Chapter 16
Two months later...
“Zeak says that you are ready, but are you?”
Raven smiled sadly, “Yes.”
He leaned in and kissed her, “Okay. But if you feel unsure at any time, tell me and I will immediately stop it. Okay?”
She nodded.
“Promise me, you will tell me.”
She nodded.
He pulled her towards him, “Then let’s go, it’s time.” He looked down at her, “You look very beautiful by the way, I’m glad you wore that dress, I love remembering our last night before we were husband and wife. I guess we had the same idea about our attire?” He rubbed her hand against his matching blue shirt.
“Yes, we did. You look handsome yourself.”
He smiled, “Thank you, I like to dress up for my wife.” He kissed her forehead. Then nodded to the waiting agents who opened the limousine door. They waited for Jake, Madeline, and his father to join them. His mother stayed in the car holding Stephen.
Jake ran up to Raven and hugged her. “Oh, wow, did you miss me that much? I was only out of the car for a minute.” She hugged and kissed him.
“No. I just thought you needed that.”
Her breath caught, “Thank you, I sure did need a hug from my big boy. I love you, Jake.”
“I love you, too, Mom.”
“Mommy, can we go see where grandpa is buried now?”
She nodded. Drake leaned in to kiss her tears. “It’ll be beautiful. Today is a perfect autumn day, his favorite season.”
Jake squeezed her hand, “Dad and I will help you through it, okay?”
She nodded, again, and bent to kiss him. Her father would have loved his grandchildren.
Walking towards his grave with her new family Raven couldn’t help but think at how different it would have been. She could plainly see him chasing Jake around, or throwing up Maddie until she screamed. If only...
She shook her head and swallowed her sob, tears gathered in her eyes and she rested her head on Drake’s arm. She would not look at it that way. Jake squeezed her hand even tighter.
“It’s beautiful, Mommy. ‘Colonel Stephen Somers, Beloved Father and Grandfather.’”
Raven sharply looked to Drake. Who looked at her and smiled with tears in his eyes.
She pulled his head down to her, softly kissing him, “Thank you for adding that.”
“You’re welcome.” Stepping behind Raven, he moved her to the side of the grave. He placed both of his hands around her slender waist, so her head could rest against his chest as she watched. Then he motioned for Maddie to hold her other hand. His father stepped up beside them. He looked to Zeak, who was waiting for his signal. “Are you ready, sweetheart?” His lips tenderly kissed her ear.
“Yes.”
He looked back up to Zeak and nodded.
“Okay, watch up there kids, this is impressive. Remember it is all for your Grandpa Somers.” His hands tightened around his wife.
The detail marched along the road beside the motorcade. Their silver and gold metals glistened in the light. Not one hand was out of place, not one item of clothing, nor even one look was out of sync. Taps played as they impressively positioned themselves, chills ran up her spine, and tears softly rolled down her face. She thought of all of the military bases her father had dragged her to, and all of the times she had run into his arms after he finally got home from work. The times she had to replay her roles in her school plays because work had taken him far away. And the one special time that she had even been allowed to run across the runway straight into his arms as he had climbed out of his jet. She gasped. Where had the years gone? There were countless times she had laid in bed at night talking to Jesus about making sure He flew her dad home safely as she had held tightly to her orange bunny rabbit. And now he was gone.
An image of Jesus smiling at her on one very special night and gathering her into his arms assuring her that her dad was okay, arose in her mind. She had slept so well that night, and when she had awoken the next morning, her nanny was upset, saying that her dad had gone missing. But Raven had stormed up to her and stomped her foot, ‘No, no, no! Jesus said he is bringing him home, he’ll just be a little late!’ Then she stormed off to school and was still mad because no one believed her. The walk home from school that day had been even worse because the kids from school told her that they figured she would be moving now since her dad wasn’t coming back. She could still feel the burn on her right knuckles from punching that kid who dared to tell her different than what Jesus had told her.
Then two long days later, right in front of every kid on the playground her daddy had boldly walked outside of the school in his flight suit. A broad smile lit up his face, his arms opened wide, and as if in a dream she ran towards him. He lifted her high up in the air and swung her around laughing. Jesus had proven them all wrong. A sob caught in Raven’s throat.
Thank you Jesus, you have always been there with me, and you have never left me not even when he died. As the last gun shot rang out she was vividly reminded of her last dream of her father. Her laying down in a defensive crouch, and him just smiling excitedly as he walked by in front of her waving goodbye. He had died the day she had almost died. In fact, she had died that day because that was the day her dad had left her and she could never cling to him again. Drake had told her that death simply means separation. She was now physically separated from her limited anchor, only to truly learn that her True Limitless Anchor, Jesus, had always been there and would never leave her. Her focus had been all wrong, and had been limited to what she could physically see and hear.
