FAGE 12. Never Too Late to Start Anew
Title: Frost on a Pumpkin
Written for: OnlyinValhalla
Written By: Rebadams7
Rating: E for everyone
Summary/Prompt used: .
With deepest thanks and admiration to my Beta, TammyVI !and my banner artiste! Brookie Twiling!
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"Frost on pumpkins." A shy smile and a deep breath, "it will be glorious." Those are the last words Alice ever said in a sensible fashion. Today there was no frost and there were no pumpkins visible down the rows of the Dallas national cemetery. The white stones stood simply and quietly, waiting on the reflections of the passers by and the love from mourning relatives.
Among them, on the startling green grass there were bunches of flowers, here and there, but to his eyes they were mere smears of color. Holding the vendors bouquet at arms length, finally plucking from it what had drawn his eye; the single perfect red rose in the center. He took that rose and laid it on top of the headstone and left the remainder to rest on the grass. He ran his fingers over the engraving. Mary Alice Brandon Whitlock. Capt. USA Afghanistan… For weeks he'd lived in a sort of a quiet, personal delusion. Almost believing at any moment she would push through the doorway. Her soft voice calling out about some remarkable something she'd seen and it would remind her of something else she had to share. Ever since that day in the sandbox, when her transport had encountered a half buried IED, Alice had seen and heard things often impossible but more often than not, startlingly true. Jasper missed those crazy moments as well as her incredible mirth when she was proven correct.
She had unfortunately also seen this day. "Bring me a rose, you know that one will be sad, but there will be brighter days ahead, I promise."
"Alice, do you like roses? You've talked about other flowers, heck you carried other flowers on our wedding day but if you want roses…"
"No, not yet on account of it's not time, Jasper."
He closed his eyes tight against the memory.
He could not believe his time in the fairytale land of love was really over as he felt his heart close. It made him think about the ancient dictionary that his grandmother had kept next to the Bible on the sideboard in her home outside Beaumont. Funny how those books never stayed closed long, but sometimes he'd found them shut tight.
The warm July sunshine is much more intense than the clouds that had played overhead in June when they had brought Alice here. As the man from the Legion had said this is her post everlasting; Jasper secretly believed that wherever Alice wandered in heaven, she was still sending her messages to him and her people.
Slowly he pulled himself together enough to get into his SUV, he had a long drive to Fort Hood. He had decided to stay on, he felt he needed to be strong for his soldiers for all the troops under his command. As he drove, he glanced at his cover on the seat, the shiny majors' Oak Leaves still catching him off guard.
Summer continued to march on as he prepared one of his divisions to rotate back to the sandbox. His morale officer had informed Major Whitlock that a pumpkin picking party had been prepared for the families and the troops headed out in the days ahead. The harvest time celebration would be the only one these troops would share with their families before their departure. This rotation would not have them back before the Easter Bunny was hopping around the Fort with his big basket.
The gathering was a civilian attire event but he still easily recognized most of the men and women under his command. Jasper smiled and shook hands; he helped lift some very large pumpkins into little tiny children's wagons; he complied with the bit of mischief here and there as a scarecrow gambled about, brushing noses with his broom and pulling black wrapped taffy from behind ears. He sipped some hot cider, thinking about how much Alice would love this day with the bright colored leaves, fat pumpkins and the winds of change in the air.
Alice was part of the Eternal now and she would never change but he could and he would as he had promised. He glanced over, noting the slow walk of a couple holding hands with a redheaded toddler and the wife definitely showing the promise of a brother or a sister in the foreseeable future. For a moment, he longed for a life he could only watch from afar.
Fall turns to winter, winter gives up to spring, summer heats the days and nights till fall wraps the ground in fallen glory, only to slip toward the short days of winter again.
Dr. Bella Swan, Captain, West Point Alumnus, Johns Hopkins school of medicine graduate, mother of Anthony, four and Claire, one year, now a new title.
Gold star wife.
She hated it but she hated the word widow, so much more. It sounded so old and so dreary and she could not be old, nor could she be dreary. She had promised Edward again on their last FaceTime, no matter what happened...truthfully, they had promised themselves. For the hundredth time she pondered the thought that he somehow had known what was coming.
She promised and she would never let their children forget.
