Gordon Ryan - State of Rebellion

“Thank you, dear. Dan, you better go in and see him. I’ll wait out here with Nicole, if that’s okay with you,” she said to Nicole.

“Certainly,” Nicole replied, motioning with her eyes for Dan to go to Jack’s room, and guiding Mrs. Rawlings to a chair in the waiting room.

Jack was lying on an elevated bed, surrounded by whirring and humming instrument panels, hooked up to various tubes and electrical connections, with his nose and mouth enclosed in a clear plastic oxygen mask. Dan approached the side of the bed and took Jack’s hand, standing quietly, struggling to keep his emotions in check. Jack slowly opened his eyes, and at his recognition of Dan, a hint of a smile creased the corners of his mouth beneath the mask.

“I’m here, Jack. Don’t try to talk. I’ll be here when you’re stronger.”

Jack closed his eyes as Dan stood at the side of the bed, holding his grandfather’s gnarled, scarred hand. They stayed that way for a long time, until Nicole and Mrs. Rawlings entered the room. Nicole assisted Dan’s mom to the couch and came to stand behind Dan, placing her hands on his shoulders.

“Can I get you something to drink?”

Dan reached up to his shoulder and covered Nicole’s hand with his own.

“Ummm,” he nodded, “please.”

They stood vigil through the night, alternately nodding off. Just past three, Mrs. Rawlings was asleep on the couch, and Dan and Nicole were seated together in a doublewide lounge chair in one corner of the room. Dan was resting his head on the back of the chair, lightly sleeping. Nicole nudged him, and as he opened his eyes, he could feel Nicole, with gentle pressure from her arm, urging him to remain quiet. Dan followed Nicole’s gaze to the bed where Jack lay, still encumbered by medical paraphernalia, but his eyes now wide open. The old man stared intently into the corner of the room nearest the window and away from Dan and Nicole. His expression was calm, yet intent, and a smile had returned to his face. He showed no sign of the pain that was evident earlier. Dan shifted his gaze to the corner where Jack was staring, but saw nothing other than the muted glow from the bedside lamp.

Jack partially raised himself up on the bed, restrained by the attached tubes and electrical cords. Aware that something had disturbed Jack, Dan attempted to rise and go to him, but Nicole gently restrained him as the drama unfolded. Dan glanced at Nicole and saw tears slipping down her cheeks. She held her hand over her mouth as she watched, moved by what she was witnessing.

Dan glanced back at Jack, and suddenly he understood, his mind opened to the realm of belief, his body relaxing beneath Nicole’s caress as they both sat transfixed. After what seemed like endless minutes, Jack shifted his gaze to Dan and smiled, leaning back into his pillow, resting comfortably now, his countenance radiant. The gentle look he gave Dan transmitted years of love, and for a brief moment, they shared the unspoken bond that had developed between them as boy had grown to man.

Jack spoke in a soft, reverent tone, his voice muted by the oxygen mask. “It was Ellen.”

Dan remained silent, looking at his grandfather. Nicole’s tears were now joined by Dan’s as he leaned back into his chair, comforted by his understanding of Jack’s acceptance. Nicole’s arm was looped through Dan’s, and she inclined comfortably toward him in the chair. They watched together as Jack closed his eyes and rested. They sat that way for some time, Jack breathing quietly and easily.

When Dan once again opened his eyes, he took a few seconds to realize that he had fallen asleep. Now, Jack’s chest was still, and he lay peacefully in the aftermath of his willing acceptance of life’s cycle.

Later, as the growing amber light filtered through the louvered shutters, lifting the darkness from the room, Dan stood behind Nicole in front of the window, his arms wrapped around her.

“Do you believe in life after death, Nicole?” Dan asked softly.

Nicole turned around to face him, placing her head against his chest and taking several deep breaths. “With all my heart, Dan. I know it, as certain as I stand here.”

“Personal experience?”

“Not exactly. I told you that my father was killed in the line of duty as a state trooper in Connecticut. My sister Jennie told me that he spoke to her in a dream, a very real dream, as she described it.”

Dan pulled Nicole from his chest, placing his hand beneath her chin and raising her head to face him. “You grow more complicated every day, Agent Bentley.”

Together they silently observed the beginning of a new day. Mentally preparing to wake his mother and comfort her, Dan tried to fathom what he had witnessed. Ellen had come, and Jack had willingly gone with her. In the recesses of his mind, Dan knew that the deep, welling sobs were yet to come, but for this moment he was at peace, having witnessed the fulfillment of those things Jack had tried to teach him through the years. Dan could feel it-they were all there-the pioneer voices in his blood, the ancestors come to escort Jack home. Rumsey Valley had been the family residence for nearly six generations and would continue to be, but Jack had gone home with Ellen.

At precisely three minutes to seven, having barely had time to shower, shave, and change clothes, with no time for sleep other than the catnaps he’d caught in Jack’s room during the night, Daniel Rawlings entered the foyer of the governor’s office. Shown in by Mrs. Hansen, he quietly joined the governor, General Robert Del Valle, the Speaker, and several members of the proposed constitutional committee. Looking up from a map General Del Valle was using as a reference, Governor Dewhirst took three steps to meet Dan, placing his arm around his shoulder.

“Dan, I hope you’ll accept my most sincere condolences on the death of your grandfather. Jack Rumsey was a great man and will be missed by all who knew him.”

“Thank you, Governor,” Dan acknowledged, wondering how in the world the governor could have learned so quickly with Jack only gone, what-three or four hours?

“Dan, as we discussed last night, Senator Turner has played his cards, knowing full well that I would need to act swiftly to preclude further speculation. I’ve already spoken with the president and informed him that I will hold a press conference at nine o’clock to announce the formation of the California Constitutional Committee. He wasn’t pleased, and asked if we could find some way to avoid the necessity. I told him that as a result of Senator Turner’s actions, most of my options have been removed. I asked him to seriously consider my position. He let me know he was also running out of options.”

Del Valle moved to join Dan and Governor Dewhirst as Mrs. Hansen replaced the coffee pot. and several participants refilled their cups.

“Morning, Captain. Understand you got took it in the shorts last night,” Del Valle said.

“Good morning, General,” Dan said, his face flushing. “I’m afraid I did. It was an action worthy of any shave-tail lieutenant.” Continuing his conversation with the governor, Dan said, “I’m sincerely sorry for my foolish action last night. I didn’t know what Senator Turner wanted when he invited me down to Modesto, but I felt I should go and keep the peace.”

General Del Valle snorted. “Turner’s as likely to bristle as he is to purr, Captain. Never can tell where the man will come down.”

“Well, he came down on me like a ton of bricks, and before I knew it, I was standing in front of several thousand people, having been presented as the James Madison of California.”

“Captain,” Del Valle started, “I want you to call Colonel Harman and alert him to the current-”