“Oh.” She felt much better when he said that. “I didn’t want you to feel bad about it,” she said, and he kissed her while the children were out of the room. They knew that their mother and Ben were dating, but she didn’t think they needed to see the details or the evidence of it at their ages. But they were crazy about him, and he was enjoying them too. He took the boys to sports games a lot, and had dinner with them several times a week.
The next day, he had the whole list for her. She was getting an award, and so were Ben; Phil, the head of the New York office of Homeland Security; Alan, the head of the San Francisco office at the time it happened; Tom Birney; Dave Lee, the head of airport security at JFK; Bernice Adams, the TSA agent; Connor Gray was receiving it posthumously; and the entire flight crew that day, Joel, Nancy, Bobbie, Jennifer, and the others. Helen was getting the Medal of Honor, and all the others were getting the Medal of Freedom.
“Wow, I think we should go,” Helen said, studying the list. They hadn’t left any of the key players out, which made her feel better about it. She didn’t want to be singled out, and she hadn’t been. Saving the passengers had been a team effort.
“Of course we should go, and take the kids,” he said. “They should see you get it.”
“And you,” she reminded him. She had invited her father to go as well. He was very proud of her and so were her kids.
Helen made flight and hotel reservations for them the next day. Ben was flying with them, but she thought he should still have his own hotel room, just for the sake of appearances for the kids, although Ben thought they had figured it out over the summer—the boys anyway, since they were older than Lally.
Ben and her father got along well too. They had played golf together several times, and wanted to go to Giants spring training, and were going to take the boys.
* * *
—
Helen saw Joel on a flight a week later, and he said that he and Kevin were going to Washington too. The whole thing was very exciting, and her kids could hardly wait to meet the president, since he would be giving them the medals himself. Oliver was going to write about it as a project for school.
* * *
—
Tom called Catherine at the office as soon as he got the invitation, and asked her to go as his date. Things were going well between them, and they both loved their jobs. They were spending almost every weekend together, since he spent most of them in San Francisco, and at least two full weeks a month.
They had gone to Chicago for a weekend, and she’d met his son. It was the kind of relationship they had both wanted and never found till now.
And when Bernice opened the envelope, she sat and held it in her hands for a long time. She picked Toby up from school, and when they got home, she told him.
“Remember when you said you wanted to go to Washington and meet the president of the United States?”
“Yeah.” He nodded.
“Do you still want to?” Toby nodded and she hugged him tight. “Well, he’s going to give me a medal for the thing I did about the postcard and the bad guy who wanted to hurt the bridge. And you’re coming with me.” He was the most important person in her life.
She had started a new job in September, at a Wall Street law firm, just like she had promised him. She had graduated from law school and taken the bar exam that summer, and she was waiting for the results. They had taken her on as a junior lawyer in the meantime, for more money than she’d ever dreamed of. She had left TSA in August, and Denise had wished her luck. There was a farewell lunch for her, and Bernice had been stunned when Denise hugged her when she left and Della cried.
“Can I have a medal too?” Toby asked her.
“You can have mine,” she promised him. “And we’ve got to get you a suit to go to Washington, and I need a new dress.” It was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to her. A presidential medal, for her contribution to security and the national interests. She was smiling from ear to ear, just thinking about it.
* * *
—
The sky was gray the morning of the award ceremony, but none of them cared, as they arrived separately at the entrance to the White House, showed their identification, said what state they were from, and a smiling guard said, “Welcome to the White House!”
The ceremony was to be held in the Blue Room, on the State Floor, which was used for greeting important dignitaries. It was a beautiful oval room, with a blue oval rug, blue drapes, and upholstered antiques. It had a view of the South Lawn, and was perfect for an occasion such as this.
Catherine had come with Tom Birney as his date. She was living in Palo Alto, and Tom was planning to move in over the holidays. Ben was happy to see Phil and find out what was happening in New York. He introduced him to everyone, and it was like old home week when Dave Lee showed up from the airport. The whole flight crew was there, Joel with Kevin, Bobbie and Annette, and Jennifer, the chief purser on the flight, and the other flight attendant in first class. They had gotten everybody out that day. Helen was startled and pleased to see Nancy seven months pregnant, and Peter had come with her with their newly adopted daughter from Beijing, whom they had named Jade. And Connor Gray’s children were there with his grandchildren, huddled in a corner, looking somber but proud. Helen’s children were so excited for her they could hardly contain themselves as they asked when it was going to start. And she introduced her father and Ben to everyone. She had bought new suits for the boys, and Lally a new pink dress, and she had bought a white suit that was the most expensive outfit she’d ever owned, and Ben beamed whenever he looked at her.
The last one to arrive was Bernice Adams, looking very stylish in a red dress and a black coat, with black suede high heels, her hair freshly done in a bun, and her son, Toby, in a black velvet suit. She went over to talk to Ben, whom she recognized, and he introduced her to Helen and her children. Lally and Toby were the same age.
“It’s an honor to meet you,” Bernice said to Helen, looking awestruck for a minute.
“You’re the one who saved us. If you hadn’t called about the postcard, the bridge and the plane would have gone down. It all started with you, so we’re all thrilled to meet you. Are you still with TSA?” Helen asked her, and Bernice smiled a wide ivory smile.
“I graduated from law school in June and took the bar last summer. I’m working for Harper, Steinman, and Coles,” she said proudly.
