Chapter 54

To the women's surprise, the President had ordered out one of the presidential aircraft to pick up Colleen in Chicago. Since the cabin was set up in a VIP configuration, the two older women were sitting side by side on a sofa talking while Maureen slept.

Vangie looked at her friend and said, "Colly, you never told me anything about your husband and I was always too selfish ever to think to ask. When did you meet?"

"Twenty-three years ago this June," she replied. "I met him in Dublin. He had just graduated from West Point and was on leave before reporting. Of course, I didn't know it at the time. All I knew was there was this marvelous man and I loved him from the first instant I saw him! It was in a little pub near Trinity College. I was there with friends when he came in. He had dark hair, brilliant blue eyes and I adored him.

"I guess I didn't even realize at first that he was a Yank. He just looked around the room and came right over to me. After staring at me for a few moments ... it seemed like years to me ... he just said, 'Good afternoon to you, the future Mrs. Sean Callahan!'"

She grinned and squeezed Vangie's arm. "We were married by a priest who was a family friend just two days later. I was in Heaven! Then we came back to the States and Sean reported for duty. They sent him to Vietnam a few days later and that was the last I saw of him. Fortunately, he left me Maureen ... a finer daughter a woman never had!"

There were tears slowly flowing and Vangie was sobbing now. "You poor kid! You lost your husband after only knowing him for about three weeks? That's a crime! What happened?"

She slowly shook her head and said, "He was killed. I got a lot of letters from him. In fact, I got the last three after I knew he was dead. They were the worst ones ... reading his loving words when I knew he was gone."

Then she brightened and said, "But you helped me tremendously, Vangie! Without you, I don't know what I would have done!"

"Please don't say that again, Colly," Vangie pleaded. "I really can't take it anymore. I was one of the worst shits on two legs. I can't stand it. And what you did for Cathy! She is your daughter, you know?"

"No, she's not," Colleen said firmly. "She's yours, Mrs. Collins! All yours. In fact, when I look at Cathy all I see is the 'you' in her. If you think she's a wonderful person — and I certainly do — you're seeing yourself in the mirror. That includes her beauty, her brains, her athletic ability ... Everything!" Then she smiled warmly and said, "I hope you're satisfied. You certainly should be."

Vangie just shook her head. For all the sense Colly's words made, she might as well have been speaking Latin.

When they landed at Andrews Air Force Base they were met by a presidential limousine and were whisked to the White House. Remarkably, there hadn't even been a junior staffer on the plane to explain what their schedule was to be. The only people on board were the plane's crew and they only had orders to fly the Callahan party to Andrews. The same thing was true of the car's driver, so they were still in the dark when the black limousine pulled up at the East Portico of the White House. To their surprise, there was a military honor guard flanking the doorway with their weapons at present arms, saluting them as they got out of the car.

They were ushered immediately into the Oval Office. The President introduced himself, and Colleen, with the presence of a queen, presented her daughter, Maureen, and her best friend, Evangeline Collins. The President shook hands and looked at Vangie closely. then he asked, "Mrs. Collins, is Cathy Collins Bradley your daughter?"

She smiled as said that indeed she was. He smiled again and said under his breath, "I thought she must be."

Then he turned back to Colleen, took both of her hands in his and just looked into her green eyes. After shaking his head sadly he said, "When the government of the United States screws up, we usually make a remarkably good job of it ... my young daughter would say we do it 'bigtime' ... and with you we certainly did.

"Mrs. Callahan, my information is that you have been trying to become an American citizen for some years now without any luck. Is that right?" Colly just nodded her head slowly, puzzled by the direction of the President's comments.

He just nodded and said, "I guess that's easy enough to fix." He excused himself and returned a moment later accompanying the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Justice Rehnquist asked her to raise her right hand. By now Vangie knew what was happening but it was obvious it was all still a great mystery to Colleen. She raised her right hand and the Chief Justice administered the citizenship oath of allegiance.

He smiled warmly, congratulated her, and signed her citizenship certificate with the President signing as a witness. With a broad smile he gave her the certificate after putting it in a leather folder and said, "Okay, now you're a citizen." Then he grinned and added, "Be sure to register, and as the Boston politician said, 'Vote early, and vote often!'"

