Chapter 13
Jeff Tracy grimaced as the vidphone rang its dulcet tones. Why on earth he had let the boys program that obnoxious "Lost in Space" theme to play sometimes made him wonder about his and their sanity.
The last weeks had been more than busy, they had been frenetic. Thanks to Kyrano in Asia, he still had a business to hang on to, but as soon as Alan finished school and Gordon was sent off to the Academy then he would have to take an extended trip to the far east. His mother was going to take Alan for the summer and the rest of the boys were busy in the service.
Gordon's graduation had gone off without a hitch, he didn't come in top of the class, but a good standing. Thankfully, he didn't want a big party and seemed to be settling down, at least the house wasn't filled with his noisy friends. Matter of fact, he couldn't remember when the boys had their last party.
He hit the call button plastering a polite smile on his face. The smile changed to a genuine one when he saw who was calling.
"General Travis!" Jeff greeted an old Air Force buddy from way back.
"Colonel Tracy, good to see you. You are looking fit."
"You mean for a civilian?" Jeff smiled. The general was ten years older than him, but still looked like he ate nails for lunch and junior officers for snacks.
General Travis gave a bark of laughter. "I saw your son, Scott last week in Houston. He sends greetings."
Jeff smiled even broader. "How is he?"
"Might even be a better pilot than you someday." Travis smiled.
"I'm sure he will." Jeff Tracy didn't over emphasize his own accomplishments, but he was more than happy to be over prideful of his sons.
"Scott mentioned that young Gordon should be going to the Academy next month."
"Just following the Tracy family tradition."
"I hate to say this Jeff." The General looked serious. "But he isn't enrolled. I went to check out his papers and there is no application from Gordon Tracy."
"Could it be some snafu in communications?" Jeff looked slightly worried.
"I've run a quick check on my side, but I thought I'd give you a head's up. If you can let me know when the application was mailed in I can pull the strings from this side. Maybe we can shoehorn the boy in. I think the service is ready for more Tracy's."
"Thanks Orrin. I'll get on it from my side. My love to your wife."
"Will do."
Jeff gave a big sigh as the vid warbled almost immediately on him cutting the connection. This time it was business. One small part of his brain was going through possible scenarios for this latest imbroglio with Gordon. Much as he loved his son, he was secretly looking forwards to the boy moving out of the house so he could have some peace and quiet.
After the call, Jeff made his way up to Gordon's room. He found the room empty, which wasn't surprising for a bright June day. It looked like Gordon was getting ready to leave, school books were in a neat pile on his desk and clothes seemed to be less thrown around and more tidied into drawers and closets. Jeff felt his fingers twitch as he neared the desk and its piles of papers. It would be so easy to do a quick search, but he had to trust the boy.
"Father?" Gordon had come quietly into the room. He looked tired. Jeff's eyes narrowed looking for signs of dissolution. Virgil had gone through one phase in his last year of high school bordering on overindulgence in beer. Luckily, he had gotten so hung over one weekend that seemed to have made a strong enough impression on him to forego any more binges.
"Are you looking for something?" Gordon's eyes moved to the papers on the desk.
"Your application to the Air Force Academy has gone missing. Can you tell me when..." Jeff began.
"I never sent it."
"If we know when it was sent then..." the words sunk in. "What do you mean you never sent it?" Jeff heard the sharp tone in his voice and then repeated more slowly. "What do you mean never sent it?"
"Just what I said Father, I never sent it." Gordon's chin shot up. "Going to the Air Force Academy was your idea, not mine."
"Of all the irresponsible, hair brained ideas you have Gordon, why throw away your future?" Jeff could find himself getting mad. Really mad.
"I didn't want to go!" Gordon shouted back. "You just thought I was going to do everything your way! Well, I didn't!"
"Just what were you thinking? If you were thinking at all!" Jeff was furious. "You threw away your future at the Academy just like that!" He snapped his fingers.
"I didn't want to go!" Gordon repeated.
"You don't know what you want! You are being totally irresponsible!" Jeff was winding himself up even more. The phone in the study began to warble demandingly.
"I do know what I want!" Gordon shouted to his father who was torn between the shouting match and the demanding ascending call of the phone.
"I'll talk to you later." Jeff pointed a finger at the young man.
"It's always later!" Gordon shouted to his father's retreating back. "You never listen any more." He said in a lower tone to himself. He threw himself on his bed and pulled out his phone. His finger hit the quick dial.
