| Subject: Chapters Six and Seven |
Author:
Debbie Brady
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Date Posted: 19:15:17 08/30/06 Wed
In reply to:
Debbie Brady
's message, "Chapters Four and Five" on 19:13:00 08/30/06 Wed
Disclaimer: I do not own JAG or their characters. They belong to DPB, Paramount Pictures, Inc., CBS and DPB Productions. Thomas Burnett is mine as well as Justin Burnett.
Summary: A New Love comes into Adelle's life. Will her family and especially her brother accept him in her life? Or will things become strained between Adelle and her family only to come full circle with the marriage of one of Adelle's nephews will things be straightened out or stay the same.
Chapter Six
And she was. For the first night it was a discussion on whether or not AJ should marry Marcella, luckily she had gone to bed. On the second night Lane never looked toward AJ or Marcella and if he did it was out animosity toward them both. And on this went for the entire week when AJ had enough, so him and Marcella left. I felt sorry for AJ and Marcella, I had come to like Marcella she was sweet person who just needed to be accepted by family. She was, by mother and I but not by Thomas and Dad.
I never AJ after he left the house that summer day. Life went on for Thomas and I. We went back to California and got married the winter of 1970 close to the beach and by summer of 1972 Jo Ann had arrived, then 1975 Matthew arrived. Matthew was Thomas' pride and joy. Matthew followed his dad everywhere, including yard work, which I greatly despised.
Then one afternoon in late 1977, I received a letter from Mama, and in that letter was a postcard. Momma wanted to let us know that Daddy was falling ill, and that he wanted all his children to be with him but that he had received a note from AJ that he would come to support mother but that talking to father would be out of the question. Then momma stated that the postcard was from Marcella and to hide it from Thomas. Momma said when she had got the postcard Daddy was at a neighbors she was able to intercept it before Dad tore it up.
It was sad to me that Dad never accepted Marcella for the person she was. Marcella was loving, kind and gracious while the short time that I was around her.
I looked at the postcard it was a scene from a beautiful of Venice, Italy. I turned it over and read.
Dear Sweet Adelle,
Just take the time to let you know that your niece is growing steadily. As you southerns would say ‘by leaps and bounds’.
Francesca will be 6 soon. Her stepfather says that he shooing the suitors away when she grows up.
Write when you can.
All my love,
Marcella
What struck me about this postcard is that I did not know that Marcella and AJ had split or that I had a niece. It made me sad to know that Marcella had to go. I just hoped someday I would be able to see her again.
Adelle noticed that Thomas would be coming home soon, and that my own 6 year old would be coming home from school and that Matthew would be up from his nap, and I would need to get supper or Thomas like to call it dinner on the table.
Our supper or dinner went well. Thomas shared his day with the family and then I brought up the letter from Momma stating Daddy was ill and wanted his family to come out to be with him.
“Adelle honey I will do what I can but I cannot promise anything.”
I just nodded my head. Sometimes I thought that his family was more important than my own, but considering that we live in California and they live in Texas it would put us in a financial bind however you looked at it.
The next week Thomas' brothers come over for a visit and spent time with the children as well as Thomas and I. Frank was dating a woman that Thomas approved of albeit reluctantly because she had been married before but when Frank told Thomas that he had died in Vietnam, Thomas understood then, then it was okay. Justin was dating a girl that I really liked but Thomas disapproved of. Justin's girl was from African-American descent and in that afternoon dropped a bombshell on Thomas.
“Thomas, uh, I asked Julie to marry me and she accepted.” Justin said timidly knowing exactly what his reaction was going to be.
“No!” Thomas shouted, “You will not marry this girl”
“I am sorry you disapprove of my choice but her brother has agreed to marry us and on top of that her nephew is going to be our ring bearer. I was going to ask that Jo Ann be our flower girl, but I can see that your blinded by color of skin and not the person inside” Justin stated matter-of-factly.
Adelle was in the kitchen and could hear her mind say 'Here we go again'. Then when Justin said that he wanted Jo Ann to be in the wedding, she just wanted to jump for joy until she heard Thomas' words.
“No way! I am not letting my daughter that wedding that I do not support” Thomas said very rudely
Needless to say I had, had enough. This was the last straw. It was time.
