Author note:

This got into my brain today. Please leave a review if you enjoyed it. Thanks!

CH 16-Calling

Emma was getting dinner ready when Clay walked in the front door, home from work. After years of accommodating his unpredictable schedule while on Bravo, she was happy that he had somewhat regular hours now. Taking over her dad's security consulting business was a hard transition for her husband. He was a man of action and having to put in hours behind a desk wasn't his favorite. He was at loose ends after he had retired from DEVGRU and Jason's offer gave him some purpose again.

Clay walked into the kitchen and stopped behind his wife, who was stirring something on the stove. Wrapping his arms around her, he bent and placed a series of small kisses to her neck.

"Mmmmm, welcome home."

"Thanks babe."

Emma turned and offered her lips for a proper kiss.

"That smells delicious."

"You hungry?"

"Yep, starving. I didn't get much for lunch today. I had to drive over to a job site and check on an installation."

"Well, this is almost done."

"Good. What can I do to help?"

"Uh, you could set the table and call AJ down."

"Sure thing, honey."

AJ was their only child at home now. Quinn was in her Sophomore year at Georgetown. She was in their pre-law program. She had decided that she wanted to pursue a career as a lawyer. But, more than that, she had informed everyone that she wanted to carry on the family tradition of serving in the Navy and was working toward a Direct Appointment to the JAG Corps once she graduated Law School. Both Clay and Emma were extremely proud.

As they sat down to dinner, AJ entered the kitchen and joined them. The seventeen-year-old was a couple inches taller than his father, inheriting some of his grandfather's height. AJ did have Clay's wide blue eyes, and his sandy blonde hair held a bit of curl

The three dug into their meal and conversation began to flow. Clay and Emma had always viewed the family dinner table as a place to share about everyone's day. They discussed Clay's newest client, Emma's preparation for another school year, and their never-ending list of home maintenance projects. Both noticed that their son was uncharacteristically quiet and had been since returning from his annual Summer trip to Texas to help out Sonny on the ranch. Clay tried to draw his son into the conversation.

"Still resting up, son?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah."

"You seem more tired this year. Sonny pawn all the hard labor off on you this trip," Clay teased.

"Well, Uncle Sonny did give me more responsibilities this time. It was a lot of work and I didn't want to let him down."

Emma reached over and squeezed his hand.

"I'm sure you could never do that."

"You think you'll be rested up by the weekend? I'm gonna need some help painting the front porch."

"Yea, yea, sure, Dad."

After that, AJ retreated back into his own thoughts as they finished their meal. When his plate was empty, he rose, put it in the dishwasher and moved to go back up to his room. Clay's voice stopped him.

"Hey, check out the mail I brought in. There's a couple more college brochures that came today."

"Okay, yeah."

The boy grabbed a few flyers and climbed the stairs without another word.

Clay rose and started to clear the table.

"Wow, he really must be worn out. I'm gonna have to give Sonny a call and give him shit for over-working AJ."

Emma chuckled, but didn't respond. She knew her children, and she wasn't entirely convinced that AJ's silence was just the result of exhaustion. Letting her gaze drift toward the stairs, she made a promise to herself that she would give her son a couple more days, and then they would have a chat about what was really going on.

When two more days went by, with a similar pattern of behavior from AJ, Emma took it upon herself to find out what was eating at the boy. She approached his door with a basket full of clean laundry and knocked on the door.

"Yea?"

"Can I come in? I've got some clean clothes for you."

"Yea, Mom. C'mon in."

AJ was sitting on his bed, studying something on his laptop intently. Emma sat the basket on his desk and addressed him again.

"So, you want to tell me what's up?"

AJ's head jerked up.

"What do you mean?"

"Something has been bothering you since you got home from the ranch. I thought you might want to talk about it."

AJ started to deny that anything was wrong, but he knew it was useless. He and Quinn used to joke that their Mom had ESP where they were concerned, and always, always knew when they were telling the truth. He sighed and set aside his computer. Emma took a seat in his desk chair and waited for him to speak.

