Chapter 9 Following His Fathers Footsteps #2
The brothers hugged.
Travis stepped back and looked at Tan's uniform.
"Man."
"What?"
"Nothing."
Travis smiled.
"I'm proud of you."
Tan immediately became suspicious.
"Who are you and where's my brother?"
"I'm serious."
"You sick?"
Travis shoved him.
"Forget it."
Tan laughed and hugged him again.
"Love you too."
Ella came rushing down the stairs next.
At twenty, she had inherited nearly all of Eva's personality and absolutely none of her patience.
She was home from nursing school for the weekend and had spent the previous evening telling everyone at dinner that she didn't know why anyone voluntarily chose a profession involving blood, bodily fluids, and people who refused to follow medical instructions.
Eva had stared at her.
"You are literally studying to become a nurse."
"I know. It's concerning."
Today Ella wore a soft yellow dress and had styled her natural curls around her shoulders.
The moment she reached Tan, she burst into tears.
He groaned.
"Not you too."
"I'm happy!"
"Everybody keeps saying that while crying."
She threw her arms around him.
"You look so handsome."
"Thank you."
"And official."
"That's generally how uniforms work."
She hit his chest.
"Don't get smart."
"You started crying before nine in the morning."
"It's emotional."
She pulled back and grabbed his face with both hands.
"You better be careful."
Tan's smile softened.
"I will."
"No, seriously."
"I know."
"I don't want that phone call."
Something about her tone made him stop joking.
She'd spent her entire life as his little sister, but the woman standing in front of him wasn't a child anymore.
Tan covered her hand.
"You're not getting that phone call."
"You can't promise that."
"No."
He remembered Terrence's lessons.
Never promise what you couldn't control.
"But I can promise I'll do everything I can to come home."
Ella nodded.
"Okay."
Then she hugged him again.
Travis looked at his watch.
"If the emotional portion of today's program is finished, we're gonna miss the actual ceremony."
Eva grabbed her purse.
"Everybody outside."
Harold reached for the car keys.
Gloria picked up her handbag.
Terrence headed toward the door.
Tan stood still for one second.
His family moved around him.
Talking.
Laughing.
Arguing over who was riding with whom.
Ordinary chaos.
Once, he'd been a little boy who thought he had lost every person who loved him.
Today seven people were arguing about seating arrangements because none of them intended to miss the moment he became Officer Tan Lee David.
He looked upward briefly.
"Thank You."
Then he followed his family outside.
The academy auditorium was packed.
Families filled row after row carrying flowers, cameras, balloons, and handmade signs.
Uniformed officers stood along the walls.
Department officials gathered near the stage.
Tan sat with his graduating class while trying not to look repeatedly toward the section where his family had practically taken over two rows.
Gloria waved.
Tan pretended not to see her.
She waved harder.
The recruit beside him laughed.
"Your grandma?"
"Unfortunately."
"She's proud."
"She's embarrassing."
"You're smiling."
Tan stopped.
"Mind your business."
The ceremony began.
Names were called.
Awards presented.
Speeches delivered.
Tan listened as the academy commander spoke about responsibility and public trust, but his attention drifted occasionally toward Terrence.
His father sat beside Eva with one arm across the back of her chair.
Terrence wasn't smiling now.
His expression was serious.
Emotional.
Proud.
Tan remembered being five years old and seeing that same face kneeling in front of him near a crowded Los Angeles intersection.
My name is Officer Terrence David.
He hadn't known then that the stranger would become Dad.
He hadn't known that one day he'd wear the same uniform.
"Recruit Tan Lee David."
Tan stood.
His family erupted.
"THAT'S MY BABY!"
Eva.
Tan closed his eyes briefly.
Laughter spread through the auditorium.
Then Harold shouted,
"THAT'S MY GRANDSON!"
Gloria added,
"PRAISE GOD!"
Tan's classmates were laughing now.
Travis whistled loudly.
Ella screamed his name.
Even Terrence abandoned dignity and stood clapping.
Tan walked toward the stage grinning despite every attempt to appear professional.
He accepted his certificate.
Then came the badge-pinning ceremony.
Family members were allowed forward.
Tan had known for months who he wanted beside him.
Terrence approached.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
The academy photographer positioned them.
Terrence held the badge.
His fingers were steady.
Tan's weren't.
"Ready?" Terrence asked.
Tan nodded.
Terrence carefully pinned the badge onto his son's uniform.
The metal caught the stage lights.
There it was.
Real now.
Officer Tan Lee David.
Terrence placed his palm over the badge for one brief moment.
"Carry it right."
Tan looked into his father's eyes.
"I will."
Terrence pulled him into an embrace.
Applause filled the auditorium.
Tan closed his eyes.
For a moment, the years collapsed.
He was five again.
Being carried from the street.
Seven.
Calling Terrence Dad for the first time.
