Tony hoped like hell they would not catch a late case that would have them working over the weekend. He had already bought his plane ticket and it was non-refundable. He checked his watch again. The time seemed to inch by and he had checked his watch, he knew, about every minute since 4:45 p.m. He HAD to be out of the office at 5 p.m. if he had any hope of catching his flight.
Two minutes to go, Thank God. Tony thought. He tried to act busy, fiddling with papers he had purposely left lying on his desk. Gibbs thought you should work up to the very last minute and Tony could remember catching the ‘hairy eyeball’ more than once for DARING to pack up early. But he was packed up, technically. He was typing. (It was a blank Word document screen he had opened for the sole purpose of looking busy.) The papers were also a smoke screen. (All he had to do was shove them all back in the folder they belonged in anyway and his desk would be clean.) That was another pet-peeve Gibbs had. He HATED to see a messy desk at the end of the day. After years of working with Gibbs, he had only had to be taught that lesson once. Tony had come into work the next morning after the ‘offense’ to find a mound of loose papers on his desk. It had taken him hours to re-file all the pages. (Gibbs had intentionally ‘dropped’ the folders, spilling their contents all over Tony’s desk.)
Yes, 5 p.m. No new cases. I. Am. Out. Of. Here. Tony thought as he grabbed his backpack off the floor and his jacket off the back of his chair.
“Tony.” Gibbs called just as Tony hit the button for the elevator.
Damn, damn, damn. Tony thought. What now? “I gotta go Boss, no time to talk. Big weekend. See you Monday, Bye.” Tony said rapidly, stringing all the words together.
“What?” Gibbs said, standing looking dumbfounded at the elevator as the door slid closed.
“With Anthony, Jethro…” Ducky said, coming up behind Gibbs. “…it’s hard to tell. Could I have a moment of your time? I require your assistance in Autopsy.”
Gibbs nodded, absent-mindedly, still puzzled by his agent’s behavior. He followed the M.E. down to Autopsy.
Gibbs could tell that Tony was anxious to leave for the day. He had noticed Tony started looked at his watch the closer it got to 5 p.m. He also knew Tony was trying to make himself look busy. Gibbs couldn’t help but smile to himself. He remembered the lesson’s he had taught the green NCIS agent about watching the clock as the workday ended. Lucky of Tony, and for Gibbs, Tony had been a fast learner. But where the hell was Tony going in such a hurry? Gibbs wondered as he and Ducky entered Autopsy.
Tony made his plane, but just barely. He was nearly breathless when he finally sat down in his seat and buckled his seat belt. He was glad to have a seat in first class. It is always nice to be ‘bumped up’ for free. He put his headphones on and tried to concentrate on the movie. But he couldn’t turn his mind off long enough to enjoy it. He hoped he was not making a mistake. The letter had told him he could visit anytime, but had Jackson really meant it? Maybe he should have given Jackson some notice. Then Tony remembered, he didn’t have Jack’s phone. Jack had not included it in the letter and Tony was definitely not going to ask Gibbs for it. Also, Tony was not that sure he could remember how to get to Stillwater.
Abby had been their navigator last time. She was a great navigator, despite the fact she had punched him in the arm, hard, each time she saw a punch-buggy. He had tried to find a map. He had wanted the one Abby had used that day. He would have asked her about it, but he knew she could or would not keep a secret from Gibbs and he had really wanted this trip to be…uncomplicated.
Stillwater had not been as hard to find as he thought it would be. He asked the guy at the Alamo desk where he had rented his car, after the plane touched down in Philly. The guy had drawn him a rough map and had told him where to stop along the way to get better directions. He had done as he was told. It was a gas station he was supposed to stop at and he needed gas anyway. (Alamo had not filled up his car as he had been promised.)
Tony pulled up in front of Jack’s store just as the sun was going down. He was unsure which door to go to, the front door of the store. The store looked, to him, like it was closed. Or should he go around to the back of the building and see if there was an exterior entrance to the apartment upstairs. Tony decided to go around to the back of the building. He found a set of stairs and climbed. He knocked at the door at the top of the landing.
Jackson Gibbs was just settling down to read for an hour or so before bed when he heard a knock at his door. He never got knocks at his door in the back. People always rang the bell downstairs and then a bell rang inside the apartment. All the townies knew that, so who was this?
Jack put his book down and got up slowly. He opened his door and grinned widely when he saw his visitor. “Hello, Anthony.” He let Tony in.