She was so caught up in her vision, and revelations, that she had no idea it had ended, nor that the kids were growing restless beside her.
Drake cleared his throat, “Dad, please take them back up to the limo. We’ll be up in a few minutes.”
“Sure. Come on let’s go up and check on your baby brother.” Madeline was excited over that idea.
Jake hesitated, and walked back to his mom, hugging her. “Dad, is Mommy alright?”
Drake nodded, “She just needs a few more minutes to say goodbye. Don’t worry.”
“Remember Mommy, it isn’t goodbye, you’ll see him again. He’s only with Jesus.” Jake hugged her tightly. Then ran up the hill to check on his little brother, who he was sure was already tired of Maddie fussing over him.
Drake very gently turned her around to face him. Her blank stare briefly worried him. He pulled her towards him, his lips teased her neck and then her ear. “Please come back to me. Let it out. Okay? Don’t hold it in. I’m here, you don’t have to hold it in anymore.”
Raven shook her head.
“Please, just let it out. It’s only us here right now.”
Raven shook her head again.
“Oh, my strong wife who has incessantly tackled my administration with so many great ideas. Come on, it’s just you and me. What did you say to me a few months ago when I was so mad and wouldn’t talk about it? You said, ‘Hey, go ahead and hold it in and let it eat at you. Or tell me and we will both share it and eat it together. Then it will be over and we can flush it down the toilet. And we both will then be praying for the Lord to cleanse that way as we move on. It’s your choice.’” He smirked, “I love your little choice of words so much like your father’s. But it was true. And once I told you and shared it with you, it actually seemed less significant. I don’t want to compare it to this, but I do want you to know that I want to mourn with you so you don’t get too full with it, and I want to move on with you. I want to teach you how to remember him with tears of joy, and anticipate your reunion with him after your journey here is done. You know only Jesus can give you the peace and comfort that is truly filling, and then you will be so full of Him that a tender smile, and a soft look will replace your complete sadness. But I want to help you because I miss him, too. I often wonder how joyful
he would have been grabbing up his new grandson named for him, and sitting our children on his lap. He actually knew all about Jake and Maddie that a grandparent should know.”
Drake laughed, “Stephen got to where he would always ask about them and share in delight when they did well in school. He was planning on meeting them, but was unable to. Remember when I told you he never missed their birthdays with a card and special gift? The funny thing is, I was rushing the information out because I was too interested in asking more questions about you.” Drake rubbed his head against hers. “He did love our children. He knew we would be married, and he knew they would be his grandchildren. Somehow, he knew. By God’s grace He had allowed him to know that ahead of time, and had given him peace in knowing that his daughter would be better than alright. In fact, after he told me to tell you what he wanted me to tell you on your wedding day, he said, ‘and you tell my new grandchildren that their grandpa loves them, and they had better cling to Jesus in this life so I can finally see them.’” Drake’s tears dripped down his face, and he choked back a sob, “You know, when he hung up the phone that last time, I kept mine on for hours. I just couldn’t let go.” He hid his face in her neck and cried.
Raven gasped and finally let her sobs out, they beautifully mixed with his. Together they stood there holding each other so tightly, while their tears washed each other of their heartache, all the while Jesus held them upright.
Madeline looked out the car window down to where her parents were hugging each other. She prayed Jesus would help mommy with her heartache. Her eyes saw something flash, frowning she looked closer, and a huge smile came across her face as she saw Jesus holding her parents together, very tightly. She quickly rolled down the window, “Thank you Jesus!” She screamed it at the top of her lungs and He smiled the most beautiful, peaceful, heart melting smile she had ever seen, all for her alone. And just as quickly those crazy agents scrambled over themselves trying to roll her window back up and lock it. She crossed her arms in a huff, they always did mess up her fun. She looked again and couldn’t see Him, but she knew He was still there. Her little heart grew in size over the lights of joy, happiness, and love that shined brightly from His eyes. She loved those eyes! Her heart felt so warm and fuzzy inside, she would never, ever forget what she saw. Thank you, Jesus! It was so precious to her that she didn’t even want to tell anyone yet, she just wanted to keep it all to herself, like a little treasure.
“Grandma, when people don’t believe in Jesus they don’t make it so well, do they? I mean who would they have to wipe their tears when no person is around to hug them, or do it for them?”
Her grandma had tears in her eyes as she looked at her amazing granddaughter, “No, they don’t make it so well.”
