First Class Hero (First Class Novels) (5 page)

“I guess my only question is why isn’t one of the other
teams here instead of us? I mean, there are teams on deployment here. Why did
they bring us all that way from home?”

“SAS requested it. Technically, they are leading the mission
and we are the support, according to the Admiral. And Captain McGregor
requested us.”

“Do you know why?”

“Nope.”

They finished eating and stood to leave as Captain McGregor
and two of his men entered the mess hall. They greeted each other formally and
then casually shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.

“Glad you boys are here,” the Captain said.

“We are glad to be of service. Glad to be getting our people
out safely,” Ed nodded.

“You know I requested you,” Captain McGregor said. “You
worked with some of my boys a few years ago in Iraq and we would have lost
several had it not been for your team’s backup. So when I was asked to lead
this mission in collaboration with the Seals I asked for you, but I was told
your team was no longer intact as it had been then, so we found where most of
you were. I wouldn’t risk the lives of my men with any other Yanks,” he smiled.

“An honor to serve alongside you, Sir,” said Paul.

“The honour is ours. Thank you.” And the Captain and his men
stepped aside so Paul and Ed could leave.

“Question answered,” said Ed. “We’re just too damn good,” he
chuckled.

*****

The phone rang at a bad time. Nic’s eyes were closed, her
hair full of shampoo suds and the phone five feet out of her reach. She threw
back the shower curtain and stepped out to grab it. She didn’t recognize the
number. And when she hung up a couple of minutes later, she was glad she had
taken the call. She had a job interview…in Harlem…in ten days.

Rinsing the shampoo from her hair she thought about all she
would need to do in order to be in New York. The principal she had spoken to
had said if she absolutely couldn’t make it, they could perhaps do a phone
interview, but Nic was not going to accept a position in a school she hadn’t
seen. Not that she was confident they would offer it to her, but just in case.
She needed to make sure she would be a good fit. She wanted to meet the
principal too. She didn’t want to take the risk that her new boss would be an
absolute bitch like Jenny, her last boss. She considered herself a good judge
of character and when Jenny had arrived at River Grove Elementary Nic had been immediately
wary. Fake, shallow and self-absorbed were the adjectives that came to her as
Jenny introduced herself to the faculty. Most of the other teachers agreed with
Nic, but there were the few who were either just like her or needed to suck-up
and they became her circle of minions. Nic and a couple of the other teachers
had joked that they had been somehow transported into the movie ‘Mean Girls’
and Jenny was playing the role of Regina perfectly. Nic had remained friends
with several of the teachers after she’d been fired and they met for coffee
every few weeks. They had been sad to report that Jenny’s antics had only
gotten worse since Nic had left. They didn’t see an end to the dismal morale
and unprofessional antics. For several months, Nic had pined for her job, but
now she was relieved she was not longer subject to Jenny. She had rid herself
of the desire to return to River Grove.

No, Nic needed to meet the principal and get a vibe for the
school. She would go to New York. She needed to pray that Drew, the manager of
Hank’s, would give her some time off too. But, she knew if it came down to it,
she’d quit rather than not interview. She figured she could get another job as
a waitress, but there weren’t many teaching positions available. She’d take the
chance.

With her hair wrapped in a towel and her robe tied around
her waist, she sat at her computer and looked at flights to New York.

“Eight hundred and thirty dollars??!!” she gasped. “There’s
no way I can afford that.”

“What’s eight hundred dollars?” Evelyn asked as she lay on
the sofa and watched ‘The Price is Right’.

“A flight to New York. I got an interview.”

“That’s great.”

“It’s not if I can’t afford to get there,” Nic sighed.

“Take the bus,” offered Evelyn.

“No thanks.”

“Well take the train then.”

Nic’s eyebrows rose.
The train?
She found Amtrak’s
website and entered in her travel information.

“One hundred and twenty dollars…each way,” she grinned.
“It’ll take all day, but I can afford that.”

“Problem solved,” said Evelyn.

“Thank you,” smiled Nic.

