Hurricane!
By Cadillac Red
"Are you okay, Jeffrey?" Bogg asked his 12-year-old partner after the two voyagers landed. "At least it's sand this time."
"Yeah," he muttered. "Wet sand. Perfect."
"At least it's soft." Bogg stood up and began brushing it off his clothes. Then he scanned the horizon. "Looks like the tide's coming in. I do love the ocean…"
"Where are we? And when are we?"
Bogg smiled indulgently and opened the Omni. "1769. The island of Nevis. Red light. Any ideas, kid?"
Jeffrey looked around the deserted beach while he dredged his memory for historical facts. "Nothing I can think of off the top of my head."
"Well, looks like there's some houses that way. Probably a town. Let's go check it out."
He was right and as they walked into the bustling port town of Basseterre, they could see a few ships moored offshore. Bogg whistled. "A couple of good looking merchant ships out there. There must be a commercial port."
"Yeah but what do you think they're selling? Jeffrey asked.
"Molasses, rum…", Bogg's voice trailed off.
"Slaves?"
Bogg sighed. "Yeah. Let's figure out what we have to do here and get out, Jeffrey."
They wandered around the town for a while and traded a local merchant their assistance with some crates in return for a coin that Bogg used to buy him and Jeffrey something to eat. But after a couple of hours, they were no closer to knowing why they were there.
As it grew dark, Bogg realized they'd need a place to stay tonight. It was warm enough to sleep on the beach but that was not his first choice. "Let's figure out where we're going to bed down—"
"And get something to eat. I'm starving," the boy said.
"Jeffrey, if I had a nickel for every time you say that, I could buy us a heckuva good dinner," Bogg laughed as he put an arm around the boy's shoulders.
"Excuse me, sir" a young man interrupted them. "I couldn't help overhearing your conversation. I'm with one of the ships in the harbor and we're short a couple of men. I saw you help Jarvis earlier so I know you're able men. Are you interested in signing on for a short voyage?"
Bogg looked at Jeffrey and when the boy shrugged, he decided it was worth considering. They had no idea what they were here for yet. Maybe this would lead them where they needed to go. "Where are you headed?"
"St. Croix. About a hundred and fifty miles as the crow flies. We should make it in a couple of days."
"Let's do it, Bogg." Jeffrey said. "It might be fun—"
Bogg looked out at the ship the young man had indicated. It looked well made and maintained. But he had sailed enough as a younger man to know even a short journey could be fraught with peril, and greatly influenced by the quality of the captain. And he had questions about the young man trying to recruit them. Slight of stature and dressed more for doing business than working on a ship, Bogg felt sure he was no sailor.
The young stranger saw his hesitation and guessed he had concerns. "Let me buy you dinner and I will answer any queries you may have. My name is Alex. I'm with the West Indies Trading Company, responsible for getting that cargo to St. Croix—"
"You're in charge?" Jeffrey asked.
"Not of the ship, just the cargo. It's for an important client of my company." The young man was fairly bursting with pride at the responsibility he'd been given.
"How old are you?"
Bogg smacked him lightly on the head. "Jeffrey, that's not polite—"
"No, 'tis fine," Alex said, smiling. 'Tis true, I'm young for the job but I've proven my worth. And I'm sixteen… soon."
Bogg bit back a smile knowing now the boy was probably not more than a few days past fifteen.
"The Captain says there may be a storm brewing so we have to weigh anchor on the morning tide. But tonight, I shall be pleased to share a meal and any information you wish to know."
They ate at a local tavern that had decent food, and Bogg watched Jeffrey inhale half a roasted chicken with johnnycakes and rice with mushy peas. Even he had to admit, it was the best meal the two Voyagers had eaten in a while.
"I won't lie and tell you the food is as good on board," Alex said. "But as I said, it's a short voyage and I can promise you another good meal when we reach Frederiksted. Captain Neelin is a good man and runs a tight ship."
Jeffrey looked at Bogg pleadingly.
"One more question, Alex. What cargo are you transporting?" Bogg asked.
"Mostly rum. Some other merchandise. No Africans, if that's what you're asking. "
Bogg nodded with relief. "Okay, then. You've got yourself two new sailors, Alex."
They sailed the next morning and Jeffrey was given simple chores while Bogg was quickly found to be a seasoned sailor and assigned to work the rigging. The wind was strong and the "Island Merchant" was making excellent time. Over dinner Jeffrey quietly said, "This is the best, Bogg. I feel like Horatio Hornblower!"
