Chapter 27
Zona and Timmy stood looking out across the blue water. They were used to pacific tropical paradises having spent the last 12 months in Guam but this was different. They were waiting for the boat to take them to the final resting place of the USS Arizona. Daniel had arranged it, the tickets were limited but nobody said no to a Marine Major, newly promoted, especially when his children had lost family in the bombing.
The boat arrived, Daniel helped them on with the rest of the visitors to the newly opened visitor's centre floating over the wreck.
"This is where your grandad died, bravely saving the lives of 17 sailors" he said gravely.
"Your grandfather wasn't Richard Jamison by any chance was he?" an elderly man wearing a USS Arizona hat with various badge made his way over leaning heavily on his cane. "he is the only man on there that saved 17 people, although there were a lot of heroic acts that happened that night" he reflected,
"Yes Sir" Timmy replied finding his voice, while Zona hid behind Daniel leg, tears running down her face, this new man was scary and scary men reminded her of daddy.
"I served on the USS Arizona, I was 18 years old when it sunk, I couldn't swim a single stroke, when I hit the water, I thought my goose was cooked" He paused at the kids confused looks, "it means I thought I was going to die. When a hand reached down and pulled me to the surface, he dragged me to a large piece of the ship, told me to hang on and kick, he was gone soon after saving the next one. He was a hero, I owe him my life, my children's life" the man began crying.
Timmy stood awkwardly, before going over and hugging him,
"Your grandfather was a hero," he muttered again, "What are your names?"
"My name is Timmy, Timmy Robbins, and this is my sister Arizona Robbins"
"Arizona you were named after the ship?" he bent down, to look at the little girl she nodded from her place behind Daniel's legs.
"Your grandfather would be proud, proud of you both, he was a good man,"
"A good man in a storm" Zona piped up.
"Yes, a good man in a storm. He served this country well" Suddenly the man stood at attention saluting both children and their dad.
Timmy saluted back as did Daniel while Zona carried on hiding. She felt safe from the stranger with Daniel in front of her.
"I could tell you some stories about your grandfather" he reflected, "I served with him for 6 months before the bombing, I expect you've heard them all before."
"No, actually they haven't they are adopted, so they know very little about their birth grandfather, anything you could tell them would be appreciated" Barbara chipped in.
"Of course, actually we have a reunion in a few weeks, just those that served, you should all come, I mean if you're still around, I know the lads would love to meet Dickie's kids," He offered. Both Zona and Timmy stared hopefully at Daniel and Barbara.
"We'd love too, Daniel just got posted here so we will be around"
"That's great, I'll let the lads know, it's a picnic at the waterfront memorial in the park, 2 Sundays' from now, I'll bring the photo's I have, I think a few have your grandfather in" He nodded, "You take care" before walking off.
"That was nice of him wasn't it" Barbara asked, both children nodded. Zona unpeeling herself from Daniels legs. Barbara bent down wiping her tears, "he was pretty scary wasn't he" she asked. Zona nodded, Daniel lifted her up placing her on his hip, at just turned 7 she was getting pretty heavy, luckily the marines kept him fit, as did skating every morning with Zona. They finished walking around the wreck returning to dry land and walking to the memorial of the US Arizona a stone with the names of the dead on it. At the bottom was flowers and flags.
"Let's place the notes we wrote to grandad here, so he can read them with the flowers and the flags" he suggested, both kids lay down their offerings Zona had drawn a family picture and wrote a poem while Timmy had written a page on why he was grateful for his service. Daniel saluted the memorial, Timmy copying.
"Why did they sink the ship?" Zona asked,
"Well, there was a war, between lots of countries, Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia, Japan, China, to name a few. America wasn't going to fight but the Japs they decided they wanted to hurt the people who lived here so they came over, there idea was to cripple the American military before we could even start the fight, because they were scared, and they were right to be" Daniel explained, "But our president at the time knew we had to fight, we had to stand up for what was right, to defend this country and the people that lived in it. So, he put a call out for people to serve, to fight. Lots of brave people answered his call and we fought, and we won. Those brave men, people like your grandfather they saved freedom, they saved our way of life." Daniel said passionately.
"Will they come back?" Zona asked her eyes wide as she stared out to sea as if hundreds of Japanese planes were about to swoop in again.
"Not while I serve," Daniel promised, "We move lots, I go away a lot to keep you safe, to make sure this country is safe, so this never happens again".
"That's why the strangers come up to dad when he is uniform and say thank you for your service" Barbara told them.
"Thank you, Major dad" Zona said,
"Thanks dad" Timmy agreed, "When I'm older I'm going to protect our country too" he said,
"I'm going to be a doctor, or a butterfly" Zona decided sticking with her original plan.
