"Jackie, honey, can you open the front door?" Mama shouted from upstairs.

Jackie assumed she was still getting dressed because she always seems to take a half an hour just to decide on an outfit.

She flinched and slowly strolled over to the door and opened the front door hesitantly to let the guests inside.

"Hello ma'am, does Dylan Clugsglot live here?" The man inquired his voice deep and raspy.

     He had a dark brown bushy mustache that was right above his upper lip and he wore a hard and sturdy looking helmet along with a camouflage suit. Obviously, this must be the General that father was talking to last night on the telephone. From Jackie's perspective, she perceived him as creepy.

"Y-yes sir." Jackie stuttered, looking back at Cole who shrugged innocently and ran upstairs to get Father. "Why are you here...sir?" She asked quietly as she looked down at her bare feet. Jackie was mostly shy around new people like him, but she seemed curious to know more about this man.

"Holy. . . Jackie he's got a rod!" Cole gaped incredulously, his eyes wide.

"Cole!" Jackie muttered under breath.

Cole put his hands up in mock surrender and strolled back into the kitchen by Mama.

He immediately cleared his threat and peered down at Jackie, "I am General Walter, and I am here to escort your father to the war grounds." He explained, proudly.

Jackie could not help but to watch his mustache when he talked; it wiggled around like a worm.

     Jackie hated facial hair on any man and she planned on making sure her dad never grew one, same with Cole.

So you're the one who wants to take my father away from my family and I . . . 

Jackie thought deeply as an angry sensation rushed through her as she realized this was going to be the last time she would see her father until the war ended.

"Ah, no thanks. . . goodbye!" Jackie concluded as she slammed the old wooden door in General Walter's face. She stood there with a sense of relief and happiness flooding through her until the door reopened again by someone.

"Jacqueline Ann, you do not treat a person of high authority that way. What the hell is wrong with you?" Dad scolded.

He rarely became this angry at the children, but something was making him easily triggered today.

"Sorry, father." Jackie mumbled, biting her lip in attempt to hold back her tears for what seemed like the hundredth time today.

"Oh you kid." Father sighed, rubbing his temples.

He proceeded to the door and opened it with a whole new demeanor.

"My bad, general. My children can be quite rude." Father glared at Jackie, "Greetings, however. Please, come in sir." Father smiled motioning for him to come in the house.

Jackie looked at Father with a look of annoyance and stood behind Father, feeling angry that he had opened the door to let him in again.

"Hello, Mr.Clugsglot." General Walter greeted father as the two men shook hands happily.

Cole walked over with pride in his stride. Once he reached the general, he stuck out his hand for him to shake.

"General, this is my eldest son." Father said,

Jackie rolled her eyes at the sound of Cole being called the eldest. After all, he was born only two minutes before she was.

"The name's Cole."

Cole shook his hand firmly, he wanted to be remembered.

"Ah, now this is what I call polite. You are sure a polite young man, Cole."

     Jackie, on the other hand, looked uncomfortable and angry. She folded her arms as she eavesdropped on them talk about the war," your daughter here is quite sneaky. She didn't want me in your house apparently." He laughed a hearty laugh and looked over at Father.

     "Oh, Jackie. Like I mentioned previously, she can be like that a lot." Father replied shooting a stern glance at Jackie.

     "My apologies, sir and Father." Jackie spat, fixing her hair that was currently up in a fancy bohemian braid.

     General Walter bowed down in response and then stared at Cole who had just combed his dark brown hair to the left, making him look older.

Jackie did not realize immediately that Cole was crying. Cole! He always acts so strong and brave, but yet he was crying.

"Bye, doll."  Father kissed mama on the lips and engulfed her in a large embrace. Even after doing that, they ended up talking for a few minutes.

     When he was done speaking with mama, he turned to Cole bending on one knee, "Buddy, come on, it's okay. Hey, if I don't come back, take care of these beautiful ladies, promise me?"

Cole nodded sadly and wiped tears off his cheeks as he tried to stay strong in this situation, although it was breaking his heart into two.

"My joyful Jackie, you keep that extremely warm heart of yours, and keep doing well in school, I love you." He muttered as he caressed Jackie's cheek and looking her straight in her eyes.

Jackie leapt up and hugged her father for as long as she could. He hugged her back and he kissed his daughter's head and then let go of her slowly, enjoying every last moment with his daughter until he came back home from war.

"Hey, and work on your politeness towards adults, okay?" He whispered into her ear.

Jackie nodded with a smile, her eyes closed while she treasure the last few moments with her father until he came back.

"Uh, sir..." General Walter interjected as he began tapping his watch.

"On that note, I better go now." Father protested sadly as he looked at his family for the last time before he left, " be good, children!"

He bid goodbye to his beloved family and slid into the front seat of a Rolls-Royce Phantom I.

That was his dream car too!

Jackie immediately burst out the door and stood on the porch as she watched the vehicle that her father was in slowly disappear behind the other homes. The smell of exhaust lingered in the air, making Jackie cough until she coughed herself into crying.
She slid down the edge of the door frame to the point where she could sit on the cold cement. She gave up, she couldn't keep her tears in anymore, and of course, she began to cry, wishing that her father would still be here with her.