Incumbent(75)

As we walked away, Lucy squeezed my hand. When I looked at her, she was wiping away a tear.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, it’s just all so sad.” With concerned eyes, she scanned the room. “There are so many people here.”

“There are, and I try to come as often as I can. Those men I introduced you to are my age. We most likely would have all been together, if I’d been able to enlist. They’re doing okay, given the circumstances. Mick lost his vision in one eye, and John, well, his story was sad. His PTSD was so bad, he had recurring nightmares. He’s here on a grant my family provided. Some thought he might need to be institutionalized, but he just needed to be near his men. He was a commander of a platoon, and only he and another soldier survived.”

A sigh escaped her. “They should paint the walls yellow or something cheery.”

I walked her away a few paces, near a small round table where some men were reading and others were just hanging out.

“Earlier you said you didn’t want me to give up my dreams, but lately, I feel as if what I thought I wanted isn’t what I should be doing.”

Her brows drew together as she peered up at me. “What are you saying? You don’t want to be in politics?”

“I love my job, I do. But when I saw what it was doing to you, it forced me to look at the big picture. When I threw my hat into the political ring, I did it with the intention of helping people, being a voice for them and doing what’s best. But you and I both know I can only do so much. Yes, if I were president, I’d be able to do more, but I can do more now.”

“Drake, what is it that you want to do?”

“See these men and women? There are so many more like them. Most don’t have jobs once they leave here, and it’s hard for them to get back on their feet. Some have suffered severe trauma and have to reteach themselves how to read and write.”

I took both her hands in mine. “I want to help them, Lucy. They shouldn’t have to continue to fight to live when they fought for our freedom, so I want to start a non-profit to assist them. I’d do legal work pro bono, and get volunteers to help them find work and anything else they may need. Granted, I need to make a living, so I’m going to return to practicing law again and rejoin my mother’s firm.”

Lucy’s eyes grew wide, and before she could say anything, I said quickly, “I love politics—you know I do—and I plan to be involved, but I won’t be running for another term. Not right now. Being able to help men and women like those here is what I want to be doing.”

Hopeful, I looked into her beautiful eyes and was relieved to see that she understood.

She nodded. “That sounds like an excellent plan, if you’re sure.”

“I am.”

“Then I think that’s what you should do.”

After she placed a quick kiss on my lips, a man sitting in the corner reading Curious George drew her attention.

“That’s Christopher,” I said.

“What happened to him?”

“He had a stroke when he returned from combat. They think it happened there, but they can’t be sure.”

Lucy got up and walked over to him. I watched as she shook his hand and sat next to him. For the next hour, they read together while I made my rounds, chatting with others in the room. As I did, I couldn’t help but continue to glance at Lucy. Her patience was unwavering as she and Christopher slowly turned the pages of a children’s book. Then they smiled at each other and exchanged a few words before she walked back to me.

“I’d like to help too,” she said with a big grin. “Where do I sign up?”

So proud of my girl, I pulled her to my chest and hugged her before giving her a quick kiss. “You put yourself out there for me today, and I’ll never forget it.”

“Initially, I did do it for you, but when I was speaking, it was as if a weight was lifted off of me. Granted, I’d told my story to you and your family, but what I did today felt different. It was for both of us. I love you, Drake, and I want to be by your side and help wherever and however I can, no matter what you decide to do.”

My heart soared. That was exactly what I’d wanted to hear.

“So, we’ll do this together?”

She nodded. “Yes. Together.”

We headed back to the parking lot, and as we were buckling up in my car, I said, “Today must have been so difficult. Especially since that tacky reporter was there.”

“That’s the thing,” she said with a shrug. “It wasn’t. It’s funny, and not in a comical way, but in a strange one. For so many years, I protected myself against what people would think, but today, I wanted to protect you. It felt like second nature. I know how strange that sounds, because it even sounds strange to my own ears.”

I shook my head. “That’s how I felt too. It wasn’t a knee-jerk reaction, but I wanted to renounce my candidacy to protect you from anything that could hurt you. But my lady love is much stronger than I gave her credit for.”

Her cheeks took on a pinkish hue at my words, and the freckle that I loved to kiss rose as her lips curled into a smile.

“You bring out the best in me, Drake.”

“We bring out the best in each other.”

? ? ?

Instead of going to Jack’s house, I took her to mine. Thankfully, there weren’t any reporters camped out, which was a relief.