Still, even knowing that, I’m shocked by how severely his body has been ravaged by time.
The man stares blankly ahead at nothing, unaware that we are there.
The nurse goes up to the bed to speak with him. “Look who came to visit you today, Mr. Walker. It’s your son, Charles. The one you have been asking for.”
His brows furrow, and he turns his head slightly to her. “Who?”
“Your oldest son, Charles.”
She waves me to come closer.
I hesitate for a moment, before walking up to the bed.
“Father.”
He continues to stare at the nurse, as if he hasn’t heard me.
“Sometimes it takes him a while to respond to people,” she explains. “Just keep talking to him.”
The nurse smiles at me and nods to Candy before leaving us alone with him.
I look down at him, shocked that this shriveled old man was once my father. I actually feel pity for him.
“Mr. Walker,” Candy says, moving to the other side of the bed and leaning in close. “Your son came to see you. He’s right here.”
He slowly turns his gaze on her. “Who are you?”
She glances at me and smiles. “I’m your son’s girlfriend.”
“My son?”
“Yes. Charles, standing beside you,” she says, pointing to me.
Father turns his head toward me and frowns. “You’re not my son.”
Despite my age, his words still have the power to cut me like a knife.
“Yes, this is your oldest son, Charles,” Candy repeats. “He’s traveled a long way to see you.”
My father shakes his head, looking away from me. “My first son died. That’s not him.”
“It is me, Father,” I say in a stern voice. “I’m most definitely not dead.”
“No,” he insists, looking at Candy when he says, “Charles died when he was eighteen.”
I can’t tell if he is deliberately trying to bait me or if, in his dementia, he truly believes I’m dead.
Candy dutifully corrects him. “Charles has come today to see you because you said you had something you wanted to say to him.”
His expression becomes ugly and he yells at her. “He’s dead! I can’t talk to a dead man.”
I look at Candy apologetically. She should not have to tolerate him yelling at her whether he has dementia or not.
Realizing it’s pointless to argue with Father about who I am, I ask instead, “What do you remember about Charles?”
He gazes up at the ceiling, licking his lips absently as if he hasn’t heard me.
I look over at Candy, ready to leave.
However, Candy isn’t ready to give up quite yet. Taking his shriveled hand in hers, she asks him, “Mr. Walker, what did you want to tell your son Charles?”
For several moments, he stares down at her hand holding his. “I…”
I wait, wondering if his answer will be affirming, or simply one more nail in the coffin of my hatred for him.
Why the hell did I come?
“I had two sons.”
“Yes…” Candy says, encouraging him to continue.
“But a father always has his favorite.”
I turn away, disgusted I’ve traveled all this way to hear this.
“Charles was mine.”
His words strike at my heart. I do not feel vindicated by his confession—I am angry.
I turn back to face him. “How dare you say that! You disowned me, keeping me from my family all these years, and now you want to claim I was your favorite? Did Jacob mean nothing to you?”
I grab the rail of his bed and shake it. “Damn you, Father. You manipulated that poor kid with your malicious lies. I feel nothing but disgust for you and everything you have done to this family.”
I hold out my hand to Candy. “There’s no reason to remain here any longer.”
She takes my hand, but looks clearly distressed as we walk out the door.
“Charles…”
I stop, because the tone in his voice has changed. It sounds as if he’s speaking to me directly, so I turn around.
I can tell by the clarity of his gaze that he is lucid—briefly breaking through the fog of his dementia.
I step back into the room with Candy beside me. “Father?”
He stares at me for several seconds, his eyes unblinking. “You were my greatest disappointment.”
I squeeze Candy’s hand.
Taking a few moments to collect my thoughts, I respond. “I’ve strived my entire life to be nothing like you, so I’m glad I’ve disappointed you, sir.”
“You always were an arrogant boy,” he snarls.
I smile as I put my arm around Candy. “I have the love of a beautiful woman, a group of friends I consider family, and a vocation I believe in. I’ve done exceedingly well without your approval and I certainly don’t need it now.”
I turn around and escort Candy out of the room. For the briefest of moments, I am tempted to return to his bedside and condemn him for every wrong he has committed, but the man dying in that bed is lonely and bitter—and that is enough for me.
I leave the hospital grateful that I came.
“Are you okay?” Candy asks pensively as the two of us walk to the car.
“I am, my pet,” I answer, smiling at her. “Seeing him again has given me closure.”
Her lip trembles. “I’m so sorry for the terrible things he said to you.”
I snort. “It’s nothing I haven’t heard before—except for that crap about being his favorite. Whether or not it’s true, I don’t want that ever repeated. Jacob’s suffered enough under that man.”
“I won’t ever mention it,” Candy promises.
I look back at the hospital, knowing I will never see my father alive again—and I am fine with that.
After all these years, he no longer holds any power over me.
