Drifting upon a light summer breeze patriotic flags danced invitingly atop lamp posts that stood silently sentry along a little side street now bustling with an unusual amount of activity. A wide range of assorted vehicles hugged both curbs as their passengers dressed in their Sunday finest ambled amongst themselves chatting pleasantly as they gathered in front of an old townhouse on the corner. Friendly welcomes rang out as the neighbors mingled on the lawn and cast eager glances at the enticing smoke of a barbecue raised up from the behind the garage. Hauling a plastic folding chair onto the front porch a young raccoon excused himself as he set up his makeshift footstool and drove a nail into the center of the front door.
After setting the nail the youth reached down to pick up a small picture frame and placed it upon the nail sliding it back and forth until it was level. Climbing down off the chair the boy brushed his bangs aside and carefully scrutinized his efforts with piercing blue eyes. Sitting straight at eye level the white flag bordered with red trim with a single blue star in the middle rested in its protective frame ready to announce this was the home of a deployed service member. Nodding in satisfaction the kit folded up the chair then opened the front door and made his way back inside the crowded house.
Weaving and ducking his way between the guests discussing the war oversees in the living room the boy dropped the chair off in the closet beneath the stairs. Returning smiles and words of encouragement the kit then shook hands and endured pats on the shoulder as he made his way into the kitchen. Spotted by both his gossiping grandmothers as he entered their domain, the kid was quickly put to use carrying out a large tray of frosted cakes that had just been finished up out to the back yard. Balancing the delectable homemade sweets precariously with one hand the youth struggled to open the door to the garage then made his way down the steps and outside.
Mumbling a thank you to the next door neighbor as the elderly squirrel held open the garage door for the overworked kit, the boy began to navigate his way over to the overloaded picnic table. Pushing aside the bowl of potato salad and the plate of overdone hotdogs, the young raccoon laid the sweet cakes down before scrambling out of sight. Stepping around the corner of the house the kit hid behind the old wooden cellar doors and sat down hugging his knees to his chest. Resting his head on his knees the kit closed his eyes grateful to be out from under everyone’s legs and prayed for the day to end.
From around the corner came familiar voices that caused the boy’s pointed ears to perk up and turn in the direction of the conversation. The warm proud tones of his mother as she spoke with the priest from church made the kit look up in curiosity. Listening as his mother introduced the new german shepard straight out of the seminary to his older brother and his best friend since grade school was enough draw the younger brother away from the cellar doors and seclusion. Crawling under the pine tree on the corner and between the bushes let the kit spy on his family unnoticed as they spoke about spirituality and faith.
“Andy, this is the new priest I was telling you about,” The boy’s mother stated optimistically, “Father Michael, this is my son Andrew and his friend John. Their unit has been mobilized and they are heading out tomorrow for Iraq. I just wanted them to know who is going to be praying for them while they are overseas. ”
“It’s good to meet you Andrew, John.” The German Shepard stated and shook the soldiers’ hands. “We will be praying for your safe return and hope to see you both in church when you get back.”
“We appreciate you concern Father, and your prayers.” Andrew thanked with a forced smiled and glanced at his best friend. “I’m sure it will help.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you Father Michael.” John stated as he shook hands with the priest, the ferret’s smile much more welcoming.
“You’ll have to send me the name of your chaplain once you get into country so I can send him copies of our sermons to you.” Father Michael asked friendly clearly wanting to keep in touch with his flock.
“I’ll have my mother pass it along once I send it to her.” Andrew’s tone became frosty as he glanced over at his mother with an annoyed look. “What has she told you about me thus far?”
“That you no longer practice the faith but are open to the ideals of Christianity.” Andrew’s mother stepped in looking both hopeful and anxious. “You promised me if Jesus came to you in the end you’d follow him.”
“If he comes to me on his own,” Andrew stated sternly, “If God wants to know me he has to walk my path.”
“No room for compromise?” The German Shepard with the white collar asked curiously not showing any offense, “All you have to do is ask for forgiveness and he will be there.”
