Coming back from his rounds, Nathan paused as he went to hang his hat on its hook. The office wasn't empty. Instead his sixteen year old son was sitting in his chair behind the desk.
"Hello, son," Nathan said. "I was expecting to find you here," he ventured as he finally hung his hat up.
"I needed to talk to you, Dad," Jack replied. "Without Mom around."
"Okay," Nathan said, picking up a spare chair and walking toward the desk with it. Nathan figured this had to do with either a girl or a career choice if Jack didn't want Elizabeth around. If he were honest, Nathan would admit that he was hoping it was the former.
Nathan placed the chair on the side of the desk opposite of Jack. "So what do you want to talk about, Jack?" Nathan asked as he sat down in the chair.
"I need your advice."
Nathan nodded. "I kind of figured that much out by that fact that your sitting in my chair in my office."
Jack gave a nervous chuckle. "Yeah, the thing is, I decided I want to join the Mounties when I turn eighteen and I'm not sure how to when or how to break the news to Mom."
"Preferably sometime when I'm not at home," Nathan replied.
"Dad," Jack said, drawing out the one syllable word.
"Okay," Nathan said. "First of all, before you say anything to her make sure this is something that you really want to do. Don't do this because of your birth father or because of me. While I would be proud to have you follow in my footsteps I will also be proud of you if you want to be a journalist or run a saloon. So would your mother."
"This isn't just about follow in my father's, both of my fathers', footsteps. I've watched you while I was growing up. I see how people respect and trust you. They know they can come to you with any problems and you're their for them, even at the low points in their lives. You make a difference in their lives. I want to be able to do that."
Nathan nodded, touched by his stepson's words. He remembered Elizabeth's words from years ago about the Mounties being about making the world a better place. In his own way, Jack was saying the same thing.
"I think if that's how you approach it, then your mother will understand your decision. However, you are waiting until after you finish school. Your mother will insist on that and personally, I don't think you should be committing to the Mounties until your eighteen anyways."
"Yes, sir," Jack replied. "Any chance you'll help me break the news to, Mom?"
Nathan held up his hands in surrender. "Not a chance. Chances are she'll be mad enough at me because of my influence on you already. You're on your own. Consider it your first step of Mountie training - how to face someone with news you know they're not going to like."
Jack laughed. "Fair enough," he replied.