Chapter 6 - The Aftermath
I didn't answer my phone for the next twenty-four hours.
The base was absolute chaos. When the sun finally rose on Christmas Day, the storm had cleared, leaving behind three feet of snow and a logistical nightmare. I was busy coordinating with the governor’s office, managing the press, and ensuring my soldiers got the rest they deserved.
By noon, my commanding officer, Colonel Hayes, called me into his office.
“Have a seat, Major,” Hayes said, a rare smile on his face. “You’ve caused quite a stir.”
“I was just doing my job, sir.”
“Your job was commanding the response, Vance. You didn't have to bench-press a steering column to save a trucker. The governor called me this morning. They want to give you a commendation. And the press is beating down the gates for an interview.”
“With respect, sir, I’d like to decline the press,” I said firmly. “My men did the heavy lifting. I don't want to turn this into a circus.”
Hayes nodded slowly. “Understood. But you can't dodge your family forever, Major. There’s a civilian at the front gate demanding to see you.”
My jaw tightened. “Who?”
“Older gentleman. Says he’s your father.”
I looked out the window at the snow-covered parade ground. I felt a cold knot form in my chest.
“Tell the MPs to send him to the visitor center. I’ll give him five minutes.”
When I walked into the sterile, fluorescent-lit visitor center, my father was pacing the floor. He looked entirely different from the man who had dismissed me on the phone three days ago. He looked small, old, and exhausted. His shoulders were slumped, and he held a paper cup of bad coffee with shaking hands.
He stopped pacing when he saw me. He looked at my uniform, then at the bruised, scraped knuckles on my hands from tearing the bus open.
“Thomas,” he choked out, his eyes filling with tears.
“Dad,” I said, stopping a few feet away. I kept my posture rigid. “What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be celebrating Jason’s promotion?”
He flinched as if I had hit him.
“Thomas, I… I saw the news,” he stammered, taking a step forward. “We all saw it. Erica’s sister and nephew were on that bus.”
I blinked, surprised by the connection, but my expression didn't change. “I know. I pulled them out. They’re safe.”
“I know you did,” my father said, his voice breaking. “Thomas, I am so, so sorry. For everything. For telling you not to come. For letting Jason’s ego dictate this family. I was a fool.”
“Yes, Dad, you were,” I said flatly. The steel box inside my chest remained tightly sealed. “You told me my service was an embarrassment. You told me my life was a distraction to Jason’s corporate party. You made your choice.”
“I was wrong!” he pleaded, tears spilling down his cheeks. “Erica left Jason last night. Her father pulled his funding from the firm. Jason is ruined, Thomas. And I realize now that I pushed away the only real man in this family.”
He reached out, trying to grab my shoulder.
May you like
I took a step back, out of his reach.
“I’m glad Sarah and Leo are okay,” I said quietly. “But I didn't save them for you. I saved them because it was the right thing to do. That’s what I do, Dad. That’s who I am. You just never cared to notice until it was broadcast on national television.”
