“I want to, Son…” Randy said softly.
“I know it’s wrong, but sometimes I hate Ike,” Grant said easily.
“That’s a despicable thing to say about your own brother,” Randy flexed his neck, resisting the urge to pin Grant to the side of the house.
“I know, and I feel awful for it,” Grant nodded. “It’s not his fault; it’s yours. I can stand here and promise you that five years from now I don’t see myself playing basketball. I can assure you that I intend to live up to my potential. I can tell you that I have goals and assure you that I’m more ambitious than you give me credit for, but none of that matters if I don’t do for you what Ike was never able to do.”
Randy turned away.
“He was the next generation Cohen military man. He was the one meant to fulfill the dreams you had for a son. He was the son you always wanted. I’m sorry, Dad…but I’m not Ike…and I can’t be Ike…even as badly as you would like for me to be.”
Randy shook his head, massaging his temples as he turned back toward Grant. “I don’t know what happened to me after he died,” he gulped. “It broke something inside of me, and I haven’t been able to fix it in the sixteen years since.”
“Sometimes I feel like you take his death out on me?” Grant replied.
“What?” Randy exclaimed, surprised. “What are you talking about? Of course I don’t blame you! How could I blame you for what happened to Ike? Grant…”
“I don’t know,” Grant shrugged. “I’ve just always felt that way.”
“Really?” Randy asked, his breathing heavy now.
“Dad, are you okay?” Grant asked, genuinely concerned.
“You struck a nerve I guess,” Randy said, all but dismissing the fact that he seemed shaken to the core. “When you said you have always felt I blamed you for his death…what did you mean by that?”
“I don’t know,” Grant shook his head, shutting down.
“Oh, Grant…” Randy shook his head, unable to finish his thought.
“How did Ike die, Dad?” Grant asked.
“In a car crash…you know that…” Randy snapped.
“Were you driving the car?” Grant asked.
Randy started inside. “Don’t do this, Grant.”
“Dad, wait,” Grant grabbed his father’s arm.
“He had received his appointment to West Point that day…we were going to celebrate…” Randy said, his voice cracking.
Grant was quiet, not having expected an answer.
“Yes,” Randy nodded finally. “I was driving.”
Randy and Grant stared into one another’s eyes…a long silence looming between them.
Finally, Grant looked away. Randy squeezed Grant’s shoulder “Listen, Buddy, let’s not argue today, okay? I feel like I’m bending over backwards here to try and make this day everything your mother wants it to be, but it’s a very disconcerting feeling to see your wife walk in with another man. So, I need you today, Soldier. I need to know that somebody here is glad to see me.”
“And you’re counting on me to provide you with that affirmation?” Grant grinned.
Randy put his arm around his son. “I love you, Grant.”
“Now you’ve put me in a tough spot,” Grant rolled his eyes. “Because if I say it back, this really turns into more of a father/son bonding session than I’m comfortable with.”
“I understand,” Randy agreed playfully. He held out his fist and Grant pressed his knuckles up against his dad’s.
“I love you, Dad,” Grant laughed as Randy pulled him into a headlock.
Randy walked inside Granny’s house, his arm draped around Grant’s shoulders. “Dad, I want you to meet someone,” Grant said as they walked into the kitchen. Hailey was a picture of spunk, charm and natural grace when she turned around from the counter where she and Joanna were slicing vegetables.
“Hello, General Cohen, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir,” Hailey said politely.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Hailey,” Randy said, shaking her hand. He walked over toward Nora. “Is there anything I can do to help?” he offered as he slid his arm around her.
“You have never offered to help in the kitchen before, so don’t start now,” Nora wrinkled her nose at him.
“I leave the cooking to the professionals,” he said, kissing her cheek. “It smells divine, Sweetheart.”
Nora glanced up at Randy with a stern warning. “Don’t put on a show for Jack’s benefit,” she whispered. “There is no need to make other people feel uncomfortable.”
“Right,” Randy nodded, “because I am totally comfortable with the situation myself.”
“Randy, all I want is a nice, big family Thanksgiving,” Nora pled.
“That’s all I want as well,” Randy nodded. “He’s not family, Nora. He shouldn’t be here, yet he is over there at the table making small talk with our first born.”
