they have. Max’s
mother and aunts came and packed up all my things, and his brothers
and cousins came and moved it all. Max and my son cooked up the
idea of them living together while I’m here.” She thought about Max
and her stomach flipped at the thought of all he and his family had
already done for her.
“ I take it you didn’t come
just to tell me that,” the admiral said sagely.
“ No. I lost my first
patient, Lieutenant Lance James,” she started, but tears welled in
her throat and she swallowed before taking a deep breath. Admiral
O’Riley gave her the time she needed. He nodded when she mentioned
the Marine’s name. “A good man,” he murmured and she recognized her
sorrow on his face. That helped her to regain composure.
“ I wrote Max,” she said,
battling her emotions and winning, “because I knew Lieutenant James
left behind a wife and three children and I couldn’t imagine how
they’ll cope.” She paused to take a deep breath.
“ They’ll probably live one
day at a time,” he answered, his voice soft and
compassionate.
“ Yes. I suppose my grief
must have been fairly evident in my e-mail because Max called his
Aunt Emma.”
“ Ah, the force of nature?”
She liked the gleam in his eye.
“ Yes. And she is. She’s
about five feet tall, and maybe a hundred pounds, but if you step
in her path, you’re getting knocked over!”
Admiral O’Riley laughed. “That’s what
I’ve heard.”
“ Well, some of them started
calling her General,” his bark of laughter encouraged her, “but
Mitch’s wife, Lainy, called her General to her face, and Emma
thought it was funny. General Emma doesn’t take offense easily.
She’s an amazing woman.” KC shook her head and smiled as she
remembered her own interactions with Max’s aunt.
“ What has that woman done
now?” She heard fondness, and a personal affection again in his
tone.
“ Well, you know she and
Lainy weren’t able to keep Bentley and Rocky apart and they made
some puppies?” Mischief rose like an imp inside and KC tamped the
troublemaker down. Right now probably wasn’t the time.
He nodded and rolled his
eyes.
She grinned, but continued. “Well,
Emma hit on an idea, since they’ve had close to fifty offers on the
new batch of puppies.”
His eyebrows disappeared.
“ Fifty ?”
“ At least that many,” she
confirmed, nodding to add credence to her statement. “And these
haven’t even been born yet.”
“ Fifty?” he muttered and
shook his head.
“ General Emma decided to
start up a fund. It’s called the Bent Rock Foundation in honor of
Bentley and Rocky and the foundation’s purpose will be to raise
funds for the families of military persons who die in battle or any
who need further assistance. General Emma plans to auction off the
puppies and all proceeds, plus any other funds obtained, will go
toward the foundation.”
“ Auction off the puppies?”
The gleam in his eyes made her grin.
“ Oh yes. From what Max tells
me, she’s already cranking with publicity. And ever since, funds
and donations have poured in from local businesses and residents.
Schools are holding car washes, and ladies groups are holding bake
sales. Sounds like it’s already a big production.”
“ Emma could run an entire
branch of the military. So this wouldn’t be a problem.”
“ Emma could run the
country,” KC offered dryly and he chuckled.
“ So she’s going to auction
off Rocky’s newest batch of puppies.” He leaned back in his seat
and stroked his chin.
KC leaned forward in her seat. “Yes.
I’m going to e-mail Max and have him video tape the entire thing. I
definitely want to see this.”
The admiral straightened abruptly in
his chair. “I hope you’ll invite me?”
“ Of course. I’ll let you
know once it comes.”
“ I would love to see her in
action.”
“ General Emma is a sight to
behold,” KC agreed and she rose from her chair, saluted, and turned
to leave.
“ Is this something I
mother and aunts came and packed up all my things, and his brothers
and cousins came and moved it all. Max and my son cooked up the
idea of them living together while I’m here.” She thought about Max
and her stomach flipped at the thought of all he and his family had
already done for her.
“ I take it you didn’t come
just to tell me that,” the admiral said sagely.
“ No. I lost my first
patient, Lieutenant Lance James,” she started, but tears welled in
her throat and she swallowed before taking a deep breath. Admiral
O’Riley gave her the time she needed. He nodded when she mentioned
the Marine’s name. “A good man,” he murmured and she recognized her
sorrow on his face. That helped her to regain composure.
“ I wrote Max,” she said,
battling her emotions and winning, “because I knew Lieutenant James
left behind a wife and three children and I couldn’t imagine how
they’ll cope.” She paused to take a deep breath.
“ They’ll probably live one
day at a time,” he answered, his voice soft and
compassionate.
“ Yes. I suppose my grief
must have been fairly evident in my e-mail because Max called his
Aunt Emma.”
“ Ah, the force of nature?”
She liked the gleam in his eye.
“ Yes. And she is. She’s
about five feet tall, and maybe a hundred pounds, but if you step
in her path, you’re getting knocked over!”
Admiral O’Riley laughed. “That’s what
I’ve heard.”
“ Well, some of them started
calling her General,” his bark of laughter encouraged her, “but
Mitch’s wife, Lainy, called her General to her face, and Emma
thought it was funny. General Emma doesn’t take offense easily.
She’s an amazing woman.” KC shook her head and smiled as she
remembered her own interactions with Max’s aunt.
“ What has that woman done
now?” She heard fondness, and a personal affection again in his
tone.
“ Well, you know she and
Lainy weren’t able to keep Bentley and Rocky apart and they made
some puppies?” Mischief rose like an imp inside and KC tamped the
troublemaker down. Right now probably wasn’t the time.
He nodded and rolled his
eyes.
She grinned, but continued. “Well,
Emma hit on an idea, since they’ve had close to fifty offers on the
new batch of puppies.”
His eyebrows disappeared.
“ Fifty ?”
“ At least that many,” she
confirmed, nodding to add credence to her statement. “And these
haven’t even been born yet.”
“ Fifty?” he muttered and
shook his head.
“ General Emma decided to
start up a fund. It’s called the Bent Rock Foundation in honor of
Bentley and Rocky and the foundation’s purpose will be to raise
funds for the families of military persons who die in battle or any
who need further assistance. General Emma plans to auction off the
puppies and all proceeds, plus any other funds obtained, will go
toward the foundation.”
“ Auction off the puppies?”
The gleam in his eyes made her grin.
“ Oh yes. From what Max tells
me, she’s already cranking with publicity. And ever since, funds
and donations have poured in from local businesses and residents.
Schools are holding car washes, and ladies groups are holding bake
sales. Sounds like it’s already a big production.”
“ Emma could run an entire
branch of the military. So this wouldn’t be a problem.”
“ Emma could run the
country,” KC offered dryly and he chuckled.
“ So she’s going to auction
off Rocky’s newest batch of puppies.” He leaned back in his seat
and stroked his chin.
KC leaned forward in her seat. “Yes.
I’m going to e-mail Max and have him video tape the entire thing. I
definitely want to see this.”
The admiral straightened abruptly in
his chair. “I hope you’ll invite me?”
“ Of course. I’ll let you
know once it comes.”
“ I would love to see her in
action.”
“ General Emma is a sight to
behold,” KC agreed and she rose from her chair, saluted, and turned
to leave.
“ Is this something I
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