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“Mrs. Logan, that was indeed a meal that would do any man’s mama proud.” Zack rubbed his belly with a sigh.
“Get away with you, Zack.” Mama blushed as she shooed us all from the kitchen.
Later, on my way up the stairs to my room, my mind went back to the previous night with Sue. I couldn’t help but wish she was on my bed right now waiting for me. I grinned as I opened the door then stopped short when I noticed a familiar red box sitting on my bed where I’d wished Sue would be. I went over and picked it up then turned and sank onto the bed. Memories of how much I had loved my Nan flooded through me as I ran my fingers over her small memory box. She’d been a real feisty woman with lots of good advice to give, whether you wanted it or not. I chuckled out loud at the thought. She’d fallen ill way too early in her life and had left us within only a few days.
I lifted the lid to find not the expected little trinkets and pieces of memorabilia Nan used to keep inside but another even smaller box. It held Nan’s simple gold wedding band, and her engagement ring lay next to it with a traditional round cut diamond on top. I could tell it had been buffed and polished and made ready to be worn by someone special.
“She would have wanted you to have that,” Dad said from the doorway. “Life tosses us some highs and a lot of lows, but when you least expect it, it’ll surprise you with the greatest gift of all, love. Whenever you’re ready, your mom and I will welcome that wonderful woman into our family with open arms and love her like our own.” He smiled warmly, and I wondered if Mom was around the corner, listening.
“This means,” I cleared my throat of emotion, “everything, Dad, but how do I make it work? I want to ask her, but I can’t figure out how we’d do it. Do we live in separate houses? Do I disappear for days at a time and just expect her to live with my absences without proper explanation?”
He came farther into the room and rested his weight against my dresser. “I wanted all this for you, but I sure never intended it to become an obstacle when it came to love. There are always ways around these things, though. Perhaps it’s worth asking her and just see where it takes you. She’s been great about everything up to this point.”
“She has, but if we get engaged or married, now suddenly it’s like a deal breaker.” I shook my head with all that brought me.
“Okay.” He stood and put a finger to his chin. “She knows you work for the Army, correct?” I nodded. “Well, why not give her something? Why don’t you share that you work for the Army and you sometimes have to leave on highly classified missions? Missions that you aren’t allowed to talk about. If she can accept that, it might be enough for her to understand that it’s your career.”
“Maybe?” Sue was an understanding person, but I wasn’t sure just how understanding she would be when it came to our building a life together while I disappeared for days at a time without much notice.
“I could talk to her as well and assure her that what you say is the truth.”
“That might help, yes.”
“Well, that aside, the one and only thing I do suggest is you ask her father for his blessing. I’ve always said that respect for family is key, and so is consistent communication. I know it seems like a dilemma when you can’t tell her about your missions, but in every other aspect of your life, it’s key.”
“Thanks, Dad, and I certainly planned to talk to her father first.”
“Good, so, go plan something romantic, and when you’re ready, go get your wife.”
“Wife,” I echoed, and something shifted inside that assured me this was what I needed to do.
General Edison Logan
Iheld Meg’s hand as we walked through the house. We stopped to admire the mantel that still needed a second coat of paint. We hoped it would one day hold pictures of generations of soldiers who wanted to make a difference in the world, even if living here meant they’d have to accept the biggest sacrifice of all. If Shadows was to be a safe haven, it had to remain a secret. An oath of trust and loyalty would have to be taken by all who came here.
Meg filled me in on her phone call with Dan. “He picked her up from work and told her he had made dinner plans for the two of them. She had no idea where they were going until he turned down the old road behind our house. I guess she was speechless when he parked on the edge of the field and she spotted the picnic he’d set up under the tree where they first met.” Her voice grew more excited. “He got down on one knee, opened the red box, and explained how he sees the world now and can’t imagine another day without her in it, with him.” She paused to gather herself while I smiled to know that we’d raised quite the gentleman. “Of course, he followed that up with the fact that her father had already given his blessing, that seemed to woo her further.” She jiggled her head. “Of course, she said yes! Oh, then she kissed him, and they enjoyed a beautiful, yet chilly evening together.” She laughed.
“That’s great to hear.” I let out a happy sigh of relief and allowed my mind a moment to wonder about the grandbabies who might be in our future.
“It is. But, Edison, I’m worried the arrangement they have won’t be enough.” She turned to face me straight on. “When you came up with this idea, it was a good one, but we didn’t think far enough ahead. Yes, we gave our son and the boys something to live for, but part of living is finding love. They’re all good men who will make wonderful husbands one day, but being a part of this house eliminates them from having it all.” She placed a hand on my chest. “I think we should bend the rules for Dan’s sake and let Sue in on what’s happening here. He’s the first one to find love, so I think we’ll have to let him be our trial run. These boys are our future, too, and they all need to be a part of the decision. This all needs to be addressed so everyone fully understands the situation.”
“You’re right.” I covered her hand with mine. “We need to have a serious discussion with everyone and figure it out as a family.”
“We only want what’s best for them.”
“We do.” I tucked her under my arm.
“It really is stunning here, Ed.” She wrapped her arm around my waist as we looked out over the property, admiring the fresh snow-capped mountains and the lake below.
“Then why do you sound melancholy?”
“Because our son is engaged to be married, and I only hope she’ll be able to deal with such a big secret.”
“She’s strong, my love.” I hugged her to my side then leaned down and kissed the top of her head. I knew what she was feeling because I’d felt it many times myself. We got our boy back, and we wanted only the best for him.
I promised her I would deal with it, and that was just what I did.
I made some calls and had both teams gather around the conference table a short time later. I knew they were wondering why I had called a meeting without Daniel present.
