New Beginnings, page 19
“Come in,” he called.
Tristan stepped inside and popped to attention.
“At ease. What’s going on?” he asked, leaning back in his chair.
“Sir, I just received the information for my court case. It arrived while I was out on mission.”
He held his hand out, and she offered the paper she was holding.
“This is in two days.”
“Yes, sir.”
He rubbed his free hand over his freshly shaved jaw line while he held the paper with the other. “Women can’t plan when they go into labor, just as you can’t plan when the courts will set a date,” he sighed. This wasn’t the best time for her to abruptly leave for six weeks, but she’d just dumped a month’s worth of intel into their laps that needed to be combed through and evaluated. “I’ll get the papers signed today. You’ll leave in the morning.”
“Roger that, sir,” she replied. “Also, I won’t need the full six weeks. I’d like to just take five.”
“Are you sure? By law, you get six, and you have to take them consecutively.”
“Positive, sir.”
“Okay.”
“What will happen to my team while I’m gone?”
“They’ll remain here under Fowler’s command for a couple of weeks to answer any questions as we dig through the intel, and to help prepare for the next mission. They’ll head back to garrison for two weeks, then return with you at the end of your parental leave. Are they aware of your situation?”
“No, sir. I’d plan to tell them as soon as I knew.”
“Well, there’s no time like the present. Tell Fowler to meet with me tomorrow afternoon.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Dismissed.”
She popped to attention and saluted. He quickly returned the salute, then she opened the door to leave.
“Malloy, I expect a picture of this young man when you return.”
“Roger that, sir,” she replied with a smile.
*
Courtney saw Tristan come out of the major’s office with a smile on her face but didn’t bother talking to her. Instead, she ducked into the computer room and made a quick video call home to wish her mother a happy birthday. However, no one had answered. She assumed they were out at breakfast, until she realized it was Sunday. Every Sunday morning her mother volunteered at the activity center for the nursing home, something she’d done since her mother’s parents were residents there during their final years; and her father played golf, a game she was sure he only played to get out of the house once a week since he’d retired.
With an audible sigh, she left the communications building and headed to the hangar. She wasn’t scheduled to fly for the rest of the week, which meant she had a lot of time on her hands and not much to do with it.
“Chief,” Howie said, noticing her walk out of the hangar.
“What are you doing?” she questioned. He had all the doors open and was busy cleaning the helo inside and out.
“Jezebel was looking rough. Blame it on my OCD,” he said with a smile.
“Want some help?”
“Don’t you have other things to do?”
“You mean more important?” she laughed as she climbed inside. “And no. I’m right where I need to be.”
“But is it where you want to be?” he asked.
“Are we ever where we truly want to be?”
He shrugged.
“I heard your re-enlistment date is coming up. Are you hanging out with us another four years?”
“Or going where I truly want to go?” he laughed. “Yeah, I’ve already signed the papers. I figured why the hell not, you know?”
She nodded in agreement. “Okay, so tell me what we’re doing, and show me what I can do to help.”
He looked over at her to explain, but something in the distance caught his eye.
Courtney turned to follow his line of sight and saw Tristan and Fowler hugging. Then, he popped to attention and saluted her. Her head naturally turned to the side like a dog trying to understand something a human was saying.
*
Tristan walked along the flightline, kicking rocks with her boots as Fowler walked next to her.
“Are you serious?” he asked.
“Yes. It’s not exactly ideal circumstances, but it’s true. I can’t let the same shit happen to him that happened to his mother. He needs me, and I’m going to do everything I can to give him a great life.”
“Wow.” He shook his head. “That’s incredible.” He gave her a half hug, then stared at her for a minute.
“You’re still trying to picture me with a kid, aren’t you?”
He grinned. “Maybe a little.”
“Trust me, I’m still not used to it, and it’s happening in 48hrs.” She shook her head. “He’s five; cusses like a sailor; has the grit of a soldier; the attitude of a wet cat; and trusts no one.”
He grimaced. “Good luck with that.”
“Yeah, thanks.” She stopped walking and faced him. “Anyway, I’m only going to be gone five weeks. In fact, you guys will be sent back to garrison in three weeks, so we can rendezvous and come back as a team. You’re welcome by the way. You’ll all be home for Thanksgiving.”
“That’s great, but what’s going to happen while you’re gone?”
“You’ll be the team leader. There won’t be much going on from what I’ve been told, but you’ll have to do what it takes to get the team ready for the next mission. Right now, there’s nothing planned, but you never know. Be prepared for anything.”
“Roger that,” he replied.
“They trust you,” she said. “And just think, if I really dig this parenting thing, maybe I’ll retire, and you can permanently take my place.”
He laughed. “I’ll believe that when I see it. I’m pretty sure you bleed Army green.”
“Damn right! Hooah!” she exclaimed.
“Hooah!” he replied, then popped to attention and saluted her. “I’ll do my best to fill your shoes.”
“I’m counting on it,” she replied, returning his salute. “Now, go take the day off like I told you to do.”
“What about the team?”
