Perseverance (The Resident FF) by Frances51163

CHAPTER NINETY-FOUR: Unexpected

The restaurant turned out to be the Kai Market which boasted fabulous ocean views amongst other things.     Phillips led the way through the busy restaurant and came to a halt at a long table overlooking the beach where twenty something year twin boys were arguing with a man who had his back turned to them.   At the head of the table an elegant, short haired blonde lady sat smiling fondly as she listened to the points being put forth on both sides,

"Ladies and gentlemen we have company,"  Phillips announced jovially as he walked over and placed a kiss on his wifes' cheek, "Macy, boys I told you about our guests, Conrad Hawkins and Jude Silva.   They served with Jim."
"It's wonderful to meet you both," Macy smiled easily as her son Jim stood up to meet his old friends.
"Couldn't believe it when Dad said who he had invited to dinner," James Phillips turned to face the two men with a broad grin, "these are my boys Logan and Pete, twins as ye can see."
"Where is Jenny?" Conrad enquired after handshakes had been given and everyone was seated, noting there was no extra chair.
"She passed away two years ago," Thomas offered in quiet fondness as he glanced at his son and grandchildren, "a brain aneurysm."
"I had no idea," the fair haired man eyed the widower beside him, "I would have liked to have met her."
"Oh believe me she wanted to meet you too!" Macy started chuckling causing Conrad and Jude to frown.
"She wanted to meet the man who got Dad out of so many scrapes," Logan supplied.
"Don't remember getting you out of many scrapes James," Conrad looked at the man beside him, "think he may have been exaggerating."
"Dad never exaggerates," Logan put in confidently in between bites of a breadstick, "Mom used say his real life didn't need embellishments!"
"So what do ye do?" Jude asked the twins across from him as he sipped some water.
"We're Pilots."
"You got your company set up?" Conrad looked at his old friend with genuine happiness.
"Sure did.   Ye'll have to come by and see it on the Big Island."
"How long are ye here for?" Thomas asked the newcomers.
"Nearly two weeks," Jude supplied, "then it's back to Atlanta."
"Ye work together?" Logan wondered aloud as the Waiter came over to take their orders.
"Yeah.   Easier to keep him in line when I can see him," the Surgeon chided nodding towards the fair haired man.

Two hours into the meal in the Sheraton as the group sat overlooking the night waters of the Pacific Rim it had become clear that James Phillips was still the same man the two medical professionals got to know before and after Afghanistan respectively.  It also became clear that although the twins were identical in looks they had totally different personalities.   Logan was an extrovert whereas Pete was quiet.  Logan had no problem asking blunt questions while his twin shook his head in fond exasperation.   James had explained that they had moved to Hawai'i six years ago to be closer to his parents, four years before Jenny had died.   He had explained that he was grateful Jenny got to see the kids grow up and knew they had something to fall back on down the line in the aviation business if either decided to pursue other opportunities.

"So how often did you really get Dad out of scrapes?" Logan looked across at Conrad as he took a bite of his Ka'u Oranges dessert.
"Don't really remember.   It was a long time ago," Conrad busied himself cutting his Kunia Farms Pineapple.
"Quite a few times I'd say," Thomas spoke intuitively.
"Can I tell them about the time you covered for me during Boot Camp?" James asked seriously for this was not a story he had shared with his family previously but it was one which was a testament to the type of man his friend was.
"Go on Dad," Logan instructed impatiently.
"Logan your father asked a question now be good enough to wait for an answer," Macy directed without rancour for she was used to her grandsons' enthusiasm for stories.
"Sorry Conrad," Logan immediately apologised contritely, "it's just he never mentioned that story."
"Do I want to know what stories he did tell ye?" Conrad shook his head with a grimace.
"Probably not," Thomas winked genially.
"So can I tell them?" James asked seriously after the chuckles died down.
"Okay but you better not tell tall tales."
"As if I would?!" James sat back on his brown wicker chair to get comfortable after he pushed away his empty dessert bowl.
"Oh no this is going to take all night," Jude teased as he sipped his cappuccino.

"You want to hear this story or not?" James demanded with mock chagrin.
"Sorry.   By all means go on."
"We were about five weeks in and I was getting restless, unlike Conrad here.  I wanted to go off base."
"I hope this story is suitable for ladies," James put in as he held his wifes' hand.
"It had better be," Conrad warned for he knew some of his friends' escapades were not suitable for polite company and in truth could not remember which story he wanted to share as he recalled saving him from a chewing out a few times.
"Like I was saying," James ignored the interruptions determinedly, "I was feeling restless so I figured I'd sneak out without getting permission.    As it happened it was a thundery night so I figured it would be easier to get out and come back without being noticed.  Little did I know that our Drill Sergeant had decided the inhospitable weather was a good opportunity to go for a five mile hike at midnight."
"Always best to be prepared," James informed his son from experience.
"Anyway Conrad had spotted me going out so when everyone was woken up he had already come up with an excuse for me.  He said I was too sick to go on the hike as I had a stomach bug."
"And your Drill Sergeant believed that?" Pete queried, always interested by the way the military worked.
"No," James shook his head sadly, "course I knew nothing about this until a couple of days later."
"Look you could tell a better story," Conrad was surprised by the serious turn in the conversation.
"This is the one I want to tell.  I've always felt guilty about what happened."
"I told you no tall tales," Conrad tried to deflect his friend.
"Tell us," Thomas insisted after glancing at the uncomfortable fair haired man, noting the strain on his features which accentuated his paleness.
"Nothing was said to me about being absent from the base but it turns out our Drill Sergeant was a wise man.  I found out whereas the others were ordered on a five mile hike Conrad was given a choice."
"Which was?" Logan asked avidly as he finished his dessert.
"Tell where I was or do a ten mile hike."
"He did the ten miles," Jude stated with certainty.
"He sure did," James sighed with regret.
"But why did you say the Sergeant was a wise man?" Pete checked with a frown.
"Because I had to live with the guilt of what Conrad went through.   That was the last time I left base without permission.    Of course my buddy here never said anything.   One of the other guys told me what went down."
"Why didn't you tell him?" Logan couldn't help demanding.
"Yes son why didn't you?" Thomas asked although he was fairly sure he knew the answer but wanted to hear what the young man would say.

Conrad looked from the General to the others and back again trying to think of a suitable response .....

tbc

Authors' Note

Sorry this Chapter took a bit longer than usual to publish - Frances