Chapter 14
*~* Thorn *~*
Meeting with Ghost was a lot easier than I expected.
Making the call to arrange it had been far harder.
I don’t know how many times I picked my cell up and then backed out.
You’d think not being face to face would involve less stress, but not in my case.
Maybe having made the decision the meeting part just came naturally.
God, I don’t know, however, the meeting went well.
We arranged to meet at the diner outside of town because it was the most neutral place we could think of between us.
That was a good start, as we both wanted it to be somewhere the other would feel comfortable.
We chose the quiet time between breakfast and lunch so there would be fewer people around, and although there were more than I had anticipated, we found a quiet corner and no one sat so close as to be a nuisance.
I think a lot of that had to do with Ghost’s cut and his glare, if I’m honest.
I asked him to explain the whole leaving me with his friend, the money, his expectations thing all over again, and this time I forced myself to listen and not interrupt or let myself get carried away by my own version of events.
When he’d finished, I sat quietly for a few moments reflecting on things from his perspective.
I can’t say that I would have done things the same.
I’d like to think that I wouldn’t go off and leave my kid in the first place, but I can’t be one hundred percent sure of that.
You do what you think is best at the time and have to live with that decision.
Wow. I think I’m growing up! I don’t like the whole ‘go off to rescue others and dump your own family’ thing, but Ghost did save a lot of women's lives in the process.
While I sat here and digested the facts in this new frame of mind, I saw the tension in Ghost and had another lightbulb moment.
How hard must it have been to walk away from your own kid?
Putting things in perspective, if he had it to do over, could he have done it any better? Choice of person, he has said that he trusted the guy with his life. They served together and were brothers in more than blood. Is there anyone whom you would trust more?
Financially, he has never stated the amount he left, but he obviously thought it would be sufficient if there were plans for me to go to college. Maybe it was such an amount that it turned his friend's head? Surely Ghost would have known him better than that?
I realize I’m just going over everything in my head that Ghost has just said, but that’s way more than I’ve done since he walked back into my life.
I’ve been so convinced for so long that my bastard of a father just dumped me, this new information I’m finally processing has me seeing things differently.
I am so glad that Fury came in for a trim and told me a little of his story.
“So where was I supposed to grow up then? Where did your friend live? Don’t tell me I was supposed to move to LA and live the dream life at the beach.” I smile at the thought of being some tanned Adonis. Oh my lord, I don’t see myself in that life.
“Sorry, son. Nothing as glamorous as that. He lived right here in town. Well, not in town. He had a place a few miles out. A small farm where he lived with his daughter. She was your age, and the idea was that you’d become part of the family.
I expected that you would work alongside them, not become an unpaid farmhand.
I never in a million years expected that I was abandoning you to your own devices.
” I see the sadness in his eyes and the droop of his shoulders where the tension was earlier.
“Have you been to see him yet?” I ask.
“Honestly, I’ve been afraid to face him.
Not in fear of him, but in fear of what I’d do to him.
It will have to come to it sooner or later, but will it make any difference at the end of the day?
I know you’ve suffered unfairly, and I wish I’d put something in place to keep a check on you.
I was afraid that if I were caught, that something might have led back to you. It was all part of keeping you safe.”
“I understand that now. I never took a second to look at it from any perspective other than what I saw as my abandonment. I should have had more faith, I guess.”
“Faith in what, though? I was serving as you were growing up. Spent more time in the service of my country than I spent in the service of my family. Your momma wasn’t the person I thought she was, and that too could be my fault for never being around for more than a month in any twelve.
What kind of life was I expecting her to have? ”
“Well, I think it’s time we moved forward and started to get to know each other as adults, as friends and as family. What do you say?”
“I think that would be a hell of an idea. Let’s have another coffee and some pie to celebrate.”
That’s what we did. We had two pieces of pie each and talked about everything but the past. It was when we’d almost talked ourselves to death that I threw out an idea.
“How about we go see your friend together? I can hopefully keep you from committing murder, and we’d both get some closure on another chapter. What do you say?” I’m not sure how good an idea this is, but while we’re hashing shit out, it would be another thing to put to bed.
