by Camden Mays
“Whose tractor is that? Why does he have a tractor? How old is Patches? Why is her name Patches?”
On and on the questions went, but Hannah stayed with it and loved on the half-pint. They had never really discussed children, but now, as their relationship was reaching that tipping point, he needed to explore that with her.
Cole finally took a lawn chair as the sun began to set and watched Hannah, admiring her ability to adapt to her environment. As Janice’s husband responded to some parental chores, Johnny Prichet grabbed the newly unoccupied chair next to Cole.
“Cole, you got a daughter about twenty, don’t ya?” Johnny said with a country drawl.
Cole looked at him, trying to ascertain his motives. “Yep.”
“I saw all that y’all went through on the news a few months back,” Johnny continued. “Must have been hard, watching her and Hannah.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I guess you got a pretty good shot, then. I dated Hannah back in high school for a while. I just got divorced a couple of months back.”
“Uh-huh. Excuse me, Johnny, I think Hannah just called me over.” Cole lifted his tired body out of the lawn chair and joined Hannah and the cute, inquisitive toddler.
“. . . and I saw fireworks. They went boom, boom!” The small boy pointed up to the sky.
“They did? Oh my.” Hannah winked at Cole as he joined them.
“But no more boom, boom. Boom, boom all gone,” the boy said with a sad expression.
“Boom, boom all gone?” Hannah asked, getting a kick out of the little guy’s expressions.
“Yes, boom, boom all gone.”
Hannah put the boy back on the ground, but he kept holding her hand.
“Swing me. Swing me!” he said, grabbing Cole with his other hand. The two of them obliged their demanding guest.
“Alright, you go back to your mom and tell her you to want more ice cream,” Hannah instructed, sending the boy running up the hill to the picnic area. She then grabbed Cole’s hand to hold as they walked back up.
“You know how many germs you just picked up from that little booger eater?”
She smacked his arm. “Stop it. Don’t be gross.”
“I’m just saying I know I’m washing my hands.” He laughed at himself. “Your friend Johnny is something.”
“Yes, he is. Hey, he was pretty good-looking back in high school.”
“Well, now I’ve just got to see those yearbooks.”
“Oh no you don’t.”
The guests eventually began to leave, and Cole and Hannah picked up the backyard spread. Cole folded the chairs and tables that the couple had borrowed from a church community center and loaded them into the back of Mr. Jacobs’s old Ford pickup truck.
“I got to get these back tonight. They’ll need them for the church service tomorrow,” Hannah’s father said.
Cole laid the last chairs in the bed of the truck. “I’ll ride with you and give you a hand.”
He waved to Hannah and opened the door to get in as Patches bounced in ahead of him to the bench seat. It was quiet on the short ride over to the church, and the two men quickly off-loaded the tables and chairs and climbed back into the cab.
Mr. Jacobs hesitated to start the truck and patted the head of the dog. “Good girl, Patches,” he said. Cole sensed he wanted to talk, so he opened up.
“Sir, you have a beautiful place. It’s really peaceful. It’s great to finally meet you and your wife. Hannah’s told me so much about you all.”
“So your folks are gone?”
“Yes, sir. First my mom, then my dad a couple of years ago.”
“Sorry about that, son. How old is your daughter?”
“She just turned twenty. Hard to believe.”
“Goes by in a blink, son. Because you’re a father, I hope you’ll understand me when I say there’s nothing more important to me than my girl.” The old man teared up. “We didn’t think we could have kids, and then she showed up, and she’s been surprising us ever since.”
Cole nodded. “I do understand, sir. That’s why I fought like”—he hesitated as he glanced at the church building—“like heck to get here. It’s important for you to know that I love your daughter.”
“I ain’t blind. I see it. And I see how she is with you. I can tell you she ain’t never loved anyone like that. But you’re in a hazardous business. She is too, for that matter. But yours is in the dark, right? I’m not sure how I feel about that. You understand I can see it in you—you’ve killed men.” The old man patted Patches again. She tilted her head as if she was wondering why the truck wasn’t moving.