"That's great ideas guys, you can be whatever you want to be, as long as you work hard at school, although you might struggle to become a butterfly," Barbara smiled,
"As long as it's not army or air force, I could just about cope if you were a squid, like your grandad," Daniel suggested
"I'm going to be a Marine, like you" Timmy promised,
"Oorah" Daniel yelled fist pumping,
"Oorah" Timmy copied.
They walked back to the car driving to their base housing. They'd only been there one day, but already Zona and Daniel had been out scouting the local area.
Arriving home Zona and Timmy begged to take their bikes out, Daniel and Barbara consenting. The advantage of military housing on base was the low-speed limits and lack of other traffic.
"Okay, stay together, Timmy, look after your sister and wear your helmet, be back by dark" Daniel instructed, opening the garage helping them to get their bikes out.
They took off cycling towards the park Zona had seen earlier on her skating ride with Daniel.
"Timmy, Zona" a voice greeted them excitedly, from the swings a boy came running, they recognised Nick,
"Nick, how long have you been here?" Timmy asked hugging his friend, before Zona did,
"A week now, my dad got deployed here from Baltimore, what about you guys"
"We arrived yesterday from Guam."
"Awesome are you going to go to my school?" Nick asked,
"I guess so, it will be great, is Emily here?" Timmy asked looking around the park,
"She went to a friends house, she is too old to hang out at the park now" Nick said sadly, before brightening up, "You wanna play?" he asked, "We can do bike races"
"Awesome I'm really fast now" Timmy bragged.
"I'm faster" Nick bet,
"Okay let's race, you can try to Zona" Timmy offered. "Let's go from here around the block" he decided.
They lined up their bikes, "3, 2, 1, go" Timmy shouted as they all pedalled as fast as they could. Straight away Timmy and Nick pulled away from Zona, her little legs and little wheels not able to keep up with the old kids. As she crossed the finish line, Nick and Timmy had already dismounted.
"I won" Nick danced triumphantly,
"I losted" Zona pouted,
"It's probably because your bike is pink, and these don't help" he reached over pulling off the tassels from the handlebars. "We did about aerodynamics in school you have to streamline" he didn't expect her eyes to water, and tears to run down Zona's cheeks,
"My streamers" she cried, picking up the glittery strands from the floor holding it forlornly.
"It's okay it will go faster now" Nick said desperately trying to cheer the 7-year-old up. It didn't work as she sat on the floor crying. "Look give it a try" he begged, Zona wiped her tears getting onto her bike,
"Let's do another race" Nick suggested, "I bet you are much faster now" encouraged by her friends words. They all climbed on their bikes,
"3,2,1 Go" Timmy yelled pedalling as fast as he could.
Zona took off, the streamers getting caught in the wheel she made it 2metres before her bike jerked, and she went skidding across the gravel.
"Oww" she screamed, as her knee met the road then her elbow and head.
"Zona" Timmy cried doing a U turn, Nick following closely behind. Zona sat on the floor, blood running from her knee, elbow, and lip,
"Ow, ow, ow" she moaned in pain, "My bike doesn't work anymore" she complained,
"Come on Zona, we can fix it, can you walk" Timmy asked helping to pick the streamers from the wheel, hoping she could ride it home, Zona didn't answer instead sobbing. She was bleeding, her knee and elbow really hurt, more than that, she'd just moved countries again, she was overwhelmed, tired and now her bike was broken, there was no way it would go as fast or look as cool without its streamers. The tears came faster and faster, as both boys looked desperately at each other hoping the other would know what to do. Timmy tried to lift her up, but she refused too devastated to move,
"It's okay Zona" Timmy said, Nick joined him trying to console her but all it did was make her cry more. Both boys looked at each other hoping the other would know what to do. "We should go get an adult," He decided, "You're faster, ride home we live at number 23 Daly Road, tell mom or dad to come quick" Timmy ordered taking charge. Nick nodded jumping on his bike, pedalling as fast as he could to Timmy and Zona's house. Luckily the roads were empty, and Nick knew where Daly road was, it was the next street over from where he lived.
"Major Dan, Major Dan, Timmy's mom" Nick shouted as he got close, the weather was nice so the windows were open,
Barbara was out first, she'd been preparing tea in the kitchen, Daniel followed a few seconds later.
"Nick what's wrong?" Barbara questioned, running to his side,
"It's Zona, she fell off her bike, its broken and she is bleeding lots" Nick reported,
"Get the keys Daniel" Barbara ordered her heart sinking, what did he mean she was bleeding lots, and how badly was the bike broken, "Where is she?"
"At the park" Nick said, trying to be brave he too was really scared,
"Where is she bleeding from?" Barbara pressed running into the house to get bandages, and her first aid kit,
"Everywhere" Nick exclaimed,
"Did she get hit by a car? What happened?"