"Horatio who?"
"There's this bunch of novels about a British sailor – well, never mind. I'm just glad we decided to do this."
"We still don't know why we're here though," Bogg said. "The Omni's still red. Has anything stuck out to you as wrong?"
"No. But maybe we'll see whatever it is that needs fixing when we get to St. Croix."
The two bedded down on hammocks below but Bogg woke a few hours later. The ship was creaking and swaying more than it had earlier. He checked and saw Jeffrey was sleeping soundly and went up onto the deck, where the wind was blowing hard and the night crew was trying to pull down the mainsail. He jumped into the fray, helping them bring it down before the sail, or mast, was torn apart.
The Captain yelled for them to batten down the hatches and lower the other sails. He shouted for the first mate to wake the rest of the crew. "We need all hands," Neelin hollered, fighting to be heard above the roaring wind.
Bogg looked at the sky worriedly. It was dark but no stars could be seen, and the sky was a strange color, one he'd seen before in severe storms. As the ship pitched to starboard, he saw other men run up from below, followed by Alex and Jeffrey.
The first mate called for his help but he hesitated long enough to reach the two younger men. "Stay below," he yelled, his hands on the Jeffrey's shoulder. "I don't want to see you on deck, do you hear me? Get back in the hammock, it's well secured and will move with ship. You too, Alex. This wind could blow either of you overboard."
"But I can help—" Jeffrey started to shout.
"I need to assist the crew-" Alex said at the same time.
A hatch came off something and Bogg pulled both the younger men toward him and down. It just missed them and blew into the rail and then over. "Do you understand me now? Neither of you weighs enough to be on deck. Go below. Unless water starts to come in, stay there until I come to get you, do you hear me?" He waited for Jeffrey's reluctant nod. Bogg gave him a reassuring smile, then pushed him toward the stairs. Alex seemed torn about what to do but a strong gust blew him off his feet and when Bogg helped him up, he nodded jerkily and followed Jeffrey. The Voyager waited to see the dark head of his partner disappear below before rushing to assist the rest of the sailors trying to bring down the sails.
The storm continued to grow and ever-higher waves washed over the deck. A man was slammed into a cannon and knocked out. Bogg helped two others get him below into the crew quarters where Jeffrey and Alex were holed up.
"See if you can wake him up. Dip a rag in some cool water and put it on that bump on his head," Bogg told the boys. He thought giving them something to do would keep them below. The ship pitched to port violently. "Then secure yourselves in the hammocks again!"
As soon as he was back on deck, he heard his name being shouted and tried to ascertain where it was coming from "Mr. Bogg! Mr. Bogg!" It was the Captain, and he rushed to where the older man was trying to hold the wheel steady. "Give me a hand, man!" Neelin shouted.
Bogg put all his strength into trying to hold the wheel in place and keep the ship upright. Another man came to help them.
"This storm blew up faster than we expected," Neelin yelled. "I can't remember one this bad movin' this fast, since I was a lad!"
The three of them fought the wheel as another huge wave crashed over the deck, and the third man was washed down to the end of the ship.
"Lord have mercy!" the Captain said, a prayer as well as a comment on their predicament. Bogg could not remember a storm this severe in his sailing days, and he'd been blown overboard once. It was how he became a Voyager. His stomach churned with worry, especially for Jeffrey. Ships in this era were frequently lost at sea. If things went very badly, he needed to get to the boy and get them out of this timeline.
"Captain, I see land off the starboard side!" Bogg yelled.
"What? We shouldn't have been that close to land but—hell, this wind must have blown us far off course! Any land would be a miracle!" He screamed to the first mate, "Jenks! Get a spyglass! See if there's land to starboard!"
Jenks scrambled part way up the main mast and aimed the spyglass. An excruciating minute later the first mate yelled down. "I see it! Land-ho!"
The Captain began to turn the wheel but they were fighting an almighty wind. He called on Jenks to come to help him and Bogg.
But as he turned back to the wheel a large piece of debris, something wooden that must have come off the hull, slammed into the man's head and right shoulder, knocking him out. Bogg yelled for someone to come and help the captain and struggled to turn the wheel alone. When a coil of rope came flying by, he snagged it out of the air, and used it to lash himself to the wheel, afraid the wind or another huge wave would wash him overboard. It took every ounce of strength he had – and more than he ever thought possible – but slowly the ship turned and in a couple of minutes the land he thought he'd seen was clearly visible through the storm.
