by Mark Nolan
They both fell silent and thought about Stuart. Their joking had temporarily helped to cover up the anger and sadness they felt about the tragedy and the funeral. But now there was no denying that the time had come to say a final goodbye to their good friend. Their mood began to darken like the rain clouds they could see rolling toward them on the horizon.
Chapter 32
Jake parked the Jeep, and Terrell saw Alicia get out of her car and walk toward them. Terrell went to meet her and he saw that she was agitated.
“My evaluation with the principal was over quickly,” Alicia said. “He gave me a ‘U’ for unsatisfactory because my kids are ‘too happy’ and enjoy class too much. If they’re not miserable then I must be doing something wrong.”
“Don’t let that fool get on your nerves,” Terrell said.
“He reminds me of what I read in the book, Dumbing Us Down, about how so many schools train children to be obedient mindless consumers and low paid employees.”
“Your kids all love you and they’re learning a lot too. You’re doing a great job.”
“The substitute teacher wanted to work the rest of the day and earn some extra income, so I was able to get away and come over here.”
An infantryman named Carl “Gonzo” Gonzales from their former platoon approached them. His parents followed along with him.
Carl said, “Guys this is my mother Olivia and my father Victor.” He turned to his parents and said, “Mom and dad I’d like to introduce you to Jake Wolfe. When I got wounded, Jake ran back into the battle zone along with his dog named Duke. He picked me up and carried me out over his shoulder just like his fireman father would have. Meanwhile this other guy Terrell Hayes provided cover fire to protect us, while the enemy kept shooting at him. These two crazy guys and that brave dog saved my life.”
The father, Victor Gonzales, shook Jake’s hand firmly and nodded as he looked him in the eye.
“You’re a good man,” was all Victor could think of to say. Words failed him, but Jake understood. Victor then shook Terrell’s hand and said the same thing. Terrell nodded and gripped the man’s hand tight.
The mother hugged Jake and Terrell and said, “Thank you both so much for saving our son’s life. You two are like family to us. Nuestra casa es su casa. Our home is your home. You are always welcome there, gracias.”
Jake said, “Denada. We couldn’t leave our brother out there. He would have done the same for us. Besides, he never was very good with directions, always getting lost. That man needs GPS.”
They all smiled, and Carl put his arm around his two friends’ shoulders.
“You’re idiots, but brave idiots,” Carl said.
“There’s a fine line between brave and crazy,” Terrell said.
“Thanks again for crossing the line,” Carl said.
“Actually, the dog dragged me out there,” Jake said.
“And I just had some extra ammo I wanted to fire off and use up,” Terrell said. “I was tired of carrying it.”
Carl just smiled and nodded his head at the familiar insulting banter of his military family. Their insults were actually compliments. They loved him as a brother.
Jake was thinking that with a nickname like Gonzo, it had only been a matter of time before Carl Gonzales got into some kind of crazy situation. Carl was fearless, and he’d protected Jake and Terrell from harm many times too.
A car with dark tinted windows drove into the visitor area behind the group of mourners and parked off to the side unnoticed. Zhukov sat in the car and watched Jake through a pair of binoculars. He reached into a backpack on the seat beside him and took out his pistol. It would be a difficult shot right now, with all of the people moving about. He wished he still had the rifle he’d used at the golf course. But he’d already disposed of that weapon along with the vehicle. At that time he’d had no idea this idiot would cause so much trouble. But it didn’t matter; he’d just wait until Wolfe was apart from the group. Then he’d take him out with a headshot or a double-tap to the heart.
People continued to arrive at the funeral and they milled around shaking hands, talking and hugging. Stuart’s grieving parents had requested a simple graveside service without any formal chapel ceremony or car procession. The parents had asked Jake to give the eulogy. But Jake had said that Father O’Leary would be better at it and would give a non-denominational eulogy.
