D.J. and Amelia were laying side by side watching the stars dance on the inky black creek water.
"Do you think life gets any better then this?" D..J. asked pulling Am closer to him with his strong arms
Amelia sighed and allowed herself to be drawn to him
"I don't see how it could"
They could hear their Anthony and Billy talking quietly with their girls Mary and Jessica in the thicket nearby by the most disturbing sound was when their ears were met with a
"Oh no you are not." Coming from Eve she was definitely hers mothers daughter and if she was upset the world knew it.
"He must have told her." Daniel Junior mumbled under his breath.
"Told her what?" His girlfriend stared at him confused
"Ok, I have something to tell you and you have to promise not to scream at me until I'm all done."
"That basically means I'm going to be mad doesn't it?"
"Well yes but listen. Am…" He took her hand in his and stared into her hazel eyes "John and I, we signed up yesterday after school, we're going to Vietnam."
"Please god tell me you're joking."
"No I'm not."
"D.J. what possessed you? What does you're mother and father think?"
"Well they don't know yet. I think my father will be okay with it, Annaly she's another story."
"Why?"
"Because I'm a excellent pilot and our country needs me."
"Most you be so cocky all the time?"
"I can't help it my dad says it comes from being around your father all my life."
"D.J. please don't go?"
"I have to Amelia is my duty."
"Then be careful I can't loose you."
"I will, and you won't"
He kissed her sweetly and she deepened it passionately and well one thing lead to another. It wasn't the first they had done it but it was definitely the most meaningful.
Mean while
Rafe was sitting quietly on the couch flipping the channels on the black in white set the Anthony had talked him into. He scanned the ban which at the time consisted of four channels and they were occupied by the president.
"I wonder what the kids are up to." Brenda stated draping her arms around her husbands shoulders from behind. Rafe reached over his shoulder and grasped her wrist pulling her around front onto his lap.
"I'm sure they're fine."
"We haven't sat like this in a long time."
"We haven't had the house to ourselves in 18 years."
"True."
"Let's make tonight special." Rafe walked over to the family stereo and starting spinning the record with their wedding song on it. Let it never be said that Rafe McCawley is not a romantic person.
"Mrs. McCawley may I have this dance?" He extended his hand to and she took it.
"You still dance as well as you did when we got married."
"That's good because you're still as beautiful as you were when we got married."
"You are very sly Rafe McCawley."
"I try." He leaned down and his lips softly brushed hers.
The front door slammed shut and they could hear the sound of angry foot steps storming up the stairs to the bed rooms. The sound of who's tears they were was muffled by the hardwood floor and the music still spilling from the record player.
"Which one was that?" Brenda asked as the romance drained from the night.
The door opened again and Tony and Billy came rushing inside
"Where's Am?" Billy panted out of breath from chasing her
"Up stairs." Rafe answered as William ran up to check on her
"What's wrong with your sister?" Brenda queried looking at Tony
"D.J. is going to Nam."
"Oh god." Was the response of both Rafe and his pretty redheaded wife.
At Danny's house
"No you're not!"
"Mom I'm not a little boy any more and I'm going to go. Dad tell your wife it's time to cut the apron strings." D.J. leaned against the kitchen sink as Annaly and Evelyn sat crying at the table and Danny paced the kitchen.
"Sorry son but I agree with your mother on this one." Danny countered as he continued to pace. "I've seen war Junior it's not pretty. I watched my friends die so are you ready for that? Even worse then that what if your friends have to watch you die?"
"I can do it Dad you know how I fly."
"Yeah and your uncle Rafe and I were one and two at our flight school and we both crashed. We thought he was dead and my friend Anthony died when I went down. No one is that great of a pilot son not even you."
Evelyn was still sobbing at the table at this time and she draw a weary breath before raising her head and looking at her older brother.
"D.J. you yourself and John back alive for me alright?"
"Eve I give you my word."
Eve nodded and looked back down at her hands
"Hey Eve have I ever let you down?"
"No."
"Then don't worry about it. I'll take care of your man and myself."
It was time for a subject change
"Alright everyone I think it's time we all go to bed, we've got to get up early for church in the morning." Annaly stood up and walked out of the room, everyone else following silently.