Sitting at the end of the driveway to the farm, it all looks remarkably unremarkable.
I was expecting something fancier than just a log house and a dirt yard.
No one answered when we knocked, but there are signs that someone lives here.
Smoke from the chimney was my contribution to that, and Ghost pointed out cameras covering the yard and all around the house.
There’s a beat-up truck parked near an old barn and chickens running around.
“Let’s just sit on the porch and wait for whoever is coming.” Ghost takes a seat in a rocker and looks as if he belongs there.
“What makes you think someone is coming, Ghost?” I’m not ready to call him anything else yet, but I don’t bristle as much now when he calls me son.
“You don’t go to all the trouble of having cameras and motion detectors and not know when someone comes calling.
They’ll be along presently, and when they get here, stay calm and loose.
No sudden moves, and no matter what happens or what he says, don’t lose your temper.
Best just leave this to me for the time being. ”
We sit in silence for about five minutes when Ghost looks to his right, which is behind me. I move to turn when he shakes his head slightly. I don’t hear anything, but he nods at someone and waits. I’m surprised by the voice that speaks up.
“What can I do for you boys? I’m not used to coming home and finding strangers on my porch.
” It’s a young woman's voice, and it’s musical and lilting.
I start to turn, and her voice changes in an instant to something hard and downright scary.
“Don’t move, mister. My boys will tear you to pieces before you're halfway out of that rocker.”
Ghost looks at me as though to say, ‘I told you no sudden moves.’
“I’m sorry, miss. You and your boys are safe around me. I have no desire to be torn to pieces by whatever your boys may be, or yourself for that matter.” Relaxing back into the chair, I raise my eyebrows at Ghost.
“I’m looking for your father, Wolf,” Ghost says quietly, without moving I notice. “Is he here?”
“How do you know him, and what do you want with him?” Her voice hasn’t gone back to that musical tone, and it has even more steel in it now.
“I served with him, we were like brothers, and we have unfinished business,” Ghost states in what I assume is his best polite voice.
“You stand up. Your friend stays put.”
I start to turn to say something when a growl stops me in my tracks. My blood runs cold and I ask, “Please tell me that was you growling and not one of your boys.”
“It was one of the boys. He needs some reminding that he stays quiet until told otherwise. Sit still, and you’ll be fine. For now. You, turn around slowly, all the way round, arms straight out to the sides.” She is obviously checking Ghost out for weapons, and it sounds like she knows her stuff.
“Your father taught you well. You’re a credit to him. Is he here?” Ghost’s voice has an edge to it, but I think I notice it more than she does.
“My father is always here. What do you want with him?” Her voice has softened slightly, but not enough for me to turn and look at her.
“I’d like to talk to him, if I may.”
“You can talk to him, but you won’t get an answer. If you were such a good friend, you’d know that.”
“I’m sorry for your loss. When did he die, Salem?” Ghost looks at me.
“How do you know my name?”
“You were supposed to be named Wraith. The Scottish word for a ghost. Your mother named you Salem when you were in the hospital and registered it to spite your father.”
“How could you know that and not know he was dead?” She sounds angry at Ghost's revelation.
“I know because you were supposed to be named after me. I’m Ghost. Your father and I were very close, but I had to disappear for a while. I’ve only just been able to resurface.”
“Well, any business you may have had with him, died with him. The farm is legally mine and there is very little money, so if you came for anything other than a quick hello, you’re out of luck.”
“There’s nothing I want from you. How did he die?”
“He was killed up on the mountain. A logging truck ran him off the road”
“Excuse me, but can I move now?” I ask, definitely without moving.
There are two resounding no’s.
“Oh, come on. The boys are going to make sure I don’t do anything stupid. My ass is dying here.” It’s not, but I’m just wanting to get a look at this Salem and be more than just an observer, or listener should I say.
“Stand up slowly and then stand by your friend. Anything else and the boys get to chow down on your dying ass.”
Turning to stand by Ghost, I stop halfway when I see the redhead before me.
