Chapter 2: Homecoming

December 20, 1989, Chicago, Illinois

We were watching CNN Headline News late on Wednesday evening. The lead story was the invasion of Panama by US forces.

“Panama? Really?” I sighed. “This is basically the world’s largest drug raid! Who gives a damn about Noriega?”

“George Bush, apparently,” Jessica said.

“The media goaded him into it! Calling him a ‘wimp’? Seriously? And then he used the justification of ‘promoting democracy’ and ‘ending the drug trade’. And this BS of swearing in Guillermo Endara as the ‘presumed winner’ of the election? Pretty thin justification for an invasion.”

“How about the name?” Elyse asked. “‘Operation Just Cause’?”

“Maybe it’s ‘cause’ like in ‘because’,” Katy offered. “So it’s really ‘Operation Just Because We Can’!”

We all laughed, and I said, “Like Grenada.”

“Hey, they rescued all those students in the medical school!” Elyse smirked.

“Hey happenen’ hostages, it’s me, Mr. Funkadelic,” I said, trying to sound like Mario Van Peebles, then adding, “Try, US Marines, shithead,” in my best Clint Eastwood impression.

“That was a fun movie,” Elyse said. “Even if it was a bit over the top.”

“I think it’s time for bed,” I said to my wives.

“Yes!” they both agreed.

Jessica, who was holding Albert, Kara, and I headed up to bed.

December 21, 1989, Chicago, Illinois

“Steve, Commander Schumacher is on the line,” Keri said.

“Put him through, please, then ask Elyse to come into my office.”

She put him through and I greeted him as Elyse walked into my office.

“He’s coming home on Saturday,” Karl said. “The funeral is going to be on Wednesday at Great Lakes at the RTC Chapel. The delay is because of Christmas.”

“Where is she going to bury him?” I asked.

“Your hometown; Milford. That will be on Friday. She’s going to move home at least for a time. I’m guessing that she’ll stay there for a while.”

“That’s actually probably the best plan I can think of,” I said. “Her friends are mostly here, but at home she’ll have her parents to help with Nicholas.”

“Kathy agrees with you,” he said.

“Keep me posted, please,” I replied. “Let her know I’m thinking about her.”

“She knows. She asked about you. I told her you were doing fine, all things considered. I didn’t tell her about you being in the hospital, though. I didn’t want her to worry.”

“Good thinking,” I said. “She has enough on her plate. Let me know when she wants to see me.”

“She’d like you to be at the airport. She asked for you and Kathy, specifically. The Navy will have quite a few people there, including an honor guard. I’ll call you tomorrow with the exact details.”

“Thanks, Karl,” I said. “I appreciate everything you’re doing.”

“He was a friend and comrade. It’s the least I can do.”

We said goodbye and I replaced the handset in the cradle.

“You’re handling it exactly right,” Elyse said.

“I have to keep reminding myself to just let the Navy do their thing. I love Bethany so much, but I have to let this happen their way.”

“I’m impressed,” Elyse said with a smile. ‘Old Steve’ would never have done this.”

“I’m torn up inside, but what can I do?”

“Exactly what you’re doing. Taking care of your family and your business. You can’t just shut down like you would have in the past.”

“No, I can’t,” I said. “The funeral is Wednesday. Everyone who knew him has the day off. I already cleared that with my dad before I found out when the funeral was going to be. She’s going to bury him in Milford next Friday morning. Obviously, I’m going. Karl said Bethany asked for Kathy and me to meet her at O’Hare this Saturday when she brings him home. His family is on their way, and I’m guessing Harry, Nora, and Ed are going to be here soon as well.”

“Are we sending flowers?” she asked.

“I’d really rather we donated to a women’s shelter or something like that, but I have no idea what she’d want. So yes, go ahead and arrange for flowers to be sent to the RTC chapel for Wednesday. You should probably call the base chaplain and find out how to do it.”

“I’ll have Kimmy make the arrangements. She’s very efficient at things like that.”

“Yes, she is. Thanks for coming in.”

“Playing it safe is good.”

“Elyse, you’ve been a rock of support for going on ten years now. The smartest thing you ever did was refuse to sleep with me for our entire Senior year.”

“Do you know how difficult THAT was?”

“Knowing what I know now, very difficult,” I said with a smile. “But it was the right thing to do.”

“And so was coming to your bed that first night in Chicago,” Elyse said. “And having your children.”

