The Recruit
Chapter 4
"So, she lied on her application. She could be expelled for that." Commander Sanders said. Mike had never liked the man who was in charge of the Academy.
"I actually reviewed her application. She did say in the 'Prior names used' section that her last name had been Slattery." Mike said.
"That's not the point. She didn't tell me." Commander Sanders answered. Mike's patience was wearing thin.
"She didn't have to. She put it on her application. You just didn't review the app. Do you make a habit out of that?" Mike asked with narrowed eyes.
"That is none of your business." Commander Sanders said.
"It actually is. As Admiral of the Fleet and CNO, I am technically your commanding officer. I report directly to the President since there isn't a Secretary of the Navy anymore. Now…let's see, Recruit Johnson…where did he graduate high school?" Mike asked, pulling a file out of the filing cabinet.
"Uh…New York City. Some public school." Commander Sanders said.
"No. What about Recruit Adams?" Mike asked.
"California?" Commander Sanders answered.
"Georgia. So, what can you tell me about Recruit Graham?" Mike asked.
"Her real name is Slattery?" Commander Sanders said.
"Yes, but frankly, you should be studying these recruits and know everything about them. These kids have worked incredibly hard to get here. So, tell me about your selection process? Their essays, test scores?" Mike continued.
"Every fifth applicant but I did read the essays to make sure there was no blatant errors and their test scores had to be high." Commander Sanders admitted.
"Well, that makes me feel slightly better. Not much." Mike said before he walked out of the office.
The conversation with the President went as well as Mike suspected it would. They were letting it slide that year but the Commander would be replaced before the next session. It would be impossible to tell a group of thirty kids that their place at the Academy and in turn, the Navy, had not been earned properly. Mike had the files all pulled and in his down time, would make sure the recruits had earned their spot.
He was actually reading Katie's essay when recruits began streaming into the class. Mike was a bit surprised not to see Katie yet. She was always the first student there. He was also a bit surprised that a few of the female students looked a bit bedraggled. Thirty seconds after the bell rang, Katie came in, with a bruise forming on her forehead, her hair and uniform mussed. It didn't take much for Mike to form an opinion but to protect Katie, he kept his mouth shut. At the close of class, he spoke up.
"Alright, since it is more than obvious something happened, you are to all read ten chapters of Moby Dick and write at least a five thousand page report on it. Due Monday." Mike answered. He noticed a few girls become visibly deflated. After every student left, other than Katie, she finally spoke.
"You didn't have to do that." Katie said. The skin on her knuckles was broken, there were scratches on her neck and the goose egg on her forehead was causing her eye to turn black-and-blue.
"I am guessing you won't tell me which students it was? I can email the ones it wasn't and stop them from doing the assignment." Mike said.
"They said Commander Sanders told them who I was." Katie remarked. Mike pulled his chair to where it was facing her and he sat down in it.
"Unfortunately, you will be dealing with this for your entire career now. It isn't fair. But, you have a decision to make. I can't make it for you. You have to decide if it will be worth it. It won't make a difference if I retire. You will always be living in my shadow. If you want to quit, I understand and I won't hold it against you." Mike told her.
"I can't imagine I would do anything else and be happy." Katie said.
"Then we need to teach you how to deal with it. I understand fighting but sometimes you need to just mind your own business and let them do their own thing. Will you be okay to drive yourself home?" Mike asked.
"Yeah, I think so." Katie answered.
"Alright, I have a few things to tie up here. It's the end of the day. You head home and I'll be there soon." Mike said. He kissed Katie's forehead once he stood up.
"Dad, please don't do anything that will make this harder." Katie begged.
"Honey, right is right. Wrong is wrong but I will be careful. You just get home. I'll be there soon." Mike said.
"Yes, Sir." Katie said. Mike pulled her close and gave her a long hug. He didn't want to be "Sir" to Katie. He was her dad and he could tell she was hurting. As he held her, he could feel her deflating.
"Go home and take a long nap. You'll feel better later." Mike said. Normally, he might have been worried about Katie having a concussion, but he had been monitoring her for the past hour and her pupils were normal and reactive. Katie pulled away and picked up her bag before leaving. Before Mike could do anything rash, his cellphone rang and Tom's name appeared on the screen.
"Making waves, I hear?" Tom asked.
"Commander Sanders is an ass. What did you hear?" Mike asked.
"So, Recruit Graham is your daughter?" Tom asked.
"Yes. Its Katie. And I refuse to not acknowledge her. I suppose we could have just pretended to not know one another but…" Mike started.