Grandpa shifted Stephen in his arms and looked at Madeline, “That’s why it is so important to tell others about Jesus, and His love. They may not believe you at first, but as time goes on they may remember a word or two, or even an action you may have done. Like just now praising Jesus, and then that will change their whole journey, their whole life right when it needs to happen.”
Raven started giggling. “Oh, Madeline.” And once she started she couldn’t stop, her chest rumbled against Drake. Right on cue, he started up. Their laughter was always so contagious. Joy surrounded them and they tried to help each other stand as they fell into their laughter. Drake leaned back, and tried to gulp in air. Raven wiped her tears and bent forward.
“Dad would love that.”
“Yes...he would.” His side ached. “Please remind me to never take her to any of my speeches. Please.”
“Maybe I will and maybe I won’t. It depends if they are boring or not.” She shook more.
“Watch it, wife.” He bent over and tried to catch his breath.
“Grandpa? What are they doing down there?”
His grandpa looked around him and smiled, “They are apparently laughing.”
Jake shook his head, his parents were so strange sometimes.
Maddie tucked the blanket better around Stephen as Grandpa shifted him. “Good. I hate sad tears. Only happy tears and laughter for me. Right, baby Stephen, uh?” She cooed at him and kissed his warm, soft cheek.
Pushing her hair behind her back, Raven used Drake’s handkerchief to pat her face. Drake drew her in close. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“Ready to go up?”
She nodded, and turned to her father’s grave. She was about to tell him bye, but then caught herself, she looked to the sky and said, “Thank you Jesus for blessing me with a wonderful father, please tell him I love him and will see him someday when it’s time.”
“Amen.” Drake kissed her soundly on the mouth, then led her up the hill.
Once at the car, Agent Collars opened the door, and Drake leaned in, “Come on out kids, you have to tell your mom goodbye.”
“What?”
“Why?”
“Drake?” Puzzlement creased her brow.
“We are going on a date before Grandma and Grandpa have to go back home in a few days. Remember, our first anniversary is next week and we promised to spend it with you, but right now I’m taking her away for the evening.”
“Bye Mommy, love you.” Maddie hugged her. “Bye Daddy, love you, too.”
Drake picked her up and kissed her. “Thank you for thanking Jesus like that, we really needed that. I love you, too.” He placed her in the limo and then turned to give his son a hug and kiss.
Raven tugged on Drake’s arm, “Drake, I can’t. Stephen has to be fed. I just...I can’t.”
He placed his fingers over her lips. “You can and you will. It’s done. Mom has taken care of it. And, hey, she raised me, and believe me I was double what Madeline is. They’ll be fine.”
Her father-in-law handed her Stephen, Raven smiled and snuggled her baby to her, kissing his sweet face that was so much like Drake’s. Then her father-in-law drew her into a surprisingly, huge embrace. “I love you. You are my daughter, and if there is anything you ever need please don’t hesitate to call me. Okay? I know I could never replace him, nor would I ever try. But know that you are my daughter, too. And you are very precious to me. Especially since you put up with my son, here. I love you.”
She nodded, tears ran down her cheeks. He was so dear to her, “Thank you so much for that. I love you, too, Dad.” She giggled, when Stephen screamed and told them in no uncertain terms that he was getting smashed.
“Here give me the little guy. Mom is waiting for a hug, too. We don’t need him screaming again, especially not here.” Smiling, Drake grabbed up his son and delicately shook him over his head, then kissed him making him chuckle.
“Now, don’t you worry about a thing, Raven. It will be fine. You have already unknowingly planned ahead, remember? There are extra bottles in the refrigerator that will see him through the rest of today and tonight. Plus I’ll mix up some of the rice cereal you have so his belly will be nice and full, so he’ll sleep longer. He’ll be fine.” Hugging her, Mary whispered, “And I love you, too. Now, enjoy your time alone with Drake. During these next years, these private little moments will see you through the harder times when work keeps him away.”
Raven nodded and kissed her back. “Thank you, Mom.”
“It is my pleasure.” Turning to Drake, she smiled and gave him a big hug and kiss. “Take care of my daughter now and have a great time. Now, give me back my little boy.”
Drake kissed his mom, then gave his baby a huge kiss. “Daddy loves you.” Turning, he shook his dad’s offered hand, then grabbed him into a big bear hug.
Raven tenderly smiled, and then turned towards his mom to kiss her little baby goodbye.
After a few moments, Drake stepped up behind her, and physically started pealing her fingers off of Stephen. He leaned in, softly whispering, “Sweetheart, let go. It’s time to leave.” He grasped her hands tightly
down to her sides as his parents climbed into the limo.