I nodded, “You’ve kicked my butt when it needed kicking, and helped me through a lot of tough times.”

“Let me know when you have the details for Wednesday. And if you need me on Saturday, I’ll be there.”

“Thanks, Elyse.”

December 22, 1989, Chicago, Illinois

“We don’t have to go if you don’t feel up to it,” Jessica said.

“It’s fine, Babe. We missed your Christmas party at work last year because of, well, you know. And we didn’t go the previous year because you didn’t feel ready. We need to go this year.”

“I was just worried about your emotional state. You seem pretty down.”

“I promise not to be a ‘Gloomy Gus’ at the party. I’m quite sure there will be plenty of cute nurses, medical students, and Residents to flirt with to keep my spirits up!”

Jessica laughed, “So you ARE actually OK!”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” I sighed. “But I can fake it for a few hours.”

I fixed my tie and then waited for a few minutes while Jessica and Kara finished getting ready, and then the three of us headed downstairs. It was brutally cold, with the temperature hovering around 0°F. When I’d gotten up that morning to run with Jacquelyn, it had been -10°F, which was about -23°C, slightly colder than the coldest day I’d encountered in Göteborg when I’d lived there!

We bundled up in our heavy winter coats, hats, scarves, and gloves and made a mad dash for the car. I’d started it and let it run for about ten minutes two times during the day, and then again about ten minutes before we left to let it warm up. Jennifer had watched out her window to make sure nobody tried to drive off with it. We got in and quickly shut the doors.

“Wow,” Kara gasped, “it’s cold!”

“No kidding!” Jessica said. “Steve drove to meet Jacqui and then drove me to work. No sane person tries to walk in this kind of weather. The radio said the wind chill this morning was -30°F!”

“It’s brutal,” I agreed.

The party turned out to be relatively sedate, which didn’t really surprise me. With spouses and boyfriends or girlfriends attending, the usual ‘hanky-panky’ as Jessica called it, had to be muted, or, in most cases, simply didn’t happen. I spent some time talking to Doctor Barton and Doctor Washington, as well as several other doctors that I’d met over the course of the last few years. Marjorie did flirt lightly with me, and Alicia and I bantered a bit. My wives and I left early, because we had to be at O’Hare in the morning for a very important task. A task that I dreaded, but one which was totally necessary.

December 23, 1989, O’Hare International Airport, Illinois

“How does this work?” I asked.

“She’ll get off the plane, and then those officers and enlisted men will escort her to the tarmac,” Karl said. “Nick’s coffin will come off first, and they’ll load him into a hearse and he’ll have a military escort to Great Lakes. Bethany will ride in a car behind them with Nicholas and the chaplain. I’ll be with them as well. Depending on what Bethany wants, you can drive to the base. I have a pass for you that gets you, your wives, and your car past the guard post. And one for Kathy and Kurt as well.”

“What happens then?”

“An honor guard will stand with his coffin until the funeral service, and then I’ll accompany Nick to Cincinnati. A detachment of sailors will be there, along with a bugler, as well as a number of people from the JAG office at RTC. A representative of the JAG will come from DC, though not the JAG himself. Pete got the days off to attend. Nick will get a gun salute, as well as a full flag ceremony.”

“That hardly makes up for it,” I sighed.

“It’s not meant to, Steve. It’s meant to give everyone closure and a way to honor his life and sacrifice for his country.”

“Sacrifice?” I objected. “Seriously?”

“Yes. He gave his life in service to his country. How it happened is of little importance from that perspective.”

“What do we know about the asshole who shot him?” I asked.

“He’s been charged with first degree murder and attempted first degree murder, as well as dereliction of duty and several other things the local JAG tacked on. He’s going to be in custody for a long time, if not his entire life.”

“Good,” I said.

The American Airlines flight from San Francisco taxied onto the ramp and the pilots shut down the engines.

“She’ll be first off, with her military escort,” Karl said.

“Who’s that?” I asked.

“My friend, Captain John Yates, who’s in charge of base personnel. I requested he accompany Nick because there really wasn’t anyone there who was close to Nick, and it would have been tough for me or Howard to get there to bring him home.”

The Jetway was extended, and about three minutes later my Sweetheart came off the plane on the arm of a Naval officer in dress blues.

“Good morning, Captain,” Karl said, coming briefly to attention.

“It’s good to see you Commander; I just wish the circumstances were different.”

“Hi, Bethany,” Karl said.

“Hi, Karl. Thanks for everything.”