“I’m not ready to go into all of the details. We’ll meet after late chow and tell them. As far as anyone on this base is concerned, I’m going home to handle a family matter and will return in a few weeks. That’s really all anyone needs to know.”
“Roger that.”
When they parted ways, Tristan took a different path, hoping to avoid Courtney at all costs. I wish I’d met you a year from now, or a year ago. Right now, the timing just isn’t right. I can’t navigate this thing between you and I while I go down an uncharted road. It’s not fair to anyone. I can’t risk getting lost, and I can’t ask you to wait for me to cut a path. She blew out a deep breath as she rubbed her thumbs around her temples. “Get it together, Malloy,” she muttered to herself as she headed towards her barracks to pack her deployment bag.
Chapter 27
Tristan’s eyes were closed, and her head was back against the wall of the C-12 transport plane as it touched down on the runway. She breathed in a long, slow breath. Then, let it out just the same. The plane had landed in two other places to pick up more soldiers on the flight back to North Carolina, then stopped in Georgia to drop off a group of them, making the commute that much longer. She’d spent the entire trip ignoring everyone around her. It wasn’t until the wheels rolled to a stop on the airfield tarmac that they even knew she was awake. Polite pleasantries were avoided as she gathered her ruck and her deployment bag and filed out of the plane with the rest of the officers, leaving the enlisted men and women to follow behind them.
Tristan stood on the tarmac along with the rest of the returning soldiers as the garrison ceremony commenced. Families full of husbands, wives, and children waited patiently off to the side to hug their returning loved ones.
The base commander finished his welcome home speech, then dismissed everyone. Tristan pulled her ruck onto her back, grabbed her deployment bag, and began making her way through the crowd. There was no one there waiting to welcome her. There hadn’t been for a long time. She was in and out so often, it had become less and less of a big deal over the years. She’d purposely stopped telling her mother when she was returning so she could avoid the huge spectacle. She tossed her deployment bag and ruck into her Jeep and drove off, leaving the base and the Army behind her for the next five weeks.
*
Being home usually made her stir crazy, but Tristan was happy with the quiet. She’d showered and unpacked. Then, she cleaned the spare room, leaving nothing in there except the bed, dresser, and nightstand. In the three years that she’d had the apartment, the room had only been used a handful of times.
With nothing left to do, she plopped down on the couch and pressed the call button on her phone. She thought about pouring a drink, but decided she needed to be stone cold sober for this call.
“Tristan?” Patty Malloy asked, answering the phone. “Are you home?”
“Hey. Yes, I landed this morning.”
“Oh, my. Why didn’t you tell me you were coming home again so soon? I’m out of town with my old sorority sisters until Thursday.”
Tristan pinched the bridge of her nose. “It’s fine, Mother. I’m actually back because I need to be in court tomorrow morning.”
“What? What for?”
“I’m adopting Loki as my son. Surprise, you’re going to be a grandma.”
“Oh, Tristan!” her mother spat. “How could you do that?”
“How could I not?”
“I just…I can’t believe—”
“Believe what? That I’m a decent human being? That I want him to have the life that was robbed from his mother? That I’m capable of raising a child? That I actually care about him? Which is it, Mother? What can’t you believe?” she spat angrily. “He’s an innocent little boy, and he is going to be my son whether you like it or not.”
“Tristan—”
“No, I’m not done. Instead of acting like I’ve committed some horrible act, how about you grow up and own your mistake. This wouldn’t have happened if my father had given two shits about his bastard child. Because if he had, and he was still alive, you would be this boy’s grandmother anyhow,” she growled. She hated yelling and disrespecting her mother. This was very unlike her, but she simply couldn’t take it anymore.
“I understand what you are saying, but you have to see things from my point of view. None of this was ever easy. Not when you were little, and certainly not now.”
“I get it, Mother. I really do. Dad made a colossal mistake, and it keeps coming back to haunt you, despite him being dead and gone. I know it isn’t easy. I’m done dredging up dad’s past. I want to focus on the future. This little boy is my blood. He was my father’s blood, and my grandfather’s. I’m going to be his mom and give him the best life that I possibly can. All I’m asking is that you consider being the grandmother you’ve always wanted to be because he’s going to need it,” she said with a deep sigh. “Mother? Are you still there?” she asked when she didn’t hear anything.
“Yes,” her mother sniffed and cleared her throat, obviously from crying.
“I didn’t mean to upset you. I just want you to see it from a point of view other than your own.”
“You are the most determined person I know. All your life you’ve achieved every goal you’ve set, and never backed down from anything that seemed too far out of reach. I’m very proud of you for so many reasons, and in so many ways. I know if you’re doing this, you’re going to give it your all. That little boy has no idea who he is getting for a mother, but I do.” She paused to wipe a few tears. “I know it will take time to digest all of this, but I don’t want to miss out on seeing my little girl as a mother…no matter how it came about.”
“Thank you.”
*
Tristan was up long before her alarm and had arrived early enough to drink a cup of coffee, then nearly throw it up from the ball of nerves wrenching in her belly. She adjusted the jacket of her dark gray pantsuit before going inside the building. It felt odd to be formally dressed in something other than her Army uniform
“Are you ready?” Janice asked, walking up to her.