She is no more than 5’6”, her flaming red hair is tied in a long ponytail, and freckles cover her cheeks and the bridge of her nose.
She has huge ice-blue eyes that look right into my soul.
She’s dressed like a hillbilly in denim coveralls and a checked shirt.
Her work boots look huge on her feet, yet she is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.
She is more woman than I have ever set eyes on and as shapely as any model could wish to be.
Feeling something nudge me, I take no notice until I hear my name almost shouted in my ear.
“Thorn. You’ve seen a woman before.” Ghost nudges me again.
“Not one like that I haven’t, Pa.” I stand there like a shop dummy staring.
“I guess he doesn’t get out much. Come on. Follow me to the house.” Walking away towards the side of the barn, we follow her.
She takes a trail through the trees, and I am very conscious of the way she moves.
Her hips sway provocatively, and I hear Ghost saying something, but it doesn’t register.
In a small clearing, we come to another log cabin, and it looks amazing.
It could grace the cover of a magazine. The roof is pitched at a steep angle with large windows jutting out.
The first floor is surrounded by a deep wraparound porch and each window has wooden shutters folded back against the walls.
Entering the cabin, she leads us to a kitchen area and a table with stools around it. “Sit, and I’ll get coffee. Don’t think you’re trusted yet. The boys will watch you while my back’s turned.
Taking notice of the boys for the first time, there is a Malinois and a Rottweiler. The Rottweiler looks enormous and mean, but the Malinois looks way meaner. It looks at you, and you can see that whatever it is thinking, it is wiser not to know.
Once we have coffee, Ghost and Salem sit talking while I just sit and stare.
Catching occasional snippets, I gathered her father died around the same time that he was going to take me on, but she didn’t know anything about it.
She wasn’t aware of any money that changed hands and what was in the bank she used to take care of herself and her education.
There was no other family, her mother having left before she reached her teens and had never been back or tried to contact.
Ghost and Salem are sitting quietly, and I’m suddenly the object of attention. Staring back at them, I am acutely aware of their interest and ask them in the most basic way ever.
“What? What?”
Salem tips her head to one side and looks down at my side.
Glancing to where she’s looking, I realize that I’m scratching the Rottweiler behind its ear and it is staring up at me, drooling.
Slowly withdrawing my hand, the dog leans forward and rubs his head into my palm.
Fearing what he might do if I keep drawing away, I go back to scratching him, and he half-closes his eyes in what I hope is bliss.
I note the Malinois is sitting several feet away but staring with a decidedly different and unfriendly look.
“It seems that Bruno has taken a liking to you, which is very unusual. Spectre, however, still has the jury out on that. I wouldn’t push your luck and try to scratch Spectre’s ears.
He is not a touchy-feely type of dog, unless he’s using his teeth that is.
” Salem looks at her dogs and then at me.
I don’t get quite the same loving gaze, but I’ll take any look I can get.
“Come on, Thorn. We got our answers. Now we know what happened and why you’ve been on your own. Let’s leave Salem to her peace and quiet.” Ghost stands and Spectre instantly shifts his focus to him.
“Anytime you want to stop by, feel free. I don’t get many friendly visitors, hence all the security. I’m sorry that I didn’t know what you’d arranged with Wolf. It would have been nice to have had someone to grow up with.” Salem looks at me and I blush furiously.
“I better take him home before he embarrasses himself more than he already has. I’m sorry about Wolf, Salem. He was a good man.”
“He was one of the best, Ghost. I never called him anything other than Wolf, but I always think of him as Pa, even now. Do you think that would have bothered him?”
“He always thought of you as Wraith. We in the squad knew you as both Salem and Wraith, but he only called you Wraith when he spoke of you.”
“I think Wraith is a beautiful name. I’d like to call you that.” The thought is out and in words before I realize it.
“When you can scratch Spectre behind the ear, then you get to call me Wraith.”
Ghost cuffs me up the side of the head and then puts his arms around my shoulders, dragging me away. “Come on, Casanova. Let’s get you out of here before you take your life in your hands and try to pet that werewolf she calls Spectre.”