This is War✔

Twenty-One

Everywhere Tom went, he felt the small letter in his coat pocket. He tried to ignore it, but it constantly bothered him, keeping him up at night. Nevertheless, he persisted in his procrastination. Finally, the day before the April Mission arrived, and he still hadn't opened the letter.

   Tom was pacing the creaky floor boards of the entryway while holding the dreadful letter in his hands. He couldn't think of any excuse not to open it now, but he kept thinking, just five more minutes and then... So he didn't.

   Declan appeared before Tom and just stood there with a mixed expression of something halfway between guilt and nervousness on his face. Tom raised his eyebrows at the young Scot, but he seemed to be frozen in fear.

   "O'Connor?"

   The young man was woken from his stupor and just barely spoke. "I-I...Group Captain..." He couldn't seem to find the words.

   "Is something wrong, Declan?"

   "No, no. I just... What I mean to say is that I want to ask you for your niece's hand in marriage because I know her father won't consent. I feel a little untraditional and dirty for going behind his back, but what am I supposed to do?"

   Tom chewed on his lip for a moment, thinking. Then he said, "Declan, I can not give my consent to you. Not because I don't approve, but because it's not my place. Forgive me, O'Connor."

   "I understand the position you're in but please, sir, if you won't consent will you at least mediate between us and him?"

   Tom nodded slowly. "Yes, but don't expect much. My brother has been hardened by years of experience and anger. I don't expect him to ever change."

   Declan shook his hand gratefully. "Anyhow, thank you sir. Thank you so much." And he left Tom in the hallway.

   Tom was considering the whole matter when something clicked. He would visit Tony in his office to discuss the potential union of Declan O'Connor to his daughter and to talk about the letter. He needed advice and he had no one else to turn to.

   When he arrived at his brother's office he knocked on the heavy mahogany doors and waited for an answer. "Enter."

   Tom walked in and said, "Hello, brother dear. May we discuss a matter or two at hand?"

   "Tom. Yes, of course." The two brothers had grown close over the past months and Tom was glad. He hoped that he might be able to introduce Ellie to him someday.

   They seated themselves over by the big window and Tony asked, "So what seems to be wrong?"

   Tom wisely chose to lead with the less controversial topic. He withdrew the letter from his pocket and set it on the small table that stood between them.

   "Now what's this?"

   Tom took a deep breath. "A letter from Whitehall. They have an assignment for a few of the pilots here. I can't tell you much, but I can tell you it's dangerous and that I don't know who has been chosen but I believe that Andrew is one of them. I'm too much of a coward to open it and it's happening tomorrow."

   "I see. Are you to be at the head of this assignment that you're so afraid of?"

   "Yes, I suppose so. I hadn't really thought about it. This is not about me though. This is about getting Andrew home in one piece so that he can take care of the family. He's younger and he can do it better."

   Tony stood up and pulled back the curtains that covered the window, looking out. "You're wrong, you know. Your wife needs you desperately. You have a responsibility to her to care about yourself as well as your son."

   "How would you know?"

   "Because," he said, "I still need my wife even after all these years of separation. Spouses have a natural need for one another. They depend deeply on each other. You're more important to your family than you know."

   Tom nodded. He was thinking. Would this be an exceptionally terrible time to bring up Declan's question? His brain answered itself in the affirmative, but he did it anyway. "Thank you. Now, I have a question for you."

   "Fire away." Tony sat back down, his full attention on his brother.

   "I have a question from Declan. He wants to ask for Daisy's hand in marriage."

   Tony immediately rose from his chair and began to rapidly pace the floor. "Absolutely not! I have already told you how I want to protect her and how much I loathe that Scot. Why would you even ask?!"

   "I think that they're a good match and I think that Declan is a good man."

   "Man? He's just a child! As is Daisy. No. I won't let it happen, Thomas. Not now, not ever. Please leave, I'm busy."

   "Tony, please."

   "I've made my decision. Leave."

   Tom nodded curtly and left the room. In the midst of his brother's rant he hadn't noticed something very important: he had accidentally left the letter from Whitehall in Tony's office.