“Jack, I hope it’s OK I came.” Tony said, taking in the older bachelor feel of the apartment.
“Anthony, I wouldn’t have put it in my letter if I hadn’t meant it.” Jackson replied.
Tony wagged his finger at Jack. “I see where the boss gets his directness.”
“You plan on just chatting for a little while and then heading back to D.C.?” Jack asked, noticing Tony had no luggage.
Tony thumbed towards the road. “In the car…just in case…” Tony explained.
“Well…” Jackson said, grabbing the keys to the store. “…go get your things. You can come back in and upstairs through the store.” Jack said as he opened the door to the store and led the way downstairs.
Tony smiled as he followed Jack down. “You two really are a lot alike.”
“Don’t tell Leroy that, he spent the better part of his teens and early twenties, trying to be ‘nothing like the old man.’” Jackson unlocked the door to the store from the inside and let Tony out onto the sidewalk. Tony quickly unlocked his trunk, grabbed the one bag he had brought and come back inside. Jack locked the door again and Tony followed him back upstairs.
“You can use the back bedroom.” Jackson said as he led Tony to the small bedroom right across from the master. “It was Leroy’s, of course.” Jack said when he saw Tony step into the room and go to Leroy’s shelf of trophies. The shelf held 10 trophies. There were 3 basketball trophies, five football trophies and 2 for baseball.
“I never realized Gibbs was such an athlete.” Tony said, reading the inscription on each trophy.
“He was really good. He could have gone pro. But, as I'm sure you know, he was injured in the corps…. He was heart-broken, Tony. He was angry. He was hurt. He was mad at the world. The military was now closed to him and it had caused him to have to let go of his dream of going ‘pro.’ He never told me, but I think he had seriously considered a life in the military, too. I don’t know which he would have chosen to pursue if he had not injured his leg. But he soon realized he was good at something else. He decided since he could not be a marine. He could, at least, help them. I really don’t know all the details about how he got his job at NCIS.”
“He was that good…really?” Tony said, stunned. He put his bag on the bed and he and Jack left the room. “Why do you still have the trophies?”
“He said they were bad reminders. Reminders of a past he would rather forget.” Jack said as he showed Tony his bedroom, across the hall. Jackson then showed Tony the kitchen and dining room which really formed one big room with the living room.
“Anthony,” Jackson said, taking a seat in his favorite chair. He gestured towards the couch and Tony sat down. “…I really can’t thank you enough. I hope you enjoyed the pictures I sent. The islands were beautiful. I could have probably taken another thousand pictures and still not gotten everything.”
Tony nodded. The pictures had been amazing. The islands were beautiful and Jack had done a good job capturing it. “The pictures were great Jack. I’m planning a trip next year, actually. I am so glad I could do that for you and for…I can’t call him Jethro. But it seems strange calling him Gibbs to you.” Tony smiled. “I know you disagreed with him having us call him Boss.”
Jackson laughed. “He’s nobody’s boss. He’s just this kid. I remember him as this scrawny kid with an attitude twice as big as he was. He had to have that attitude though. He was just so small. The bigger kids tried to take advantage of him. His big mouth got him into as much trouble as it got him out of, if I remember correctly.”
Tony shook his head. “He’s always seemed larger-than-life to me.”
“He has that effect on people.” Jack stated.
Tony just nodded.
“You hungry?” Jack asked.
“I kinda am.” Tony said, rubbing his stomach. “I don’t suppose you have a pizza joint in this little town.”
Jack nodded. “Actually we do, some of the best pizza in the state, so we’ve been told.”
“They deliver?” Tony asked, hoping against hope.
Jackson nodded as he got up. He went to the phone and placed the call. Fifteen minutes later they were enjoying what Tony would have to agree was some of the best pizza HE had ever eaten.
“You and the bo…Gi…Jeth…damn.”
“You can call him, Leroy, Tony.” Jack said, understanding Tony’s dilemma.
“Thank you,…Leroy. Do you and Leroy ever do this?”
“What, sit and talk? Never. He was never a talker. He got that from his mother. It was like pulling teeth to get her to tell me things. She didn’t even tell me she was taking cancer treatments. She just took to wearing scarf on her head. I questioned her about it a few times, but never got a satisfactory answer. So I started finding hair on the sink and in the bathtub. I mean lots of hair. So I asked her about it. She said it was just something she was going through. Then I saw her with the scarf off. I mean completely off. She had to fess up then. She was almost completely bald. She said she didn’t want me to worry. She said she had not been sick because the chemo level was not that high. She said, though that that would change soon. They would be increasing her dosage amount and frequency of treatment.”
