Martha and little Alexis leave after our short meeting, so I go into the cafeteria. After getting a cup of coffee I go out to the hospital gardens. The tall hedges that surround the gardens are spotted with growing multicolored flowers and birds. The sun shining overhead is casting warm bright light as I sit down on a bench. The trickling water from a fountain is unexpectedly soothing to my nerves, as I sit there and think out a list of what I still have to do for my dad. "Is this seat taken?" A woman asks as she stands next to the empty spot on the bench. This woman has her medium length blond hair in a ponytail, kind blue eyes, and is wearing green scrubs. "Oh, sorry. Go ahead." I apologize with a small smile. "My name's Wendy. What's yours? "She asks politely. "I'm Kate. It's nice to meet you, Wendy." I respond politely as we shake hands. "Well, welcome to Fort Marshall, Kate. I hope you and your family all the best here." Wendy welcomes. "Thank you, but it's just me and my dad, we're here for his new doctor, actually." I explain. "Really? Do you mind if I ask who your father's doctor is?" She asks nicely. "No, I don't mind. His name is Doctor Sanders. Dad has end stage lung cancer. It's not going very well." I answer. "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that." Wendy exclaims with wide worried eyes. "It's okay, I think I have everything under some sort of control. I guess that's why I moved us all the way down here." I state. "Where did you move from?" She asks curiously. "Manhattan, New York. Dad was a lawyer, while I was going on my fourth year of being a homicide detective." I say proudly. "Wow, that's quite the life." Wendy teases. "It was, but enough about me. What about you?" I ask. "Well, I'm an army brat. What that means is that I've been army since I was born. My dad was in the army. He retired right after I married my husband. Jack, he is a major while our son Andrew is a in collage; and I work as a nurse." Wendy explains with a smile. "That's nice. You know, it's going to be nice to at least know one person if my dad and I have to move here." I say shyly as I lean back on the bench letting the sun hit my face. "Who's your dad?" Wendy asks as she too leaned back on the bench. "Colonel James Beckett. He served in Grenada, but he was sent home when I was two." I say proudly. Wendy and I wind up talking for the rest of her lunch break. She explains some of the rules of the post before she gets called in for a patient as my dad comes back out.
"Well, what did the doctor say?" I ask impatiently as Dad sits down next to me. "He's going to take my case and start me on some pain medication. Then, in a week, I'm supposed to come back so he can get a base line done." Dad explains with a sigh. "What did he say about putting in a call with housing?" I wonder. "He said to give him about an hour, then go over to the housing authorities and get the key for our new home." Dad states as he puts his head in his hands. "Did he say anything else?" I ask slowly as I start rubbing my dad's back. "Sanders said that my condition is going to get worse, a lot worse. And that I'll probably need an in-home nurse when you're off at work." He states. "Alright. Well, why don't we get some lunch, then we can go see about our home?" I question as I throw my empty coffee cup away. "Sounds good, you think we can find a new Remy's?" Dad asks wistfully. "Dad, be serious. There's only one Remy's, and it's in New York." I joke with him as we walk to his car. After helping him into the passenger seat, we take off down the road. Eventually, we come across a little seafood restaurant. With a nod from Dad, I pull into a parking space. We end up having a basket of clams, and hush puppies between us. The whole place looks like a caddy shack mixed with a florist, but the view of the ocean beyond is breathtaking. The gulls are flying around overhead.
Later, after we have finished our lunch, I drive around trying to find where to go to talk to the housing authorities. Finally, I find out that it is in the main building. The front of the building has white pillars that reminds me of Greece, with American flags decorating the valleys between the archways and Humvee's parked out front with the drivers waiting by the doors. Pulling the old fashioned wood door open, I am greeted with a giant circular red rug that has a sword settled between a pair of wings inside a blue circle stating 23rd. The rest of the floor is all honey colored hardwood, with beautiful antique looking chairs and more pillars rounding out the corners of the walls. Right ahead is a white and honey colored wooden staircase leading up to other rooms that look like different offices. There are army soldiers everywhere. Phones ringing, copiers going, fax machines whirring to life, and tones of other small noises I can't identify. "Excuse me, where can I find the housing department?" I ask as a soldier passes by me. "On the left side of the stairs you'll find a hallway, go down there. It will be the last door on your right." The woman explains as she points in the direction. "Thank you." I respond while walking off. The small office is packed with families trying to get information about their own situations, I just squeeze on into the room and stand by the door. Within a few minutes it is my turn, so I step up to the counter and talk to the receptionist. Next thing I know I have a key to an actual house. A short car ride later, I am pulling into the driveway of what can only be described as a mansion. With a wrap around porch on both the first and second levels, a pond just to the left side of the driveway, an old fashioned white wooden double entryway front door and from what I can see, at least two fireplaces. "This place has at least half an acre in the front. Are you sure you got the right address, Katie?" Dad asks in stunned disbelief. "I checked the address as we drove. This is the right one." I answer speechlessly.
