CHAPTER 5: AFTER THE MEET

Jack sat with Lisa the rest of the meet and answered her questions once again back to normal, even if he didn't feel normal. She was a nice lady, and he was sort of attracted to her. She had something about her more than looks that attracted him. He smiled and laughed when she asked really bad questions or mispronounce something.

"What's a Tin Hut? Why are they telling them Tin Hut?"

"Tin Hut is Attention."

"Why don't they just say Attention."

"Because it sounds like they want you to pay attention rather than snap to the position attention." Jack laughed.

"Yeah I guess that sounds better." Lisa almost grabbed Jack's arm as she saw her daughter march her team out to the ready line. "Oh there she is. God I'm to scared to watch for her."

"She'll do great. Thomas seems to have faith in her and that's hard to earn from him." Jack said watching as the girl took his advice.

Her nerves wore away some as she breathed in, maybe the man was right. Where was her father? He was suppose to be here. She scanned the crowd one more time to find him standing in the doorway of the foyer. She smiled, he was here, she could do this no problem, to show him what she was capable of.

She marched through the routine never once going out of bounds. They were prefect, the same people minus the reader, and head cadet of the table, marched with her. They were in step, almost as if they were one body in multiple bodies. They were in line, perfectly even on their wheels which where hard to do because it was like having a pole through your back and than trying to turn while staying in a line, a fan motion almost.

When she finished she did not cheer, there could always be things she missed. She walked back to the room and undid her uniform she was finished for the day already having done the drill team routine. She walked back out and found her father.

"You did a great job out there honey. I'm proud of you. Where is your mom?" Her father said not really seeming interested.

"over there." She nodded her head.

Her father saw Lisa sitting next to a man smiling and talking. She was leaning close, it looked almost as if she was flirting with him. Dave was half tempted to walk over a make a scene, but he decided to stay where he was.

It seemed like forever for both Liz and Lisa while they waited for the last color guard to go and the score tallies to be calculated.

Finally the Colonel called for all Cadets to form on the floor. Each cadet grabbed a cover, most of them war berets. They formed one big mass formation all standing at attention, each in their own little cluster according to school.

"Parade Rest." The Colonel ordered in a crisp voice.

Sergeant Dansizen stood by the trophy table ready to hand the Colonel the trophies for the winners.

Liz listened as the Colonel handed out the third, second place trophies for the drill teams. The third place going to the Army Unit from Manual, the second to the Navy from Woodroof, and finally he got to first place and the only Air Force Unit there won. The Colonel congratulated the cadets of those teams and went on to the Color Guard teams. When he finally reached first place Liz began to wonder if she had screwed it for the team. The Colonel stayed quiet, it seemed a few seconds longer before he read the winner, "AIR FORCE JROTC FROM CENTRAL" He was happy and very proud of Liz who marched up unable to keep the smile off her face as she took the trophy from him.

The Unit did their best that year taking first in all events and winning the overall competition. The foyer cleared out as the janitors came in to clear the chairs out. Thomas ordered Liz to supervise getting all of the equipment back to the unit so he could go talk to Jack.

Dave rushed over to the Colonel ready to impress the man, "If it's ok sir I'd like to take all the Cadets out to celebrate. Pizza of course you and Sgt. Dansizen would join right sir?"

"Sure." The colonel knew that was Liz's father and he disliked the man some.

Lisa toyed with the option of asking Jack back to her house. She didn't want to sleep with him and didn't want him to get the wrong impression, but she did want to get to know him. There was so much there to him and she was attracted to him. He made her laugh and he seemed really nice. "Jack would you like to join me at my house for a drink? Liz will be out celebrating and maybe you could explain some more of this stuff to me so I'm not so clueless when my daughter speaks to me about it."

Jack smiled at her, he wanted to go back just to talk to her, she made him smile and he was attracted to her, but he had the meeting with the Colonel.

"Excuse me Lisa let me steal Jack for one moment." Thomas said interrupting before Jack could answer.

Once they were out of earshot of everyone Thomas asked, "Are you going to be home later tonight?"

"Yes sir." Jack said confused.

"Ok I gotta go out with Liz's father." Thomas saw the look on Jack's face a knew he was interested in Lisa, "They are divorced, he's taking the kids out for Pizza. But I'll come by afterwards."

"Yes sir. If I'm not there I'm having a drink with Lisa and getting my wallet back." Jack said smiling he could go and have a drink. A harmless little drink that all it was.

"Ok. I'll wait for you. You still hiding the spare key in the same spot?"

"Where you told me yeah." Jack answered.

"If you are not there I'll let myself in."

"yes sir."