Chapter 10

[Charlie writes]

I found Grandpop and Grandmother talking to Marco and Isabella through the same older woman. I notice that my grandparents were using some phrases in Italian now. I listened for a bit. Finally, I said, "Please excuse me but I must speak with my grandparents."

Grandpop said, "Go ahead, Charlie. We're among friends."

"Grandpop, you may not like this and I know of no way to sugar coat it.

"There will be no, I repeat no, agreements to bind any person or group that are not approved in advance by either Andrea or me. There are radios. There will be no excuse. If we find out that such has occurred, Andrea and I will repudiate them even if they would have been such that, with prior notice, we would have approved.

"I say this to Isabella and Marco. As you are aware, I will probably be the next Director of Protection. You don't want me as an enemy. That will be the case if I have to repudiate any agreements." I looked Grandpop in the eye. "Do you understand me?" He was shocked but he nodded his head. I looked at Isabella and Marco. "Do you understand?" Guiseppe spoke quickly. They nodded.

Guiseppe said, "What about the agreements we have made?"

"If Mom Janice has agreed to them, they will stand. If she has not, it behooves you, no, it is vitally important to you that you bring those before Andy and me for our approval before we leave." I looked at Grandpop. "Grandpop, don't even think of playing games on this. It's a long walk back home and one of us would wind up walking."

He looked troubled. My grandmother was in tears. After a long moment, he said, "I understand. There are a few details that should be discussed before you and Andy leave."

"She will be here for supper. We can talk then." I turned on my heel and left them. Talk among them started immediately.

My next stop was my parents. Fortunately, all three were together which made my task simpler though no easier. I sat down with them and said, "I need to talk to the three of you."

Mom Janice said, "We were talking about you and Mel said you would come here."

"Andy would be with me but she is readying the planes for the trip. Things will be a little different this time. Duck will be first in always. Likewise, the Humvee will be first off. Until an area is checked out, no one and nothing else will leave Duck. Andy and I are agreed that we need our two best and most experienced people in the Humvee. Dad, Mom Janice, that's the two of you or it's Andy and me. Both pairs won't leave on an initial foray."

Dad nodded. "What is your thinking?"

"I want the initial people to be able to get off the plane and have a reasonable chance of surviving until they can get in the plane. Duck is a powerful platform and I want to be able to use it for protection if necessary. I'm trying to overdo the protection aspect for the future. We can't lose people."

Dad nodded slowly. "We will all be together on the one plane?"

"Yes, sir. I don't see any other way though I'm open to ideas. You know that Grandpop and Grandmother are staying, of course. Ted is staying with Lois who will be nursing SJ and Jacob."

"I talked to Grandpop and read him the riot act. If he enters into an agreement that Andrea or I have not explicitly agreed to, either he or I will be walking back home. I am serious about that. There will be no compromise and no surrender. I also told Marco and Isabella that they shouldn't want me as an enemy which would be the case if Andrea and I have to repudiate any agreement. I think I got through to Grandpop. I know I got through to Grandmother as well as Marco and Isabella. Grandmother was upset. I was harsh but nothing less than that seems to get through to Grandpop.

"I expect they will present some agreements or pieces of agreements tonight. It will not be comfortable. I will not warn him again. I hate to feel that I have to take that attitude but he seems not to listen. I hope he doesn't call my hand because it's no bluff."

Dad said, "He's brought this on himself. I know that, if we go again, he won't go with us or we won't go with him." He smiled. "If I read the tea leaves correctly, you won't be going next time either, Mister Director. You will be busy with a new position and your first child according to Melissa."

"Uh, Dad, Andrea isn't even off birth control."

"Maybe your mothers and I want to be grandparents."

"All things in time, Dad. All things in time."

Mom Janice said quietly, "We will man your Humvee and recruit another couple to come with us."

"Thank you, mom. That takes care of one worry. Now, it is just Grandpop."

Mom Mel said, "You expect a confrontation?"

"One tonight and at least one more. He doesn't get it. I don't think he's listening to Grandmother either."

Mom Janice said, "Let me talk to her. Momma Shirley will be honest with me. You're right, Charlie. Something is wrong."

Mom Janice went to see her Momma Shirley and I went about preparing for one last night here before leaving. I would miss our bedroom even when we shared it with my sister. It was late afternoon when Andrea returned from the planes.

"Charles, everything is ready. Having the Humvee at the ramp is actually a better balance than before. How did your tasks do?"

"Officially good. My parents are fully on board.

"I am concerned about Grandpop. It's like he checks out on judgment. Mom Janice is going to talk to Grandmother about the situation. I lowered the boom on him about forming agreements. I expect some talks tonight from Marco and Isabella because he has made side agreements. I told him that one of us had to explicitly approve of any agreement or we would repudiate them when we returned to Milan and that either he or I would literally be walking back to Protection. I told Marco that he really didn't want us as an enemy. We'll see how Mom Janice does and what she reports."

It was over an hour later when Mom Janice reported back to us. She motioned for us to follow her and we went to a quiet and private area.

She said, "Charles, it's not good. Momma Shirley doesn't understand him and he will not listen to her nor talk to her. She does know he has headaches frequently. She thinks it's a physical problem but he won't see anyone. She's been trying to avoid making the situation public. It's not getting better."

She paused. "You two are in charge but my opinion is that something must be done and quickly."

"Charles, I agree with Mom Janice. We can't just let this go on. We can't force him out either."

I took a deep breath. "Andrea, you're right. Mom, get Dad and you two come to Grandpop's quarters. He's going to sick bay. Andrea, get Ted and Lois. I want their help and she needs to know she is getting another patient. We need to get on the radio and talk to Doctor George and Doctor Anne. We may need to request Hope bring one or both here to check him out. Our next trip will wait pending all this." Andrea nodded. Both of them left and I made my way to the radio room.