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Authors: Ellisa Barr
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meeting. “I encourage everyone to head home, talk it over with your families, and make your decisions. We’ll meet back here in the morning. I encourage all able-bodied young people to come prepared to enlist. Our town and country need you.”
*
Dee and her family talked about the visit over dinner that night.
“Did you notice how Downey didn’t answer any real questions?” Grandpa asked. “Is the state recovering? Is the country at war? Those are things the military should know and tell us.”
Ted looked at Dee. “I hope you don’t have any ideas about joining up with that man.”
For once, Dee agreed with her dad. Downey gave her the creeps. However, she didn’t want to give Ted the satisfaction of being right. “I don’t know,” she said. “If he’s for real it could be a huge blessing to folks around here. Especially the ones living farther out.”
“Don’t tell me you’re buying into his story,” said Ted.
“I’m only saying it would be nice if it was true.”
“What do you think he really wants?” asked Claire.
Grandpa nodded. “Good question. I’m sure we’re going to find out, whether we want to or not.”
Sena pushed her plate away. “I think I’m done. Do you mind if I turn in early tonight? I’m feeling kind of tired.”
Dee remembered with guilt that Sena was still teaching both classes at the school. She was surprised they hadn’t found a replacement teacher for her yet, but no one had stepped forward to take her class.
“I’m done too,” Dee said.
Once in their room, the two girls got ready for bed.
“I’m thinking about joining tomorrow,” Sena announced.
“Why?” asked Dee in alarm. “Why would you do that?”
“Like you said, what if he’s telling the truth? Your family has done so much for me, there’s no way I could ever repay them. Maybe this is my chance to stop being a drain on them.”
“You don’t have to repay anything, and you’re not a drain,” Dee insisted. “You’re part of our family now, and you’re already giving back to the community by teaching at the school. Those kids need you. There’s no way you’re going with Captain Downey.”
“What about you? What about all that stuff you said at dinner?”
“I didn’t really mean it,” said Dee. “I just didn’t want my dad to think he could make the decision for me.”
“I don’t want anyone making the decision for me either,” said Sena.
“Fair enough,” said Dee. “It won’t matter though. My dad isn’t going to let either one of us out of his sight tomorrow.”
*
Dee soon discovered she was wrong. The next morning when she went into the kitchen her dad was nowhere to be seen. Her mom handed her a sack lunch.
“What’s this?” Dee asked.
“I was thinking you might like to go visit Mason today,” Claire replied.
“Really? That would be great!” After a moment Dee asked, “Where’s Dad?”
“He got an early start,” said Claire, turning away to wipe the counter.
“This is his idea, right? To keep me from enlisting today.”
With a hint of a smile on her face Claire said, “I told him you would see right through it.”
“I’d rather visit Mason anyway,” said Dee. “Captain Downey makes my skin crawl. Is it okay if I take Sena?”
“That’s the plan,” said Claire.
“Take Sena where?” asked Sena, entering the kitchen rubbing her eyes.
“To go see Kade and Mason and everyone at the farm.”
“Oh wow,” said Sena. “I wish I could, but it’s a school day today. The kids will be coming. Some of them travel a long way and I think it’s the only meal a lot of them get. I can’t cancel school.”
“I’m sure they’d understand,” said Dee. “We could leave a note on the door for them.”
Sena shook her head. “No, I can’t. Will you tell Kade hi for me though? And everyone else?”
“I could wait,” said Dee. “What if we go after school?”
“No,” said Sena. “It’ll be almost dark by then. You
*
Dee and her family talked about the visit over dinner that night.
“Did you notice how Downey didn’t answer any real questions?” Grandpa asked. “Is the state recovering? Is the country at war? Those are things the military should know and tell us.”
Ted looked at Dee. “I hope you don’t have any ideas about joining up with that man.”
For once, Dee agreed with her dad. Downey gave her the creeps. However, she didn’t want to give Ted the satisfaction of being right. “I don’t know,” she said. “If he’s for real it could be a huge blessing to folks around here. Especially the ones living farther out.”
“Don’t tell me you’re buying into his story,” said Ted.
“I’m only saying it would be nice if it was true.”
“What do you think he really wants?” asked Claire.
Grandpa nodded. “Good question. I’m sure we’re going to find out, whether we want to or not.”
Sena pushed her plate away. “I think I’m done. Do you mind if I turn in early tonight? I’m feeling kind of tired.”
Dee remembered with guilt that Sena was still teaching both classes at the school. She was surprised they hadn’t found a replacement teacher for her yet, but no one had stepped forward to take her class.
“I’m done too,” Dee said.
Once in their room, the two girls got ready for bed.
“I’m thinking about joining tomorrow,” Sena announced.
“Why?” asked Dee in alarm. “Why would you do that?”
“Like you said, what if he’s telling the truth? Your family has done so much for me, there’s no way I could ever repay them. Maybe this is my chance to stop being a drain on them.”
“You don’t have to repay anything, and you’re not a drain,” Dee insisted. “You’re part of our family now, and you’re already giving back to the community by teaching at the school. Those kids need you. There’s no way you’re going with Captain Downey.”
“What about you? What about all that stuff you said at dinner?”
“I didn’t really mean it,” said Dee. “I just didn’t want my dad to think he could make the decision for me.”
“I don’t want anyone making the decision for me either,” said Sena.
“Fair enough,” said Dee. “It won’t matter though. My dad isn’t going to let either one of us out of his sight tomorrow.”
*
Dee soon discovered she was wrong. The next morning when she went into the kitchen her dad was nowhere to be seen. Her mom handed her a sack lunch.
“What’s this?” Dee asked.
“I was thinking you might like to go visit Mason today,” Claire replied.
“Really? That would be great!” After a moment Dee asked, “Where’s Dad?”
“He got an early start,” said Claire, turning away to wipe the counter.
“This is his idea, right? To keep me from enlisting today.”
With a hint of a smile on her face Claire said, “I told him you would see right through it.”
“I’d rather visit Mason anyway,” said Dee. “Captain Downey makes my skin crawl. Is it okay if I take Sena?”
“That’s the plan,” said Claire.
“Take Sena where?” asked Sena, entering the kitchen rubbing her eyes.
“To go see Kade and Mason and everyone at the farm.”
“Oh wow,” said Sena. “I wish I could, but it’s a school day today. The kids will be coming. Some of them travel a long way and I think it’s the only meal a lot of them get. I can’t cancel school.”
“I’m sure they’d understand,” said Dee. “We could leave a note on the door for them.”
Sena shook her head. “No, I can’t. Will you tell Kade hi for me though? And everyone else?”
“I could wait,” said Dee. “What if we go after school?”
“No,” said Sena. “It’ll be almost dark by then. You
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