CHAPTER ONE
Remington Redhawk was from Belle Fleur royalty.Although, in fairness, everyone on the property was considered royalty in the eyes of Mama Irene.His parents, JB and Dana Redhawk were both unusual people.
His grandfather, Joseph, was a twin, the son of Trak and Lauren.His grandmother, Julia Anderson Redhawk, was the daughter of Wilson and Sara.
The Redhawk men had a long line of service to their country.His great-grandfather, Trak was one of the most feared and storied men to ever wear the uniform of Delta.He was tall, lean, fast, and silent.Deathly silent.
As a boy, Remington would follow him around the property, trying to step the way he stepped.Following every footprint, even when his legs weren’t long enough.Trak would turn and smile at his great-grandson, lifting him in the air.
“Your time will come to follow my path,” he said in a low, deep voice.“For now, follow your own Remington.”
His grandmother, Julia, was a strange and beautiful soul.She possessed the ability to see and speak with ghosts.All of them.All the time.There were others on the property who could do the same, and she’d bonded with them as a child so she didn’t feel so alone.
Now, she often partnered with a friend of the family, Noah Anders, who also saw spirits and spoke to them.When a spirit was too strong, too emotional or just too difficult to control, Julia and Noah would join forces and support one another in attempting to appease the miserable ghost.
“Will I grow up and see ghosts?” he asked his grandmother.
“You see them now,” she smiled.“You see Martha, Franklin, Yori, all of them, don’t you?”
“Yes, ma’am.I guess I was hoping to see more.”
“Believe me, Remington, you don’t want to see more.You truly only want to see those that are our friends.”
He nodded at his grandmother, and she kissed his cheek, leaning against her husband’s shoulder.Even as a boy, he could see how much they were in love.Always touching, always near one another.He would learn in later years that it was to preserve their sanity.Touching each other was their rock, their solid foundation.
Across the grove, his father JB was seated with his mother.They were enjoying the warm spring weather and a meal outside.Remington ran toward his parents, taking the seat beside them with his newly filled plate of food.
“What’s on your mind?” smiled JB.
Remington looked behind him and saw his cousin, Quinn.He was much more outgoing than he was, much more prone to games and showing his heart on his sleeve.Sometimes, he would laugh so loudly that you could hear him all the way into the gardens.
Remington didn’t possess that ability.
“Remington?Are you okay?” asked his mother.
“Yes, ma’am.I guess I was just wondering, I mean, dad and Uncle Tobias are kinda the same.They’re quiet and like to stay unnoticed.How come I’m so different from Quinn?”
“Well,” smirked JB, “you have different parents.Even twins aren’t always the same.They’re their own person.They develop their own habits and style.Look at Grandpa Joseph.He’s nothing like great-Uncle Nathan.Rafe and Baptiste are different, Camille and Claudette are different.”
“I guess you’re right,” he said looking down at his plate.He just turned twelve and he was starting to develop muscle and body hair, things that boys often don’t understand.But he was shy, studious, and very introverted.
“Remington, it’s okay to be quieter than your cousin.Quiet could be very helpful to you if you decide to join the Army and Delta,” said JB.It didn’t seem that his words helped his son at all.Dana looked at him and smiled.
“Remington?Did something happen at school today?” she asked.
“Kinda.I guess,” he shrugged.They waited patiently knowing that their son would tell them when he was ready.He looked back at the other boys his age and then his parents again.
“See, it’s getting close to the end of the year and we’re doing a graduation dance for middle school.”
“I see,” smiled his mother.“Well, that sounds like fun to me.”
“Yeah, I guess.But I have two problems.I can’t dance and all the guys are going to ask girls to go with them.I’ll be alone.”JB smiled at his son, trying to hide the laughter building in him.
“Going to events by yourself can be very fun,” said JB.“You get to leave when you want, not when the other person wants to leave.You don’t have to worry about making sure she’s comfortable or has something to eat or drink.You can still hang out with your friends and dance with their girls when they’re tired.You’ll get to dance with a dozen girls, they only get to dance with one.”
“That does sound like fun,” he smirked.“I wanted to ask Angela Massimino but I couldn’t make my feet move and when I said ‘hi’ to her, my tongue felt like it weighed a million pounds.Then Wayne Carter asked her.”
“Son, there will be a lot more dances and chances for you to ask a girl to one.You’ll find your style, your manner that works for you.Every man, and woman, is different.You don’t have to rush.”