“That had to be hard on Gi..Leroy.” Tony said, shaking his head.
“It was, very hard.” Jackson said. “But he handled it like he handles everything. He got angry and refused to talk.”
“He was here for the funeral though?” Tony asked, not remembering Gibbs taking anytime off. That would have been around the time Tony first joined NCIS.
Jackson shook his head. “Leroy has never been one for funerals. He was angry at me though, was the main reason. He thought if I had known earlier maybe Millie could have gotten more aggressive treatment early on. I could have convinced her to change doctors to go for a higher dose of chemotherapy. I am not sure. I just know he blamed me.”
“Would it have mattered…” Tony asked. “…if you had done all those things?”
Jackson shook his head. “I don’t think so, Tony. The form of cancer was rare and it was basically inoperable. The only choice WAS to bombard it with chemo.”
“It’s hard to lose your mom…” Tony stated. “…at any age.”
“Your mom…?” Jack started, unsure he should even ask the question.
“She died when I was 10 years old. She was drinking. Actually her and dad had been drinking. They were fighting over me, which was usually the case. But this time Mom went out got in her car and drive it into a tree. She died instantly.” Tony paused. “My dad blamed me. He never SAID so. But I know he did. He sent me off to military school a couple years later. He had decided by then he was going to be an international playboy. You can’t do that with a kid in tow.”
“I’m sorry.”
Tony nodded. “You were right, everything you said in your letter about him was accurate. Bastard was just the tip of the iceberg. But I have come to terms with some things. I realize I can’t change him. I realize I will never be the son he wants me to be. I have had to do it to get on with my life.”
“Does he realize what he’s lost?” Jack asked sincerely.
Tony smiled. “I guess Gi..Leroy didn’t tell you about that part of our conversation. Dad come into town to see me. It’s been a few weeks now. I have no idea why he came, he never told me. But Gib...Leroy told me HE spoke to my dad. Said he thought it was about time my dad got to know me.”
Jackson nodded. “That all sounds good.”
Tony agreed. “Yes, it does...but it is too late. I told my dad so. I told him he had 40 years. Plenty of time, but he wasn’t interested. Now, I’m the one who isn’t interested.”
“I’m sorry, Tony.” Jackson said reaching over and patting Tony’s leg. “I can’t imagine ever having felt that way about my dad. I can’t imagine Leroy ever feeling that way about me.”
“It’s not a good place to be, Jack.” Tony agreed. Tony wiped his hands and stood up. “Do you mind if I go ahead and turn in for the night? I am a lot more tired than I thought.”
Jack nodded. “Go ahead. I always stay up and read for a few hours. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“What time to you get up?” Tony turned around and asked as he headed to the bedroom.
“Sleep as long as you want, Anthony. I get up at 6:30 am. I open the store promptly at 7:30 a.m., just come down whenever you’re ready. I always cook and eat my breakfast downstairs.”
Tony nodded, rubbed his hand over his face and disappeared into Leroy’s old room.
When Tony next opened his eyes, sunshine was streaming in through the only window in Gibbs’ old room. Tony got up out of bed stretched and headed off to the bathroom to shower and shave. He ended up downstairs around 8 a.m. He felt like he had overslept. He was usually up by 6 a.m. to run or to get to work early, which had become his habit. He had dressed in a pair of jeans and a plain white t-shirt. He checked his hair in the mirror at the top of the stairs before heading down to join Jackson.
Jackson was sitting at the only table in the store in the back. He had two cups of hot coffee on the table and was reading a section of the paper.
“How did you…?” Tony inquired.
“I heard coming down the stairs.” Jackson put down his paper and stood up. He moved to the small kitchenette in the back. Tony had not noticed it the other time he was here. “You want eggs and bacon, some toast?” Jackson asked.
“Sounds great, Jack.” Tony said, wrapping his hands around the coffee mug and taking a long sip of the delicious coffee. “You really know how to make a cup of coffee.”
Jack smiled as he turned around from cooking his eggs and bacon. “What brings you here Tony? Really?”
Tony sighed and put down his coffee. “I guess…after my talk with my dad. I…I just wanted to see what a real father/son relationship looked like.”
“And you picked Leroy and I…honestly, Tony. We may not be the best choice.” Jackson conceded.
