"What Am I To You?"

Bob

Bob woke up the next morning with Phoenix next to him sleeping, and his phone ringing.

He groaned as he picked up his phone and answered. "Hello?"

"Ah... so this is what it takes to hear from my son?" A male voice said. Bob sat up quickly. He gripped the phone. "How'd you get this number.... I changed it so you wouldn't be able to call me..." Bob said annoyed.

Phoenix shifted in her sleep as she heard him talking. He sighed and got up.

"I'm your father Bob, and pretty much if I ask someone to find your number, it isn't hard at all." His father said.

"You really love abusing your power... cant even have a face to face conversation..." Bob said as there was suddenly knocking at the door.

He clenched his fist. He looked at the door. "Answer it boy..."

Now Phoenix was awake, and he figured his father was right outside. He sighed and hung up on his father as he opened the door.

There stood his father with his bodyguards around him. "What do you want..."

"To chat."

After a few minutes, Bobs father was seated on the couch and Bob was across from him.

His father looked around the room. "Cute barracks... I thought you were dishonorably discharged?"

"I was honorably discharged, and my girlfriend is still in the Navy. I live with her." Bob said sharply.

"Hm. Interesting. May I meet her?" His father asked. Bob already knew she was awake. He simply got up and walked over to her room.

She was sitting on the bed nervously. "Why does he have secret service!?" She said quietly to him. "I'll explain later, come on..." he said as he took her hand into his and walked out.

"Just in bed clothes?" His father said.

"We both just woke up. You decided to show up uninvited." Bob said as he sat down. Bob sensed his fathers judgements gaze looking Phoenix up and down.

"What do you do?" He asked her. Phoenix looked back at him. "I um... fly the F-18." She said. He nodded and looked at his hands.

"You're the one who saved my sons pathetic life?" He said bluntly. Her eyes widened at that slightly. She looked at Bob whose knuckles were turning white.

"I saved his extremely valuable life. I'm sorry sir, I don't know who you are to think you can just come in here and interrupt our morning like this." She said as she sat next to Bob.

"I am the Senator of Texas. I can do whatever I do please within reason. Including speaking with the COMPACFLT about how much longer you will stay in the Navy." He said without hesitation.

Phoenix suddenly realized why he looked familiar. He was the awful senator who would definitely ruffle some feathers in their group.

Bob looked at him. "Why are you here...."

"I'm here because your mother wants you, your friends, COMPACFLT, and your... girlfriend to come over to the estate for a week or so." He said and then sighed. "Since we don't hear from you we haven't been able to tell you what is going on with your mother."

Bob frowned and looked down.

"She is dying... she's not supposed to make it past this month. So, she wants to see you one more time before she passes." His father said.

Bob clenched his fists as tears welled up in his eyes. "Fine... but I'm doing this for mom, not you." He said.

"I don't care. I sent you the address if you forgot. Everyone's plane tickets have been paid for. Just show up...." His father walked out and shut the door behind him.

Bob relaxed and then covered his face as he started to tear up. Phoenix looked at him and rubbed his back. "Is that why you don't talk about your family..."

He nodded slightly. All of the awful Memories from his childhood came back to him. "I hate him so much..." He just sighed and grabbed his phone and texted the group chat.

7 Ducklings

Bob: hey guys. So, just to bring you up to speed, I'm the son of the Senator of Texas, and my mother is dying and she wants to meet all of y'all. Your tickets have been paid for, and this invitation goes out to Maverick and COMPACFLT as well.

Rooster: that. Is a lot of information

Hangman: son of a SENATOR!? And yes

Payback: what the hell. So we find out bob is jacked, can flirt, and the son of a high ranking official?!  And of course

Fanboy: I- sure

Maverick: son of a Senator? Interesting. Sure I can make it.

Ice: sure. I can go.

Coyote: yoooo a Senator. Damn that's nice and cushy. Of course love to go.

Bob: thanks. I'll Give you all a debrief before we get there. We have some rules to follow.

Coyote: who do this rules apply to?

Bob:... sadly, maverick, ice, rooster and hangman.

Maverick: heh... a homophobe. Got it.

Ice: not surprised... it's Texas

Rooster: shit

Hangman: joy...

Fanboy: can we acknowledge the fact the COMPACFLT has been in this chat for awhile

Ice: I see all 😌

Phoenix: and he can use emojis.

Maverick: yes he can. Anyways, we will be ready for debrief. When do we leave?

Bob: tomorrow...

Mavericks: got it.

Bob sighed and got up. Phoenix watched him as he grabbed his duffle bag and start throwing clothes into it.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

The floodgates then opened.

"No. No I'm not. He came in here unannounced and basically judged you for no reason. I already know when we get there all of my sisters are going to judge the hell out of you, and he's going to criticize you for having short hair and being a fighter pilot. And let's not forget that we have hangman who is Bi, rooster who is also bi, maverick who is bi, and iceman who is gay..." he said as he shoved more clothes into his bag.

"And now, he just had to try and come into my life and force all of his ideas on me... bullshit."

She walked over to him and rubbed his back.

"Don't worry... everything will be okay.