“It not his forgiveness I seek Father but justice, and there is none to be had from the sacrifice of one that did not sin.” The Raccoon retorted in his own self righteous way, “I’ll take responsibility of my own actions in this life and whatever comes after. If I can’t fix what I’ve wronged in this life and there is a way to make amends in the after then I will do so.”
“But you don’t have to do it alone,” The priest affirmed, “Your burden can be shared if you are willing, that is why he did it so you don’t have to walk alone.”
“I assure your Father, I do not walk alone.” Andrew stated and gave John a knowing smile that caused his mother to look away as if she could not see him, “I just prefer my company to be a bit more corporeal. It is hard to hang on to promises and platitudes alone, sometimes you need a real hand to help you up when you fall down.”
“That’s what the congregation is for,” The German Shepard remained the pair giving the ferret a puzzled look, “A community that helps each other.”
“Good will from a community that is selective and exclusive goes against Andy’s philosophies,” John spoke up and placed a placating hand on his friends shoulder, “We serve all Americans and do not discriminate against others because of their beliefs, isn’t that right Andy?”
“It is,” The Raccoon stated with a sigh, “In that respect I thank you for your prayers Father and those of your church, please pass along my gratitude.”
“I will, and thank you for your service, the both of you.” The Priest thanked and shook the soldiers’ hands once again.
“Now I think I should go find David,” Andrew said as he looked around the group of well wishers, “I should spend some time with my little brother my last day home after all.”
“I think he just came out of the kitchen,” Andrew’s mother started glancing about the lawn, “He should be out here some where.”
As his family began to look about for him, David backed out of the bushes and took off around the house. It would not do good to be seen spying on his brother, so he would back around the house and come in from around the garage. Brushing the leaves and dirt off his shirt the younger Raccoon just hoped John would be kind enough to take a walk so he could spend some time alone with his brother. After all it would be a full year before he saw him again or worse, ever.
***
With the setting of the sun the house grew quiet and cooled as a northern wind picked up and set the drapes to billow in the open windows. Empty and dark after the party the family of coons had turned in for a final night together before morning dawn came to take the eldest son away. Creeping along the upstairs hallway on bare paws, David stealthy made his way towards his older brother’s room, the moonlight gleaming off his eyes. Unable to fall asleep on his own as thoughts of horrible dangers lurching to ambush his big brother once he left home prompted the kit to check on Andy one last time.
Peeking around the corner of the stairs revealed his brother’s door open a crack with the sound of the ceiling fan humming loudly inside. Reaching tentatively for the handle David gentle pushed the door open wide enough to peer inside. Lying on his back with an arm draped across his face to block out the light from the street lamp outside, Andy slept in nothing but his army pt shorts. At the foot of his bed were two duffel bags stuffed full of uniforms, personal gear, and other odds and ends one might need in the desert.
Pushing the door open further caused it to squeak sharply in the still of the night announcing the little brother’s presence in the room. Pressing himself flat against the wall outside the door, David held his breath so not to make a sound and wake his brother. Rustling sheets could be heard within the room as Andy sat up and looked about for the sound. Glancing at the half open door and the shadow his baby brother was casting from the hallway into his room, the older brother sighed and called out to his sibling.
“Davy, I know you’re out there,” Andy said softly, “You can come in if you want, I don’t mind.”
Stepping around the door frame silhouetted the younger brother in the moon light highlighting his scared face. Walking over to his brother’s bed slowly David grabbed a hold of his tail and held onto it for comfort.
“I can’t sleep,” The little brother whimpered as his ears fell flat, “Can I stay with you tonight?”
“Sure, climb on up.” Andy said sympathetically as he lay back down and made room for his brother to join him. Climbing up into the bed David lay on top of his brother and buried his face in Andy’s gray chest fur. Holding his brother tightly with one hand as the other rubbed his back Andy whispered reassurances.
“It’s going to be o.k.” He vowed to his little brother, “I promise nothing will happen to me, I’ll be alright.”
“Don’t lie!” David murmured his face still in his brother’s chest, “You don’t know that, you can’t be sure! So don’t lie to me!”
