Free Waiting... On You (Force Recon Marines) by S.A. Monk Page A

it’s not
a priority right now.”
    “If I go to work on the back of your
bike, I’ll be a mess by the time I get there.”
    Nick smiled. “I won’t take you to work
on the Harley. I’ll use Mom’s car.”
    “Lance’s new Jeep is at the house,”
Jessie suggested. “And his truck is at the boat yard. We probably need to do
something about the business, too. Paul is keeping things operational, but you
might want to see if he needs anything.”
    Nick nodded. “I’d planned to check in
with him this week. But the business is not as important as finding Lance and
keeping you safe.” He meant everyone, but he was looking at Hanna. “You’re not
going to give me any trouble about taking you to and from work, are you?”
    “No,” she answered him, then made a
face at him. “You know you sound like you did when we were kids, always in
charge. No wonder they made you a Colonel.”

 
    CHAPTER 5
     
    IT WAS A TRADITION ON SUNDAY, after
church, to take Christopher to the park to play football or baseball, sometimes
basketball, actually any game that entailed using a ball. Whoever didn’t have
to work went. Lance had always taken his son. Hanna went most Sundays. Dylan
and Christine often joined them. Afterward, they usually had a picnic.
    This Sunday, after everyone had gone
home and changed out of their dress clothes, they decided to go Fort Worden
State Park. The fort itself was a nineteenth century military installation with
a parade ground, officers’ quarters, plantation style barracks, and 434 acres
of beautiful green manicured grounds and huge leafy trees. The big guns that
had once guarded Admiralty Strait had been quiet since World War II. The
meticulously preserved site now housed campgrounds, a picnic area, museums,
conference facilities, and a non-profit center for arts and education. There
was even a hostel on the grounds, and an underwater park off-shore.
    Since Lance’s disappearance, Hanna and
Christine had taken Christopher out as much as possible. With his Uncle Nick
home, there was no doubt who the boy would rather play football with. Sometimes
Jessie and Colleen went, but this Sunday they opted to skip the outing and stay
home. Christine brought the baby, and since there were four of them, one
needing an infant car seat, Nick took his mother’s four door sedan, rather than
Lance’s Jeep.
    At the park, they chose a big grassy
clearing, laid down a blanket, and anchored it against the light ocean breeze
with an ice chest and a picnic basket. They were all wearing shorts, and
Christine had her baby girl strapped to her chest in a sling type harness. She
wasn’t about to leave her precious cargo in her baby carrier on the blanket,
while she played touch football. Leaving a baby unattended, even a few feet
away these days, was way too risky.
    Nick produced the football, and to
warm up, they threw it to one another for a while. Then the game was on; Nick
and Christopher against Hanna and Christine. The baby went along for the bouncy
ride.
    A coin was tossed and Christine got
the ball first.
    “Aw, no fair!” ten-year old
Christopher complained.
    “The ladies won the toss,” his uncle
reminded him. “Be a good sport.”
    Hanna ran down field for a pass, and
Christine threw the football to her. She caught it and laughingly dodged the
tackle Nick tried to make on her. Christopher chased her, caught up to her, and
tagged her a quarter of the way to their imaginary goal line.
    When they all lined up in position
again, facing one another, Hanna pushed her sunglasses up and shook her finger
at Nick. “This is touch football, Colonel. No tackling. Your nephew knows the
rules, and so should you.”
    He threw up his hands. “What fun is it,
playing football with girls, if you can’t tackle?”
    Hanna rolled her eyes. He sounded just
like he had as a teenager. “Play by the rules, Kelly. Be a good sport,” she
echoed, making Christopher giggle.
    And he did, for most of the game.
Hanna and Christine