Tom nodded.
“They’re gonna help you, Tom. They will.”
Tom lowered the mask. “If they …”
“Put the mask on.” She brought his hand up.
Tom resisted. “If they can’t, I’m okay with that. Tell my boys, I’m okay with that.”
“They’ll be no need.” She put the mask back on him and held it there. “You’ll be fine.”
Delaney spoke the words with confidence, but she struggled on whether she truly believed her own words.
TWENTY – HEAVY HEART
Flight 3430 B – Colorado Springs, CO
Not that he knew anything about flying, but Owen was worried the way his brother brought down the plane. It didn’t feel straight and he fought to stay between the navigational two lines.
It felt as if they landed on the left wheels first then bouncing down to the right.
Gabe fought to control the plane and finally brought it to a halt. He looked over at Owen and apologized.
Owen knew his brother’s mind was in the same place his was … on their father.
As soon as it was safe to, Gabe jumped up from his seat to go to the back and Owen followed.
Gary was already opening the door and that was when Owen saw his father standing in the aisle, Delaney right behind him.
He wanted to believe that his father walking and standing was a good thing. But his father didn’t look well.
Tom moved toward his sons at the same time two medics, carrying a chair like emergency stretcher, entered the plane.
“Excuse us, coming through,” one of them said.
Gabe backed up into Owen to let them go through. There was almost a relief on his father’s face when he saw the chair and he sat down in it.
The medics strapped him in.
Owen’s eyes never left his father, it was heartbreaking to watch. Tom was always so strong and he fought to keep up that front, even as they carried him in the chair to the door.
Once they crossed the threshold with him, Gabe hollered out an emotional, “Dad,” and raced after his father.
Owen was in a state of shock. It took a second and then he too got off the plane.
It didn’t register to Gabe, not at first, because all he worried about was landing the plane and getting to his father.
He was hopeful when he saw his father standing, but knew better. His father was stubborn and strong, he didn’t want to be carried off the plane, but was willing to sit because he had to.
The medics carried his father down the airstairs quickly and Gabe raced to keep up.
They were ready and waiting for the plane to arrive. They had the stairs at the door by the time Gary opened it, a helicopter parked not far from the plane, waiting and there were two military jeeps.
The medics weren’t wasting time, they moved Tom fast and Gabe ran.
They were taking him to the helicopter.
“Dad!” Gabe shouted. “We’ll be right there!”
Tom held up his hand to the medic and they stopped, allowing Gabe and Owen to reach him before they lifted him on the chopper.
His sons.
It didn’t matter that they were men, when Tom saw them running toward him, all he saw were Gabe and Owen as little boys. A flash back of them at nine and eleven years old. It was October and cold, leaves all over the ground. Both so young and naïve, tears streaming down their faces as they chased after Tom.
It was the day Tom left the family home. He didn’t want to, but the marriage was over and his wife Julie wanted him out. It was time, but the boys didn’t understand that no matter how many times Tom and his wife explained to them, it would fine.
It was …
That day, Tom’s heart broke. The boys’ hearts broke. They begged him not to leave, crying out, “Please Dad.”
There was no explaining that day, to Tom, the boys would know when they saw him in a day or two.
In their young minds, they acted as if they would never see him again.
That simply wasn’t the case.
Back then, Tom kept going, knowing he’d call them later. He only waved because it was too painful to stop.
He couldn’t make that mistake again.
Gabe was yelling something, Tom couldn’t hear.
“Please stop,” he whispered to the medics. “Please. One minute.”
They did.
The boys ran to him.
“We’ll be right there,” Gabe said. “We’re right behind you.”
“Stay strong, Dad,” Owen said. “You’re gonna be okay. Alright. You’re gonna be okay.”
Both Owen and Gabe laid their hands on Tom’s arm and he took his free hand placing it over theirs.
“So will you,” Tom said. “I’m proud of you both. Proud. Know that.”
Both Owen and Gabe nodded.
“I love you, Dad,” Gabe said. “We love you.”
“I love you, Dad.”
Another squeeze against their hands and Tom replied a strong, “I love you, too. Very much.”
He gave a pat to their hands, did his best to portray strength and nodded to the medics that he was ready.
They immediately returned his oxygen to his face as they lifted him inside.
His sons backed up as the helicopter blades whirled.
Tom watched them, standing close to each other, and like Tom, they tried their best to put on a façade of strength.
He couldn’t have been prouder.
Owen was the big brother that walked the straight line and took care of Gabe through thick and thin. There he was, doing it again.
All Tom wanted in the last few years was to see that Gabe would get on the right path, to do the right thing.
And Gabe rose to the occasion like Tom always believed he would.
No matter how old, their faces still looked as sad as they