"I... I know you and Dad have been waiting for me to make some decisions about my future, about college. School is starting in a few weeks and I know I should be sending in applications."

Emma stayed silent, letting AJ speak his piece.

"But I… I'm not so sure college is for me."

AJ had always been a good student, got decent grades, but he had never dived into books the way Quinn had. He preferred doing things to reading about them.

"Okay, well. It's not for everyone. Your dad and grandpa didn't go to college."

She was prepared for AJ to tell her he wanted to enlist but didn't want to put words in his mouth.

"I know. But, Mom, I don't want to go into the service either."

Now she was thoroughly confused.

"You lost me, son. If you don't want to go to college and you're not enlisting, what is it that you plan to do?'

After a deep breath, his words came out in a rush.

"I want to work with Uncle Sonny. I want to work on the ranch. He said, he told me he's too old to be doing things, that he'd probably have to sell. Then some developer would come in and tear it all up to build houses or something since he doesn't have anyone to pass it on to."

He raised his earnest blue eyes to hers.

"I don't want that to happen, Mom. I love the ranch…and…well, I'd like to become Uncle Sonny's partner and take it over one day."

Emma smiled fondly at her boy. His voice was filled with so much emotion and fervor as he continued on about his plans.

"Have you talked to Uncle Sonny about this?"

"Not yet. I mean not really. We had some 'what-if' conversations. But I wouldn't make any decisions without talking to you and Dad first."

"And this is what you really want to do?"

"It is. I love it Mom. The land, the skies, the horses. I… I can't see myself doing anything else."

Emma thought to herself that she really shouldn't have been surprised. Every time they had made to visit Sonny over the years, AJ had lit up. Quinn always enjoyed the visits, and she loved her pony and the other horses her Godfather had gifted her over the years. But it was AJ that reveled in it. He would spend hours riding with Sonny and peppering him with questions about the cattle and the horses. When he turned 14 and Sonny had made the offer to him to come work on the ranch for the summer he jumped at the chance and had returned every summer thereafter.

"Well, it sounds like you've made up your mind."

"I have…it's only…"

"Only what?"

"I don't know how to tell Dad."

"Why? Why would you be worried about talking to your father?"

Even with his frequent absences as they were growing up, Clay had developed a wonderful relationship with both of his children. There was never a question in their minds that he loved them and their mother above all else. He encouraged them in each of their endeavors and assured them of his pride in their efforts. She knew that her husband always wanted his children to feel they could come to him with anything, any concern and he would listen. For this reason, she was surprised at AJ's reluctance to approach his father.

"I don't want him to be disappointed in me," he admitted.

"Why on Earth do you think he would be disappointed in you?"

The boy looked down at his hands that were twisting in his lap.

"Well, because I don't want to be in the Navy. I know how much serving meant to Dad. He was a SEAL and Grandpa was a SEAL. Now… now Quinn is planning on being a JAG officer in the Navy. I don't want to let him down by not enlisting."

When he looked up, she could see tears just behind his eyes. Emma swallowed and chose her words carefully.

"Yes, being in the Navy and serving his country means a lot to your Dad. But he would never want you to feel obligated to do something you didn't feel called to do. Your Dad told me once that he did what he did so that the people he loved would never have to see the things that he had seen. He did what he did because he wanted you and your sister to be safe and free to follow your own dreams. All he's aver wanted is for you to be happy, AJ."

The young man sniffed and wiped at his eyes.

"I know that. I just couldn't stand to upset him. Do you think that you could…"?

Emma stood and walked over to stand beside him and laid her hand on his shoulder.

"If this is your decision then you need to be the one to tell him about it, okay?"

Her son nodded in agreement.

"And don't wait too long. It's only going to get harder the longer you wait."

"Yea, you're right. Thanks Mom."

Emma leaned and placed a kiss on his unruly waves and left him to his thoughts.

