One Life ✓

SAM Gets Schooled: A Veterans' Day Special

This takes place in no particular year although it's currently March, if you read the One Chance preview! If anything I'd say it's after. Briana's high school is having a Veterans Day assembly, and of course, she asks Drew to invite TC and Grace (they tell some fascinating stories!). At her request, they do something special for the school on the holiday.

Grace

All decked out in heavy dress blues and the customary bun, I take my place in the line for servicemen, facing bleachers full of high schoolers. Servicemen is right; seems like they couldn't find a single female besides yours truly and another woman who sits next to me. We make polite conversation.

"Were you in the Army?" I begin.

"Yeah. Looks like you too?" She gestures to our matching service blues.

"Yup. Bagram and Medevac."

"I flew Medevac way back when. God, the things I kept letting fall out of the bird."

I laugh. "Exactly. I lost my Oakleys once upon a time."

"You've got a Purple Heart and Silver Star," she notices, gesturing to my medals. "If you don't mind, what for?"

"Pulling a crazy squad defense," I say. It's still raw, hard for me to talk about. "Saved as many as I could, but not all."

"I'm sorry," she responds dutifully. "And you're Captain...Grace Kaur Patel?" she reads my badge.

"Callahan now," I correct. "You're Lieutenant Felicity Rowe?"

"Thankfully no longer serving." She chuckles. "There are some things about Kandahar I'll never miss."

"Kandahar...do you vaguely remember anything about a boy that threw boots on the stage during a speech?"

"Oh! Yeah, little Callahan!" Felicity snaps her fingers. "Troublemaker, that one. Wait—you said you're a Callahan, would that have anything to do with...?"

"Ironically, yep." I shrug. "Married and a wee one, believe it or not."

"Wow." She nods. "There is an honest connection between people who serve, that's undeniable. Who you here for?"

"My friend's daughter," I say. "She says I tell good stories. The school posted me as color guard leader for this thing."

"My boy's down here somewhere," Felicity tells me. "Just where exactly I'm not sure."

The principal clears his throat at the podium. "Today we are honoring those who have served and those who are serving. Honor is an expression beyond respect. It's showing support. So let's support the troops on color guard today as they present the flags."

The lights dim and I grip my drill rifle at the head of the line. Memories of drills in Bagram come to mind.

"Color Guard, attention! Mark time, march!"

Flags and rifle in hand, we file down the gymnasium to my "left, left-right-left," a command I barely recall from so long ago.

"Color Guard, halt! Right, face!

We line up in front of the flag stands.

"Post, colors!"

Each soldier with the exception of myself posts their flag. I catch sight of Felicity with the Army flag, TC with the National, and Drew with Air Force.

"Center face!"

The national anthem starts up. The familiar tune signals us to salute. There's a rustling as students stand. A large number turn on the bright flashlights of their phones.