"We have to run her aground," Bogg told the first mate when he back to help. The rain was nearly blinding, and he wind was threatening to carry anyone not lashed to something overboard. "It's the only hope!"
"Aye," the man said as he used the rest of the rope to tie himself to the wheel and put his back into turning it further toward the land they were approaching.
If anything, the storm grew worse closer to land. The wind had increased and the ship was pitching and rolling viciously. Struggling to hold the course, Bogg noticed a red and white blur out the corner of his eye. Jeffrey had come up from below and was sliding down the slippery wet deck, propelled by the wind.
"Jeffrey, grab something and hold on!" Bogg yelled, but he couldn't tell if the boy heard him over the violent wind and rain. Or if he would be able to hold on if he found something to grab.
"I have to get my kid!" he told Jenks and started to untie himself. Just then a towering wave crashed onto the deck and swept Jeffrey over the rail.
"Jeffrey!" Bogg pulled a knife out his boot and cut the rope securing him, and struggled down the deck to where Jeffrey had disappeared into the roiling ocean below. Without hesitating, Bogg pitched himself over the rail and into the water.
The waves were violent, and the water was dark. He fought to keep the churning water from pulling him down. It was nearly impossible to keep his head above water. He yelled into the wind at the top of his lungs, "Jeffrey! Jeffrey!"
Seeing no sign of the boy, Bogg dove down into the water, hoping to find him there. The storm had churned up so much sand and debris, visibility was nearly non-existent. He could barely see his own hand in front of him in the murky water. He stayed down as long as he could, and then surfaced to gulp some air, hoping to find Jeffrey. After calling the boy's name again a few times to no avail, Bogg dove below again and continued in the direction the wind and undertow were pulling him, knowing it would pull Jeffrey the same way.
Minutes passed as he frantically tried to find the child. His strength was almost gone and he felt like he'd been searching for hours even though he knew it was not more than a few minutes. Determined to find Jeffrey or die trying, Bogg dove down into the dark ocean again, quietly praying for all the saints and angels to help him. "Please, please," he pleaded silently, over and over. "Please help me find him."
Suddenly a glimpse of white caught his attention in the dark water. He swam as fast as he could toward it. It was Jeffrey, unconscious and being tossed about in the rolling water. Bogg grabbed him and kicked hard to bring them both to the surface. Even in the raging wind, he knew Jeffrey was not breathing. "Oh, God, don't let him die," he prayed softly while he grabbed the Omni from his belt and pressed the button that would take them to Voyager headquarters.
Landing on the soft grass outside the main building, he still had the boy in his arms. He laid Jeffrey down gently and put his ear to the boy's face, praying to hear some breathing. None. Bogg turned the boy onto his back and pinched his nose, breathing into his mouth. Jeffrey's chest rose but he did not awaken, or begin to breathe on his own.
Several Voyagers including his friends Susan and Vivian had come from the building. "Get medical! Fast!" Bogg yelled. "Please, I don't know how long he hasn't been breathing!"
He continued breathing into Jeffrey's mouth, and began doing CPR. Vivian had gone for help and Susan sank to her knees next to Jeffrey. "How can I help?"
"Help me turn him on his side and hit him a couple of times on the back," Bogg said. "He has to have swallowed a lot of water-:
As they did it, water came up out of Jeffrey's mouth and the two Voyagers laid him on his back again. They continued rescue breathing until the medical team arrived and took over. Jeffrey was breathing shallowly now, but he had not regained consciousness despite spitting up a great deal of seawater.
A few hours later, Bogg sat at Jeffrey's side in the medical unit. The child was ungodly pale against the white sheets, and still breathing shallowly. He had not awakened.
"There's a contusion on the back of his head," Dr. Raymond was saying. "The swelling is starting to go down but… there may be swelling of the brain also. We will keep the IV going with anti-inflammatories, and give him oxygen therapy throughout the day."
Bogg nodded, his eyes on Jeffrey. His clothes had dried on him and he looked exhausted.
"Voyager Bogg, we'll call you if anything changes. You need to get some rest—"
"No. I'm not leaving him."