*****

Sunday dinner at the Lathem home was almost over. The whole
family was there except for Paul. But Maureen, as usual, had set a place for
him and thought about him all through dinner. Well, almost all through dinner.
Her younger grandchildren occupied her mind when her son didn’t.

Ella sat between Janie, her mother and Matt’s wife, and Katy,
her aunt and Mark’s wife. Maureen thanked God every day that her sons had
married such good women. And Ella? Her beautiful two year-old granddaughter was
the apple of her eye. She watched Ella play with her utensils, her favorite
thing to do during dinner. She played with them like her dolls; there was a
mommy and a daddy and a grandma and grandpa and then the rest were siblings.
She had commandeered the butter knife because the family needed a dog.

“Why don’t you just get her a real dog and then she wouldn’t
have to play with knives and forks,” laughed Andrew, Maureen’s third son.

“And when Isabelle asks for a dog are
you
going to
get
her
one?” Matt asked.

Isabelle was Andrew and his husband’s daughter they had
adopted a few weeks earlier. She was sound asleep in her car seat next to her
dads’ chairs.

“Point taken,” he chuckled.

Maureen watched Ella and was serious in her quest to find
the perfect Kindergarten teacher. There was nothing of more importance to her
than her family. And being a former teacher herself, she wanted to make sure
she used her position on the board of St. Luke’s Prep School to ensure a solid
foundation to begin her granddaughter’s education. She did not take that
responsibility lightly. Her resolve was set. She would only hire the very best.
Ella deserved nothing less.

*****

Nic didn’t usually work Sunday nights, but Drew had guilted
her into coming in even though she had worked Friday
and
Saturday. He
said it was the least she could do seeing as though he had agreed to remove her
from the schedule for a few days so she could go to New York.

And even though she wasn’t thrilled about being there, she
was happy, hopeful, smiling and couldn’t help it. Brian noticed immediately.

“You’re in a good mood.”

“I am!” Nic replied.

“Any particular reason?”

“No. Just feel like maybe my life is moving in the right
direction. This last year has been a little rough and the job interview this
week makes me feel optimistic.”

“Well, good luck.”

“Thanks.”

Brian filled her drink order and Nic turned and walked away.

The evening went by quicker than she thought it would.
Sundays weren’t nearly as busy as the rest of the week so she had assumed it
would drag on. But to her pleasant surprise it didn’t. About ten o’clock, Nic
was once again waiting for Brian to make a margarita and her eyes panned the
room and came to rest on the television. It was on CNN and Nic absent-mindedly
read the ticker tape that ran across the bottom of the screen. Apparently a
football player had been arrested for assaulting his girlfriend.
Surprise!
 
she thought.
Not!
Actually, she found it repugnant that it was
considered newsworthy. That’s one of the reasons she had stopped watching the
news; it didn’t seem to her that the networks reported much in the way of news
anymore; it was usually what the latest celebrity was up to or who they were
dating or whose baby they were having. That stuff didn’t interest her at all. She
continued to read the scrolling news. There was a 4.7 magnitude earthquake in
Argentina. There was some basic information that followed; no casualties and
some minor damage.

Then Nic’s heart stopped. Her hands began to shake and she
felt instantly nauseous.

“What is it?” Brian asked, noticing her face.

Nic didn’t respond but continued to read the words as they
ran along the bottom of the screen. ‘U.S. Navy Seal units suffer casualties in
a rescue operation in Afghanistan. American journalist, Carrie Lymon and
cameraman, Jessie Sinclair, have been rescued and are on their way to a U.S.
military hospital in Germany. Their condition has not yet been released. The
details of the operation and the casualties have not been released at this
time.’

“Paul,” she whispered.

*****

Nic went home after the bar had closed and turned on the
television. She switched the channel to CNN and watched. The same ticker tape
message ran across the bottom of the screen repeatedly with no additional
information. Her eyes didn’t move and she barely remembered to breathe. She
didn’t even hear Evelyn come in.

“Hey! What are you still doing up?” She was shocked to see
Nic awake and with the TV on.

Nic didn’t reply. Evelyn assumed she hadn’t heard her.

“Nic! Hello!”

Slowly, Nic turned her head to look at her roommate. “Hey,”
she said.

