“And the thing about your father?”
“That bothers me more.”
“You never knew he was a Ranger?”
“No.”
“Maybe he had a reason not to talk about it.”
“I know.”
“You don’t sound convinced.”
“I spent twenty-two years in the Army. He watched me graduate from basic training. He watched me earn my commission.
He came to my first promotion.
When I told him I wanted to go to Ranger School, he sat at our kitchen table for an hour telling me how miserable it would be.”
Denise smiled.
“Still technically true.”
“Yes.”
“He never said anything?”
“Not once.”
That was the part I couldn’t make fit.
My father had known what the school meant.
He had known what the scroll meant.
He had known exactly how difficult parts of my career would be.
And he had let me believe he understood those things only from a distance.
Why?
Denise hugged me.
“Call Samuel tomorrow.”
“I probably will.”
“You definitely will.”
“Good night, Denise.”
“Good night, terrifying Army neighbor.”
“Go home.”
She laughed and continued down the sidewalk.
I climbed my porch steps.
Before I could unlock the door, a voice came from the darkness beside my driveway.