Madeline frowned, “Daddy, we’re taking your protective car, what are you going to ride in?”
“Oh, don’t you worry none, your father has it all taken care of. Have fun you two, because we know we will.” Laughing, she let her husband put Stephen into his car seat while she made sure her grandchildren were all buckled up.
“Can we still have them stop traffic for us, even though daddy isn’t with us? That’s fun. Especially with the lights, and sirens. They drive fast.” Madeline looked at him with adorable pleading eyes.
Drake laughed, “Give them the presidential treatment guys.” The cops ahead of the limo gave him a thumbs up, while his driver smiled. Stepping back, he continued to hold his wife, knowing she would have a hard time letting go.
Zeak and four other guys walked up to relieve Agent Collars and the three other PPD posts when the motorcade prepared to leave.
Raven’s arms felt so empty. She smiled a sad smile, and waved as they drove off, and continued to watch until two black SUVs pulled up.
Hesitantly she looked to Drake, “What do you have planned?”
Drake laughed, and started shaking her, “Don’t look so glum. Hey, this is our day and night. No kids, just a bunch of crazy CAT guys. That is until we can shake them, too.”
“Hey, remember you can never shake us. Believe me, you’re not that good.” Laughing, Zeak motioned for them to step into the second vehicle.
Raven went to climb into the back, and saw that another black SUV pulled up behind them. Another diversion vehicle, they were good. Sitting on the seat, Raven blew out her breath and fiddled with her too empty hands, she looked out the window and back inside again. She already didn’t know what to do. She looked over at Drake and her heart softened, he looked so happy and relaxed, his long legs were stretched out and his eyes were closed. He smiled an all too knowing smile as he peaked at her from under his eyelids. She wanted to hit him.
They quietly made their way outside of Arlington and hit the freeway using different tactical back roads. The guys amazed her with their ability in diverting attention away from themselves. Simultaneously all three vehicles looked to be traveling together, and then in one instant, a new one joined them. And then another one branched off. Then a mile or so down the road, they met up again, and then this time their vehicle took off in another direction. This side of the service had always fascinated her, and the command of the vehicles that the agents had was so impressive. She felt a little bit nostalgic.
“Hey, I have to tell you Mrs. POTUS, it looks like I’m going to be seeing more of you these days. I’m about to be assigned to a new position.” Lawrence glanced at her from his rearview mirror.
“Really? Who?”
“Well, my heart just melted back there, and so I’m putting in for First Little Lady Madeline’s detail.” He smiled so big, his green eyes brightened.
Raven’s mouth dropped open and she looked to Drake, who immediately was at attention and shaking his head muttering, “He can’t. I saw to it. He’s bluffing, he can’t do it.”
Undeterred, Lawrence happily kept talking, “Boy, that little girl is amazing. Yelling out like that just made my day when everything was so quiet out there and solemn. You know, it’s a good thing I didn’t have my long gun out, I wouldn’t have been able to keep it steady. I laughed so hard. Whew, I love her, and we will have so much fun together.”
Drake kept shaking his head, while he ran his hands through his hair. Raven looked around the vehicle and the other agents’ faces were bright red. Zeak covered his face with his hat, and bent his head low while his shoulders shook.
“You know I heard she was a cute little character, and at your wedding she was super priceless. My heart had already started melting right there in that church. Man, I wanted to just kiss her for that. But it’s not like a once and done kind of thing, I mean she just keeps going, and going, and going. I mean what in the world will she say next? You know, Mr. President, we really should have taken her to your speech that morning when Stephen was born. Think about how it would have been if she had been at the Capitol Building when your wife cleaned the house out with help from Stephen! She would have definitely had those shocked lawmakers moving.” He laughed as he quickly changed lanes and sped up ahead of another random cop car. “Come on Zeak, relay the info, that rookie cop is having a little fit back there. So get to talking to him.”
Zeak coughed, and wiped his eyes. He talked, and then coughed some more.
“Are you having trouble, Zeak? Oh forget it, I’ll do it. Roger that Copper 1, Agent Zeak is having some issues here, he’s having some trouble trying to keep his coffee down, and I think he’s hungry for donuts. Anyway, you have Crazy Driver Lawrence in your ear, or I guess for you, your speakers, and we are moving to section 3 on westbound 5. Standby for further relay when I reach Copper 2, go ahead and send Copper 5 to his target pickup location and I will keep you posted.”
Drake grabbed his head, “I saw to it. He is definitely bluffing. He has to be. This is a nightmare.”