The casket had an American flag draped lengthwise over the top. It sat on the cross straps of a casket lowering device. There was a short, dark green curtain hanging down below it to disguise the device and the freshly dug grave. Several large bouquets of fresh flowers were arranged around the casket. Some flagpoles flying the American flag stood in a row behind it.
At the appointed time, Father O’Leary stood in front of the casket to give the Eulogy. Everyone in the crowd took their seats on metal folding chairs and focused their attention on him. Behind them, a car with darkened windows drove up very slowly and parked even closer to the burial site, as if the occupant was looking for someone particular in the crowd.
Father O’Leary began the Eulogy:
“We gather together here today to say goodbye to our good friend Stuart Nelson. We mourn his loss and honor his memory. We pray for the strength to bear our grief and the courage to go on with life, the way he would have wanted us to.
When Stuart was growing up, he was a small town boy in search of adventure. Always climbing trees, fishing in rivers, and hiking the hills. He grew into a fine young man with a great sense of humor, a real zest for life and a desire to serve his country.
And he did serve, bravely going off to faraway lands and risking his life. While he was overseas he also helped an impoverished village in several ways. He worked to put in a well so the women didn’t have to hike for miles through dangerous areas to get clean water and carry it back in heavy jugs. He also helped set up solar lights for safety at night in the outdoor marketplace. And it was his idea and hard work that turned a large chow hall tent, filled with dining tables and chairs, into a school for the local children. When Stuart came home to us he served his community as an assistant coach for a youth soccer team. He worked hard at everything he did, with dedication and integrity. He was a good man and it was an honor to know him.
You can talk to anyone about Stuart and they will tell you he was a wonderful friend, the kind who stands by you through thick and thin. He was the kind of friend who is always there for you. A friend who laughs at your attempts to be funny and listens to your complaints. Who gives you a push when you need one and cuts you some slack when you’ve earned it. We were lucky to have had a friend like Stuart. And we should all be grateful we had the chance to know him, although it was for too short of a time. One of his favorite sayings was, ‘Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.’
All of us loved Stuart and our hearts ache with his passing from this world. His death was too sudden. He was too young to leave us so soon. In peace, sons bury their fathers. In war, fathers bury their sons. He is in a better place now and the memories he shared with us will live in our hearts forever. If we are quiet we can still hear his voice telling a joke or offering kind words of encouragement. We can still feel his hand patting us on the back, or his arms giving us a hug. And still remember a day we spent enjoying his company, his conversation, and his friendship.
Hemingway once wrote, ‘The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.’ It’s true, the tragic loss of our beloved friend has broken all of us. But with God’s grace we will grow stronger in the broken places, in spite of our pain and sorrow. Go forth now and be strong in memory of this brief shining life that touched us all.
Stuart would want us to carry on. To live, laugh and love. To make the most of every precious day. We owe that to him, and I want all of you to promise me you will do that in honor of him.
Lastly, I offer these words from a friend who served in the Marines with Stuart. ‘Rest in peace Marine. Fair wind
s and following seas. We got it from here brother. Semper Fidelis. Until we meet again.’
In closing I say, may God bless Stuart and may he rest in eternal peace. Amen.”
The crowd of mourners said, “Amen.”
The uniformed Marine Corps color guard fired three volleys from their rifles. Two Marines in dress blues uniforms lifted the flag and held it above the casket as a Corps bugler began sounding taps.
When the sad music ended, the two Marines slowly and respectfully folded the flag in a time-honored ceremony. One of them came forward and gave the folded American Flag to Stuart’s mother and father. The Marine said, “On behalf of the President and the United States Marine Corps and a grateful nation, we present this flag in honor of your loved one’s service. My condolences.”
The Marine slowly saluted Stuart’s parents, then turned and walked away. The mother tilted to one side in agony, and the father held onto her as they sat side by side.