Colleen returned his smile with great warmth and asked, "Do you mean that I am now an American citizen, Mr. President? Is that what just happened?"

He returned her smile warmly and replied, "When the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court personally swears you in, you sure as hell are!"

Then he pressed a buzzer on his desk and his senior military aide, an army major general, came into the office and saluted. He presented a scroll which the President read. It was the award of the Purple Heart. It was followed by citations for the Silver Star and then the Distinguished Service Cross. He gave the medals to Colly in their presentation boxes.

Finally, there was the last one. He said, "It is with great pride and sadness that I present to you the Medal of Honor won by your late husband, Sean Patrick Callahan, for extraordinary bravery far beyond the call of duty."

He then read the citation which told how Lt. Callahan had carried out a nearly-impossible mission deep behind enemy lines and, even though severely wounded, led his men back to their pickup point. There he provided covering fire and singlehandedly charged an enemy machine gun that was preventing the evacuation of his men. This last cost him his life.

Then the President said, "There's one more thing, Mrs. Callahan. This was in his service jacket when we finally dusted it off a few days ago. It's a letter to you from him."

He gave it to her and helped her to a chair. Carefully she opened it and started to read. As she read, she began to cry. Finally, she was weeping uncontrollably. She motioned in Vangie's direction.

Vangie took the letter from her and began to read aloud:

My darling Colleen,

We're going off on what we're told will be a very dangerous mission. My darling, I will not be coming back. Just today I received your letter with the joyful news that we're expecting a baby. My only regret is that I will not live to see her. I know our baby will be a little girl, and she'll grow to be the image of her mother.

My darling, I'll never be far from you — ever. As long as the sun shines and the breezes blow, I'll be there with you. I can't tell you how sorry I am that our life on earth together had to be so short. But, my darling, eternity is a very long time and we will have all of it to spend in each other arms.

My darling, even death cannot still my love for you. You are the love of my life, forever.

Your loving husband,

Sean

The President said softly, "He knew, and he was right. Seeing you, Maureen, I know your father is very proud right now. I know I am."

Then he went to his desk and came back with an envelope. He said, "Mrs. Callahan, this is just a start. It's a check for about $370,000 representing the death benefit that should have been paid to you over twenty-two years ago along with a little interest that I insisted be added.

"There is also insurance of your husband's own for which claims are now in process. I have heard about the sacrifices you've made. I hope this money ... late though it is ... will help. Finally, I have one more favor to ask: Would you women please go up to West Point? A plane is standing by at Andrews to fly you up there if you're willing to go. I'd like it, and I know the Commandant would, too."

They immediately agreed and were ushered out of the office and back to the limousine that was still waiting. They heard the command, "Present ... ARMS!" given as they appeared at the door. On the way out to the air base in the car, Vangie held Colly and they both cried.

When Vangie began to cry, Colly stopped. She looked at Vangie and demanded, "Evangeline Collins, what are you doing?"

"I'm crying my eyes out, Colleen Callahan! What in hell does it look like I'm doing?" With that she tried to grin through her tears and Colleen smiled.

"Well, why in hell are you crying? That was my husband the President was talking about, not yours."

"That's true. It demonstrates again the wonderful sensitivity and thoughtfulness that characterizes the life of Evangeline Pierce Collins. My daughter's wet nurse — wet nurse! for God's sake — is the widow of one of the greatest heros in our nation's history. What does Vangie do? She handles his widow's tits like she's a cow!" Then to herself she said, "Congratulations, Collins!"

"Thank you, Vangie, very much," Colleen said quietly.

Vangie looked up with a start.

"All of that was you, wasn't it? You made it all happen. And you did it by remote control and in only a little more than a week. I've been fighting for over twenty years until I'm bloody and beaten and got no place at all. You fixed it all up in less than ten days. Thank you."

Taking Vangie into her arms, she kissed her softly and then just hugged her tightly.

Finally Vangie pulled away and looked at Maureen who had said almost nothing for the entire visit. "Would you please explain it to your mother, Mo? You understand. I guess I do now, too. She's been beating her head against a stone wall for so long it finally scrambled her brains. Please tell her."