“Do you need something Mr. President, sir?” Lawrence quickly looked into his rearview mirror, and there was a very pronounced gleam in his eyes. “You really don’t look so well. Am I driving okay for you?”
Drake shook his head, “You can’t. It can’t be done. There’s just no way.”
“What? Oh, the detail. Well, sorry sir, but I have to. I really have no choice. I neeeedddd that job. And, personally, I think it would only add to the quality and care that you’re little children need at this crucial point in time. The value of having me on her little team would be so important to her little child rearing days. I mean, really, who better than Uncle Lawrence? Think about it. You know, I think I could get SAIC Moreno to understand the value of that. He would understand if I would have to step down as a CAT guy, and become a full fledge agent again for about six more years, should you win again. Actually, come to think about it, he would most likely encourage it, I mean he was all for Zeak, Miller and me to become agents for your wife until her detail was completely lined up. And think about all of the fun, odd, interesting presidential historical facts we could make together. You know, years from now, I bet you that you will be known as the president with the most odd, crazy facts than all of the past and future presidents combined. And that alone, would be a historical fact. Wow, just think...we would all be a part of it, too!” His arms swung around trying to encompass the whole car, emphasizing his point.
Drake vehemently shook his head, Raven covered her face and started shaking from laughter. Her husband looked so awful, he looked like he was going to faint. She watched as his shaking hands grabbed out his phone, and pushed #8. He cleared his throat, staring straight at the floor.
And when Lawrence wasn’t directing traffic information between everyone involved, he was talking about little Madeline and all of the possibilities of exploring the White House and having so much fun together by making people laugh.
Very strangely, the SAIC didn’t pick up, not even on the second try. But by the third try, Drake was steaming and he didn’t even let Luciano answer his phone properly. “Luciano. Don’t you listen to a thing that I tell you? You are so fired, and will never, I repeat, never work again in the service as long as I am President, if you even think to allow Agent Lawrence on Madeline’s detail.”
Raven looked at Lawrence’s shocked expression and lost it. He started muttering to himself, and childishly imitating Drake’s sputtering, all the while driving perfectly down the road. She grabbed her side and bit her hand trying to stifle the laughter that the other agents were already letting loose.
Drake continued on, ignoring everyone else in the car, he wiped the sweat from his brow and yelled at his phone, “I don’t care how good he is. No. I said no.”
Raven could hear the CAT boss trying to calm Drake down, and explain why that possi
bility shouldn’t be ‘unheard of.’ Suddenly it dawned on her, their boss was in on it, too. This wasn’t just joking around, they were actually pulling a nice big agent-prank on Drake and he was falling for it. Hook, line and sinker! She put her hand on his leg trying to calm him, but she couldn’t stop laughing and her head fell against them. His muscles bunched tightly with tension under her palms.
“Well, right at this point I really don’t care how good he is, nor that he is your top sniper. And I will gladly take the ‘lower grade’ agents as you are telling me they are. Which by the way is a very stupid comment to make to me because my wife was one of them. And I would much rather have their quality of work and keep my sanity, than to lose my hair, sanity and peace of mind!”
She couldn’t take it any longer, she had to put him out of his misery, “Drake, honey, he’s in on it, too. Look at Lawrence.”
Drake quickly glared around and saw they were all laughing. His eyes momentarily glinted at Lawrence who was clapping his hands and doing a victory dance behind the wheel. Then it finally dawned on him. How could he have fallen for this one? He slumped against the seat, and laughed so hard. Raven heard the SAIC laughing and yelling, “We got you so good. Yes!”
Between laughs, Drake shook his head, “Oh, man I should have known when you didn’t pick up your phone the first time, or the second. Yeah, you did. Oh, my, can you only imagine what they could get into with both of them together?” Drake shook his head, and lovingly looked over to Raven. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll get you back someday. Okay, I will. Talk to you later. Bye.” He leaned over and kissed her, “Luciano says to relax, and enjoy yourself tonight.”
She smiled. “Okay.” She hugged him, and finally, her arms did not feel so empty anymore. She leaned her head against his chest and closed her eyes. She dozed off while Drake rubbed her neck and back.
Drake laughed, “Just like old times, guys. She’s fallen asleep on me, again. I really must be either boring, or very relaxing.”
“I vote boring.”
“Lawrence?”
“Yes, boss.” He smiled, a very satisfied smile and looked at Drake through his rearview mirror.
“Zip it.” Drake smiled back at him, and shook his head.
“Sure.” Laughing, Lawrence tried to relay more information to the cops, but Zeak booted him off the radio very quickly.