“Sir, I’ve learned that there is true evil in this world, and I know sometimes the lines get blurred between right and wrong, what is cultural and what is moral, and I’ve no joy in seeing others die. But I can honestly say, the men I’ve put down, I have no regret in doing so. And the thing that is driving me right now is not patriotism or some adrenaline rush, it is the pure motivation to protect the people I love. So I’m staying the course until that mission is over, and maybe then we can find a piece of ground like you and Mrs. Jacobs did and put out the rocking chairs and have some peace in our lives.” He petted Patches. “And get us a dog.”
Mr. Jacobs nodded. “Alright then, but I want it to happen right here.”
“Sir?”
“Your wedding. This church right here is where Helen and I got married. I want to walk Hannah down the aisle here. Back when she got married to the SOB, he just took her off to some fancy resort. It about broke her mama’s heart. That’s why you came this weekend, right? To let me know you wanted to marry her?”
“Yes sir, but I haven’t asked Hannah yet . . .”
“Don’t worry, son. Your secret’s safe with me, but her mother better hear about it before anyone else finds out, or both of our butts will be in the ringer.”
Mr. Jacobs cranked the engine on the pickup truck and drove back home.
✽✽✽
Hannah felt they were gone for a long while and was watching for them when they pulled up the drive, parking the old pickup over by the shed where the tractor was kept. She saw her father and Cole shake hands and do a man hug.
“Oh shit,” she said, reading their nonverbal agreement.
“Hannah! Language,” her mother corrected from the kitchen.
“Sorry Mom,” Hannah quickly turned to head down the hall. “Cole and I are going out tonight. We might be in late, so don’t stay up.” The bedroom door closed.
“I thought you two were staying in tonight,” her mother yelled just as the men entered from the back door. Cole glanced at her, confused. “I guess you two are going out tonight.” Ms. Jacobs pointed the kitchen towel at him.
“Is that what she said?” Cole asked, surprised.
“Yep,” her mother said, putting her hands on her hips in disappointment.
“Then I guess we are.”
“Smart man, son. You’re getting the hang of it,” Mr. Jacobs said.
✽✽✽
Knoxville, Tennessee
Hannah was glad she wore a jacket over her sleeveless dress as they took a seat on the rooftop bar at a place called Scruffy City Hall down in Knoxville. The venue featured live music on three floors. “So have you been here before?” Cole asked.
“No, but Janice told me about it, so I thought we could enjoy a night out together. We don’t have to stay long. I know you’re still recovering from the travel.”
“No problem, babe. I’m just happy to be with you. Hey, what happened with the Atlanta opportunity?” They ordered their drinks and talked. Hannah shared that she been unavailable for follow-up when she was hiding Reichert, and the Atlanta Division chose another candidate. They discussed the barbecue and Cole asked about some of the people he had been introduced to.
“What about the documents from Grant Ramsey?” Hannah asked.
“Doesn’t look good.”
“What? What happened?”
“Don’t know
. The guy is MIA. McCune’s working it.”
“Shit.”
“Hey, enough shop talk.”
Hannah took a sip of her drink and tilted her head. “OK. So what did you and my dad talk about when you were gone?”
“Well, rocking chairs . . . tractors . . . dogs . . . and churches . . .”
“Churches? You were talking about churches?”
“Well, not about religion, just the church that we took the table and chairs to. Oh, by the way, I think they’re expecting us to go with them to the service tomorrow.” Cole seemed to be trying to divert her attention.
“I don’t know about that,” Hannah said. She didn’t want to push too hard, so she let him change gears on her. “When do you have to go back out? How long do I have you?” In the last three months, they had so few precious moments together.
Cole’s shoulders dropped. “I have a flight back to DC Monday morning. I have to be at the CTC that evening to finalize our op. Then I’m heading out on Tuesday afternoon to catch up to the team.”