“Thomas she going and I am staying with my parents until you decide to come to your senses and realize that people are people no matter what color of skin they are.” Then I turned to Justin, “When is the wedding?”
“In a month at the Naval Academy Chapel in Maryland.”
“Fine, the kids and I will be there with bells on.” Adelle turned to Thomas and said, “Before you say a word I am taking my son, he does not need to be around your hatred.” Turning to Frank, “Do you have a place for us to stay?”
“Yes I do! It will be at Trish's! She will love the company as well as her son.” Turning to Justin he said, “You can come along too. You can meet the mother and son that your Lt was fighting for.”
Frank watched Justin as the pieces started to fall into place. With emotion Justin said, “I would love to come”.
Chapter Seven
When Frank, Justin, Adelle and the children returned to Frank and Trish's home they found a thirteen-year-old boy out on the deck sprawled out enjoying the sun.
Frank went up to him after Trish shook her head that she was unable to get him in from outside to get ready for their guests. He walked up to Harm and waited for Harm to acknowledge him.
Frank saw the head tilt to one side in that Harm had acknowledged him. “You know your mother is wanting for you to greet our guests, I sure wouldn't want to disappoint the man who served with my father be got hung out to dry because of my rudeness.” Frank let that sink in a little then added, “Justin is getting married where your mother and your dad got married and I hear that Chaplain Turner is going to perform the ceremony. It is time to mend old wounds with the people who care about you and let them back in your life. Harm follow your heart where your father is concerned, it has never let you down yet don't let it down now.”
Frank got up and went back into the house and noticed that his stepson had followed him in. At thirteen Harm Jr. was going to be as tall as his father some day, but until then he knew he needed to heed his step-fathers advice and join the family and introduce himself to the one person served with his father.
As they both walked in to the family room, Trish got up and made the introductions. She noticed that Justin was studying Harm a little bit to closely, and looked at Frank and he very lightly shook his head as if to say 'not now let it runs course.'
Justin got up, and looked at the teenager up and down. He got white as a sheet and sat back down. Harm being the concerned guy that he was even at thirteen, went over to Justin.
“Sir, are you ok?” Harm asked
Justin looked at him and said in barely a whisper, “You look a lot like your father”.
Frank understood what was going and said, “Justin, why don't you tell Harm and his Mom about him.”
Justin took a couple of deep breaths, and then started explaining. “I met your father right after I arrived on USS Ticonderoga. I was fresh out of the Academy and was at my first posting. At the Academy I had studied mechanics and a little bit of engineering. The Captain said that I was to start working on getting the planes ready to head out because they were going to on a mission and they needed the planes ready for it. As I walked on deck to look over the one plane that needed to be ready, this guy walked over and said “You going to be working on the planes” and I said, “Yes I am” and he said “Good, you can start on mine, when you get start on Tongs”. When I got done with the plane, and he tested it out he said that I could be his plane captain. From then on I was with him when he got into his plane. Most of the guys who did not like me started to make fun of me because of my slow thinking ways, but my pilot said that if he heard of them making fun of me in the mess or out on the deck he was going to make them do push ups. Nobody messed with me after that.” Justin started getting choked up for minute then continued, “A couple days before Christmas Eve of 1969 he gave me a compliment. Then it was Christmas Eve, and I was too busy with the planes that I did not know who came back and who didn't until they started reading the names, and then I knew from his call sign that they read off that he did not come back.”
Justin paused waiting for everything to sink in and then said, “Your father was the pilot to the plane that I was working on. I did not know who is was until one of my shipmates pointed out to me that I was talking to the top pilot on the ship.” He waited a little bit and then said let me introduce myself Lt. Commander Justin Burnett and I was your fathers plane captain on the Ticonderoga.”
Harm listened to all that Justin had to say, and then when he introduced himself properly Harm about balled his eyes out. He remembered his mother letting him listen to one tape in particular about a plane captain that got his plane ship shape for flying. Harm swallowed and then introduced himself, “ I am Harmon Rabb Jr. nice to meet you”
From that day on Harm admired his step-uncle for his tenacity and hard work for what ever he did.
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