“Absolutely,” she replied, looking around for Loki. She finally found him with the security guard. He was dressed in a dark blue suit and tie. “Everything okay?” she questioned.
“Yeah. He wasn’t too happy about wearing what he referred to as his ‘church clothes.’ Mr. Gary is explaining how dressing nice is for a lot more places than just church.”
“I agree,” Tristan muttered.
“We should get going. Our meeting is in a few minutes,” she said, waving for the guard to send Loki back over to her.
“Is it true you’re going to be my new mom?” Loki asked, looking at Tristan as they sat down at the table in the judges’ chambers and waited for him to arrive.
“Yes, but you will always have your mom in heaven with your Gigi, just like I have my dad and grandpa there, too. It’s okay to have more than one mom. And, you don’t have to call me mom. We can work towards that, okay. I am your family Loki, and I always will be. I promise from this day forward to love you as my son and do my absolute best to be a good mother to you.”
“Well,” the judge cleared his throat from the doorway. “I don’t need to hear any more testimony. Let’s get these papers signed so the two of you can start your new life,” he added, moving to take a seat.
“I object, your honor.”
Everyone in the room looked up to see a slender, balding man with a combover, standing in the doorway. He pushed his glasses back up onto the bridge of his pencil thin nose.
“Who are you exactly?” the judge asked.
“Wilfred Abernathy, council for the George family, your honor.”
“George family?”
“Your honor, if I may,” Janice cut in. “The Georges were the foster family for Loki Adams.”
“Yes,” he mumbled, looking through the paperwork. “I have the adoption appeal right here.” He thumbed through a couple of the pages, then lay them to the side. “Mr. Abernathy, your appeal is denied. I am invoking Tristan C. Malloy’s right to change her legal guardianship to adoption of the minor child, Loki Adams.”
“Your honor, you haven’t heard our case.”
“There’s no need, Mr. Abernathy. Unless, of course, you have evidence proving Ms. Malloy is unfit to be the child’s parent.”
“Exhibit A, your honor,” he said, handing over a piece of paper.
Tristan looked at Janice, who just shrugged. In her five years as a social worker, she’d never seen a foster family try to go against a birth family, to the point of hiring an attorney and showing up at the hearing.
“This is a military docket,” the judge said.
“Yes, your honor. Ms. Malloy is on active duty in the Army, and she is single.”
“Your point, Mr. Abernathy?”
“When she deploys, who will be the legal guardian of the child? The Georges will never have to leave the child with someone else for extended periods of time.”
“Ms. Malloy, it’s a fair question,” the judge said, looking at her.
“Your honor, I’m special forces. I deploy all over the world. You won’t find that in the fancy paperwork you have there because what I do is highly classified. However, my mother, who is Loki’s grandmother, will be his legal guardian. She’s prepared to take care of him when I deploy, as any grandmother would be.”
“Mr. Abernathy, you have the answer to your question. Now, unless you have any further evidence, I’ll kindly ask you to leave my chambers.”
“She’s a lesbian,” the attorney blurted. “The Georges are a good, Christian family with values. The child would be raised properly.”
Tristan balled her fists so tightly, she thought they would pop off her arms. Janice patted her on the arm and nodded. When she opened her mouth to speak, the judge held up his hand.
“Mr. Abernathy, there is nothing more I want to hear from you. I’ve made my ruling,” he said, picking up the gavel. “Tristan C. Malloy, do you promise to take all responsibility for Loki Adams as his parent?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I approve of this adoption and hereby grant you, Tristan C. Malloy, full legal custody of Loki Adams. I also grant the requested name change from Loki Adams to Loki Adams Malloy.” He pounded the gavel, then signed the papers. Once he was finished, he shook Tristan’s hand, then Loki’s. “I have a feeling you’re going to have a great life, young man.”
“Thank you, your honor,” Tristan said. Then, she got up from the chair and bent down in front of Loki. “Are you ready to go start our new life together, son?”
“I don’t have to go back to the Georges?”
“Never ever again,” she said.
“Yes!” he exclaimed.
Janice and the judge laughed.
Tristan grabbed his hand and walked out of the room. Mr. Abernathy was standing off to the side on his phone, obviously giving the Georges the bad news. She gave him the biggest shit-eating grin as she passed by, and Janice smiled as well. Once they were all outside, Janice went to her car and pulled out a small grocery bag.
“What’s this?” Tristan asked.
“His personal belongings. The Georges kept anything they purchased for him. This is what he was sent with when he went to them.”
“Wow.” Tristan shook her head. “Doesn’t surprise me. It’s okay. We’re going shopping right now, anyhow.”
“Wonderful. Listen, Loki. You be good to her because I’m pretty sure she’s going to be great to you.”
“Thank you again, for everything,” Tristan said, shaking her hand.
“No problem. I’m glad he’s with you. This is where he belongs.”
Tristan smiled.
“You have your copy of the signed documents from the judge. I’ll send in the birth certificate adjustment request. Once that is changed, they’ll send you a copy of his new birth certificate with the new name and you as his parent. In the meantime, your court documents will work in place of a birth certificate.”