Stuart’s therapy dog was sitting on the grass next to the father. Cody was a mix of yellow Labrador retriever and golden retriever. The same mixed breed as the world’s very first service dog. Cody pulled the leash free from the father’s hand, ran over to the casket and leaped on top of it, then lay there, howling in sorrow.
Chapter 33
Cold raindrops started to fall on the funeral and blend with the warm tears on the faces of the people there. The sound system began playing a bagpipes instrumental version of Amazing Grace. The mourners filed past the parents to pay their respects and then walk to their cars and take their leave.
As the crowd was dispersing, Stuart’s girlfriend stepped up to the casket. She lit a single candle and placed it in front of a flower arrangement. She said some quiet words and blew a sad final kiss to her love. Then slowly wandered off like a lost soul, walking aimlessly through the cemetery in the rain.
The funeral company employees approached the casket to lower it into the ground, but Cody began growling and barking at them and showing his teeth. The workers backed away from him in fear, and one of them used his phone to call the boss at the funeral parlor office, to ask him what to do about the dog.
Jake saw what was happening and said, “That dog needs my help.” He walked slowly over to Cody and began talking to him in a quiet but firm voice. The rain started coming down harder, and people opened umbrellas as they hurried to their cars. Jake just stood there with water dripping off of his hair and clothes, like a tree in a storm, speaking soothing but commanding words to Cody.
Alicia and Terrell were walking toward the parked cars, and they passed one of the veterans nicknamed “Doc.” He was a Navy Corpsman who had gone through Marine Corps boot camp and accompanied Terrell’s infantry platoon into battle. He’d hooked up Terrell’s blood transfusion to Jake, and he’d been shot in the arm while doing it.
Doc asked, “How are the headaches these days Grinds, getting any better?”
Terrell frowned at Doc and Alicia saw it. He said, “I don’t have headaches Doc. You must be thinking of Kowalski.”
Doc raised his eyebrows in apparent surprise but glanced at Alicia and said, “Oh right, my bad, sorry bro.” He walked off and said hello to some other friends.
Alicia gave her husband a long look. Terrell pretended to gaze around at the cemetery grounds, acting innocent.
“Headaches?” Alicia said. “Is that why we have that giant-sized bottle of ibuprofen you told me you bought because it was on sale?”
Terrell sighed and thought of some lies he could tell, but then he just nodded his head. He could never lie to Alicia and get away with it. Some women had a gift and could guess what you were thinking.
“Sometimes I get migraine headaches, it’s no big deal,” Terrell said.
Alicia put her hand on Terrell’s arm. “What’s causing these headaches?”
“The doctors at Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany said it was due to the shock waves of an explosion.”
“When were you in Germany?”
“When our troops got injured in Afghanistan or Iraq or anywhere in the Middle East, they were flown to Landstuhl. It’s a US military medical center near Ramstein Air Base in Germany.”
“What happened that sent you to the hospital?”
Terrell looked off into the distance for a moment while he made the decision to tell her the truth. Or some of it but not all, never all of it.
“I was injured in battle along with several other Marines. An explosion gave me a concussion that caused a mild brain injury. Doc, the Navy Corpsman, put us on a helicopter. And then his fellow Corpsmen put us on an aircraft that is basically a flying intensive care unit. That jet flew us to Landstuhl Hospital in Germany.”
The truth was that Terrell had suffered a TBI (traumatic brain injury) and he’d been peppered with shrapnel that had to be removed from his body piece by piece with medical tools that resembled needle-nose pliers.
“Why didn’t you tell me about this injury before now?”
“Lots of veterans have lingering injuries. We just don’t talk about them. I thought the headaches would go away and I didn’t want you to worry.”
In the distance the dog howled again, a primal, lonely and heartbroken cry. Jake continued standing in the rain, petting Cody on the back, talking to him and trying to calm him down.
