Chapter 9

Jim let out a breath in a whoosh and sat on a nearby chair. His knees had suddenly felt like water they were so weak. Kim and Blake hurried down the stairs as JJ stepped to him and put her arms around him. The girls joined her in hugging Jim as he sat slumped weakly on the chair.

"That man scares me," Jim said in a shaky voice.

"How do you stand up to someone like that?" Blake asked with a mixture of fear and awe in her voice as she pressed against Jim and her mom.

"He's a bully honey and, being a general, no one has stood up to him in a long time. Standing up to a bully is the only way to deal with them," Jim said with shakiness still in his voice. He freed one arm from around JJ to put it around Blake. After a deep breath and holding it for a moment before letting it out Jim continued in a little more steady voice. "Standing up to a bully is the only way to deal with them but that doesn't mean you don't get knocked down sometimes. There for a moment I was pretty sure I was going to get knocked down," Jim shuddered, "or worse."

"We wouldn't let you get hurt," Kim said angrily from Jim's other side.

"General Branch has probably already corrected the watchers and they are probably watching this house and listening now," Jim thought.

"I think you are right," JJ thought. "And he would know we are doing something if they start listening next door again," she continued. "We need to be careful of what we say again."

Aloud JJ said, "I'm proud of you and how you stood up to him Jim but I was scared too. You have to be careful around him. General Branch is dangerous."

"I know JJ but I can't stand people and especially officers, like him," Jim replied as he laid his head against JJ. "His kind is why I left the Army."

"Well, don't do it again," JJ instructed sternly.

Jim chuckled at her order. Kim and Blake giggled with him and hugged Jim even tighter. After a moment of reflecting on what she had said to a man that she had only known for 48 hours, JJ started chuckling too. Jim started laughing harder and, after a moment it seemed that all four of them were laughing hysterically.

A few minutes later the manic laughter slowed and Jim gasped. "We had better eat. Cold Chinese food is worse than an insane General," which started them all laughing again as they walked into the kitchen with their arms around each other.

Almost 45 minutes later JJ commented, "You know, you were right Jim."

"Of course I was," Jim quipped back with a smug look. "I am always right. What was I right about this time?" he asked.

"There isn't a way to warm up Chinese food and make it taste as good as when you first buy it," JJ replied. She looked up and smiled as she continued, "What, did you think I was talking about something important? Never happen," JJ said positively. "You can't be right about important things."

Kim and Blake giggled at the loving quips the two adults had been trading with each other all through dinner.

"Well, as a woman, I wouldn't expect you to recognize the important things anyway," Jim replied with a teasing smile.

"Hey," all three of the females yelled in unison as they attacked him with little pinches, tickles and kisses.