“How long? Wait, don’t answer. You don’t know.” Hannah was also sad. Why would love so strong have such impossible challenges? It didn’t seem fair. Cole reached across and took her hand.
“It’s Salim al-Samarrai. He’s the last of Hasni’s lieutenants. I think he could be the Lion of Aden. If we get him, I can be done with it all.”
“What do you mean ‘done with it all’?” Hannah drew a breath of hope.
“I mean I’ll be at peace with walking away from the career, knowing I did more than my share for this country and everything within my power to keep my loved ones safe. I’ll be at peace if it means I can be with you.”
“You’ll do that?”
“Babe, I’d be ready to do it now if that damn Lion was eliminated. I’m tired. I’ve seen too much evil, too much suffering, and I’ve shed too much blood. Your love has been the thing that has kept me going.”
She reached over, grabbed the back of his neck to pull him close, and kissed him. “I love you, Cole. Let’s go home.”
“What? I thought you wanted to dance and listen to music.”
“I just want to be with you.”
They drove back west on I-40 until they reached the exit for Highway 299. Cole headed north toward the Jacobses’ home, and when they arrived at the gravel drive, Hannah abruptly instructed him to continue further up and take the paved road that led around the woods to the back side of the property where her dad used to have a small cornfield.
“Pull in here,” she said.
“What are we doing?” Cole asked.
“You’ll see,”
“What the hell? After all the missions I’ve been on, I’m going to be killed by some farmer for trespassing on his land.”
“This is my parents’ property. We’ll be fine. Turn the car lights off.”
Hannah removed her jacket and unbuttoned the top of her dress as she sat up on her knees in the passenger seat. “How far back does that seat go?” she asked in a soft, sexy voice as she unbuckled his pants, kissing him passionately.
“I . . . I’m not . . .”
“You may be going to church tomorrow, but I’m taking you to heaven tonight,” she said, biting his lower lip as she pulled his pants down.
Cole couldn’t answer. He just started pushing buttons and pulling levers on the unfamiliar rental car. Finally, the seat back folded down, and Hannah crawled over and straddled him. The windows of the car steamed up as the two magically reunited their intimate connection.
Chapter 30
Morgan County, Tennessee
The lone, round stained-glass window high above the pulpit in the old A-frame country church cast gentle multicolored light across the floor as the congregation stood, singing from hymnals. To Cole’s right stood Hannah in a brown and white dress, singing and catching Cole’s gaze from the corner of her eye. She switched the hymnal to her right hand and reached over with her left to intertwine her fingers with his. Cole squeezed her fingers, and she smiled through the singing but refused to look at him. Her parents stood next to Hannah with her father at the end of their designated pew. They had been instructed earlier where to go so as to not take any of the regulars’ favorite spots. Mr. Jacobs had that grumpy old man look that seemed to say he was ready for the singing to be over.
As the service continued and everyone sat in the wooden pews, Cole found something peaceful and wholesome about the experience. He allowed himself to reflect on his life’s journey, his joys, and his many mistakes and shortcomings. He dropped his head, thinking about the lives he had taken. He wondered if his cause was a righteous one. Hannah scooted close and took his hand and held it with both of hers on her lap as she crossed her legs. The pastor began his sermon.
In the last couple of days, Cole had learned so much more about the woman he loved. He understood that she had been deeply loved by great, caring parents, but not spoiled. She was passionate yet rooted and desired depth in her relationship. The woman next to him was attractive by any physical standard, but it was her personality that made her irresistible. Never pretentious or conceited, she was perfect for Cole. He imagined the day he would stand with her in this quaint setting and hear her say, “I do.”
The pastor’s remarks broke Cole’s moment as he heard the word “lion” and gave the man his attention. According to the pastor’s message, the biblical character Samson was blessed with supernatural strength. The preacher shared with great detail the story of Samson being attacked by a lion on his way to ask for a woman’s hand in marriage.
Now that’s interesting. Cole thought of the parallel with his life.