"He's in good hands, there's nothing you can do for him now—"
"If he wakes up, he'll see me. And if anything goes wrong… if he… he won't be alone if…."
Dr. Raymond exchanged a glance with Professor Garth and Dr. Sharon, both of whom had come at his request.
"Phineas, please. You need rest," Garth told him. "You look as though you'll fall over any moment."
"I can sleep in the chair," Bogg said. "I've done it plenty of times. I'm not leaving him."
Dr. Sharon nodded. "Of course you aren't. Dr. Raymond, can you have another bed brought in?"
They did bring another bed in but Bogg remained in the chair, holding Jeffrey's hand. He closed his eyes briefly and dozed a while, then awakened and started to speak to the boy.
"Jeffrey, if you can hear me, you have to wake up now. You've been sleeping long enough. Come on now, kid, just open your eyes…." He waited for some sign Jeffrey was able to hear him but he did not move.
Throughout the day, the doctor and nurses came in and did medical things but there was no change in the child's condition.
Susan came by in the evening, bringing a sandwich and a hot drink. "You need to sleep, Phineas," she urged him. "I can stay with Jeffrey—"
Bogg gave her a tired half-smile, and shook his head. "I'll sleep here tonight. I'm not leaving as long as he's… I mean, when he wakes up, he'll need to see me here."
Susan left a while later and Bogg settled into the chair. He kept up talking to Jeffrey regularly. He talked about some of their adventures, and asked him questions. "So tell me about this Horatio guy. Where did he sail to?"
No response of any kind came. A nurse came into the room and Bogg told Jeffrey he was there. "Your nurse Adam is here, Jeff," he said. "Checking your vital signs. I know you probably thinking I wish Adam was an Adelaide but he knows his stuff. You should wake up now and thank him."
Adam smiled and assured Bogg that he would be there throughout the night and urged him to use the other bed in the room. Bogg said he would but soon he was settled in the chair again, his hand still holding Jeffrey's. "C'mon, kid," he said urgently. "You've been asleep too long now. One thing you've never been is lazy. So wake up now—"
A small movement in his hand had him catching his breath. Jeffrey had moved a finger. And then a couple of fingers. Then he squeezed Bogg's hand and struggled to open his eyes.
"Bogg," he croaked, and then grimaced.
"You swallowed a lot of sea water, kid," Bogg said. "You probably have a sore throat. Don't talk, let me get someone—"
As he spoke, Adam and one of the doctors rushed into the room. They had been monitoring Jeffrey's vital signs and knew something had changed.
"Well, young man," the nurse said. "You had us worried. All except your partner here. He knew you would wake up all along. Sat here the whole time…."
Bogg slept for twelve hours once Dr. Raymond pronounced Jeffrey out of danger. Waking in his apartment alone, he made himself some strong coffee and went to sit by the window. He wanted to go see Jeffrey but he wasn't sure what he would say to the boy. This had been close. Too close. Doubts about whether Jeffrey should be a Voyager at his age, and whether Bogg could keep him safe, tumbled ceaselessly through his worried mind. The twelve-year-old had nearly died.
Bogg decided to go for a walk hoping some fresh air would clear his mind and give him a bit of clarity. If his walk took him to the medical unit, he would go in. He had barely stepped out onto the walkway when he ran into Dr. Sharon.
"I've just seen Jeffrey," she said. "He's still weak but healing. The doctor says he'll be fine, but he'll need to stay in the medical unit a few days at least."
Bogg nodded. "That's for the best."
Dr. Sharon's eyebrows rose. "I'd like you to come by to see me, Phineas. This afternoon would be good. Say two o'clock? You'll have time to get yourself a good lunch first." He looked drawn and exhausted even after a night's sleep.
"I'm fine," the Voyager said. "Really. You should talk to Jeffrey though. This had to be terrifying for him."
"Uh-huh,' she said. "I'll see you at two o'clock."
"Bat's breath," Bogg muttered once she left.
"I heard that," she called back over her shoulder.
He waited for her to disappear around the side of the building. "Double bat's breath."
Bogg decided to bring some soup and hot cocoa to Jeffrey, checking with Adam that it was okay before he brought it into the room. He'd brought himself soup and a sandwich so they could lunch together. The boy still looked pale, and he had dark circles under his eyes. But his spirits were good.
"Did we still have a red light when we Omni'd out?"