"Christine and Hannah?" Tom asked.
"They are okay. We are still very much getting used to one another." Mike answered.
"Mike, don't let Commander Sanders rain on this. Be the bigger person. You've done the right thing and reported him. Now, just teach the students and be done." Tom said.
"He told a couple of the other students who Katie was and she got beat up. I've assigned them to read ten chapters of 'Moby Dick' and write a 5000-word report but its punishing the entire class for what a few done, even Katie." Mike remarked.
"And you're pissed? Do you know which students it was?" Tom asked.
"I have a pretty decent idea. Three of the girls came in looking pretty rough. Katie fought back. Has busted knuckles and torn fingernails." Mike said.
"Talk to her tonight and find out which three it was. Email the students not involved. Tell them to bring you in report folders with paper inside so they look like they did something. The three that did beat her up, keep that punishment and when I get back, I'll reiterate it." Tom said.
"When will that be?" Mike asked.
"Next week, mid-week." Tom answered.
"Alright." Mike said.
"Mike, once I get back, maybe its time for you to take some time off and spend with Christine and the girls? I know how you've missed them and they need you. Even Katie needs you, not Admiral Slattery." Tom said before hanging up.
Mike stared at his phone for a long moment and realized that Tom was right. Maybe it would be better to just let things blow over, spend time with his family and teach Katie how to handle people like the three girls and Commander Sanders. He drove home and smiled at both Katie and Christine's cars in the driveway. He would need to get them better vehicles soon, and Hannah was nearly driving age. And they needed a bigger house.
Christine was checking the dump on Katie's forehead when he walked in, and he could tell she was worried. Instead of saying anything, he walked to the freezer and found a bag of peas. He handed them to Katie and watched Christine sizing him up.
"What's going to happen?" Christine asked.
"I am not sure." Mike admitted.
"Did anything happen after I left?" Katie asked Mike.
"No, honey. A friend called and convinced me to just come home rather than reacting anymore than I did, now; I do hate that students that weren't involved in this are being punished. Were the three that I noticed looking a bit bedraggled the three involved? Just those three?" Mike asked.
"Yes, just those three." Katie said.
"So, here is what you are going to do. I will email your other classmates, the ones not involved. You and them will put a significant amount of paper in a report folder. Doesn't have to have anything on them, or just gibberish. The three girls will have to do the reading and report. And Commander Sanders will be called back at the end of the school year." Mike explained.
"That seems fair." Katie agreed.
"But that's nine months?" Christine objected.
"In the meantime, I will work with Katie to make sure she is more prepared to deal with the criticism she will encounter simply because she is my daughter." Mike explained. Hannah came in from school mid-conversation and was assessing her sister's injuries. She had apparently put two-and-two together.
"I'm not joining the Navy, Daddy." Hannah insisted.
"There is nothing wrong with not wanting to or wanting to. Unfortunately, for Katie; she will have to make her own way out of my shadow and it won't be easy. I am proud of both of you girls as long as you are happy doing what you want." Mike said.
"And you shouldn't make snap decisions just based on this." Christine told Hannah as she bandaged Katie's knuckles.
"Its not that big of a deal." Katie insisted.
"Why don't you both go up and get cleaned up before supper?" Christine suggested. The girls both knew to obey their mother and headed up. "So, what now?" Christine asked as she washed her hands.
"Tom will be back mid-week, next week. Then, I won't be a teacher anymore." Mike answered.
"You sound almost sad about that." Christine remarked.
"Not sure I am exactly cut out for it." Mike said.
"Will you leave after?" Christine asked.
"NO. I am here for good." Mike answered. He pulled her into a hug and gave her a long kiss.
"I've missed those." Christine remarked.
"Anytime you want one." Mike answered.
"Well, then…" Christine gave him another, longer kiss. He was a bit surprised by the passion, but then, he and Christine had always had a passionate marriage. It wasn't until they heard Hannah clear her throat that they stopped.
"Are you two going to be like two hormonal teenagers?" Hannah asked.
"Yes." Mike said.
"NO." Christine said at the same time.
"This should be fun. Can Katie and I just stay somewhere else?" Hannah asked.
"No!" Mike and Christine said in unison.
"Darn." Hannah remarked.
"We'll try to be quiet." Mike told his youngest daughter. She made a gagging noise and Christine slapped his chest.
"Yuck!" Hannah said before running back up the stairs. Mike and Christine both burst out laughing in response.