Finding You Again

Chapter Two

"If dreams came true, just one more chance to talk to you, and thank you for the time you spent teaching me the truth. A boy back then, I've grown up, now I'm a man. I can finally understand the things you said to me…but I still miss you, all the time we spent together, to hear you talk about the weather…"
"I Still Miss You" by Hawk Nelson (Tooth & Nail Records) from Hawk Nelson is My Friend

Thirty-seven-year-old Frank Hardy glared at the college acceptance letter in his hand. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see his wife, Callie, smiling sadly up at him. "Hey, Baby. Whatcha thinking?"

Frank shook his head, his dark brown locks becoming agitated. He was starting to get a little gray-Callie said it looked dignified, but Frank knew that if his baby brother was still alive, he would be making fun to his heart's content. "I just want them to be safe, Callie."

"Honey, you're a private investigator, just like your dad was before he retired. You had to know that one of our kids might want to be like their dad as well?"

"Why couldn't he want to be a soccer player like Joey? Or even a 'vederinarian' like Jessi Marie?"

Callie sighed. "Frank, you know Joe wouldn't want you to be like this...feel this way." Tears misted her eyes. "I miss him, too, but, Frank, it's been fifteen years."

Frank shook his head. "Callie, I don't want the same thing to happen to Darren as it did to Joe."

Callie slipped an arm around his waist and ran a finger down his cheek. Kissing him lightly on the lips, she cooed, "Let's just talk about it before you give him the no-go, okay, Babe? He's just like you were when you were his age," she added, smiling sweetly and kissing him again.

Frank sighed. "Callie, I-"

"I won't take no for an answer, Darling," Callie said softly. "You should know that by now."

Frank's face reddened. "Okay, okay, you win," he mumbled.

"Good," Callie grinned, stepping back and sauntering up the stairs to get ready for work. "Oh, yeah, don't forget. Thanksgiving dinner at your parent's house on Thursday."

"Right," Frank agreed, smiling fondly at his wife. Then he hurried out the door. He had a client to meet.

Joline slammed her locker shut and hurried out to the school parking lot to meet Darren. He was leaning against the side of his Eclipse, grinning at her. "Took you long enough," he joked.

"Funny," she countered, then added, "Oh, I'm eating at your place tonight."

"Invite yourself, why don't you?"

Joline rolled her eyes. "Mom has to work late tonight, and I'm tired of ordering in pizza."

"I didn't know you'd been ordering in pizza," Darren commented. "I could have gotten you some for free. Tony, the owner of Mr. Pizza, is a great friend of Dad's."

Joline shrugged. "I'm tired of pizza anyway. So can I eat dinner with you?"

Darren nodded. "You know you're always welcome. I just like messing with you."

By this time, they had pulled into the driveway of a large, white, two-story house. A large marble sign at the front of the driveway said in beautifully engraved letters:

In Memory of Joseph Samuel Hardy

Top Notch Detective

Loved Son

Caring Husband

The Best Brother in the Whole World

Died November 30, 1993 in the Line of Duty

We Love You So Much, Baby Brother

Her uncle had put this up just weeks after his brother's death. This sign had always bothered Joline. Her father had obviously been a wonderful person-loved and admired by his parents, wife, and brother. But what kind of father would he have been? Would he have taken her to that Daddy-Daughter dance she had to miss in kindergarten because she didn't have a daddy? Would he have taught her new and wonderful things about the world? Would he have taken her fishing, or gotten her into sports? Would he have been in the first row next to her mother at her eighth grade graduation?

She had no idea, for although her mother had been a widow for over a decade, she had never remarried or shown any interest in a long-term commitment with any man.

"You coming?" Darren asked, stepping out of the car and jolting her back into the present.

"Oh...yeah," Joline responded and followed her cousin into the house.