The terrorist attack on base was nothing short of crushing. Edward had managed to save to the other people near him, nearly escaping and the bastard shot again. Edward was lauded and given a huge hero's funeral in Dallas, where the sun would shine on him more often than not. His parents were gone and she knew that Edward would be happy at rest amongst his troops. Bella recalled the November morning, the shots that were fired, the flag folded, Taps ringing out and then the final salute rendered.
She had no wish to bring the children here again just yet and yet she knew she would; whenever they had a special day. When they are older she'd bring them here at the ages they'd need him.
She needed to associate their father with sunshine and little Claire would never really know him. He'd said so, as he'd sang her to sleep that last night. He said it as soon as he knew his orders. How wrenching it was to know he was going to be sent out again after only a few months stateside, but his surgical expertise was needed. It was only Germany, so it wasn't so bad and it was supposedly short term. While in Europe, Edward had agreed to go on a transport to help tend to some of the more grievous patients en route. He wasn't really supposed to be there but could anybody believe he didn't know what was happening, what could and did happen?
She took a cold comfort knowing that he died doing what he loved; saving people, helping. And she took some comfort in the fact the last time they had spoken he had seen the children.
God bless FaceTime!
They'd shared blown kisses and I love yous. It was the one shining peg she hung all her hopes and prayers on. This was the man she'd married. She knew If they needed him he'd go. He would be the first to raise his hand. He felt a duty to guard all. She now had to guard the family.
There were no longer two. The cold winds of December blew across the gleaming rows. Bella came prepared with a roll of masking tape. She laid the rose on the top, running it over the Marble, securely taping the rose to the top so it would not blow away. She kissed his name with dry lips in the wind – she wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand, stood and looked down at the stone. Remembering their promise to one another so many years ago. When they were young, still believing they were invincible. Clinking their Academy rings together as if it was some kind of magic charm. Pursing her lips she walked back to her car, to two sleeping children safe in their seats. It will be a long drive to Washington, to the new post, but it was a blessing. Too many echoes of Edward here, too much sunshine to hide her tears.
Time turns on and on, leaves fill trees, change of station orders come and go, and some feel the passage of time, but only seem to watch it, not diving into the flow.
. Whitlock stood at the back of the auditorium as the children put on their talent show. Second in command on the post here, so once in a while he had to show up, welcome everyone, yada yada, and for whatever reason all the happiness in the room, all the energy suddenly reminded him so much of Alice that he keenly felt her absence, yet he could not look away.
Onstage, a group of boys and girls were performing sort of a tumbling and dance routine; for some reason a little boy with bright red hair caught his eye. Another officer quickly stood next to him, her face suddenly coloring. At the finish she was clapping as hard as she could.
"They can see us back here?" She asked as she turned toward Jasper.
"Sorry?"
"Colonel, I promised him I wouldn't be in the front, but I want him to know that I watched."
The next number was full of the tiniest of little girls, all dressed up in pastel tutus performing an energetic twirling dance. Again at the completion, the petite officer clapped and cheered harder than he expected.
"Thank you" she called over her shoulder, as she dashed around towards the back of the auditorium.
All too soon the short show came to completion and . Whitlock wandered back over to his office.
Something had brightened his mood, a slight smile playing about his face. He thought he'd remembered the petite officer from somewhere, perhaps he'd met her, his mind searched..wasn't she with….. The boy's hair had made an impression. Then he remembered the list of Gold Star families.
He'd not realized that she shared his fate, so he tried to put her out of his mind. He could almost feel Alice giving him a small poke, which he chose to ignore.
It was right around the Fourth of July when his father fell seriously ill. Senior. was now at the hospital in the Metroplex, so he went to be with his family. Sisters Joy and Julie, their husbands and the grandkids, his nieces and nephews are all at the ranch, so as the only solo, he got the pull out in the study. Jasper hadn't really spent a whole lot of time with his father or anyone else in the family since Alice's death. Alice hadn't had a lot of family, just a sister Cynthia, so the hubbub of life at the ranch house, in-law's and sisters and all the grandchildren had been a thrill to her. It was now a bit of a beehive but instead of aggravating him; he found it oddly comforting. It felt like it was a piece of his life that had somehow slipped out of his grasp and now he was enjoying it. Being that he was here close to Dallas he decided it would be a good time to visit Alice. It had been far too long.
