Vanished!

Chapter 15 - Reminiscences

Three years after we were married, we had a second child. Victoria was also a boisterous child and clung surprisingly to her godmother. They had this connection I guess enhanced by the fact that Ms. Cheryl never had a daughter or a sister of her own and spoiled her royally. She never missed a birthday or graduation ceremony and attended many athletic events. She entrusted me with her Second Lieutenant bars for my daughter the summer that Victoria went off to the Air Force Academy with some sadness fearful that she would not be able to pin them on her herself..

Victoria excelled in math and science and Doc Wade and her godmother knew she had all the attributes of being a strong candidate for an academy appointment someday. I overheard Ms. Cheryl one day say that "this was not the time to think like a girl." Vicky got mad at the girl next door and was telling her all about the encounter with the not so nice girl. Ms. Cheryl told her to " 'man up' and let the grudge go. It won't make one difference tomorrow." She looked back at me and saw a quizzical look on my face. "Look Agent LaSalle, a drill sergeant don't give a damn about what your squad mate did or didn't do. He just wants to know what you did to help the person so you all live through the situation."

Liam had graduated with honors and went to LSU planning to become a State Police officer. He really wanted to go to Grambling with a football player that he played with. We just kind of stood back and let that situation unfold on its own with no input from us.

Victoria did get in to Air Force. Her mother put her through her paces from the first day that she put in her application. Sonja knew the strength that she would need to endure the physical requirements. Lucky for her that she was built more like her uncle Cade but quick on her feet like her mother. Sonja didn't let up on her one bit. While 'Doolie Day' and the six weeks that followed were still more shocking that she expected, she was able to enjoy the freedom of the yelling of the older cadets by running away on the track from those who would try to intimidate her.

Life was good after Sonja's release. While the physical therapy was difficult, it had its intended result. Aside from some facial scars and the ones on her legs, she healed nicely. King and Ms. Cheryl were adamant that she stay in counseling to address the memories that followed her home from the Sudan. King even transferred to her weekly support group.

Sonja cut her hours back to half time so that she could spend more time with the kids in sports in middle school. Even though she couldn't run with the kids, she could coach telling the kids on her team how she came back from her own injuries and her early successes in sports.

Still a crack shot, she worked with the young people in Vicky's Jr. ROTC program coaching them to become one of the top rifle teams in the country. Momma made sure that the homework was done and oversaw the tutors that we hired to help our two high schoolers keep on track with their advanced academic course work.

I took over the New Orleans office after King retired. The mayor, a personal friend of Ms. Loretta's, dangled a Division Director position at NOPD in front of me but in the end King convinced me that having the additional staff and politics of being at municipal government was not worth the headache.

As the years past by, we grew to the point where more of our beloved friends and family started to leave us. First my mother's oldest brother, then Sonja's mom, Ducky from NCIS in D.C., Isler who was shot in a courtroom in D.C. by a fleeing subject and my old partner from NOPD. The hardest though had to be when Tammy's little girl was hit by a car in front her school by another parent distracted by her cell phone. Tammy was as close to Sonja and I as our blood sisters. It was just so sad.

All and all as I stand here with my hand over my heart at the playing of 'Taps' at King's burial, I know that our lives have touched and been touched by a great number of wonderful people. I will not cry, I will not cry I tell myself. I am so glad that I got to tell King that I loved him.