"Hello Charlotte? Can I see you? Now? Yeah I'll meet you at the usual place."
Jeff was deep in his call when he heard the front door slam. "Look buy up as many of the options as you can. If I have to liquidate some assets, I will. No one is going to take over Tracy Industries, not if I can help it."
Charlotte and Gordon had taken to meeting in the basement of the youth club ever since Em had her accident. It seemed that no one had wanted to see him around the Jones place and his father always looked pained when Charlotte showed up at his home.
Charlotte flew into his arms.
"Oh Gordon, you look so sad." She cooed at him. "What is the matter?"
"My father found out about the Air Force Academy." Gordon said glumly and pulled the girl to sit next to him on the couch. She snuggled up to him trustingly raising her blue eyes to his face. "He blew a fuse. He said I was being irresponsible."
"Oh, but that isn't true!" Charlotte defended him stoutly. "You are a wonderful person Gordon. So true and fair! It's why..." She lowered her eyes demurely. "It's why I love you. I want to help you Gordon."
"Just being here with me is enough." Gordon said warmly and gave her a hug. "Just talking to you makes me feel better."
"If only we didn't have to go behind our father's backs. We should be together."
Gordon was silent for a moment.
"You don't love me? Is that it Gordon? Oh, I have made such a fool of myself." Charlotte broke into tears. Sobs that shook her shoulders and tears that left silver tracks down her face. She dabbed at her eyes delicately, knowing that she looked good while crying.
"Aw, no! Charlotte. I - I love you too! I just don't know how things will go when I'm in the Navy."
"If - if we were married..." she prodded carefully. "My hero, my heart of flame..."
"Charlotte...I'm not sure." Gordon began.
"Martha has been so distant and Daddy so mean. Please Gordon, for both of us?" She held his hand to her tear streaked cheek and kissed it lovingly.
"All right. We'll do it. I'll show Father just how responsible I can be."
"Oh, Gordon darling! You have made me so happy!" Charlotte bestowed an enthusiastic kiss on him. "We can go tomorrow. Drive across the border and I will be Mrs. Gordon Tracy!" Charlotte bounced happily on the sofa, all traces of tears gone.
Jeff Tracy grimaced as the vidphone rang its dulcet tones. Why on earth he had let the boys program that obnoxious "Lost in Space" theme to play sometimes made him wonder about his and their sanity.
The last weeks had been more than busy, they had been frenetic. Thanks to Kyrano in Asia, he still had a business to hang on to, but as soon as Alan finished school and Gordon was sent off to the Academy then he would have to take an extended trip to the far east. His mother was going to take Alan for the summer and the rest of the boys were busy in the service.
Gordon's graduation had gone off without a hitch, he didn't come in top of the class, but a good standing. Thankfully, he didn't want a big party and seemed to be settling down, at least the house wasn't filled with his noisy friends. Matter of fact, he couldn't remember when the boys had their last party.
He hit the call button plastering a polite smile on his face. The smile changed to a genuine one when he saw who was calling.
"General Travis!" Jeff greeted an old Air Force buddy from way back.
"Colonel Tracy, good to see you. You are looking fit."
"You mean for a civilian?" Jeff smiled. The general was ten years older than him, but still looked like he ate nails for lunch and junior officers for snacks.
General Travis gave a bark of laughter. "I saw your son, Scott last week in Houston. He sends greetings."
Jeff smiled even broader. "How is he?"
"Might even be a better pilot than you someday." Travis smiled.
"I'm sure he will." Jeff Tracy didn't over emphasize his own accomplishments, but he was more than happy to be over prideful of his sons.
"Scott mentioned that young Gordon should be going to the Academy next month."
"Just following the Tracy family tradition."
"I hate to say this Jeff." The General looked serious. "But he isn't enrolled. I went to check out his papers and there is no application from Gordon Tracy."
"Could it be some snafu in communications?" Jeff looked slightly worried.
"I've run a quick check on my side, but I thought I'd give you a head's up. If you can let me know when the application was mailed in I can pull the strings from this side. Maybe we can shoehorn the boy in. I think the service is ready for more Tracy's."
"Thanks Orrin. I'll get on it from my side. My love to your wife."
"Will do."