Tribute
Candy
Ever since that meeting with his father, I have struggled to think about anything else. The idea that the man responsible for Captain’s life and upbringing could be so cruel, even on his deathbed, tears at my heart.
Captain tells me he’s fine, and I believe him, but he deserves so much more, and my parents and I have been working on a plan to give him exactly that.
It begins with a letter:
Dear Captain Walker,
Sub: INVITATION TO SPEAK AT RILEY HIGH SCHOOL
The entire staff of Riley High School would be honored if you would speak to our students on November 17 at 10 a.m. in the school auditorium. We are asking a number of former graduates to share their personal experiences and the lessons they have learned outside of school.
We hope to inspire the up and coming leaders represented in our student body through those who have graduated from Riley and gone on to distinguish themselves.
With warm regards,
Katharine Walsh
Principal
Riley High School
Captain actually laughs after reading the letter. “Can you believe this? The new principal at Riley High wants me to speak at an assembly.” He tosses it on the counter dismissively.
I stare at it, knowing how important it is.
“I’m not surprised, actually,” I tell him. “My dad was telling me that they plan to knock down the old school and are already breaking ground on the new one.”
“Knock down Riley High?” Captain picks up the letter again. “So this is like a last hurrah for the old school?”
“Something like that.”
He looks at me. “Sad to think our school will cease to exist.”
“I know… A lot of memories are tied up in that place.”
“Well…” He reads the letter again. “I might consider it, despite all the bad history I have with that town.” He glances at me. “See if your parents are open to us paying them a visit.”
“Are you serious?” I squeak.
He smiles at me tenderly. “You’re
too cute, my pet. That reaction right there just solidified my decision to go.”
“Do you mind if I call to ask my parents right now?”
“Go right ahead.” He glances at the letter again. “Damn…now I have to figure out what the hell I’m going to say to all those kids.”
I giggle as I pick up the phone.
Everything is going according to plan.
Captain, Baron and I are busy every night running our second session with submissives. Although our program is based on some of the same principals as the Submissive Training Center, our curriculum moves at a much slower pace and focuses more on the emotional aspect of the power exchange rather than the mechanics.
We want each of our charges to grow in their understanding of the essential characteristics of a healthy BDSM partnership on a personal level, and then build on their experience from there. It isn’t as cut and dry as the curriculum at the Center, but the breakthroughs we have already witnessed have been truly inspiring. It’s what we live for now.
Our busy schedule means that Captain has no time to reflect on his upcoming speech or give much thought about what he is going to say.
When the day arrives to fly out, he is caught off guard.
“Candy, I hate to disappoint you, but we’re going to have to cancel.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I haven’t written my speech. The last thing they want is a one-eyed freak on stage babbling like an idiot.”
“Don’t ever talk about my Master that way again,” I scold him.
He winks at me, but replies, “I’m serious. I’ve got nothing.”
I wrap my arms around him and rub my cheek against him. “We’ll figure it out on the plane ride there. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy.”
“True…they did say other people are coming.”
I blush slightly and am glad he doesn’t notice. “Why don’t you wear your uniform?”
“Why would I do that?”
“I heard the principal has something planned for the people arriving today.”
“It seems totally unnecessary to me.”
I bat my eyes at him. “You know how crazy it makes me when you wear your uniform, Captain.”
With a bit of prodding, I convince him to wear the uniform and get on the plane with me. On the flight there, I ask him about the struggles he had getting his college degree while serving in the Army, as well as what it took for him to survive the wounds he suffered in battle and how that changed him.
After listening to him, I’m all choked up. “Captain, if you share any of that, I’m sure you’ll give students who are struggling right now the encouragement they need to keep fighting.”
He nods thoughtfully. “If I can help even one see beyond the scars they carry—internal or external—that would make any humiliation I face on stage worth it.”
“That’s the spirit!” I tell him.
Once we land, we’re greeted by a young man in an Army uniform holding up a sign that reads Captain Walker.
Captain looks at me. “What’s that about?”
I shrug, struggling to keep from smiling.
The man holds out his hand when Captain walks up.
“Captain Walker, it is an honor to meet you, sir. I joined the Army because of you.”
“Because of me?”
“Yes, sir. I passed your photo every day in the hallway at Riley High. You inspired me to serve. I’m on my second tour of duty.”
Captain shakes his hand again, patting him on the arm with the other hand. “It’s a sincere pleasure to meet you.”
“Thank you, sir.” He glances at me and smiles. “I’ve come to drive you both to your hotel.”
“You don’t need to do that…” Captain glances at the name on his uniform, “…Second Lieutenant Martin.”
“I insist, and I’ll get your bags, as well.”
Captain raises an eyebrow, but acquiesces. Wrapping an arm around me, we follow the young Lieutenant to the baggage claim, and then to his car.
The red car Lieutenant Martin leads us to gets a whistle from Captain. “Wow, a 1976 Cadillac Eldorado convertible. You don’t see those every day.”