“I didn’t say a perfect relationship. I said a REAL relationship. Because…as much as he tried to hide it, Leroy loves you and I know you love him.”
Jack nodded. He plated his and Tony’s eggs, bacon and toast. He sat Tony’s plate down in front of him before he sat his own plate down and took his seat. They ate in silence for a few moments. It felt comfortable.
“I just…” Tony said, continuing his thought. “…I always felt like I wasn’t wanted, like I had been born by mistake. My mom forgot the birth control one time or something. They both, my mom and dad, acted like it was such a burden to take care of me. But they really didn’t look after me, Jack. It was the servants who took care of me. They made sure I ate. They made sure I did my homework. They put me to bed and woke me up in the morning for school. My mom and dad come into my bedroom every once in a while at night to tuck me in when I was little. When I got older I may see them around the house. I never got any TIME with either of them. After Mom died my father, I think, he forgot I was alive. He spent his days in meetings and his nights getting drunk in his den. I never saw him.”
Jack shook his head in sympathy, but didn’t speak, sensing Tony wanted to continue.
“Dad blamed me for mom’s death. I WAS the one they were arguing about, after all.” Tony explained.
“You were hardly responsible, Tony. You were…what? Ten years old.” Jackson said.
Tony shrugged. “I think he still blames me. He never wanted me, I don’t think. So, it was really easy to blame me.”
“That doesn’t explain it, Tony. It is a weak, sad, pathetic man who blames a 10 year-old boy for anything like that!” Jackson insisted.
Tony nodded he had finished his breakfast and was now sipping his coffee.
“Have you spoken to him since you talked to him in the hotel lobby?”
Tony shook his head. “He’s called a few times. I don’t pick up. I don’t listen to the voicemail. I don’t care what he wants to tell me. Why he first came to see me in the first place.”
“Maybe he called to apologize.”
Tony shrugged again. “Maybe he did. Maybe he is truly sorry for the way he treated me as a child. Maybe he is sorry for leaving me alone in a hotel room for 3 days at the age of 12. Maybe he finally realizes what that did to me. I don’t know. Maybe he plans on apologizing for every wrong he has ever done me since the day I was born. The problem is…” Tony said laughing, but without humor. “…the problem is I don’t give a tinker’s dam. He always said I would never amount to anything. He said I was too ‘weak’ to be his son.” Tony sighed. “I have carried those words with me my whole life.”
“It’s time to let go.” Jackson said reaching across the table and patting Tony’s arm. “He is not right about you. Ask anybody who knows you well.” Jackson laughed. “Hell, ask me. I don’t know you that well and I can see it.”
Tony smiled and nodded. “Thank you.” Tony said, looking around the store. “So, what is a typical Saturday like around here.”
“Well…” Jack said putting the paper down and looking at Tony. “…I usually help old lady Har…I mean Ms. Harper with her groceries. That takes about an hour. I have to walk with her around the store and she tells me about her week. Well, she gossips for an hour than I carry her groceries out to her car.”
Tony smiled. “Old Lady Harper?”
“She is 100 years old if she’s a day and she lives alone. So she loves to talk when she has an audience.” Jack explained.
“Usually the older ladies come in the morning. Afternoons, usually the kids come in and buy beer for whatever party they're going to tonight. Evenings usually involve a poker game or two.”
“High stakes?” Tony asked.
“Not high by D.C. standards. But high around here for a bunch of old men.”
About an hour later Ms. Harper showed up. Jack stood up as he watched her walk in the front door. “She will love you.” Jack stated. “Also, don’t turn your back on her.” Jack warned Tony as he followed Jack to the front door.
“Jack, good morning.” Ms Harper said greeting Jack.
She stopped dead in her tracks when she noticed Tony. “Didn’t know you had hired help.” She smiled at Tony. “What is your name, Sweetheart?”
Tony extended his hand. “Anthony.”
“Nice to meet you, Anthony.” Ms. Harper extended her hand and they shook. “You can call me Helen.”
“Helen.” Jack smiled at the interaction. “Tony is just visiting. He is here for the weekend. He works with Leroy in D.C.”
Helen nodded. “Didn’t know they grew ‘em so handsome in D.C.” She commented taking in his height and his green eyes.
Tony smiled. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“Helen.”
“Remember what I said. Don’t turn your back on her.” Jack reminded him, whispering in his ear.