Bogg was taken aback. "I didn't really have a chance to check before we left. You were in the water a long time—"
"Well, then we have to go back. And fix whatever is wrong."
"I don't think you're gonna be cleared to go anywhere for a while, Jeffrey," Bogg told him. "Maybe someone else can go back." Or he could go himself while Jeffrey was recuperating. Working alone again might be good for him. Maybe. He'd have to check in with the Voyager leaders about going back. They still had his Omni, come to think of it.
Dr. Sharon sat down across from Bogg and waited. The young man gave her his normal, engaging smile but this time it didn't reach his eyes. And he said nothing. Both things were seriously out of character for the Voyager.
"So, this was a difficult assignment," she prompted.
"Not really. We never even figured out what we were there for. Then the storm came up. And Jeffrey fell overboard. I jumped in after him and then brought us here."
"Right. Seems like there must have been more to it, Phineas. Jeffrey almost died. That's traumatic, even more for you than for him."
"Nah, I'm pretty resilient."
"I'm sure you are. But you would have to be dead yourself not to be impacted by this experience."
"Don't get me wrong. It… affected me. But it's over, right? Jeffrey's okay."
"Yes, thank God. And you. Perhaps you should take a little more time to decompress, and reflect."
"Okay," Bogg said, rising from the chair. He was relieved the session had been so short. "I think that's a good idea. Thanks for seeing me." He was halfway out the door when Dr. Sharon called after him. "Two o'clock tomorrow is open. I'll see you then."
Bogg looked back. He knew the psychologist could compel him to be there, she had that power among the Voyager leaders. He sighed inwardly. "Okay. See you tomorrow."
As he walked out of the building, he remembered Jeffrey's question about the status of their assignment. They had not completed it. Who better to do that than him? He already knew all the players. He went to see Professor Garth and asked to be reassigned to finish the job. "Jeffrey's fine, just recuperating. I could leave now," he added.
"Finish it?" Garth said. "Why, you did finish. We have a green light on that timeline now."
"How could….? I mean, we never even figured out what we were there for," Bogg said.
"Well, that's how it goes sometimes, eh? But I can tell you, you managed to get the ship grounded off the coast of St. Martin. There were three losses, a sailor, plus you and Jeffrey, according to the records. Everyone else on board was saved, including a young man whose name was…."
Bogg was back in the chair across from Dr. Sharon the next afternoon.
"So you thought you could escape by going back into the field, did you?"
"There are no secrets here, are there?" Bogg responded with a grimace. "Turns out we finished the assignment. Somehow."
"Yes, I heard. So anything on your mind? You still look tired, Phineas."
"I didn't sleep too well last night, that's all."
"Do you have any idea why?"
Bogg looked off into space for a moment, not sure what to even say. Then he remembered advice he'd given Jeffrey once, about how every Voyager has moments when it helps to talk to someone like Dr. Sharon.
"I know we all decided that Jeffrey would be best with me. And- and I thought so at the time. Now…. Well, I'm not too sure any more."
"Because…?" she prompted.
"Because—I almost lost him! He nearly died! I—I couldn't protect him!" He bit his lip and looked toward the window. And shook his head. "This is dangerous work sometimes. And I'm just not the right person to keep him safe."
Dr. Sharon waited but Bogg offered nothing more. "Phineas," she said quietly, "we reviewed the footage from your Omni. What more do you think you should have done?"
"I should have kept him safe. I should have—"
"You told him, more than once, to stay below. He disobeyed you."
Bogg nodded.
"Does that happen often, Phineas?"
"No, not often. But… sometimes. Jeffrey's so smart but he forgets he's a kid sometimes. And doesn't think enough about his own safety. But that's my job, to keep him safe, right?"
"I agree it's your job to protect him and keep him safe. That means you have to give him boundaries and set limits for him. So he can grow into the man he is meant to be. His parents started that job. And now, because of the tragedy of their deaths, you're the one who has to finish the job. You are the only parent in his life now."
Bogg laughed contemptuously. "And we can all see now how bad I am at it."
"You get high marks on almost every part of the job, Phineas. But sometimes you also seem to forget he's just a child. Maybe because he's so smart and knowledgeable. But… still a child. You just need to accept that you can be his friend and his partner but first and foremost, you have to be his parent. With all that entails…."