"Do you think life gets any better then this?" D..J. asked pulling Am closer to him with his strong arms
Amelia sighed and allowed herself to be drawn to him
"I don't see how it could"
They could hear their Anthony and Billy talking quietly with their girls Mary and Jessica in the thicket nearby by the most disturbing sound was when their ears were met with a
"Oh no you are not." Coming from Eve she was definitely hers mothers daughter and if she was upset the world knew it.
"He must have told her." Daniel Junior mumbled under his breath.
"Told her what?" His girlfriend stared at him confused
"Ok, I have something to tell you and you have to promise not to scream at me until I'm all done."
"That basically means I'm going to be mad doesn't it?"
"Well yes but listen. Am…" He took her hand in his and stared into her hazel eyes "John and I, we signed up yesterday after school, we're going to Vietnam."
"Please god tell me you're joking."
"No I'm not."
"D.J. what possessed you? What does you're mother and father think?"
"Well they don't know yet. I think my father will be okay with it, Annaly she's another story."
"Why?"
"Because I'm a excellent pilot and our country needs me."
"Most you be so cocky all the time?"
"I can't help it my dad says it comes from being around your father all my life."
"D.J. please don't go?"
"I have to Amelia is my duty."
"Then be careful I can't loose you."
"I will, and you won't"
He kissed her sweetly and she deepened it passionately and well one thing lead to another. It wasn't the first they had done it but it was definitely the most meaningful.
Mean while
Rafe was sitting quietly on the couch flipping the channels on the black in white set the Anthony had talked him into. He scanned the ban which at the time consisted of four channels and they were occupied by the president.
"I wonder what the kids are up to." Brenda stated draping her arms around her husbands shoulders from behind. Rafe reached over his shoulder and grasped her wrist pulling her around front onto his lap.
"I'm sure they're fine."
"We haven't sat like this in a long time."
"We haven't had the house to ourselves in 18 years."
"True."
"Let's make tonight special." Rafe walked over to the family stereo and starting spinning the record with their wedding song on it. Let it never be said that Rafe McCawley is not a romantic person.
"Mrs. McCawley may I have this dance?" He extended his hand to and she took it.
"You still dance as well as you did when we got married."
"That's good because you're still as beautiful as you were when we got married."
"You are very sly Rafe McCawley."
"I try." He leaned down and his lips softly brushed hers.
The front door slammed shut and they could hear the sound of angry foot steps storming up the stairs to the bed rooms. The sound of who's tears they were was muffled by the hardwood floor and the music still spilling from the record player.
"Which one was that?" Brenda asked as the romance drained from the night.
The door opened again and Tony and Billy came rushing inside
"Where's Am?" Billy panted out of breath from chasing her
"Up stairs." Rafe answered as William ran up to check on her
"What's wrong with your sister?" Brenda queried looking at Tony
"D.J. is going to Nam."
"Oh god." Was the response of both Rafe and his pretty redheaded wife.
At Danny's house
"No you're not!"
"Mom I'm not a little boy any more and I'm going to go. Dad tell your wife it's time to cut the apron strings." D.J. leaned against the kitchen sink as Annaly and Evelyn sat crying at the table and Danny paced the kitchen.
"Sorry son but I agree with your mother on this one." Danny countered as he continued to pace. "I've seen war Junior it's not pretty. I watched my friends die so are you ready for that? Even worse then that what if your friends have to watch you die?"
"I can do it Dad you know how I fly."
"Yeah and your uncle Rafe and I were one and two at our flight school and we both crashed. We thought he was dead and my friend Anthony died when I went down. No one is that great of a pilot son not even you."
Evelyn was still sobbing at the table at this time and she draw a weary breath before raising her head and looking at her older brother.
"D.J. you yourself and John back alive for me alright?"
"Eve I give you my word."
Eve nodded and looked back down at her hands
"Hey Eve have I ever let you down?"
"No."
"Then don't worry about it. I'll take care of your man and myself."
It was time for a subject change
"Alright everyone I think it's time we all go to bed, we've got to get up early for church in the morning." Annaly stood up and walked out of the room, everyone else following silently.