"We were racing, and she fell" Nick explained as Daniel ran out with the keys,
"Let's go" he ordered, they jumped in the car Daniel driving to the park careful to stick to the speed limit. The last thing he needed was to run over another child. They arrived at the park, Barbara barely waiting until the car had stopped before jumping out, Zona was sitting on the floor, Timmy next to her stroking her arm, on seeing the car pull up he jumped up.
"Zona" Barbara screamed running over, revealed to see her daughter sitting up, breathing, crying. Sure, she was bleeding but she was alive and unlike the description of bleeding everywhere it was a scraped knee, elbow, and a lost tooth with a bust lip.
"Mommy, it hurts" Zona moaned,
"I know sweetie, I can see. What happened?" Barbara asked as she lay the first aid kit on the floor.
"My bike broke, and I fell" Zona sobbed, she crawled launching herself into Barbara's arms. Barbara caught her easily, sighing slightly as her daughters, tears, snot and blood went onto her pale-yellow dress.
"I know sweetie, I can see" She soothed stroking her hair, "Let's have a look and make it all better"
"But you don't have magic, mom, I need Doctor Mabel" Zona complained,
"Hush you, I'm plenty magic" Barbara said kissing Zona's hair, "Now go hug your dad for a minute so I can get you cleaned up" She lifted her up carefully passing her to Daniel who carried her to a nearby bench, making sure he kept her turned so not to get blood all over the place.
Barbara made quick work off cleaning her wounds,
"Now big decision Zona, I have princess plasters or animal plasters" Barbara showed her both options,
"Princess on my knee animal on elbow, please" Zona said, Barbara obliged, before looking at her lip, "I think you're going to lose your tooth soon, your first loose teeth" at just over 7-years-old Zona hadn't lost a single tooth yet,
"Will it hurt?" Zona asked worriedly,
"No, and if you put your tooth under the bed then the tooth fairy comes and gives you money" Barbara explained. Both children looked confused
"Timmy didn't get tooth fairy, I don't think the tooth fairy comes for us" Zona told them sadly,
"Well maybe the tooth fairy just got really lost, I think Timmy should write a note explaining that he did lose his teeth, maybe the tooth fairy will come after all" Barbara suggested. Zona shrugged lots of things were different here.
"Now let's get you home" Barbara lifted Zona from Daniel's lap, so he could look at the bike,
"It looks alright sport" he said, seeing very little damage,
"It's broken the streamers came off" Zona complained her eyes watering again as she remembered the trauma,
"Streamers can be fixed, bikes can be fixed, the main thing is everyone is okay, people are a lot harder to fix" Daniel reassured, "I'll have you back cycling and racing before you know it" he promised, lifting her bike above his shoulder, "Let's go home" he ordered, "Timmy are you going to ride home?"
"Yes Sir" Timmy replied,
"Can I ride your handlebars?" Nick asked, Timmy nodded, as Nick climbed on,
"Dad, we'll race you home" Timmy declared gleefully as he began cycling, knowing Daniel hadn't even loaded Zona's bike up yet or started the car. Barbara rolled her eyes as her competitive husband as he jogged to the car quickly loading the bike into the boot, and then jogged back scooping their daughter up carefully belting her up in the car. By this time, she had arrived herself and climbed in, Daniel jumped in the front, driving carefully but quickly, he was never one to let people win, if they won it was on merit.
They turned into their street, Timmy and Nick were just ahead of them Timmy saw the car coming and pedalled as hard as he could trying to pick up speed serving across the street to stop the overtake. It worked as they got to the drive first.
"Yay" they cheered doing a victory dance,
"Well done boys" Daniel praised, "now I have a very important mission for you both if you choose to accept it" he offered, both boys nodded,
"You don't even know what it is yet" Barbara pointed out,
"Marines don't say no to orders" Nick said,
"Unless they're unlawful."
"It's definitely not an unlawful order, we have run out of ice cream and I need 2 volunteers to go to the shops and get some more, I have $10."
"I volunteer Sir" Nick stepped forwards,
"Me to Sir dad" Timmy added. Daniel handed them the money, lifting Zona out of the car.
"Bring it home, I'm sure Zona wants ice cream too" he ordered
"Yes please"
"What flavour?" Timmy asked, Zona scrunched her face deep in thought, this was a very important question.
"Blue"
"Blue isn't a flavour" Timmy argued.
"Is too" Zona shot back
"Not"
"Kids, stop arguing, Zona come on inside I want to get those wounds under a tap. Timmy, Nick I believe you have a mission to complete" Barbara interrupted the bickering. Both boys nodded Nick saluting
"Yes Ma'am, blue ice creaming coming up" Nick ran to his bike, "Come on Timmy" he ordered pedalling Timmy following.
Meanwhile Zona walked inside making sure to limp dramatically the only problem was she kept forgetting which leg to limp on. Still, everyone knew ice cream fixed everything.
Thanks for the reviews, i'm trying to write as fast as i can,