“Good job!” Helen said, duly impressed. “That’s terrific!” She loved stories of women who had fought their way up from the bottom and made it.
The president came in a few minutes later and addressed all of them, and said how much they deserved the medals he was about to give them. “You saved a national landmark, and your passengers’ lives. We will owe you a debt forever. And you serve as an example to us all. Each one of you is a hero.”
He handed out the medals to each of them then, shook their hands, and spoke to them for a few minutes, and he wished Nancy luck with the baby and she thanked him. It wasn’t due till January but she looked like she was going to pop any minute. He spent a little more time with Helen. She had worn all her military medals on her new white suit, and he added the presidential medal on it. She already had the Air Force Cross and the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal from her tours of duty as an Air Force pilot. They were two of the highest medals the military gave.
“We’re very proud of you, Captain. We’re proud of all of you,” he said addressing the group, and especially the children. “It’s very important for all of us to try to be heroes in our daily lives.”
As he said it, Helen knew again that it wasn’t something you tried to do. It was something that happened to you, an accident of circumstance, and you became a hero without ever meaning to. It was what had happened to all of them. They had gotten up in the morning and had gone to work, never thinking that anything different was g
oing to happen to them. And then it had. They were all accidental heroes, no matter what the medal said, but brave men and women nonetheless.
To my wonderful, very special children,
Beatie, Trevor, Todd, Nick, Sam,
Victoria, Vanessa, Maxx, and Zara,
You are my heroes, and always will be,
bravely facing the challenges
that have confronted us,
with poise and dignity,
courage and grace.
You have my love and admiration,
always! And forever!
I love you so much,
Mom/d.s.
By Danielle Steel
ACCIDENTAL HEROES • FALL FROM GRACE • PAST PERFECT • FAIRYTALE • THE RIGHT TIME • THE DUCHESS • AGAINST ALL ODDS • DANGEROUS GAMES • THE MISTRESS • THE AWARD • RUSHING WATERS • MAGIC • THE APARTMENT • PROPERTY OF A NOBLEWOMAN • BLUE • PRECIOUS GIFTS • UNDERCOVER • COUNTRY • PRODIGAL SON • PEGASUS • A PERFECT LIFE • POWER PLAY • WINNERS • FIRST SIGHT • UNTIL THE END OF TIME • THE SINS OF THE MOTHER • FRIENDS FOREVER • BETRAYAL • HOTEL VENDÔME • HAPPY BIRTHDAY • 44 CHARLES STREET • LEGACY • FAMILY TIES • BIG GIRL • SOUTHERN LIGHTS • MATTERS OF THE HEART • ONE DAY AT A TIME • A GOOD WOMAN • ROGUE • HONOR THYSELF • AMAZING GRACE • BUNGALOW 2 • SISTERS • H.R.H. • COMING OUT • THE HOUSE • TOXIC BACHELORS • MIRACLE • IMPOSSIBLE • ECHOES • SECOND CHANCE • RANSOM • SAFE HARBOUR • JOHNNY ANGEL • DATING GAME • ANSWERED PRAYERS • SUNSET IN ST. TROPEZ • THE COTTAGE • THE KISS • LEAP OF FAITH • LONE EAGLE • JOURNEY • THE HOUSE ON HOPE STREET • THE WEDDING • IRRESISTIBLE FORCES • GRANNY DAN • BITTERSWEET • MIRROR IMAGE • THE KLONE AND I • THE LONG ROAD HOME • THE GHOST • SPECIAL DELIVERY • THE RANCH • SILENT HONOR • MALICE • FIVE DAYS IN PARIS • LIGHTNING • WINGS • THE GIFT • ACCIDENT • VANISHED • MIXED BLESSINGS • JEWELS • NO GREATER LOVE • HEARTBEAT • MESSAGE FROM NAM • DADDY • STAR • ZOYA • KALEIDOSCOPE • FINE THINGS • WANDERLUST • SECRETS • FAMILY ALBUM • FULL CIRCLE • CHANGES • THURSTON HOUSE • CROSSINGS • ONCE IN A LIFETIME • A PERFECT STRANGER • REMEMBRANCE • PALOMINO • LOVE: POEMS • THE RING • LOVING • TO LOVE AGAIN • SUMMER’S END • SEASON OF PASSION • THE PROMISE • NOW AND FOREVER • PASSION’S PROMISE • GOING HOME
Nonfiction
PURE JOY: The Dogs We Love
A GIFT OF HOPE: Helping the Homeless
HIS BRIGHT LIGHT: The Story of Nick Traina
Children’s Books
PRETTY MINNIE IN HOLLYWOOD
PRETTY MINNIE IN PARIS
About the Author
DANIELLE STEEL has been hailed as one of the world’s most popular authors, with over 650 million copies of her novels sold. Her many international bestsellers include Fall from Grace, Past Perfect, Fairytale, The Right Time, The Duchess, Against All Odds, Dangerous Games, The Mistress, and other highly acclaimed novels. She is also the author of His Bright Light, the story of her son Nick Traina’s life and death; A Gift of Hope, a memoir of her work with the homeless; Pure Joy, about the dogs she and her family have loved; and the children’s books Pretty Minnie in Paris and Pretty Minnie in Hollywood.
daniellesteel.com
Facebook.com/DanielleSteelOfficial
@daniellesteel
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