Page 6 of A Second Chance

“Hon, no swearing in front of Danny, remember?” Dan said.

“Then take him outside, ’cause it’s gonna be full of four letter words.” She squared up to Jason, eyes blazing, bracing to let him have it. He wouldn’t defend himself at all. There wasn’t any defense.

“What good will that do?” Dan leaned closer. Danny, no longer a baby, struggled against his father’s arms, wanting down and began a loud complaint at his predicament. The boy looked like a miniature version of his father with black hair, dark brown eyes, and the complexion of Dan’s Puerto Rican heritage. No one would infer on looks alone that Autumn was the child’s mother. Dan sat him down, and the child toddled over to his grandmother. Gratitude filled his heart that Danny didn’t appear to suffer from any ill effects from what happened.

Autumn sighed and shook her head. “It might make me feel better,” she huffed. “You disappeared.”

He nodded.

“How could you do that?”

“It was stupid.”

“Very.” Autumn’s face contorted in rage. “Stop agreeing with me. You’re making this harder. All I’ve wanted to do is wrap my hands around your neck and squeeze. I mean, after I found out you were okay, of course.”

“Uh, sorry,” he said. “I don’t care what you think…. Better?”

A smile played at the sides of Autumn’s mouth. “You’re infuriating.”

“How’d you know I was here?”

“Weasel,” she said.

That made sense; a patrol officer must have spotted him the minute he rolled into town and radioed Weasel, a detective with the police department. No doubt Autumn had put him up to it. They’d all grown up together. He let it go.

“I’m sorry for taking off like that. And now that we’re all here, can we sit down and let me explain?”

Autumn glared at him, but nodded. They all sat down and Danny threw toys around the living room.

“The doctors were talking about releasing me from the rehabilitation program, but I still didn’t feel well. But the doc said my scan had shown my brain had healed. I overheard one of the other guys in the house talking about a program to ‘walk off the war’, so I found the group and applied. I spent the past six months hiking the Appalachian Trail with a group of other veterans… And I’m sorry for not telling anyone.” He looked around at everyone staring.

“You could have been killed out there,” his mom said.

It was more likely to happen when his armored vehicle ran over an IED. “No, Mom, not really.”

“Yes, really,” she replied. “In the middle of nowhere with no help in sight. One of those crazies could have had a flashback and killed you.”

“Mom,” Autumn spoke up. “Don’t say that.”

Jason laughed. “Ma, I am one of those ‘crazies,’ so I was safe.”

“You aren’t crazy,” she said.

“Then why were the other people?” Autumn asked.

“Well,” their mom began, “we know Jason received psychiatric help and have no idea if those others were even trying.”

“That’s enough, Shirley,” Walter said. “I’m sure they had a vetting process for the hike.”

Jason nodded. “It’s not random people wandering across the country.”

“Did you at least find whatever you were looking for?” Autumn asked.

“Yeah, I did.”

“And you’re staying?” his dad asked.

“I’ll stay in town, but not here,” he said.

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