An hour later Helen had finished her shopping and Tony had loaded her groceries into her trunk. Tony came back in the store and headed straight back to where Jack was sitting sipping more coffee.
“She told me about everybody in this town.” Tony said, pulling out a chair and sitting down carefully.
Jack smiled, understanding why he was being so careful.
“She pinched me on my ass, twice. It hurt. How the hell did she pinch THAT hard? She said she has arthritis.” Tony replied. “I think I have a bruise.”
Jackson couldn’t help but laugh out loud at that. “I warned you. And she does have arthritis. It’s just in her other hand.” He smiled as Tony tried to find a comfortable position.
Tony made a face as he realized he had been duped by Jack.
“At least I got a rest this week.” Jack replied.
Tony gave him a surprised look before he too burst out laughing.
“Tony, I ‘m sorry if I upset you by asking about your dad last night. I appreciate you telling me what you did. I know it could not have been easy for you to live through that.” Jackson stated.
“Do you think that is why I went to bed then?” Tony asked. He then shook his head. “I really was tired. We had had a long day yesterday.” Tony explained. “I don’t mind talking to you, or to Gi…Leroy about him.” Tony smiled. “It’s almost like I’m just talking about someone I met on the street. It’s like he’s just a stranger now. I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but that’s how it is.”
“I don’t know, Tony. I just hate that you had to endure a childhood like that. But I am really glad you overcome it.” Jackson said.
Tony smiled. “I had a lot of good friends, growing up. Military school actually helped with that. It helped with me making some great friends. I got to see how dads are supposed to treat their sons. I keep in touch with a lot of those guys today.”
Jack said as he got up off his chair. He grabbed a broom and began to sweep. “I always sweep the store at least twice a day. Not really because it needs it. I just need something to keep these old hands busy.”
Tony took another broom from the closet where Jackson had gotten the first. He went to the other side of the store and started to sweep the floor also. Then he helped Jackson carry in boxes of cans and crates of milk and eggs. He also helped Jackson stock shelves and clean out his freezers. Jackson thought he should take advantage of the extra help while he had it. Tony surprised him by being willing to get dirty. He did all Jackson asked him to do. Even getting over into the biggest freezer Jackson had so that he could get the whole interior clean.”
“Forgive me for saying this, Tony.” Jackson said. “But I never pictured you doing any kind of manual labor.”
Tony nodded. “I get that a lot. Rich kids with servants never have to lift a finger. But I liked helping the cook out in the kitchen. I helped the gardener. I helped the housekeeper. I liked doing that stuff. Well, not really doing the stuff. I liked helping out. I knew how hard the servants worked. Dad treated them horribly, but he paid them well, so they put up with it. It helped that they really liked me. I liked them all too. They taught me a lot. Our cook was Italian so I learned to make some great dishes. I know a lot about horticulture and I know enough about housekeeping to know I would NEVER EVER want a career cleaning up after other people.” Tony paused. “I am sure Leroy has mentioned my penchant for wearing nice, expensive clothes to work. He doesn’t understand it. I like nice clothes. I always have. I always thought everyone should have at least one really nice, expensive suit. My grandfather, my dad’s father, had several. But he never wore them. When he died, he passed them on to me. Several of them still had the tags on them. I don’t have a place, like an office, to wear those clothes, so I wear them to work. It’s a shame to let them go to waste in a closet.” Tony explained. “It’s like my grandfather let his life go to waste waiting to wear those clothes to events that never happened. I was just determined not to have all these expensive, nice clothes in the closet with the tags still on them when I die.”
Jackson nodded and sipped his coffee. That explained the nice, expensive pants and shirt Tony had on when he first visited Stillwater. Jack put down his coffee. “I have been thinking about what you said. I think I finally understand. You said you wanted to see a real relationship. But you really want to know what it takes to be a father. Why some men can be great at it and other men are not.” Jackson sighed. “I can’t tell you why that is, Tony. I wish I could. It would seem that since all men, for the most part, have the capabilities to be fathers that they would be good at it. But the truth is that there are men who should never be fathers and there are some who are would be great fathers who never have the chance.” Jack paused. "I don’t mean to be spouting clichés at you, but it’s not an easy question to answer.”
Tony nodded but said nothing, encouraging Jack to continue.
“I just know that there are some kids who grow up in the best circumstances and turn bad. There are some kids who grow up in the worst circumstances and manage to overcome what they went through as children.” Jackson took another sip of his coffee. “I don’t know what your childhood was like, but I believe you overcome a lot and you are who you are in spite of it, not because of it.”