As he entered the grounds, he found the cemetery in almost a celebratory air. There were American flags available to post at graveside if you wanted to honor your service member. He read a poster announcing that there would be a band concert on the weekend. There was a reverence to the place but also something else. A spirit of something he couldn't put his finger directly on; perhaps history, perhaps reverence, perhaps simply love of country. Whatever it was, it didn't irritate him here either. Jasper knew that Alice would have relished the pomp and circumstance, and the laughter of the children most of all.
Bella was glad she had taken the invitation from Rose and Emmett to visit them in Texas. Emmett had just retired from active duty and he and Rose had finally opened up their auto shop in Flower Mound. Bella and Rose both loved the colorful names in Texas, the wide open spaces and the sunshine. It was a wonderful break from the Washington weather; no jackets nor boots.
Seeing the joy of Rose spending time with her niece and nephew was worth the drive. Emmett had wanted to wait to start a family until he had left Active duty and he was still quite young enough. Rose had switched to the Texas national Guard after years of Active duty and meeting Emmett. They had married and had luckily been able to stay pretty much together for the final six years. Lucky that both of them had joined very young, so they were both still very hopeful that their dream of a family would still be a possibility. Being around the children gave them hope.
Being around Emmett gave Bella a reminder that no one expected her to march on in solitude. She'd been in Washington for almost 3 years and had finally decided to come out of her shell. When this leave was up, she wasn't going to hide herself any longer. She thought she'd seen a familiar head of hair as she brought the children, eager to post a Flag and lay flowers at Edward's stone.
Senior had decided to pull one over on the doctor's again, being discharged with little more than changes in his prescriptions and an often ignored request to try and take it easy. The family held a final barbecue before all began to make their journeys home.
Finally back in Washington, the fall brought the start of school, the leaves again turning out in their colorful swirls, and a certain set of officers were asked to help with the Gold Star honor ball, to raise funds for the families and scholarships they awarded each Veterans Day. The event would be held in Seattle, and the Colonel found himself drawn to Major Cullen at each meeting. She held herself well, no matter the issue that seemed to exasperate the civilians in the group, she kept her grace and moved things along.
At the first meeting, Michael Newton, the civilian president of the committee, a rather busybody sort of a fellow, had asked all the Gold Star members to rise and give the name of their loved one. Michael seemed the sort to join these kind of civic organizations for connections, and it seemed to Jasper that he was a bit too enthusiastic to learn Major Cullen seemed to be partnerless for the ball.
If it wasn't so far fetched to his logical mind, he would have sworn he'd felt a push to his back, sending him towards his fellow officer and the rather persistent Newton who seemed determined to finagle Major Cullen into his date for the gala. Well, it wouldn't show much for troop camaraderie if he left his officer with no alternative plan. He almost thought he'd heard Alice's laugh as he walked over to the pair.
"Michael, Major….Things do seem to be set for the event." Jasper could see the relief in the other officer's eyes.
"Mister…Colonel, pardon, I was just trying to impress upon Ms Cullen.." Michael Newton spoke as he moved closer to Major Cullen.
"Mr. Mewton….it's Major, and I am still…." She was being so professional.
Lt. Col Whitlock began."Major, Perhaps, if I may, we should travel together for the Gala. We're almost neighbors and in the interest of care for our finite resources…"Jasper interjected before Michael could continue.
Major Cullen smiled and turned toward Jasper "Colonel, you've made a just point. If it comes round that I can attend the event, I will take your offer. Gentlemen, duty calls so, perhaps Saturday." She left them with a closing signal from her hands as she made a decisive exit.
Michael turned to Jasper and had to try for the last line. "I have to admit, I can't wait to see her in something sparkly at the Gala."
"Or she might be in uniform." He quipped, enjoying the confusion that wiped the almost smirk off of Newton's face….and he smiled to himself as he realized she had called him …Mewton.
To a point, Jasper and Bella were not exactly neighbors. Jasper had an assigned home on the post, it would hold a family but it came with the position. He didn't spend much time there, too many rooms to remind him of empty possibilities.
Bella lived in a tidy community of townhomes just off the base. Mostly occupied by military folk, it wasn't too big, and it had a nice if small private side yard, and a huge community playground just a few paces beyond her back door. It made it easy for her to strike up a friendship with Tanya and Alistair Downing, who occupied the other half of her building. Their children were close in age to her own and they often played together on the commons. Tanya was happy to have her take her children so Tanya and Alistair could have a date night, so Tanya was thrilled to return the favor at last.