Jeff gave a big sigh as the vid warbled almost immediately on him cutting the connection. This time it was business. One small part of his brain was going through possible scenarios for this latest imbroglio with Gordon. Much as he loved his son, he was secretly looking forwards to the boy moving out of the house so he could have some peace and quiet.
After the call, Jeff made his way up to Gordon's room. He found the room empty, which wasn't surprising for a bright June day. It looked like Gordon was getting ready to leave, school books were in a neat pile on his desk and clothes seemed to be less thrown around and more tidied into drawers and closets. Jeff felt his fingers twitch as he neared the desk and its piles of papers. It would be so easy to do a quick search, but he had to trust the boy.
"Father?" Gordon had come quietly into the room. He looked tired. Jeff's eyes narrowed looking for signs of dissolution. Virgil had gone through one phase in his last year of high school bordering on overindulgence in beer. Luckily, he had gotten so hung over one weekend that seemed to have made a strong enough impression on him to forego any more binges.
"Are you looking for something?" Gordon's eyes moved to the papers on the desk.
"Your application to the Air Force Academy has gone missing. Can you tell me when..." Jeff began.
"I never sent it."
"If we know when it was sent then..." the words sunk in. "What do you mean you never sent it?" Jeff heard the sharp tone in his voice and then repeated more slowly. "What do you mean never sent it?"
"Just what I said Father, I never sent it." Gordon's chin shot up. "Going to the Air Force Academy was your idea, not mine."
"Of all the irresponsible, hair brained ideas you have Gordon, why throw away your future?" Jeff could find himself getting mad. Really mad.
"I didn't want to go!" Gordon shouted back. "You just thought I was going to do everything your way! Well, I didn't!"
"Just what were you thinking? If you were thinking at all!" Jeff was furious. "You threw away your future at the Academy just like that!" He snapped his fingers.
"I didn't want to go!" Gordon repeated.
"You don't know what you want! You are being totally irresponsible!" Jeff was winding himself up even more. The phone in the study began to warble demandingly.
"I do know what I want!" Gordon shouted to his father who was torn between the shouting match and the demanding ascending call of the phone.
"I'll talk to you later." Jeff pointed a finger at the young man.
"It's always later!" Gordon shouted to his father's retreating back. "You never listen any more." He said in a lower tone to himself. He threw himself on his bed and pulled out his phone. His finger hit the quick dial.
"Hello Charlotte? Can I see you? Now? Yeah I'll meet you at the usual place."
Jeff was deep in his call when he heard the front door slam. "Look buy up as many of the options as you can. If I have to liquidate some assets, I will. No one is going to take over Tracy Industries, not if I can help it."
Charlotte and Gordon had taken to meeting in the basement of the youth club ever since Em had her accident. It seemed that no one had wanted to see him around the Jones place and his father always looked pained when Charlotte showed up at his home.
Charlotte flew into his arms.
"Oh Gordon, you look so sad." She cooed at him. "What is the matter?"
"My father found out about the Air Force Academy." Gordon said glumly and pulled the girl to sit next to him on the couch. She snuggled up to him trustingly raising her blue eyes to his face. "He blew a fuse. He said I was being irresponsible."
"Oh, but that isn't true!" Charlotte defended him stoutly. "You are a wonderful person Gordon. So true and fair! It's why..." She lowered her eyes demurely. "It's why I love you. I want to help you Gordon."
"Just being here with me is enough." Gordon said warmly and gave her a hug. "Just talking to you makes me feel better."
"If only we didn't have to go behind our father's backs. We should be together."
Gordon was silent for a moment.
"You don't love me? Is that it Gordon? Oh, I have made such a fool of myself." Charlotte broke into tears. Sobs that shook her shoulders and tears that left silver tracks down her face. She dabbed at her eyes delicately, knowing that she looked good while crying.
"Aw, no! Charlotte. I - I love you too! I just don't know how things will go when I'm in the Navy."
"If - if we were married..." she prodded carefully. "My hero, my heart of flame..."
"Charlotte...I'm not sure." Gordon began.
"Martha has been so distant and Daddy so mean. Please Gordon, for both of us?" She held his hand to her tear streaked cheek and kissed it lovingly.
"All right. We'll do it. I'll show Father just how responsible I can be."
"Oh, Gordon darling! You have made me so happy!" Charlotte bestowed an enthusiastic kiss on him. "We can go tomorrow. Drive across the border and I will be Mrs. Gordon Tracy!" Charlotte bounced happily on the sofa, all traces of tears gone.