The first thing she saw was a picture of her father-the last one he had taken before he died. She studied his handsome face and bright, deep blue eyes. He had an arm around her mother, and the look on his face was one of pure happiness. Darren nudged her forward, and she hurried from the entrance into the freshly mopped living room.

Jessi Marie met them at the door, her brown eyes shining. The little girl's blonde hair was pulled into pigtails. "Hi, Darren! Hi, Jo!" she squealed, then threw her arms around her brother, then her cousin.

"Hey, Jess," Darren greeted his sister as he threw his book bag on the floor. "Where's Dad?"

Callie walked into the room. "Up in his study. Get that bag off my floor. Put it up in your room. Now." Darren rolled his eyes but headed upstairs with the bag, Jessi Marie on his heels. Callie turned to Joline. "Hey, Jo. What's up?"

"Okay if I eat here tonight?" Joline asked. "Sorry it's kinda short notice, but Mom called and said she won't be back until later."

"Sure. You know you're always welcome here."

The dinner table in the Hardy house was packed that night. Frank and Callie sat in their usual seats. Jessi Marie sat in between Joline and Darren and couldn't be happier. Joey had invited his friend Ronnie over, as well, so that was another seat filled.

"How was your day, Darren?" Callie asked her son.

"Great," the teen said, keeping his eyes locked onto his father. "Mr. Buchanan was telling me that crime scene investigation and forensics is my calling."

"What's for-in-sick?" Jessi Marie wanted to know.

"It's where they cut up dead guys and take their guts out," Brown-haired, green-eyed Joey grinned. His best friend Ronnie snickered.

"Ewwwww!" the little girl shrieked.

"That's enough, Joey," Frank warned, but he was smiling. To Darren, "Darren, I-"

"Look, Dad, I know how you feel about this, but it's my life, my decision."

Frank sighed. "I just don't want the same thing to happen to you that happened to-" he stopped, then crammed a large bite of potatoes into his mouth, trying not to say anything to dig his hole deeper.

"What happened to who?" Darren demanded, staring his father down with intense blue eyes.

"Darren..."

The tense moment was broken by Vanessa walking into the kitchen. "Hey, Babe," she addressed Joline. "Ready to go home?"

Joline glanced at the distraught, worried face of her uncle, and Darren's annoyed but compassionate gaze, and nodded glumly. "Yeah."

Frank paced the living room, tears streaming down his face. When Joe had first disappeared in that blast, he had convinced himself that Joe was really alive, and had searched fervently for any evidence that the dead Joe was a clone or a double, but as each long month passed, with no word from the police, or even the Network, he was forced to accept the bitter truth—Joe was dead.

Sometimes, when he least expected it, a wave of grief and remorse swept over him. This was often accompanied by the strange, fleeting notion that his brother was still out there, somewhere. Alive.

No, it had been fifteen years. Frank knew better than to give into these feelings. "Oh, Baby Brother," he sighed. "Why couldn't it have been me?"

A sleepy voice sounded from the doorway. "Daddy? Why are you crying?"

Frank turned to see Jessi Marie in the doorway, one of his own T-shirts serving as a nightgown that reached her ankles. Her hair was mussed and her eyes were drooping. Frank glanced at the clock. It was almost midnight.

"What are you doing up?"

"I couldn't sleep." The child frowned. "You didn't answer my question, Daddy."

Frank sighed and scooped his little girl into his arms and held her close. "I really miss him, Jess."

"Who? Uncle Joe?" Jessi Marie asked, and then went on when Frank nodded. "You shouldn't be sad, Daddy," the four-year-old said softly. "I bet Uncle Joe would want you to be happy.

"You're right, Baby," Frank smiled, and felt his heart melt as she reached out with a chubby hand and wiped away his tears. He spun her around and she giggled in delight. "I love you, Daddy," she whispered, her brown eyes big and serious. Frank smiled and put her down. As his little girl scampered off to bed, he breathed, "I love you too, Jessi."

~Emachinescat ^..^