After All These Years

Coming Home

It was a miracle.   Two weeks before Jason's eighteenth birthday Elizabeth had found the exact replica of Jason's truck, a two hour drive away, in Jacksonville, Florida.  She was a flurry of excitement, not wanting to get her hopes up, but not being able to help herself.  She found the posting randomly and almost didn't believe her eyes for the first couple of minutes.   After weeks, months even, of searching the depths of the internet, she thought it had to have been a scam.  Elizabeth called her dad immediately,  and while he was relieved it was not an emergency in the middle of a school day of her senior year,  he was skeptical and asked her to give him some time to do his own research and then get in touch with Jason's parents and discuss the trust with them first.    Elizabeth checked her bank account on her phone, paranoid as if the money she saved was not going to be enough, needing to reassuring herself the exact penny she had at the ready to purchase the truck if on the off chance she'd finally found it.    Elizabeth couldn't get home from school fast enough, and was grateful that Jason had decided to get a ride home with Nicholas after he agreed to help nicholas in the weight room in preparation for the next football game in a few days.  

Thankfully both her parents were both waiting for her in the living room when she arrived home and they weren't going to drag out getting to what she had been dying to know all day.   

Her father started with a cautious tone. "Okay lizziebug, we called the seller and Jason's dad and I were both able to have conversations with him about it today so you're very lucky that the timing worked out for you.  Jason's dad isn't that easily accessible..."

"Yes, yes I'm grateful, just get to the information.  Can we get the truck or not."

A smile crept up on her mom's face and while Elizabeth didn't want to get too ahead of her emotions, she knew that was a good sign.. "Apparently the truck belongs to the seller's son, a son that he lost a few years ago when he was overseas and was killed by an IED.   Jason's dad shared his position in the Navy, thanked his son for his service and his sacrifice, as did I, and it turns out the seller decided that if the truck was going to go to anyone it was going to be someone that loved the miltary as much as his son did, so he agreed to sell the truck to Jason's dad."

Elizabeth couldn't help but get teary eyed with joy and relief.  She wasn't one for emotion, typically she only showed it when she was overwhelmed or if she was in an intense amount of pain.  The sense of joy and relief, overcame her.  "Okay so how much do I need to send to Jason's dad?" Elizabeth questioned trying to remain focus and keep the tears at bay.

"That's the thing hunny, Jason's dad, is refusing to let you pay for it." Her mom spoke up.

"But Mom we agreed!"

"Hang on, let your mom finish."

"The seller decided to gift it to Jason, after hearing the story of what the original truck meant to Jason's dad, and what it meant to Jason, he felt compelled to give it away.  So it's not going to cost you anything."

"But, but why would he do that?? It's worth so much money!"

"Sometimes honey, it's not about the money.  The seller didn't really need the money, he was long since retired, but he was selling it because he couldn't bare to keep having the constant reminder of the son that was not coming home in his driveway.   After he  felt so connected with Jason's dad, he felt compelled that his son would have wanted him to give it to someone deserving."

"Jason's dad and I talked as well, and we still want to make sure you take all the credit you deserve for finding this truck, and we want you to be the one gifting it to Jason.   The money you saved up, can stay in your savings, but Jason's dad agreed that he would let you use some of it for whatever parts that might be needed if something breaks.  The seller says it is in great shape because his son took very good care of it.  though we both agreed, that you shouldn't spend anything more than two grand, after that you need to come to me and Jason's mom to discuss any further purchases.  Understood?" Elizabeth could only nod in agreement as her father continued.   "Friday is away game right?"