It had been a highly emotional week for Alicia, getting their relationship through the recent fight and then making up. Having problems at work, going to this funeral, and now hearing about Terrell’s war injury and head pain. For all she knew he could have a piece of war shrapnel in his head that he wasn’t telling her about. When Alicia saw this sad dog with the broken heart, and Jake there trying to comfort him while the rain poured down on them both, she started choking up and shaking. Terrell pulled Alicia to him, holding her tight.
“I don’t know why I’ve been crying so much lately,” Alicia said. “Maybe life is just too much right now.”
“That’s okay babe, just cry it all out,” Terrell said.
Alicia wept on Terrell’s shoulder, and he said, “I’m sure I could use a good cry too. I’ve spent years holding my feelings back, pushing them deep inside, biting down on the emotions. Maybe that’s another reason why my head hurts.”
As they hugged each other, Cody let out another mournful howl. Alicia’s breathing started to slow down and become more regular while Terrell looked over at the gravesite and his friend Jake, the man who was born to be a dog handler.
“I think Jake is going to be there for a while,” Terrell said. “He won’t leave Cody alone when he’s suffering, I know him too well.”
Alicia looked over at Jake and Cody. “Those two might be good for each other. I wonder what Stuart’s parents have planned for Cody.”
“Did I ever tell you that you are a very wise woman?” Terrell said. “Let’s go talk to the parents about it before they leave.”
Zhukov sat in his car and observed Jake alone at the gravesite, and he knew that this was his best chance to kill him. The fool was just standing there in the rain, petting a dog. He was obviously an imbecile. Now would be a good time to drive past and put a bullet into him, without anybody else in the way. Zhukov started the car and drove on a section of the paved driveways that would take him directly past the gravesite and give him a clear shot at his target. He drove with one hand on the wheel, and he held his pistol in the other hand. He would try to only shoot Wolfe, not the dog or the casket, but that depended on Wolfe standing still.
Terrell noticed the car with darkened windows coming closer and his cop sense started to tingle. Seeing that vehicle behind them on the road was one thing, but now it was here and making a slow drive-by while the other cars were leaving. Terrell was naturally suspicious, the way all cops become after a while on the job. He knew it might just be some of those protesters who would picket military funerals and cause trouble. Or the driver of the car could be a paparazzi jerk. However this was a war veteran’s funeral, and some vets had made enemies overseas. Terrel
l was extra alert today and he didn’t like what he was seeing.
“You go over to the parents and I’ll meet you there in just a minute,” Terrell said. “I see someone I need to have a word with.”
The way Terrell said it didn’t leave any room for debate. He started walking purposefully toward the car as it was slowly passing by. He was wearing his police pistol in a holster on his belt and as he walked along his unbuttoned suit jacket flapped open in the breeze and revealed his weapon. When Terrell got closer to the slow-moving car it sped up and drove off. Terrell stood there looking at the car as it went away through the cemetery grounds and into the distance. He tried to get the license plate but was not able to see it clearly in time. He took a picture with his phone, then turned and walked back toward Alicia. As he walked, he sent a text to Jake.
I’m riding home with Alicia. Are you going to stay with Cody?
Jake felt his phone buzz in his pocket, and he looked up and saw Terrell in the distance waving at him. He checked his phone and answered the text.
Yes I’ll stay with Cody until he’s okay. Then bring him home to the parents. It might take an hour, or it might take all night. It’s hard to say.
Terrell sent the picture of the car to Jake, with a text: I saw that car again. The one that was behind us on the way here. It drove slowly past the gravesite. Probably nothing but stay alert in case it comes back.
Jake replied: Understood. If anyone tries to hurt this dog, it will be the last thing they ever do.
Chapter 34
Terrell caught up with Alicia and the parents. They were standing out of the rain under a small shelter near one of the parking areas.
“Jake told me he’s going to stay with Cody as long as it takes to calm him down, and then bring him to your house,” Terrell said. “Don’t worry. Even if it takes until the sun comes up, Jake will stay by that dog’s side. I guarantee it.”