The weekend came and father and son worked together to re-paint the front porch. The wooden deck, railing and the extended roof had been an addition that Clay had surprised Emma with one year. When they purchased their place while she was pregnant with Quinn, they were both happy with their choice. But Emma had lamented the lack of a front porch. She always felt that houses that boasted a porch were so much more homey and inviting. Clay never forgot her comments and saved for a few years to give her what she desired. So, one summer while she went to visit her brother and their newborn niece, he gathered the guys and they built Emma her front porch. When he picked her up from the airport and brought her home, she dissolved into tears of joy.

They all enjoyed the outdoor space over the years. But none more than Emma and Clay. He lost track of how many evenings they spent cuddled together on the porch swing, watching night fall, and feeling content to be there together with their children tucked safely in their beds.

It took them two full days, but when he and AJ were done and replaced the swing, potted flowers, and other decorations, the porch looked like new. AJ knew that working with his dad was ready made time to discuss his future plans, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

Sunday evening found Clay and Emma snuggled on the porch swing, enjoying the late summer sunset.

"So…AJ. Something's up isn't it," he asked her.

"Why do you think that?"

"He seemed so jumpy, so on edge as we worked out here this weekend. Is something wrong, Em?"

Emma lifted her head from his shoulder and looked at him. She still felt that it was AJ's place to share his plans with his father, but she wouldn't lie to her husband.

"He does have something to tell you. I was hoping he would have by now."

Clay searched her face but saw no worry or concern, so he relaxed. Knowing that if anything were truly amiss, she would share it with him.

"Well, I guess I'll have to go to him then, won't I?"

He rose from his spot, placed the throw over Emma and kissed her forehead.

"I'll be back. Save my spot."

Clay went up to his son's room and knocked on the slightly open door. AJ was inside, playing a video game.

"You have a minute?"

"Sure," he said, pausing the game and laying aside the controller.

"I want to thank you again for your help with the painting this weekend. It's gonna be hard for me to get used to doing things by myself once you head off to college next year."

AJ shifted uncomfortably at that comment. Clay sat down at the end of the bed.

"You wanna tell me what's up?"

Clay watched his son take a deep breath and dive in.

"Dad, I'm not going to college next year."

"Okay."

"I…I want to work with Uncle Sonny and learn Ranching."

"I see. You wanna run cattle, huh?"

"Yes. I want to do that too. But, really, I want to raise and breed horses."

Once he got started, AJ laid out his whole plan to Clay. He could see the passion in his son's eyes and hear it in his voice. When he finished, he looked to his father for his reaction.

"Did you talk to your Uncle Sonny about this?"

"No, not really. I wanted to discuss it with you and Mom first. What you do think?"

"That sounds like a lot of work, but a great plan."

"Are you, you're not disappointed in me?"

"Why would I be disappointed?"

"Because I'm not going into the Navy."

"Son, you have never made me anything but proud. If this is what you want, what you feel called to do, then it's what you should do."

AJ exhaled loudly.

"Thanks."

"Your mother and I will support you 100%."

"I know that, Dad. You both always have."

Clay grabbed his grown son and they embraced. He released the boy and stood up to leave.

"Hey, why don't we call Sonny tomorrow and see how we get this all going, okay?"

"Yea, that's… that sounds great," AJ almost babbled with excitement.

Right before he closed the door behind himself Clay stopped and spoke his son's name.

"AJ?"

"Yea?"

"I love you, son."

"Love you too, Dad."

Clay stopped in the kitchen on his way back outside to grab a glass of wine for himself and one for Emma. He rejoined her on the porch and handed her a glass.

"Thank you."

She re-arranged herself to make room for him. He settled in with one leg propped up on the swing and one on the floor. Emma situated herself leaning back against his chest and he pushed off the wooden boards to start them in motion. As they swayed in the night breeze she spoke up.

"So, did you talk to AJ?"

"Yea, we talked."

"And…"

"Our son is going to be a rancher."

"Yes, he is."

"He's gonna be a damn good one, too."

Emma agreed and smiled in shared pride at the man they'd raised together.