Assignment 2- Short Story on Character- The Picture at the Party

An assignment for my writing class. Write a short story of 1000-1500 words focusing on character or character development.

           "Daddy. What is this?"

            Looking down to where the voice had sounded from, I saw my young son Jonah, looking cute the only way a five year old boy could, in a suit and tie at a formal event he knew nothing of, nor cared for.  He was holding a picture frame in his little hand like a treasure he had just dug up from a beach.  Bending down into a squat, I looked at what Jonah had found... and felt my breath catch in my throat, like the specter of an uncomfortable memory catching up to me, with an iron grip of vengeance that slowly squeezed all the life giving oxygen out of my lungs.

            Straightening, I excused myself from my Japanese business partners with a stiff formal bow and a reminder to make themselves at home.  Grabbing Jonah's fragile hand, I ushered him into a nearby empty room that served as our guest room for visitors wishing to stay the night.

            Sitting on the edge of the bed in the dim room, I patted the place beside me, saying, "Come and take a seat Jonah."

            Scrambling up with some visible effort, Jonah took a seat next to me on the bed, his blonde hair all tousled from his climb. Again he asked, "What's this Daddy?"

            Swallowing the lump of that old despair that had been buried deep within the past little while, I said, "That is a picture of Daddy and his brother."

            "You have a brother?!" Jonah asked excitedly.

            "Yes," I replied, smiling at my son to keep the sadness from showing on my face. "His name is Jonah as well.  You were named after him."

            Looking at the picture, Jonah's blue eyes were filled with a curious light.  After a moment of silence he looked up to me and asked, "Is he at the party Daddy?"

            "No sweetie. He isn't here."

            "How come? I want to meet him."

            Staying silent for a minute, I thought of the best way to tell my young son the truth about his namesake and why he could not make it to the party.

            "Well Jonah," I began, "You know how you like to climb trees in the back yard and pretend the neighbours are evil pirates, and how you 'protect' the house from the bad pirates on your many adventures?'

            Smiling and nodding, Jonah listened silently, eager for more information.

            "Well, my brother... your uncle Jonah, he did something similar when we were children.  He would always be off having adventures while I stayed at home and read.  You could always find him protecting us from the bad guys on his own adventures.  When he grew up, he didn't stop protecting us from the bad people.  Jonah joined the army," I explained.

            "So... he is fighting bad guys right now Daddy?  Is he coming back in for supper?" little Jonah asked enthusiastically.

            Chuckling to myself at the beautiful innocence of  a child's mind, I shook my head in response.

            "But, you always make ME come home for supper..." Jonah stated, pouting and looking confused.

            Smiling more genuinely now at Jonah's view of how the world worked, I replied, " It's not that easy Jonah.  Your uncle is very far away.  He is on the other side of the world, in a country called Afghanistan."

            "So when is he coming back?" Jonah asked, still confused.

            "I...I'm not sure son.  You see... his convoy- the group of other soldiers he was travelling with to get the bad guys- was attacked a few weeks ago.  I haven't seen your uncle in 4 years, and a few weeks ago was the last time he called home.  I...I don't know if he is ok, or when he will come back," I said with a trace of that old sadness staining my voice.

            Just then, a small knock came at the door.  Opening slowly, my wife Maya walked in the room, in a stunning black cocktail dress.  She was holding a phone to her chest...as tears streamed down from her chocolate brown eyes, and a curious smile was painted on her face.

            "What's wrong Mommy?" Jonah asked before I had a chance to.

            "Nothing sweetie.  Mommy is just happy.  People cry when they are happy as well Jonah, " she explained as she walked gracefully to the foot of the bed. 

            Looking at me she said, "It's Sergeant Davis, Robert."

           Quickly grabbing the phone from her outstretched hand, I stood up, walking slowly to the curtained window.  Taking a deep breath, I asked into the phone, "Sergeant?"

            "Hello Mr. Jackson.  This is Sergeant Carl Davis of the 56th Infantry Platoon, calling you from Kandahar, Afghanistan," replied the voice from beyond the phone after a brief delay.

            "It's good to hear your voice again Carl," I said slowly, trying to collect the flood of emotions that had broken through the damn in my chest at this unexpected phone call.

            "You as well Robert.  I've got news about your brother Jonah.  You told me last time we spoke to call you as soon as I knew anything..."

            Unable to reply, I just nodded into the phone, though Sergeant Davis could not see me.  Waiting on the edge of a knife, I could feel the hot fire of tears come streaming down my cheeks as I began to sob, listening to the Sergeants report.

            "Mommy?" Jonah asked, looking up at his mother with a scared expression.

            "It's okay honey." I heard Maya say soothingly, as though she was far away, as I fought to collect myself from the news I had just received.

            After a few deep breaths, I managed to choke out a quiet, "Thank you," into the receiver.  Turning the phone off and taking the first easy breath I have had in ages, I looked to my son, with the beginnings of a smile on my lips.

            "Daddy, what's wrong?" Jonah asked timidly, clutching his mothers leg.

            Wiping the tears from my eyes, I walked over and crouched down next to my son.  Looking into him through his terrified blue eyes, I said, "Nothing is wrong Jonah.  Daddy just got some of the best news he has had in a long time.  Your uncle Jonah... he is coming home.  He is okay, and he will be here in time for your birthday."

            With a devilish grin that will some day break the hearts of a million girls, Jonah launched himself at me in a fierce hug.  Picking him up and placing a loving arm around my wife, we headed for the door to rejoin the rest of the party.

            "Daddy?" Jonah asked, stopping us both before we crossed the open door.

            "Yes Jonah?"

            "Ummmm..." he fidgeted in my arms as he searched for the right words to express what was going through his mind," Can I have a brother too?!" he let out in a rush.

            Stunned, I looked over to my wife, whose face was equally plastered with shock.  Turning back to look at Jonah, I replied, "Well...I will have to talk with Mommy to see how she feels about that Jonah. We will see."

            Flashing a devilish grin at Maya as Jonah placed a loving kiss on my cheek, we walked back out to the party, and to the rest of our lives.