Manda rolled her eyes. “No, of course not. He wants to be a soldier and I want him to do what he wants to do.” Manda was clearly the opposite of her mother when it came to encouraging men to do dangerous things.
It was pretty obvious that Manda was using her dad to get her boyfriend a cool job. It was a common occurrence in cultures around the world since time began. Pierce Point was no exception.
“Hell no,” Grant said. “The rental team is very, very dangerous work. I’m sure Jordan is well qualified,” which was a polite white lie Grant was telling, “but I’m not putting a teenager in danger, especially one my daughter cares a lot about.”
Manda started getting mad and frustrated. Her dad didn’t understand what a great idea this was. Jordan would be on the rental team and would then be considered an adult and then they could get married. It was perfect. It made sense to them in their teenage minds. Perfect sense.
Grant realized that he had to be gentle. He didn’t want to alienate her and have her run off with this Jordan kid. That’s the last thing anyone needed.
“You have the kernel of a good idea here, dear,” Grant said as if he was deeply thinking about the proposal. “Jordan is nearly seventeen and if you say he has good firearm skills, then I believe you. You know what you’re talking about, because you have firearm skills.” Grant thought he’d lighten up the discussion. “Show me your G 27, honey.”
Manda pulled the compact Glock out of the cargo pocket of her shorts. She did a press check to show that a round was in the chamber. She kept the gun in a safe direction and her finger off the trigger the whole time. She looked like a pro.
“See,” Grant said, “you know guns and so you know if Jordan has skills.” This was all Grant could think of that was positive and complimentary while he was struggling to think of something more substantive to say.
“And Jordan seems like a great young man,” Grant said. He didn’t really know Jordan too well. He’d met him several times. Jordan always looked Grant in the eye, shook his hand, and called him “sir.” These were all great signs. Grant had been meaning to sit down and get to know the kid, but he always had work to do. Now that Manda and Jordan were getting serious, Grant would have to make time to get to know his…future son-in-law? At sixteen? Oh, no.
Before the Collapse, Grant had always thought of Manda getting married at about thirty, after getting her post-graduate degree and starting her important career, whatever that might be. Now things were back like they were fifty or one hundred years ago with people thinking of getting married younger and not waiting to start careers…because there were no more “careers.”
When Manda heard Grant say that Jordan “seemed like a great young man,” she perked up and smiled. That was the approval she’d been waiting for.
Grant could tell how important that approval was. This was a good sign. It meant she valued his opinion about Jordan. Now Grant had to use this advantage to make sure nothing bad happened to his little girl.
“You know,” Grant said, “I think I could get Jordan a cooler job. A gate guard.” He could ask Dan to create a “junior varsity” spot for Jordan on the gate guard. “That involves guns. He could prove himself at the gate and then try out for the rental team after a while.” After all this was over and there was no more danger, Grant thought to himself.
Manda thought about it. It wasn’t what she and Jordan had been talking about. But it made a lot of sense. Her dad was understanding that Jordan was a man and could do a job involving guns. Being a gate guard—Jordan would probably be the youngest one—meant that he would have a real job out there. It probably wouldn’t be the job that allowed them to get married, but it would be a real job.
All of a sudden, Manda realized how crazy the whole rental team and quickly getting married thing was. She had gotten caught up in it. A gate guard job would be OK.
“That makes sense, Daddy,” Manda said. “I’ll talk to Jordan and see what he thinks.” She knew he’d be disappointed, but would eventually see the wisdom of it.
“I have a better idea,” Grant said, realizing the opportunity he had. “You and I will talk to Jordan about it. Maybe the three of us can go shooting. Then I can give him a tour of the gate and introduce him to Dan. Maybe Jordan would like to watch the Team train today?” Grant was using his power to hook this Jordan kid into Grant’s world. He wanted Jordan to see that cool things happen via Grant, not around his back. Besides, this was the perfect setting for getting to know the young man.
Manda jumped up and yelled, “Yes! Today?”
“Today,” Grant said. “I’ve been meaning to spend more time with you and Cole. Today is Manda’s day. And Jordan’s.”
Manda was brimming with pride. Her dad was listening to her. And he wanted to involve Jordan in some of the cool things he did. Jordan would be thrilled. She was so relieved her dad seemed to approve of Jordan.
Cole had heard the conversation from upstairs in the loft. He could basically understand what they were talking about. He knew that dad and his sister were going to spend the day with Jordan. He was sad that his sister wouldn’t be with him that day. That was the routine. He came down the stairs.
“Sister, you won’t be playing with me today?” he asked.
Manda felt guilty. She loved taking care of all her kids, as she called them, but she so wanted to have this day with her dad and Jordan.
“Sorry, little brother,” Manda said to Cole, “Sister and Dad have some things to do today. Marissa will be playing with you guys today.” Marissa was a fifteen year-old who hung out with the kids. She was the second in charge of the kids, taking her lead from Manda. The kids called Manda and Marissa “M&M.” They thought that was the funniest thing.
“Only one ‘M’?” Cole said with a smile.
Whoa! Cole just made a joke. A play on words. That was supposed to be impossible for autistic kids.
“Yes!” Manda said, clapping at the joke Cole had just made. “Just Marissa for today, but Sister will be back at dinner time to help you and Grandma make dinner.”
Grant, too, was thrilled about the joke. This was a big improvement for him. He had been doing so well out here. Grant realized that the long school days and crazy pre-Collapse schedules were hard on Cole. But out here, he just played with younger kids and could relate to them because they could speak at his level.
Cole was smiling because he made a joke. He was proud of himself. He knew he had a hard time talking or understanding people talk, but he knew he wasn’t dumb. It was just the talking part that was so hard.
“OK, Sissy, just Marissa today. One ‘M.’” He was saying the joke again to get more attention. It worked the first time.
Manda and Grant clapped again and laughed.
Grant realized he needed to know a little more about Jordan Sparks and his family. He hated to use his power for his own purposes, but, hey, this was his daughter. “I need to run to the Grange real quick, but I’ll be back in a half hour.” Grant already had his pistol belt on; he always had that. He put on his kit and got his AR; the things he never traveled without. He was still a member of the Team and never knew when he’d be called out to go to a gun fight.
“OK,” Manda said, “See you then.”
Grant made a quick pit stop in the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror. The beard. His beard was getting full now. He just stared. He looked so different. He’d lost a few pounds and was tan. He looked like a military contractor with that beard and full kit—but he was standing in the bathroom of his cabin. Contractors were only in Afghanistan, not Pierce Point. Grant stared at the military contractor in the mirror of his cabin. It was so unbelievable and totally believable at the same time.