“You give me WAY too much credit, Jack.” Tony replied.
“You don’t give yourself enough.” Jack said as he sipped more coffee. “You don’t even realize how bad a person you could have turned into.”
“Actually, I do. I dealt with them on a daily basis in Baltimore and Peoria.” Tony said, finally finding a comfortable position now that his ass was no longer hurting.
Jack nodded. “I forgot about Baltimore and Peoria.”
“Exactly how much DID Gi…Leroy tell you about me?” Tony asked.
"Maybe more than you wanted, Tony. Leroy sometimes talks things over with me over the phone. We have had several conversations about you.”
Tony nodded. “I’m his ‘problem child.’”
Jackson nodded. “You’re the son he always wanted.”
“He told you that?” Tony asked.
“No…” Jack conceded. “…but he never talks about Abby, Tim, Ducky or Ziva the way he talks, worries about you.”
“Leroy Jethro Gibbs is not a worrier, a head-slapper, but not a worrier.” Tony declared.
Jack shook his head, lost in memory. “He worried about Kelly. Her first day of school, he followed her to school. He drove behind the bus. He looked in the windows of her class. He watched her in the cafeteria. He watched her on the playground. Then when she got home, he acted like he had been at work all day.” Jackson laughed.
“What?” Tony asked, puzzled.
“Kelly caught him. She saw him look in her windows and when she was playing on the playground.” Jackson said. “She crawled up in his lap that evening and she told him that she would be fine. That she was a big girl now and that he needed to go to work so he wouldn’t get fired.”
“Kelly told him all that?” Tony asked, stunned.
Jack nodded. “Leroy was so proud of her. He saw then that she WAS a big girl and that she would be fine. He went to work the next day and every day after that.” Jack paused. “He is just as proud of you, you know. He told me about the case that…The first case you caught after he left for Mexico. He was really proud of how you handled that, even letting the guy fly off to parts unknown. He said you were beating yourself up over it. But he said you did all you could to correct it.”
“I appreciate him saying that, though I didn’t know for sure if he knew I let the guy go. Now I know he did.”
Jackson nodded. “He said he would have done the same thing.”
About 7 p.m. a few of Jackson’s neighbors showed up. There were 3 old man and a woman by the name of Beatrice with the mouth of a sailor who looked as if she had been around when the Pilgrims first landed on Plymouth Rock. The men, George, Howard, and Pete, sat down at the table at the back of the store and Tony joined them as Jack and Beatrice got the beers and snacks. They joined the rest moments later.
“Know how to play poker, Tony?” Beatrice asked as she dealt the cards.
Tony smiled and nodded. “I used to play with the cops at my precinct in Baltimore, and I have a great poker face.”
“You have a great face, period, Darlin’.” Beatrice said.
“Oh, shut up old woman, you’re old enough to be his great-grandmother.” Pete said, taking his cards, one at a time and rearranging them.
“How about I take my great-granny boot and stick it up your ass, you old fart!” Beatrice replied, not looking up at Pete as she sorted her cards.
That exchange brought a chuckle from the whole table. And with that, the game began. Tony played about 4 rounds, but after losing all his money to George, who he didn’t know, used to be a card shark in Vegas. Tony decided to call it a night and head upstairs.
Tony was sitting on Gibbs’ bed reading when Jackson came in an hour later with an envelope in his hand. Jack threw it on the bed. Tony looked at where it landed. He saw dollar bills coming out of the open flap.
“What’s this?” Tony asked, picking up the envelope.
“Your money.” Jack said as Tony did a quick count. Indeed all $300 was there.
“Jack, you didn’t have to… You didn’t….” Tony began.
Jack shook his head. “George plays for fun. He still loves the game. He usually throws the game. But I guess, since you’re new…new to our little circle. He wanted to see if he still had it.”
“Thanks, Jack.” Tony said, putting the money in his duffle bag. “I really had a good time today…” Tony paused. “…despite Helen Harper.”
Jack nodded. “Helen is harmless, and she loves Italian men. She was married to one for 50 years before he died and she went back to her maiden name. She will be talking about you for months. You probably made her year.”
Tony nodded. “Thanks again, for the weekend, for everything. Helen is quite a woman, and so is Beatrice. I really like them both. I…I thank you for welcoming me into your home, your life for the weekend. I…my plane leaves at 2 p.m. tomorrow. I will probably have to leave here around 11 a.m. to make sure I make it through baggage check in plenty of time.”
