“You do not have to apologize for loving your dad.”
“I lost it.”
That got the smallest smile out of her.
“Yeah,” I said. “You did.”
She stared at the tags. “What if I embarrassed him?”
I let out this ugly half laugh because it hurt too much not to.
“Grace, your father once got written up for arguing with a superior because he thought the man was talking down to one of the younger Marines in his unit. Embarrassing authority was one of his favorite hobbies.”
That got the smallest smile out of her.
The next morning, the school announced an emergency assembly.
I stood so fast I knocked over my coffee.
At 8:17, Grace texted me.
Mom are you awake
I wrote back, Yes. What happened?
Then she called.
Her voice was shaky. “Mom… you need to come.”
I stood so fast I knocked over my coffee. “What is wrong? Are you okay?”
There was a pause.
I could hear a crowd behind her.
Then she said, “Four Marines just walked into the auditorium.”
My heart jumped into my throat. “What do you mean Marines? Is something wrong?”
She let out a stunned little laugh. “No. No, not like that. Mom, they brought a flag and everyone had to stand up. The principal said they were already planning to contact us this week, and then somebody from school told them what happened yesterday.”
I grabbed my keys. “Tell me everything on the way.”
She lowered her voice. I could hear a crowd behind her.
