Into the Fire

              (From my novel Destination available on Kindle.)

INTRODUCTIONS

They walked outside and around the back of the house to the oversized three vehicle garage. Thomas had grabbed the sack of cans to crush when he got back. When Grams unlocked the door to the garage and walked in, she pointed out the little hand crank can crusher on the wall and the designated garbage can. Thomas acknowledged them, but his eyes locked onto her candy apple red 1969 mint condition Cadillac El Dorado.

     “We’ll take the Caddy today since I don’t have to get feed this trip. You wanta drive?” she asked with a straight face, seeing he was obviously enamored with the old car.
     “Yeah.”
     She handed him the keys. “This was Ace’s baby. He liked Cadillacs, and I liked Lincolns. I had a Continental, but I sold it a few years ago. Couldn’t bring myself to sell this one.”
     “It’s a beauty, Grams.”
     He opened the door for her and waited for her to get in, afraid if he tried to help her, she’d beat him with her cane. When she was in, he closed the door for her.
     “Ace was a gentleman, too. We raised those boys to be, too. Samuel came the closest to thinkin’ about marryin’ when he was just 16, but in the end he knew he’d be married to the military.” She looked at her hands. “I think Samuel knew he’d be offerin’ his life up in service to his country, cuz once or twice he remarked to his dad that he couldn’t see leavin’ a widow and kids behind. Said it wouldn’t be fair to ‘em.” She laughed a melancholy sound. “Then Hank Jr.—oh my, he was a ladies’ man if there ever was one. But he was home shortly before he went back, and I’m glad to say he’d made peace with his Maker. He told me he knew that Jesus was—” She coughed abruptly to cover her sob. “That Jesus was callin’ him home, and for me not to worry. That his life had been a good one, and if he had to give his life, he wanted it to be in a noble way, and fightin’ for liberty was the noblest way he believed it could be done. He was definitely different in the end.”
     Thomas felt tears come to his eyes. He couldn’t speak, but he wanted to say something.
     “Let’s go, boy. We got some errands to run. Fire it up,” she said with her usual vigor.
     After adjusting the seat, he did as he was told, and slowly the tears dissipated.
     “Alright. See that feed store cross the street?” she gestured with her hand after arriving in town. "Pull in there so I can introduce you to Norrie. Next week we’ll have to get some feed, and you might be comin’ here by yourself.”
     Thomas pulled into the large parking lot close to the main entrance and went around to let Grams out. He was surprised at how easily she maneuvered herself out of the big car in spite of her cane and the barely discernable favoring of her right hip.

Father, thank you endlessly for every word, character, and inspiration. Help me to always honor you with my writing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.