“No, you don’t, sir.” He sounds proud when he opens the door for us, and puts our luggage in the back. “I assume you want the top down?” he asks Captain.
“By all means.”
Captain grins as we pull out of the garage and start down the road. “I never dreamed in a million years I’d be coming back in something as stylish as this.”
He puts his arm around me, his expression carefree like that of a teenager. It makes my heart flutter just looking at him.
Captain points to a small group of people standing on the side of the road, holding signs. “Would you look at that,” he says, pointing them out to me.
As we pass, they start waving and cheering. Captain’s smile freezes as he reads their homemade signs.
Welcome Home, Captain Walker!
You are my hero!
Army Proud
He turns his head as we pass by them and waves robotically, still in shock.
We pass another group who are more vocal and have noisemakers.
“What is this?” he asks me.
“They’ve all come out to welcome you home, Captain,” I tell him.
Captain looks at me as if he can’t quite process what is happening. Meanwhile, another group cheers him on from the roadside. He waves at them, still shaking his head.
With each passing group, he begins waving more enthusiastically, reading each sign out loud as tears run down his scarred cheek. “The whole town’s come out…” he says in awe.
I have never been happier or more moved than I am at this moment as I watch Captain receiving the proper homecoming he deserves.
When we arrive at the hotel, my parents are waiting for us with signs of their own. Captain just shakes his head, trying to hold in the emotions as Lieutenant Martin opens the car door for us.
“Thank you for this incredible ride, Second Lieutenant Martin,” he manages to say, his voice raw with emotion.
“It has been my sincere pleasure, Captain Walker.”
Captain then turns to my parents. “Something tells me you had something to do with this.”
My father’s huge grin answers the question before Captain even speaks. “We felt it was high time you were given the honor you deserve in your hometown.”
Captain just keeps shaking his head. “I have no words.”
“None are needed,” my mother replies. “Welcome home, Captain Walker.”
He gives her a hug, holding it longer than normal. My mom smiles at me, loving every second of it.
When we finally lay down to sleep at the end of the night, Captain tells me, “I don’t think anything will ever top today.” He turns his head toward me. “Thank you, Candy.”
I’m smiling so hard it hurts. “I love you, Captain.”
“Sweet pet, this man loves you more than words can say.”
I fall asleep in his arms, knowing that what’s coming tomorrow will totally blow him away…
The next morning, Captain dresses in his uniform once more. “This is the first time in—I can’t tell you how many years—that I’ve worn this uniform two days in a row.”
I purr, “Well, you know I’m not complaining.”
We arrive at the high school an hour early at the principal’s request.
“Captain Walker, I’m Principal Katharine Walsh. Can I just say how pleased I was to hear that you agreed to speak with our students today?”
He takes her hand to shake it, cocking his head as he chuckles. “I can’t promise the kids will stay awake for my portion, but I’ll do my best.”
“I’ve heard from several people that you have a quick wit.”
Captain throws back his head and laughs. “I’m sorry, Principal Walsh, but someone has been feeding you a load of horsesh—”
A young woman hurries past, sporting a backpack.
>
Captain instantly closes his mouth. After she disappears into one of the nearby classrooms, he lets his breath out. “And that is why you don’t invite people like me into educational institutions.”
Principal Walsh laughs. “I’m not worried in the least, Captain Walker. Why don’t I show you around the school while we wait?”
My, it feels weird walking the halls of Riley High again, and I can’t begin to imagine how strange it must be for Captain after so many years away. For me, there are ghosts of Ethan still haunting these halls, but instead of sadness, I feel a sense of connection with him.
There is real comfort in seeing that our high school has pretty much stayed the same, including the trophy case with Captain’s picture in it.
“See?” I say, pointing excitedly at the display case devoted just to him.
Captain shakes his head as he stares at his high school track picture. “I’ve forgotten that I was ever that young.”
I gush, “I had a secret crush on you. Even though you look dashing in that track uniform, it’s the Army one I fell in love with.”
Captain stares at the photo. I can tell by the stoic expression on his face, he is going through a myriad of emotions but trying desperately to hide it.
“You’ll be happy to know that the display case is going to the new school after it’s built,” Principal Walsh informs us.
“Would it be okay if I added something to it?” he asks her.
“Certainly. Let me go get the keys.”
As she hurries off, Captain pulls out his wallet and takes out his picture of Grapes. He looks at it fondly. “He deserves to be honored, too.”
When the principal returns, he shows the picture to her. “This was my Battle Buddy in boot camp. His name was Adam Bell, but we all knew him as Grapes.” Captain holds out his wrist, showing her his tattoo. “He went on to become an officer and died bravely for this country.” Captain looks her in the eye when he adds, “He also happened to be my best friend.”
“We’ll be sure to add a small plaque with his name to the display.”
“That would mean a lot to me,” Captain tells her, tucking Grapes photo beside his own when she opens the case.