The Colonel drove up to the townhome, noting there were three bikes locked to her porch post. He'd queried the junior, unmarried staff in his office to see if flowers were still an acceptable item for a first date….well, he hoped it would be, could be considered a date. The consensus was mixed but from the look on the faces of his female troops he felt he had the intel on what really mattered. The bouquet of sunflowers were already set up in a mason jar, they had seemed like sunshine the moment he spied them in the shop, and he hoped they were not too informal. Before he could even knock, the door opened.
She was perfectly elegant, her mess dress fit and flared in all the right places, her hair was swept up, in uniform of course, but it made her neck seem longer and regal. The smile on her face only grew as she spotted the bright arrangement.
"Colonel, those are brilliant."
"I'm glad you like it. Tonight, you can call me Jasper, if you don't mind?"
"Tonight I would be happy to, as long as you call me Bella. I don't hear that name too much anymore. I miss it." The last part said so softly one could have missed her sentiment, but Jasper was an observant man.
"Then I will reverse that trend, Bella. Is there anything you need before we leave?"
"I'll put these inside, and then we can go."
Later, it would strike Jasper that the warmth he'd felt in Bella's hands that night had been a revelation. He'd not held hands or hardly even touched a woman since Alice. Bella would recall how much she'd wished it was another kind of event where she could wear something softer….not for herself, but for him. Thinking of Jasper was the first time she had thought of the touch of a man, or wanting to look good for one, since Edward.
There was a picture from that night, the smiles seemed to glow from the very paper. It was a first date. Mewton never had a chance for even a dance.
There were the occasional to frequent lunch and more dates.
She introduced Jasper to Anthony and Claire at the 4th of July celebration. There were movies, there was a hilarious attempt at bowling. He made dinner, she was impressed. She took him camping, it was his turn to be impressed by her fishing prowess. He joined her and the family in a neighborhood Thanksgiving and together they wrestled with a doll house and a drum set to go under a Christmas tree.
They laughed, they kissed, they loved. They rang in the new year twice, once on the New York Ball drop at 9 with the kids, and then at the club on base with balloons popping all around them. He stayed with Anthony and Claire when Bella was on a TDY to Ft. Riley, taking over the reading of the bedtime book, All Creatures Great and Small and face timing the Easter Egg hunt to Kansas. They put out the Memorial Day flags, celebrated Independence Day on base and the foursome went to the Zoo to celebrate the end of summer. While at the zoo, Jasper found time to speak with Anthony and Claire. He learned that Claire, for all of her 6 years had exquisite taste. It was now a matter of time.
Time had marched right on to another fall, to the festival of colors and crisp scents on the wind, of spiced cider and apple pies hot from the oven. They arrived early, the sun just finally breaking the clouds, the rays sparkling like diamonds on the frost on the pumpkins in the field. It was time.
Jasper brought Bella to a bench overlooking the orchard and field where she could see the children playing with the scarecrow. It reminded him of the first time he'd glimpsed her.
"Bella, would you do me a great kindness? Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife, of sharing my life and sharing your family with me?"
There was frost on the grass, the hay and the pumpkins. There was laughter in the field and in the trees. In an apple orchard, next to a field of pumpkins all kissed with frost, a new family was born.
Epilogue
Good evening everyone. I am so glad you could all join us for this amazingly perfect fall day we've shared. I have to take this moment to thank all my fathers. I knew I had two fathers in heaven, my creator who has held me and led me and my father, who I only knew through the snippets of video, I still cry when I hear "Yellow Rose of Texas", a few photographs and all the stories many of you have shared with me over my life. I have to thank my mother, for having the courage to keep her heart open, to finding the grace to bring Dad into my life. I have to thank my Dad for being my first boy who's a friend, a protector of the family, a comfort to my mom and a guide to my brother. I thank you for the Texas branches of the family and I thank you Mom and Dad for Vanessa and Marcus, who stole my heart and the spot as the baby of the family my junior year. My family's story could have slowed, and still been a good one, but with your and your family's love, our family had a bigger, better story to share, and now as we continue to grow, may the love grow and be shared to future generations and branches of service. Semper Fi everyone and please raise your glasses with Frank and I to my parents and the power of love!
Fin
Thank you to the entire FAGE 12 team. It was my honor to participate.