Chapter 7
Karen saw the changes in her brother over the course of the next two months. He was becoming more aggressive but also aloof. He rarely acted like he cared about anything unless it had something to do with her. She noticed when they got back to school, he distanced himself from their parents. It was as if he was still trying to protect himself from their baggage. The phone calls to Mellie and Fitz all but stopped. She had to be the one to deliver messages to her parents.
In a weird way, their roles reversed. Compared to him now, she almost became shy one. Their relationship had remained intact however. It was comforting to know she still had her big brother.
One night, she went to his dorm room and saw him looking at a video. "What are you watching?" she asked.
He turned up the volume and she heard her mother's voice. He spun his iPad toward her. "She's been doing this all day and night for a couple of days. Trying to beef up her image," he explained.
They heard the exchange and Fitz stepping in for Mellie. Jerry turned it off and placed it on his dresser. "So they are still in it for political gains I see," he said.
"Jerry, you know it's never going to stop as long as dad is in office," Karen said.
"I know. So much for thinking one press conference was going to solve all these problems," he said.
Karen sighed. "You have to talk to them. I can't keep being the messenger."
"I didn't ask you to. I needed space and I still do. I don't want to get dragged into another fiasco because of them. But I do need to talk to dad about something. I'll call him tomorrow."
"Are you still angry with them?" she questioned.
He thought about it. "Not really. I'm just being cautious. Going head first into this didn't get us anywhere last time."
"Don't take too long though," Karen said. Jerry arched his eyebrow.
"I won't. Can you go back to your own room?" he asked.
"See you later," she said and walked out of his room.
Jerry pulled out his dressed drawer and took out a military brochure. He leaned against the headboard and opened it. This was going to be his future.
The following night…
Jerry stared at the phone in his hand for thirty minutes trying to think of the best way to tell his dad his news. "Just do it. You're a Grant remember." He dialed and waited for Fitz to answer.
Fitz sat in his office when the phone rang. He quickly picked it up.
"Liv," he said eagerly.
He didn't hear anything for a second. "No dad, it's me," Jerry said.
"Jerry," he said surprised. "It's been a while. How are you?"
"I'm good dad. So I guess Oliva is fine too," he said.
"Um, yeah. She's good. What's going on?" he asked.
"I saw the interview with mom. It seemed…genuine," Jerry commented shaking his head at how this was going.
"I told you I'll always-
"Dad, that's not what I wanted to talk about really. I've made a decision and I'm not backing out of it. Whatever you think, I'm not doing it because of what happened. It's not a reaction. I want to do this," he said.
Fitz straightened up in his chair worried. "What is it? What did you do?"
"I enlisted. I'm going to the Army," he said firmly.
Fitz felt his heart drop. His military experience came rushing back and he went quiet. His son going into the military was the last thing he wanted. He didn't think Jerry was cut out for the military.
"Jerry, why are you doing this?"
"I'm forging my own path dad," he said sighing. Explaining his decision was going to be harder than he thought. "It's time I step out of myself and do something different. I've been considering this for a while. Once I graduate, I start basic training. Don't fight me on this."
Fitz rubbed his forehead feeling a stress headache coming on. "Are you sure about this? Jerry, this isn't a light thing."
"I know. I've changed and I'm not the same kid that left Washington a couple of months ago. One thing I learned from you is that I have to be my own man. That's what I'm doing."
He had no comeback. His son sounded like a man and it scared him to know how much his choices influenced Jerry no matter how indirectly or directly. He also knew deep down this decision was a little reactionary. What could he do? His son was 18 and an adult.
"Have you told your mother?" he asked.
"Of course not. I wanted to tell you first," he responded.
Fitz nodded like Jerry could actually see him. "Why don't you come home for the weekend? We can-
"I can't. It's best I stay here away," he said coolly. "You and mom don't need me there anyway. I'll only interfere in whatever crisis comes up next."
A pain went through Fitz's heart. He was at a lost on how to reach his son again. "Would you at least call more often?"
"Yeah, I'll try. So how's Teddy?" he asked.
"Good. Misses his big brother," Fitz said smiling a little. Jerry smiled.
"I miss the kid too. Well, I should go. Good night dad," he said.
"Good night son," he responded as Jerry clicked off.
Jerry put his cell phone on the dresser. He had gotten it over with. He turned off his light and went to sleep.
Fitz walked into his bedroom to find Mellie sleeping. He took off his shoes and quietly slipped into bed. However, Mellie shifted and opened her eyes. Even in the dark she knew something was bothering him.
"What's wrong?" she asked sleepily.
"Nothing," he said. "Go back to sleep."
She sat up. "No. What is it?"
"I was waiting to tell you this in the morning. Jerry enlisted."
She reached for the lamp next to her. "He did what?"
"The Army. He enlisted," he said.
"When?" she questioned.
"I don't know. I assume last month or earlier this month," he answered. "It's his decision and there's no stopping him."
"So you are going to support this decision. Jerry isn't cut out for the military," she argued.
"He thinks he is. We've caused enough damage for a lifetime. He's his own man and it's time we start acting like it," Fitz said. "He's not backing out of this anytime soon. No matter how much we hate it we have to let him go or he will never come back to us."
Author's Note: Story will take a different direction.