“What’s up? Why are you watching CNN?”

Nic turned her head back to the television just as they
began the story of the hostage rescue.

“What’s…”

“Ssshhhh!” Nic said.

Evelyn sat down next to her on the sofa and listened to the news
anchor.

“In breaking news, we have learned that during the rescue
mission of American journalist Carrie Lymon and cameraman, Jessie Sinclair, who
had been kidnapped last week while in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on assignment, one
US Navy Seal has been killed and several injured. Their names have not yet been
released. This rescue operation was a joint endeavor with the British Special
Forces and Lieutenant Thomas Blakely of the RAF has also been rescued. He was
held with Ms. Lymon and Mr. Sinclair. The hostages are on their way to a
military hospital in Germany and we will bring you updates as we receive them.”

Nic stared at the television. “Please, no. Not Paul.”

*****

Peter Lathem sat in front of the television, his heart
beating a little faster than normal, relieved his wife, Maureen, was at their
son and daughter-in-law’s apartment spending time with the grandchildren. Peter
listened to the CNN anchor repeat the news of the Navy Seal casualties.
Please
God, not Paul.

According to the report, the operation had taken place
yesterday, Sunday, twenty-four hours ago. Peter hoped that it meant Paul was
alright.
Wouldn’t they have come to tell us already?
he wondered.

As Peter continued to sit in his chair in front of the
television, the telephone rang and his heart lodged in his throat not wanting
to hear who was calling. Ignorance was occasionally better than reality. He
stood and walked the few steps to the phone and picked up the receiver. As he
put it to his ear, his eyes welled with tears and he had to pause to compose
himself.

“Dad? Mom?”

“Paul!” he choked.

“I’m okay Dad…I didn’t want you to worry…I called as soon as
I could.”

“Paul,” Peter whispered. “Son, I love you.”

“I love you too. I’m fine Dad. I’ll be home on Wednesday.
Our assignment has been completed and I’m gonna come home for a few days. Tell
Mom I’m fine will ya please?”

“I will Paul. I’m glad you’re well. I’ll pick you up at the
airport. Just tell me when.”

“I’ll text you, k? I’ve gotta go. Love you.”

Peter hung up the phone and sat on the nearest chair. He
buried his face in his hands and cried tears of relief and joy. Once he had
composed himself, he decided to call Maureen and tell her before she heard the
news somewhere and panicked.

“Your lunch is in the fridge, Peter. I told you that before
I left this morning.”

Peter smiled. “I’m not calling to ask about lunch. And for
your information, I am quite capable of making my own lunch.”

“I do not consider Cheetos and a string cheese lunch!”

“I’m calling to tell you that Paul is fine. I just talked to
him and he’ll be home on Wednesday for a few days. He sounds good but he didn’t
want us to worry.”

“Why would we be worried?” Maureen said, her nonchalant
reply not fooling Peter for one second.

“The mission is over and successful, but they sustained
casualties. I saw it on the news today.”

Maureen blinked a few times, trying to keep the tears at
bay.

“That isn’t good news. But I would know if something
happened to my son. I’ll see you this afternoon, dear. Thank you for calling
me.”

“I didn’t want you to hear or see something on the news and
be concerned. I love you.”

“Love you too. Bye.” Maureen put her cell phone back in her
purse. She looked up and saw Janie staring at her.

“It’s fine, dear,” Maureen attempted a smile. “Paul is just
fine. So whatever you see on the news, know that Paul is just fine.” She picked
up her grandson, Christopher, and held him close to her heart
. Keep it
together,
she thought.
He’s just fine.

*****

The next couple of days for Nic were difficult. While she
was excited and anxious for her short trip to New York and a job interview, she
thought mostly of Paul and whether or not he was alive. Everything she did was
done absent-mindedly as she wondered what had happened and if he had been
injured. She wouldn’t let herself wonder if he was dead; that was too
difficult.

“I don’t get it,” Evelyn had asked. “You weren’t going to
see him again. You aren’t interested in any kind of relationship with him, yet
you’re totally freaked out by this news report. You don’t even know if Paul was
even
in
Afghanistan, let alone rescuing hostages.”