Read Online The Homecoming by Dan Walsh - Free Book Online

North Sea was uneventful. Johan really knew how to run that boat. We got off within the next fifteen minutes, and within an hour we were beyond sight of land. It was a dark and cloudy night, no moon or stars. We didn’t see a single ship until daybreak. By then we were in sight of England. A big fishing trawler came near enough to get their attention. They helped us get into a small port north of London. By the end of that same day, we were all back to our base, except Anderson, who was taken to the hospital.”
    “What happened to Johan?” Miss Townsend asked.
    “We said our good-byes as we left his boat. He refused to leave it. The English fishermen seemed to understand and promised to take care of him. They said a number of Dutch refugees lived nearby and said they would get him set up with them. I took down a bunch of names, so I could follow up on him later.”
    “What an amazing story,” said Mrs. Fortini. “Patrick will be sad he fell asleep . . . at least for most of it anyway.”
    “I am exhausted,” said the elder Collins. He got up and began to carry his cup toward the kitchen. “Oh Shawn, I almost forgot. Just before dinner, an Air Force colonel called and asked you to call him back as soon as possible. I wrote the number down by the telephone.”
    “Did he say why?”
    “He wouldn’t tell me, but he said it was very important, and that it was some kind of good news. I told him the only good news I wanted to hear was them letting you stay home and take care of Patrick.”
    “Thanks, Dad. I’ll call him first thing in the morning.” He walked over to Miss Townsend and gently lifted Patrick into his arms. “I’ll take him up to bed.”
    “I don’t think I’ll ever forget this story,” she said.
    “I’m sorry if I upset you. I haven’t talked about this with anyone before tonight.”
    “No, don’t apologize. You just never imagine what’s really going on over there when you watch the newsreels.”
    Shawn told her good night and headed up the stairs, wondering how to get these images out of his mind long enough to keep them from invading his dreams.

Ten
    It was just after 8:30 in the morning. Shawn was already showered and dressed, wearing his finest uniform. A half hour ago, he’d dialed the phone number his father had written down, the Air Force colonel who’d called yesterday. Colonel Simmons couldn’t have been more pleasant, but Shawn knew it wasn’t a social call. He’d just ordered Shawn to take the 10:00 a.m. train to Union Station in Washington DC, unwilling to give any details, other than to say they would discuss his next assignment, and that Shawn would be glad he made the trip. Colonel Simmons said he’d have a driver there at the station to pick him up.
    Well, Shawn thought, guess I can consider my request for a permanent discharge denied.
    He took a sip of coffee as Patrick sat down at the table, carrying a hot bowl of oatmeal. “I can’t believe I fell asleep during your story last night,” Patrick said.
    “Well, it was way past your bedtime.”
    “But I wanted to hear how it ended. What did I miss?”
    Shawn wished the coffee wasn’t lukewarm. “I don’t know, what do you remember last?”
    Patrick swallowed a big spoonful; a dab of oatmeal rested on his chin. Shawn smiled. “Your plane had just been shot at,” Patrick said, “sounded like it was real bad. You were talking like you knew it wouldn’t be able to make it back to England. Then you started telling the other guys about a plan you had to fix everything.”
    Fix everything, Shawn thought. To Patrick he was still Superman. “That the last you remember?”
    “I think I fell asleep while you were telling your plan. Why you all dressed up?”
    Shawn took a deep breath. What should he say? He heard loud thumps behind him, his father coming up from the basement. Shawn turned as the door opened.
    “Just putting some coal in the furnace. Supposed to get colder again today.”
    “I could have done