Thirteen.
Demanding answers neither of them had.
Eighteen.
Standing beside the intersection telling his father he wanted the academy.
And now—
Twenty-two.
Badge over his heart.
The same man beside him.
"You did it," Terrence whispered.
"We did it."
Terrence shook his head.
"No, son."
He stepped back.
"You did."
The backyard celebration lasted until nearly midnight.
Of course it did.
The Davids had invited half the neighborhood.
Raymond Carter arrived carrying an envelope and loudly announced that Tan owed him free speeding-ticket dismissals for life.
Tan explained that wasn't how law enforcement worked.
Raymond said he'd raised him better than that.
DeAndre Morris showed up wearing a Los Angeles Lakers jersey and immediately started telling anyone who would listen about the time Tan punched Bradley Foster in elementary school.
"First suspect he ever took down," DeAndre announced.
Tan pointed toward the gate.
"You can leave."
"Officer, are you threatening a civilian?"
"I'm begging you."
Mrs. Jenkins from down the street hugged Tan and reminded him that she had babysat him twice when he was eight, therefore he was legally obligated to patrol her block first.
Children from the neighborhood begged to touch his badge.
Several teenagers asked genuine questions about becoming police officers.
Terrence watched from near the grill as Tan patiently answered every one of them.
Harold joined him.
"You're staring."
"I know."
"Thinking about the day you found him?"
Terrence smiled.
"Always."
Harold watched Tan kneel beside a little boy who couldn't have been older than six.
"Life is something."
"Sure is."
"You worried?"
Terrence glanced at him.
"Every second."
"You never liked him choosing this."
"I didn't dislike it."
"You know what I mean."
Terrence looked across the yard.
"I know too much about this job."
Harold nodded.
"I know what can happen."
"You also know what good can happen."
"That's why I didn't stop him."
Harold slapped his son's shoulder.
"Can't protect grown children from living."
Terrence sighed.
"I preferred when they were little."
Harold laughed.
"No, you didn't."
"You're right."
"They were expensive and loud."
"They're still expensive and loud."
"Exactly."
Across the yard, Tan escaped the crowd for a moment and found Eva alone in the kitchen slicing cake.
"You hiding?"
She looked over.
"I'm getting more plates."
"You've been getting plates for ten minutes."
Eva smiled.
"Maybe I'm having a moment."
Tan leaned against the counter.
"You okay?"
She looked at him.
The sight of the uniform made her eyes shimmer again.
"Oh no."
Tan pointed at her.
"We're done crying."
Eva laughed.
"I remember washing blood off your little knees at the hospital."
Tan's expression softened.
"You barely talked."
"I remember."
"You wouldn't let go of that panda."
"Still wouldn't."
"I know."
She set the knife down.
"And now look at you."
Tan walked toward her.
"Mama."
Eva reached up and touched his cheek.
"I'm so proud of the man you've become."
He kissed her forehead.
"Thank you for taking me."
She frowned.
"Taking you?"
"Into the house."
"Into everything."
Eva stared at him.
"We didn't save you out of charity, Tan."
"I know."
"You became ours."
"I know that too."
"But sometimes I think about that phone call."
He smiled.
"You didn't even let Dad finish asking."
"I already knew."
"How?"
Eva considered the question.
"I don't know."
She laughed softly.
"I saw you at that hospital and something in my heart had already made room."
Tan hugged her.
"Love you, Mama."
"I love you more."
"Impossible."
"Don't argue with your mother on graduation day."
He laughed.
Later, when most guests had gone, Tan found Terrence sitting on the front porch.
Two glasses of iced tea rested on the small table beside him.
Tan sat down.
Terrence handed him one.
"You survived."
"Barely."
"Your grandmother has enough leftover food for three more parties."
"That's standard."
They sat in comfortable silence.
Eventually Tan asked,
"You ever regret becoming a cop?"
Terrence thought before answering.
"There were days I hated the job."
"That's not what I asked."
"I know."
Tan waited.
"No."
Terrence looked toward the quiet street.
"I regret certain decisions."
"I regret missing birthdays because somebody called out."
"I regret bringing stress home."
"There are people I couldn't save that I still think about."
"But becoming an officer?"
He shook his head.
"No."
Tan nodded.
Terrence turned toward him.
"You'll have regrets too."
"Probably."
"Just make sure they're the right kind."
Tan frowned.
"What's that mean?"
"Regret that you couldn't do more."
"Don't regret that you did something you knew was wrong."
Tan absorbed it.
"I can handle that."
"Good."
A car passed slowly.
Someone inside shouted,
"Congratulations, Tan!"
Tan waved.
Terrence smiled.
"You know this whole neighborhood thinks you're their personal police officer now."
"I've noticed."
"Set boundaries."
"Mrs. Jenkins already assigned me a patrol schedule."