“When he was attacked by the lion, he just grabbed it and ripped it apart with his bare hands as the spirit of God gave him strength!” The country preacher drew a few amens from the congregation with his enthusiasm. Soon the message came to an end, and the reverend asked for everyone to bow their heads in prayer. Cole obliged and silently asked for strength, like Samson, to kill the Lion.
Cole watched as the family greeted everyone near the exit of the church. They all wanted to say hello to their local hero, Hannah Jacobs. Her parents beamed with pride, and Hannah kept pulling Cole over to meet the parishioners. With a break in the flow of people, Cole excused himself and shook the pastor’s hand, asking for a word in private. Hannah eyed the exchange and watched in between greetings as the pastor led Cole to the empty side of the church where they took a seat on the first pew.
After a few minutes, most of the congregation had left, and Hannah and her parents stood in the vestibule of the church waiting for Cole.
“Mom, Dad, go on to the car. I’ll be right there,” Hannah said. Her parents made their way down the church steps. Hannah went back inside to join Cole but stopped when she saw the pastor praying for Cole with his hand on Cole’s shoulder.
Back at the house, Mr. Jacobs grumbled about still being in his church clothes, and Mrs. Jacobs scolded him for being so impatient. She had them all take some pictures in their nice clothes, and they ate a mega Sunday dinner.
I get it, Cole thought, remembering Capps talk about dinner versus supper. You can’t call a feast like this lunch. Soon Mr. Jacobs was out of his funk and in a talkative mood again, monopolizing the table conversation, causing Hannah and Mrs. Jacobs to give an occasional eye roll.
After the dinner, Cole and Hannah helped clean up and took a load of leftovers to the extra fridge down in the basement. Cole saw that the Jacobs were prepared for almost any emergency. He remembered teasing Hannah about it months ago. Maybe they weren’t extreme preppers, but they indeed were well stocked and ready with food and supplies.
“You up for a short trip to one of my favorite places?” Hannah asked.
“The cornfield?” Cole whispered, looking over his shoulder.
“No!” Hannah said, slapping his arm. “Let’s go get changed. We’ll take a little hike. I think you’ll like it.”
Hannah drove her Honda down toward I-40 but stayed o
n Highway 299, running west, crossing over the interstate, and taking a right on Pig Path Road.
“Pig Path Road! This ought to be interesting,” Cole said, getting a dirty look from Hannah.
Soon they made another left onto Ozone Road and eventually pulled into the trailhead parking for Ozone Falls in Cumberland County. They hiked the three-quarter-mile trail that began along the bluff near the falls and descended into the gorge. From the sandstone rock, the impressive falls dropped 110 feet into a blue pool with large boulders scattered about. Down at the bottom, Cole and Hannah took a moment, appreciating the scene.
“I bet this will be incredible in a few weeks with fall foliage,” Cole said, looking at the assortment of vegetation beneath the waterfall. There were magnolia, yellow birch, maple, red oak, and white pine trees scattered around.
“Yeah, it really is. They filmed a couple of scenes for the movie Jungle Book here,” Hannah said, taking her shoes off to dip her legs in the pool as they sat on a boulder.
“I saw you talking to the pastor,” she said, gently kicking her legs in the water. “What was that about?”
“You know, rocking chairs . . . tractors . . . dogs . . . and churches.”
Hannah slugged his arm and shook her head.
“This place is so peaceful,” Cole said.
Hannah nodded. “I know. I love this waterfall.”
“No, I mean this whole trip. The waterfall, your folks’ place, the church.” Cole stretched out and lay across the boulder, putting his head in Hannah’s lap. She ran her fingers through his thick dark brown hair.
He looked up into her loving eyes and said, “I asked the pastor to pray for me. I asked him to pray that God would give me the strength to kill the lion in my life so that I might find peace.” He closed his eyes and relaxed.
After their afternoon at the waterfall, they arrived back at the farmhouse to find Mrs. Jacobs in one of the rockers on the front porch, watching her husband tinker with his Kubota tractor parked under the shed.