Prompt: Secret Societies
'Verse: Ready to Fly Series AU…probably ;P
Words: 532
Date: December 12, 2012
They met once a year under the guise of diplomacy, but Colonel Anderson remembers there was nothing diplomatic about the initiation into the society. He unconsciously twirled his great-grandfather's heavy ring on his finger as he recalled the pain he'd been in for days after that initial meeting. But he didn't regret it one moment. Those were the things that made a person a man, and a man a soldier, and he wore his scars and his ring with pride.
After the final repetition of their oath of secrecy, the men and woman all broke for coffee and dessert, just as if they'd completed a meeting of the Knights of Columbus. His first meeting he'd been shocked by the casual nature of the afterhours gathering, but he wasn't any longer. After all, it had been almost ten years now.
"Hey, Anderson, good to see you!" A man about six feet tall and well built approached him and Colonel Anderson shook his hand.
"General Clarington," he greeted as the twisting in his stomach grew. He almost hadn't come this year because of this conversation. "Good to see you again."
"How's the family?" the General asked. They'd met that first day and had hit it off immediately, due in large part to their mutual pride in their sons. A pride that, for the Colonel, had now turned to deep shame. "Blaine still in public school, or did the wife finally give in?" the General asked with a teasing grin.
The Colonel's palms began to sweat. "No, we finally pulled him out of that school. He hasn't been," the Colonel searched for the words that wouldn't give away the horrible secret. "Appropriately challenged. He started Dalton Academy end of last year. Real good school, great reputation," he added as if to justify it.
"Still no military school then?" the General chuckled. "Hunter just started his freshman year at Culver Military Academy. Loves it so far."
The Colonel winced, the dashed dreams he'd had for Blaine thrown in his face. After Cooper had chosen the arts, he'd always expected his youngest to follow in his footsteps, but Amy never thought military school was the right fit for Blaine. He thought it would turn Blaine into the man he wanted his son to be. The Sadie Hawkins dance and Blaine's revelations had destroyed all that. Now he knew the truth.
"Military school just wasn't for Blaine," the Colonel said, unable really to hide his disappointment.
"Mmhmm," the General said, shaking his head. "Just a shame you won't be able to pass down the ring," he said with a glance to the large brass circlets on both of their left hands. "Mine's been in the family for generations."
"A fine tradition, General," the Colonel said, his voice tight, then shook his hand. "If you'll excuse me."
He barely waited for a nod before he rushed out to his car to return to his hotel, the shame that Blaine had caused him rushing the gates, ready to explode in anger. Because of Blaine's choices, the ring that had been in his family for half a century would be buried with the Colonel. And for that, he'd never forgive Blaine.