Then she ran toward me and leapt into my arms. She wrapped hers around my neck and kissed me.
“Happy Birdy?”
“Happy Birdy.”
Jim and family left early the next morning to fly back to Florida. Danny and Sabrina said goodbye a little before lunch. Rich and Terry drove them to the airport and then continued to their own house in Coronado. Christy and I were the last to leave.
“Birdy,” her father said as we finished lunch, “do you mind if I talk to Paul before you go?”
My eyebrows shot up. What a difference a few days made.
“Um… okay.”
“Don’t take long, dear,” Anne said. “You know how traffic is on the I-5.”
“We should have plenty of time.” He nodded for me to join him in his office. “Little early for whiskey,” he said. “The sun’s over the yardarm, but…”
“Still a little early,” I finished for him.
“Right.” He sat in one of the armchairs and gestured to the other. “You know I don’t like to beat around the bush, so I’ll get right to the point.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Just Harold. You’ve earned it.”
“Thank you… Harold.”
He actually grinned. And then he seemed to change thoughts midstream.
“Are you sure you won’t reconsider the Navy? I know the man who’s in charge of recruiting on the east coast. He could guarantee you Aviation. If you pass all the tests, that is. Which I’m sure you would. And you already have your private license, don’t you?”
“Yes, but—”
“Hear me out. The Navy needs men like you, son. I couldn’t help your career directly, but I know all the right doors to open. And I’ll be honest, I’d feel a whole lot better if Birdy was dating a military man.” He gave me a searching look. “Will you at least think about it?”
“I’ll… think about it,” I said. It was the least I could do.
He went to the desk and took out a Filofax. When he returned he handed me a note with a name and phone number.
“Here you go. You don’t have to make a decision right now.” He returned
to his chair. “You graduate a year from June?”
“Two years. Architecture’s a five-year program.”
“Wait,” he said suddenly. “Is it a BA or a BS?”
“Neither. It’s a Bachelor of Architecture.”
“Hmm. You might need a waiver.” He glanced toward his Filofax and started to rise.
“Sir… Harold… stop.” I paused to gather my thoughts. “You’ve put me in an awkward position…”
He sank back to his chair and said with a touch of sarcasm, “Where have I heard that before?”
“Well, think about it. You’re my girlfriend’s father, and…”
“You want to make me happy.”
I nodded. The man didn’t get to where he was on good looks alone.
“So it’d be easy to tell me what I want to hear,” he added.
“Much easier than what I’m doing now.”
“You’re telling me you won’t even think about it?”
“I’ll think about it. I owe you that much. But…” I held up the folded note.
“This would mean changing my entire life’s plan. It would mean giving up something I love. Very much. Do you really want me to trade my dreams for your daughter?”
“And if I say yes?”
I looked at him.
He regarded me just as calmly. And when I still hadn’t said anything after nearly a minute, he chuckled and said, “I’d like to meet your father.”
“He’s a lot like you. But you really want to meet my mother. I’m more like her than him.”
His eyebrows rose. “She must be an interesting woman.”
“I think she is.”
He sat back and studied me for another long moment. “Your father didn’t make a career of the military, did he?”
“No.”
“Do you know why?”
“He doesn’t talk about it much.”
“He flew in combat?”
I nodded.
“No, he wouldn’t talk about that.” He sat in silence, deep in his own memories of Vietnam. Then he smiled at something and returned his
attention to me. “You seem to like quotations. Well, here’s one for you. ‘I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.’”
I searched my memory but drew a blank.
“John Adams,” he said.
“Ah. Not exactly what I normally read…”
“No, but it’s what I read. Because I study politics and war. Although in my case I wanted my sons to do the same.”
“Do you think that’s what they wanted?” I asked quietly.
His expression sharpened. “Son, only two people can question my decisions. You aren’t one of them.”
“Right. Sorry. Note to self: don’t question the Admiral’s decisions.”
He did his best scowl.
“Sorry. I have a really dumb sense of humor sometimes. I get the puns from my mom, but the smart aleck is from my dad. The stupid ‘note to self’
thing is my own, though. Along with a couple of other things I—”
He laughed and shook his head.
“I should probably shut up now,” I said.
“You and Birdy… Lord! That girl can talk when she’s nervous.”
Anne stuck her head through the open doors. “A few more minutes,” she said politely.
“We’re wrapping up,” Harold said with a nod.
She smiled and disappeared toward the kitchen.
He returned his attention to me and assumed his I’m-her-father expression.
I did my best not to fidget.
“I enjoyed meeting you,” he said.
My head came up in surprise.
“I didn’t think I would, but I did. I’m still not sure I approve of you dating Birdy, but my wife is fond of pointing out that she can make her own decisions.”
“I hope I’m a good one.”
“I’m willing to give you the chance.” He gestured at the note in my hand.
“I still wish you’d consider the Navy, but I understand that maybe your father wanted you to study mathematics and philosophy.”
“I think he did— does.”
“As long as you take care of Birdy and make her happy…”
“I’ll do my best.”
“See that you do.” He smiled and we stood.
I almost said, “Dismissed!” But I decided that teasing my girlfriend’s father was probably something I should ease into, rather than jump with both feet.
Christy and her mother were sitting at the kitchen table. Christy wasn’t quite a nervous wreck, but close. She shot to her feet as soon as we entered.
She couldn’t decide if our expressions were good or bad.
“Relax, Birdy,” her father said. “I’ll give him a chance.”
Christy rushed into his arms. “Oh, Daddy! I knew you’d like him!” She released her hug, but he kept his arm around her protectively.
Anne glanced at him and then pointedly at me.
I smothered a smile.
“Oh, right,” he said. He lifted his arm from around Christy’s shoulders, and she moved to my side. “I’m not ready to give her away, mind, but you can look out for her in Tennessee. You seem to be doing a good job so far.”
“Why, thank you… Harold.”
“He does that very well, doesn’t he?” Anne said with a grin. “You can almost hear the ‘sir.’”
He nodded. “Like he wants to impress me.”
“What a novel idea.”
“Thank you very much for inviting me,” I said. “And this probably isn’t the best time, but I want to apologize for… you know. We really didn’t mean to fall asleep together. And then Rich… well… yeah.”
“You handled yourself well,” Harold said. “You shouldn’t’ve been in the situation in the first place—”
“Neither of them should have been there,” Anne said with a significant look at her daughter.
“Right you are,” Harold said. “So… see that it doesn’t happen again.”
“Not a chance,” I said, as earnestly as I could.
“I’ll believe that when I see it.”
“Oh, Harold,” Anne said. “Be nice. He’s trying to apologize.”