Jeffrey was released from the medical unit a few days later. His good spirits and curiosity had come roaring back and the boy talked all the way over to the apartment they shared at Voyager headquarters. He'd been reading several books Vivian, the head of the historical analysis unit, had given him and his interest had been piqued by Scandinavian history at the moment. Bogg listened to his chatter and responded with a nod or a comment now and then but his mind was elsewhere.
When they were settled in the apartment, Bogg let Jeffrey unwind a little, and then he went into the boy's small room. Jeffrey was reading one of the books Vivian had given him. He looked up curiously.
"What's up?"
"I need to talk to you, kid."
"Don't tell me they won't let me go back into the field with you! That's not fair!—"
"No, that's not it. But that could be the outcome. Unless we deal with some things."
"What? I'm a good Voyager! You even said I'm the best partner you could have!"
"Jeffrey! Stop!" Bogg sat down on the bed next to him. "Yes, you are. But you're more than a partner. You're more than a friend. You're my kid."
Jeffrey smiled and visibly relaxed. He always liked it when Bogg said that. It made him feel safe, and wanted.
"And that means something. It means I have a responsibility to keep you safe. And—and I can't do that if you just decide you can disobey me any time you feel like it."
Jeffrey's eyes darkened with worry. "I—I know you told me to stay below. But after that last big roll of the ship, I—I thought maybe we were sinking."
"You did? Did Alex think that too? Because I don't think he came up on deck."
"Well, no, but…. Well, I figured I could help you!"
"And just like I told you would happen, you got blown overboard. Jeffrey, I thought I'd lost you. I thought you were dead."
"I'm sorry, Bogg."
"Yes, I know you are. But… this kind of thing has happened before, hasn't it?"
"But you said I make good judgments when the situation changes! You said that!"
"I did. And I do think that, when the facts of a situation change, you adapt very well. And sometimes that means changing what I said we were going to do. But the facts hadn't changed, had they?"
Jeffrey bit his lower lip and shook his head.
"We need to agree that, when it comes to your health and your safety, my decisions are the ones that count. At least for a few more years."
"O—okay."
"You don't sound convinced," Bogg said. "And it's important that you understand this. For sure. Or we won't be going back into the field together. You may not be going back at all, if I have a say in it."
Jeffrey started to protest but Bogg simply stood up and walked into the other room. He came back in less than a minute. With a flat-backed hairbrush in his hand.
"Are you finally gonna do something about that unruly hair of yours?" Jeffrey asked, not sure exactly what was happening. Usually he could defuse a disagreement between him and Bogg with a little humor.
Bogg exhaled forcefully. "No, but I may finally deal with that smart mouth of yours, too. Dr. Sharon gave me this. She reminded me I'm the only parent you have now. And that job's more important than being your partner. Or your friend…."
A half hour later, Bogg sat in the main room and watched his young charge standing in the corner of the room. The boy sniffled dramatically and the older Voyager smiled at his back. An egg timer on the counter went off.
"Okay, time's up," Bogg said. "Come over here, Jeffrey."
The boy looked worried about what was coming next but he walked over to Bogg's side as asked. Bogg put an arm around his waist and was pleased when Jeffrey threw himself into his arms.
"I'm sorry, Bogg," he said emphatically. "I—I promise to think more about my safety. And my health."
"And…?"
"And obey you when you make a decision about what I can do. Or can't do."
"Good. Because I won't hesitate to 'remind' you, if you forget again."
Jeffrey looked into his guardian's face and nodded. "I know," he said. The boy was twelve but he still liked to be held by the older Voyager at times. Like this one.
"Are we going back to the Caribbean?" he asked as he settled into the older Voyager's lap. "To figure out what's wrong—"
"Oh, I meant to tell you. It turns out we fixed the problem. When the ship ran aground, everyone left on board was rescued. And one of them, that kid Alex, was going to turn out to be someone important. His last name was Hamilton—"
"Holy cow! That was Alexander Hamilton?"
"Yeah, he grows up to be—"
"A founding father of America! He created the whole entire American financial system! Wow, I met Alexander Hamilton…."
Bogg smiled as Jeffrey went on to share everything he knew about the guy. He pulled the boy a little more comfortably into his lap. He knew one good growth spurt would mean the child would no longer be able to do this. Or want to.
Bogg closed his eyes, let a sense of relief settle over him, and just listened to his kid expound on Alexander Hamilton.
THE END
