(June 1965)
(MCs POV)
"Haha funny thing old man, I was planning to enlist and participate in the ongoing war in Vietnam." I said with the straightest face possible.
The silence that followed was almost deafening. Until,
"Pffffffffft,"
*cough*
*cough*
*cough*
'Whoa, Pops, that reaction of yours is delayed by tens of seconds,' I deadpanned as I watched him in a coughing fit.
But thanks to that, Ma and Emi woke up from their stupor.
*Bam*
Ma slammed her hands hard on the table, then her eyes widened, and I saw the flash of emotions in them- shock, fear, and a rising anger.
"JIMMY JAMES JACKSON! YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT!"The sheer volume of ho she speak made me want to cover my ears, I can already hear her desperation and fury in each single word."You can't do this! It's too dangerous, and too reckless. You're my son, and I won't let you throw your life away like this!
I had expected resistance, but the intensity of her reaction still took me aback. "Ma, please, listen. I know it's dangerous, but I feel like this is something I have to do. I want to serve our country, to make a difference."
'Yeah, I'll guise 'serving my country' from my real reason of seeking glory. That way, Ma won't be as opposed. If she knew the real reason, I'm sure she'd shackle me in this house till I changed my mind.'
She shook her head, anger still evident in her eyes."Serve our country? Jim, you're barely out of your puberty! There are other ways to serve, safer ways. Teaching, volunteering… anything but going to war!"
I stood up, trying to show how determined am I to do this."Ma, I've thought about this a lot. It's not a spur of the moment decision. I need to do this, for myself and for our country."
(A/N: Lying fuck -_-)
"Jim why cant you just inherit the farm and stay here? Hahhh, I know you're set on this, I know how stubborn you are, but there are things you need to understand about being a soldier that go beyond duty and honor." Pops interrupted us, he looked at me with a serious eyes I've never seen before.
'Old man..... I've never seen him more serious than before'
I nodded,"I'm listening Old man."
He looked me in the eyes and sighed."I never served in the military, but your granddad did. He fought in World War II and was killed on D-Day. His best friend survived, but he was never the same after he came back. And I think you need to hear what I know from their experiences."
"Your granddad was a brave man, Jim. He believed in what he was fighting for. But war isn't just about fighting the enemy. It's about survival, day in and day out. The training you'll go through will be tasking, but it's nothing compared to the reality of combat. You'll be pushed to your limits, physically and mentally. You'll see things, experience things, that will change you forever."
"I know it's dangerous," I replied, trying to convey my seriousness. "I've read about it, I've thought about it a lot."
"Reading and thinking about it is one thing," he said.
"Living it is another. Your granddad's friend, Mr. Thompson, he used to talk to me sometimes. He said that after D-Day, he was never able to look at the world the same way. The things he saw, the friends he lost, it haunted him."
I'm stunned. Pops is right, I never think of it this far. All I thnk about is the glory the War will bring, not the dark side of it.
But for the sake of what I want to achieve, I'll face the hardships and obstacles on my followed path."I know it won't be easy Old man, but I'm ready and willing to face it."
Sighing once again Old man, finally looked at me with pride and smiled."I know Jim, that's why I'll not stop you, if this is really the path you want to follow, just know your Old man is here to support you."
I-
I really am an unfilial son.
But Ma interrupted us,"How can you say that Rick?! How can you allow our son, my baby boy, to be send of to war?! And I will not lose our son to that!"
"Jim is already old enough to choose what he'll do in his life, we cant shelter him forever, Jessi, all we gotta do is support him. And trust Jim, put your trust at your eldest son, know that he got the strength whatever fate is gonna throw at him, his my son after all." Pops said with a smile.
"Y-you... you!" Ma pointed at Pops and stuttered, she stood up from her seat and stormed out the dining room in anger.
Pops look at this with a wry smile and quickly followed Ma to probably console her. She need it right now the most after all.
"Joining the Army, huh?" Emi who have been silent throughout the conversation finally speak, her eyes narrowing playfully. "I guess you just couldn't handle life without someone telling you what to do every minute of the day. Thought you'd get enough of that from Mom."
I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corners of my mouth. "Very funny, Emi. You know it's more than that."
"Oh, I know," she said, leaning back in her chair with a smirk. "You're going off to be a hero. Next thing we know, you'll come back with a shiny medal and an even bigger head."
"Hey, if anyone has a big head around here, it's you," I shot back, trying to keep the mood light. "Remember the time you convinced Mrs. Thompson that her garden gnome had been stolen by aliens?"
Emily laughed, a musical sound that momentarily eased the tension I feel from what just transpired in the room."That was a classic, wasn't it? You should've seen her face when she found out it was hidden in her own shed."
"Yeah, and you nearly got grounded for a month," I reminded her. "But seriously, Emi, I'm going because it's something I need to do. The medals or the glory are just part of it."
She leaned forward, her expression softening just a bit. "I know, Jamy. I just… I can't help worrying about you. Who's going to keep me in line when you're off playing soldier?"
'Jamy, its been ages since she called me by that name. I guess she's really worried about me huh.'
I couldn't help but smile at the mere thought of this, I reached across the table and ruffled her hair, a gesture that earned me a swat at my hand. "You'll manage. Besides, I'm counting on you to take care of Ma and Pops while I'm gone. Keep them on their toes."
Emi snorted. "Oh, don't worry. I'll keep them entertained. Just don't go thinking you can slack off over there. You've got a reputation to uphold. And don't go dying out there, got it? Your not allowed to die unless I said so."
I laughed, shaking my head. "I'll do my best, Emi, your brother is as tenacious as a cockroach. And I'll be back before you know it, with plenty of stories to tell."
Her smile faded slightly, and she looked at me with a mix of defiance and affection. "You better, Jamy. Just make sure they're all good ones, okay?"
"I promise," I said, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Good stories, and lots of them."