After helping my dad into the house I come back out and start unloading our bags and boxes packed with our more personal things, when two women walk up to the house. One woman has long dark brown hair, and is dressed in a sleeveless white turtle neck and black slacks. A small brown belt completes the outfit. The second brunette is in jeans and a red blouse with black heals. "You know, this used to be the commanding general's quarters. The house was eventually converted into guest quarters for the international leadership program, which ended three months ago." One woman says as they help me grab everything from the car. "That's understandable. I mean, this place is huge. Both my and my dad's apartments could fit on the main floor!" I exclaim shocked. "Sorry, where are my manners? My name is Claudia Joy Holden, I live right across the street." Claudia Joy smiles as we shake hands. "And my name is Denise Sherwood, I live a couple of blocks back." Denise says with a smile. "Hi. Thanks for the help. My name is Kate." I state with a smile. Claudia Joy and Denise help bring in what I packed in my car, all the while they tell me about the latest post news. The spacious foyer is nothing but maple colored hardwood flooring, rich honey colored walls, and a grand staircase right ahead. Immediately to the left is a dinning room, then to the right is the humongous living room and if you walk through there you can find the office. If you go through an archway that sits on the right side of the stairs, you will be in the kitchen. Upstairs is the master bedroom of to the right with an in-suite bathroom, a guest bathroom, and four more bedrooms. "Do you have a moving truck on its way?" Denise asks as she sets the box she is carrying down on the foot of the stairs. "No, all of our things are in storage. We didn't know if Doctor Sanders was going to take my dad's case." I answer with a shrug. "Not to intrude or anything, but how do you plan on getting your furniture?" Claudia Joy asks. "Honestly, I have no idea. We just moved in and I don't really know anyone." I explain shyly. "Well, you know us. Now, the first thing we need to do is get you down to the family support center so you can get a military ID card." Denise explains as she takes me by the elbow. "What about my dad? Does he need one?" I ask as I'm being dragged out the front door. In the end, Dad and I are in the back of Claudia Joy's SUV and on our way to get ID's. With the ID's done, Denise and Claudia Joy volunteer their husbands to help move the big furniture later in the day. Denise takes me to the PX to get our groceries. after that we go to another military building to get the cable and internet set up. I am in the kitchen putting the cereal away when there is a knock on the door.
"Hello?" I ask as I pull open the door, only to find two tall strong men dressed in army greens. "Hello, I'm Brigadier General Michael Holden." The taller of the two states as we shake hands. He has brown hair with firm yet gentle blue eyes. "I'm Major Frank Sherwood." The other man says while we shake hands. He has blond hair in a buzz cut and firm blue eyes. "Our wives told us to bring the trucks and they would explain when they got here." Michael says with a smile. "By all means, come on in. Sorry there's nowhere to sit." I say while leading them into the kitchen. Just as Frank is about to comment, there is another knock at the door. This time it is Claudia Joy and Denise. "Michael, this is Colonel James Beckett's daughter Kate. They just got here this morning and she needs help getting their things from storage." Claudia Joy says. When everything has been worked out, I ride out with Michael to the storage facility. After punching in my code and navigating to unit eighteen, I open the garage-like door revealing boxes. Various odds and ends of furniture and my Harley. "Alright, let's get all the important things loaded up first. If we have to, we can always come back." I state while walking into the cramped area and grabbing a box labeled bedroom in my neat handwriting. "What did you do? You know, before you moved here?" Frank asks. "I was a homicide detective in Manhattan, New York. Almost made it four years on the job." I explain while handing Claudia Joy a box for the bathroom. "That's impressive." Michael says, shocked. "Thank you, and yes it is. I was well on my way to making captain by the end of the year." I say proudly. When everything important is loaded up, there is no room for me to sit in any of the three vehicles. "Maybe we should put these two boxes back?" Denise asks as she lifts one. "No, no, that's fine. I can ride my Harley home." I say with a giant smile. "Are you sure? We can put them in the back of Frank's truck." Micheal suggests. "I'm sure. Besides, I haven't been able to ride for awhile anyway." I say as I grab my helmet and keys from a box on the floor and climb onto my bike. "You're sure you'll be safe on that thing?" Frank asks worriedly. "Guys, I've owned her since I was seventeen. Even bought her with my own money. I know what I'm doing." I state as I slip my helmet on and turn the engine on. "Meet you guys at my house." I say with a smile as I take off spraying a trail of sand in my wake.