She handed baby Nicholas to Captain Yates, then gave Karl a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. As we’d all discussed, Kathy moved next to greet her. They hugged and whispered in each other’s ears for a moment. Kathy released her and took the baby from Captain Yates. Kurt stepped up to hug Bethany, and when he released her, she took two steps towards me.

“Thanks for coming,” she said.

“I’m here for you, however and whenever you need me,” I said quietly.

I took her in my arms and hugged her tightly to me, and whispered in her ear, “I love you very much.”

“I know,” she whispered back.

Both my wives greeted her, and then she moved to greet her parents, Ed, and Nick’s family. Nora had objected to the order, but Harry had quietly admonished his wife saying that she should defer to Karl’s plan. The Navy had every step in the process orchestrated and down to a science, and I certainly wasn’t going to interfere, and Harry seemed to agree with me.

A man in an American Airlines captain’s uniform came over to the group.

“Mrs. Evans? Captain John Mitchell. I’m sorry for your loss. It was my honor to fly you on this last leg of the journey. I extend the condolences from Captains Bernhard, Allen, and Franks who flew the other legs. I’m here to escort you to the tarmac. All in your party have been cleared to join us.”

Bethany took his arm and he led us back down the Jetway, out a door, and down the steps to the tarmac. As the last of us was through the door, I saw the assembled passengers begin to deplane.

Captain Yates touched my arm, “When the captain announced that we had Nick on board, and that there would be a ten to fifteen minute delay in deplaning, nobody complained. Many people came to Bethany to offer their sympathy and their thanks for Nick’s service.”

I nodded, “There are plenty of good people in the world.”

We all walked to a baggage conveyor that had been rolled up to the cargo door of the plane. A red carpet was laid from the end of the conveyor to where the hearse and a car were parked. After the honor guard lined up, baggage workers carefully loaded Nick’s flag-draped coffin on the belt and it began slowly moving down. When it reached the bottom, the honor guard hoisted it, and carried it to the hearse. When it was safely inside, Karl, Bethany, Nicholas, and the RTC chaplain got into the car. Captain Yates got into the hearse, because he was Nick’s official escort.

Once they’d departed, an American Airlines ground worker led us back up the steps to the Jetway. I thanked the American Airlines captain and the ground worker, and then my wives and I, the Jaegers, the Krajicks, and the Evans family all headed to the short-term parking lot to retrieve our cars, while the Navy men headed to the restricted parking area where their transport van was parked.

“She’s holding together pretty well,” Jessica observed.

“She’s had some time to process it,” I said. “I’m worried about what happens once the Navy’s procedures end and she’s on her own.”

“You and Kathy help her as best you can, and get her situated in Ohio with her parents, then let her have her space. Bethany will tell you what she needs, Tiger.”

“I hope so,” I said. “I really hope so.”

December 23, 1989, Great Lakes, Illinois

Once Nick’s coffin was under the watchful eyes of an honor guard, we went to Bethany’s house. Ginny was there with her kids and several of the wives who had food ready for everyone. I went to talk to a grim-faced Howard and the other officers who were standing in the dining room talking quietly, leaving the living room to the women.

“Hi guys,” I said somberly.

“Steve,” Howard said, nodding.

“Shitty day,” I sighed.

“That’s an understatement,” Pete said.

“How the fuck does something like this happen?” I asked.

“NIS will find out, you can count on it,” Pete said firmly. “And JAG will put him away.”

“Small consolation,” I sighed.

“I agree. But that’s where we find ourselves,” Pete said.

“I assume all of you are making the trip to Ohio?” I asked.

“Yes,” Howard said. “We all have orders to attend the interment in our official capacities.”

“She’s staying in Milford afterwards,” Karl said. “I’ll make all the arrangements to have their things stored so she can retrieve them when she needs to. Ginny and Kathy are staying with her until she goes to Ohio.”

“Good,” I said. “The fact that she’s burying him in Milford tells me that she’s staying there for the long haul. I suppose that makes sense.”

“She didn’t tell me the details, but there’s something there for her besides her family.”

Just then, Ed walked into the room to join us, as did Harry Krajick and Nick’s father, who introduced himself as Tom.

“How’s your sister?” Ed asked after everyone had exchanged greetings.

“She’s doing OK. She moved into the dorms while she’s working on her Master’s degree. There’s something about having five small kids in the house that just seems to cramp the style of college girls!”

Chapter 3 »