“Did you find what you were looking for?” Jack asked. He sat down on the edge of the bed.
“Partly, I realized I was right about my dad. But I was wrong about your son.”
Jackson was intrigued. “How so?”
“I can’t be anything more or anything different to my dad than I already am. He has made his choices regarding me. I have made my choices regarding him. But Leroy, I knew he cared for me. I just had no idea how much. I was wrong to think I didn’t matter to him. I was wrong to think I wasn’t worth his caring. You, these people here, have been so kind to me. You don’t even know me. The fact Leroy trusted me was enough for you. You have no idea what that means to me, Jack.”
“It’s probably about the same as it meant to an old man to have a dream vacation with his son.” Jack replied. He stood up and went to the door. He turned around. “I’ll see you in the morning. I’ll fix you a huge going-away breakfast.”
Tony nodded. He read for another hour before going to bed. He then woke up early the next morning. He showered and shaved as quietly and quickly as he could. He then packed and carried his bag down with him as he went.
By the time Jack made it down stairs the wonderful aroma of coffee and bacon filled the store and the upstairs apartment. Jack came down to a feast of bacon, sausage, eggs, and pancakes.
“Tony, I….”
“My ‘thank you’ for the weekend.” Tony said as he poured fresh coffee into a mug and sat it down in front of Jack.
Jack nodded as he sat down and filled his plate. They ate in a comfortable silence.
Tony finally spoke, breaking the silence. “I have to ask you something.”
“What is it, Tony?”
“You’re gonna think I ‘m crazy, forget it.” Tony said, shaking his head. He went back to sipping his coffee.
“You never know until you ask.” Jackson said, giving Tony his full attention.
Tony swallowed hard. “Can I call you Grandpa?”
A huge grin broke over Jackson Gibbs entire face. “I would be honored.”
To Tony the rest of the morning passed in a blur. He wasn’t sure what Jackson would say, but he was thrilled he had said yes. Tony again helped Jackson out around the store. And when Beatrice came in to shop, Tony knew to protect his backside. He managed to come away from that encounter unharmed.
“Leroy said you were a fast learner.” Jackson commented.
“I have to be. He has a particular manner of getting his point across to me.” Tony said, rubbing the back of his head thinking about all the head-slaps.
“That is a form of child-abuse, you know.” Jackson said, grinning as he watched Tony rubbing his head.
“Yeah, you can take Leroy to court on that. I’m not.” Tony replied. “And if I call him Leroy to his face he will head-slap me into the middle of next week.”
In no time it was time for Tony to leave. He picked up his bag and headed to the car. He put his bag in the trunk and turned to thank Jackson. Jackson held out his hand and then pulled him into a hug. Tony found himself smiling and hugging Jackson back.
“My son bullies you, you call on Grandpa Gibbs.”
Tony nodded. He was too afraid to speak, afraid Jackson would hear the emotion.
Jackson stepped back and clapped Tony on the shoulder. “You come back anytime. You’re family now. You don’t need an invitation.”
Tony nodded, still unable to speak. He got in the car started it and made a u-turn. He then remembered the main question he had wanted an answer to. He stopped in the middle of the street.
Jackson stood on the sidewalk waving and was a little puzzled by Tony's action.
Tony rolled down his car window. “Jackson, the rules. Who taught him the rules?”
“That was Shannon. The rules were her idea.” Jackson said. He waved as Tony nodded and rolled up the window. Soon he was on his way to Philly.
THE END
Story Notes:
Thanks to everyone who has left comments on this series, which was not, in the beginning, intended to be a series. But you kept reading and enjoying and I’ve kept writing. I really appreciate your input. Other characters are solely my creation.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Written in response to email sent about ‘Family Ties.’ Tony visits Jackson Gibbs.
Chapter End Notes:
I apologize for the confusion making it sound like Gibbs was not in the military. I hope my editing clears that up.
Thanks to everyone who has left comments on this series, which was not, in the beginning, intended to be a series. But you kept reading and enjoying and I’ve kept writing. I really appreciate your input. Other characters/Gibbs family history, etc. are solely my creation.
Thanks to everyone who has left comments on this series, which was not, in the beginning, intended to be a series. But you kept reading and enjoying and I’ve kept writing. I really appreciate your input. Other characters/Gibbs family history, etc. are solely my creation.