
Realizing that is something that we had not thought of Kathryn and I both look at each other, being apart is hell on us. Were even closer now than we were before, what differences that makes? I hate leaving her every morning because it does not feel too good. I know Kathryn hates it too. I can tell every day when she starts coming to school. By the time she is in town, it is as if we are coming alive again.
It is not that we are totally nonfunctional without the other, but we definitely are not functioning at our best. I am sure we will probably make a dozen phone calls. That always seems to help just hearing each other’s voice has always made us feel better.
The rest of the evening is subdued, although I do get a few more hugs from my mother and the rest of my family. I asked Mom to take care of Kathryn while I am gone. She says there is one more seat on the aircraft that she can use, but I insist that Kathryn will need her. What I do not tell my mother is that if something goes wrong, Crystal and Cindy will need her because Kathryn will be unable to do anything in her grief.
Later that evening Crystal comes into my arms, she is remained near Sam while the adults were near us. I can tell tears ran down her cheeks from her sad eyes. Holding me tight and somewhat of a muffled voice crystal says, “Sam says everything’s going to be okay, but Daddy I’m still scared for you. I don’t want to cause you to die just like my other Daddy.” Crystal begins to cry very hard and I do my best to comfort her. Kathryn immediately comes to her side and she is doing her best to comfort Crystal as well.
Sam comes bringing both their teddy bears. She holds one up for Crystal to take. To me the teddy bears look identical, and I could not tell them apart even if all my money depended on it. Crystal takes the offered bear and holds a tightly by one arm and the other arm still around my neck. Her crying is not as hard as it was earlier. Sam trying to comfort Crystal says, “Crystal, Santa wouldn’t give you to us knowing Daddy would not be with us after a few days. Santa wouldn’t do that to you, he would not give you a teddy bear if you weren’t a good girl.”
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