“Alright, I don’t know what will happen,” Andy admitted softly resting his chin on David’s head as his brother hiccuped and sniffled in his arms, “But I will stop at nothing to get home in one piece. Whoever gets in my way is going to be sorry. But its going to be tough knowing being away in danger is causing you so much pain. It leaves me a lot to worry about.”
“I’m sorry,” David looked up into his big brother’s amber eyes, “I’ll try to be brave, but you have to be honest with me. You have to promise.”
“Alright, I promise.” Andy said solemnly as he brushed away a tear running down his brother’s face. “I won’t lie to you again, not purposely anyway.”
Resting his head back down on his brother’s chest David gazed at his brother’s dog tags. “Are you sure? Cause you lied to the army already.”
“Oh, how so?” Andy asked curiously with a raised eyebrow.
“You lied about you and John.” David accused his brother, “You wouldn’t even be going if you told the true.”
“Ah, that was an omission, not a lie,” The older brother defended himself and his misrepresentation to the military, “They didn’t ask, I didn’t tell. It’s not technically a lie.”
“But it wasn’t truthful,” David said pointedly, “It wasn’t honest.”
“No, I suppose it wasn’t,” Andy admitted softly, “But it was the only way I could serve, which is why they have a policy of omission in the first place, they let me get away with it so I’m off the hook right?”
“I guess so,” David said disappointedly as one of his excuses evaporated, “But you also lied to mom too.”
“Mom knows about me and John,” Andy stated grumpily, “She just pretends she doesn’t know.”
“That not what I mean!” David bit back and glared at his brother, “You told her you’d follow Jesus if he came to you, but you won’t! I heard you talking with the new priest, you won’t accept him you said so!”
“How did you hear that? We’re you spying on me?” Andy looked down in disapproval for a bit then raised an expectant eyebrow as he wait for an answer.
“I was under the pine tree.” David admitted but pressed on tears forming again his ears pressed down flat, “But I heard you say it. You won’t follow him, you lied to mom!”
“Your right, I did lie to mom,” The older brother confessed looking weary, “I don’t believe the same things about religion as her, I am not a Christian. She just wants to hear it so she can be at peace, that’s why I lied to her.”
“So you’ll lie to me too if it makes me feel better then?” David accused his brother again. “How can I trust you, how can I know you not lying when you say you’ll be o.k.?”
“I can only promise to tell the truth,” Andy started firmly, “I can’t make you believe me but you pretty smart, you’ll probably figure out any lies I do tell anyways. So ask away, what do you want to know?”
Rubbing his eyes clear with a paw, David looked into his brother’s serious expression satisfied he’d get an honest answer even if they would be horrible, “Are you going to have to kill people once you get to Iraq?”
Looking startled by the question Andy closed his eyes for a second to compose himself, “Most likely,” The older brother answered truthfully looking regretful.
Nodding his head at the expected answer David pressed onto his most pressing question, “Will you be killed?” The little brother whispered searching his older brother’s eyes for the truth as painful as it maybe.
“I don’t know,” Andy whispered back letting the full weight of his honest answer fall on his brother, “I can’t say yes or no, I really don’t know. But I will fight as hard as I can to stay alive, I swear it.”
Holding his brother as tight as he could, David buried his head into Andy’s chest again. “I don’t want you have to kill anyone! I don’t want you die! I don’t want you to go!” The little brother sobbed the truth doing nothing to sooth his fears.
“I know, I know,” Andy whispered as he rocked his baby brother in his arms as tears began to form in his own eyes, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, but I have to go, I said I would.”
Nodding his head silently David just held on as he cried into his brother’s fur, inconsolable. After about half an hour his cries tapered down to whimpers and hiccups as his older brother tried to make it go away.
“What can I do help you through this?” Andy asked his brother after a moment, “Whatever you want I’ll do it.”
Looking up with tear soaked fur David said, “Lie to me.”
“O.k.” Andy said hugging his brother tightly, “I promise nothing bad will happen to me. Everything is going to be alright. I promise.”
Wanting to believe, needing to believe his brother would be o.k. David accepted the lie. Closing his eyes as he fell asleep in Andy’s arms the little brother could forgive his older brother for lying this one time. He had asked him too after all.
