Bobby Akart - Armageddon

“Daddy!” jubilantly yelled one of the kids.

Jackie’s father, a gentle giant of a man, entered his living room, allowing the hazy sunlight to enter with him. He dwarfed Peter and stood somewhat menacingly just a few feet away. Then he was surrounded by arms and hugs and joyful tears as his three youngest rushed to his side.

“Praise Jesus!” exclaimed Asia. She grasped Jackie’s arms. “Help me up, honey.”

Peter was still speechless as he stood off to the side, the man’s wary eyes locked on his. Their father knelt down and wrapped his massive arms around all three of the young children and lifted them into the air. His son hugged his dad’s neck while the others were easily hoisted upward until they wrapped their legs around his waist. Peter had never seen anything like it.

“Mama, are you okay?” he asked.

“Yes, son. I am,” she replied as she leaned on Jackie to stay upright. She had difficulty standing on a good day. This one had started out poorly, but things were looking up.

Jackie appeared to be in a state of shock. Almost in disbelief. She’d been through so much trying to carry the load as a teenager. His sudden appearance was surreal.

“Peter, this is my daddy, Al.”

Al set his youngest kids down, still keeping a guarded eye on Peter. He slowly approached Jackie and his mother. Without regard to the vomit-covered clothing on both of them, he hugged them and showed his tender side as tears began to stream down his face.

“I’ve missed y’all so much,” he said as he choked back the tears. “I’ve worried every minute since, you know. God has answered my prayers.”

“Ours too, Daddy,” said Jackie.

She stepped back to allow mother and son to reunite. They held each other for half a minute, whispering in each other’s ear. When they finally broke their embrace, Al grabbed his mother’s walker for her, and she made her way down the hallway toward her bedroom to clean up.

Finally, Al spoke directly to Peter. He reached toward Peter to shake hands. Peter was struck by the size of the man’s hand and fully expected his to be crushed by the handshake. Instead, it was rough but somehow soothing.

“Mama said God sent you to save her life. Is that true?”

“Well—” Peter began before Jackie interrupted.

“Yes, Daddy. He did. If it wasn’t for Peter …”

Her voice trailed off as her eyes welled up with tears again. She wrapped her arms around her father, as did her brother and sisters. The family enjoyed another moment as Peter watched. He was beginning to get the sense he was intruding upon their reunion. He looked around the living room for his gear and the second bag of pharmaceuticals he’d managed to gather.

Al whispered to his children, “My babies, go to your room for a minute while I talk to this gentleman and Jackie. Okay?”

“Daddy, we wanna hear all about your trip home,” said the oldest of the three.

“No, baby girl, you don’t. Now, hop to it.”

The three feigned being upset in a childish sort of way, but they dutifully followed their father’s orders. When they’d left, Al turned to Peter.

“I wanna hear about how you got Mama her insulin.”

Jackie stood tall and pulled her shoulders back. She was still nearly a foot and a half shorter than her father, but in that moment she, too, was a giant as she threw his words back at him.

“No, Daddy, you don’t.”

The insolence was not lost on Al, and he immediately bellowed in laughter. Peter doubted the loving father had had many opportunities to laugh like that in the last couple of years. It made all three of them feel good.

After he calmed down, with a toothy grin, he pointed at Jackie. “I’m gonna give you a pass this time, young lady. There will be a time when we’ll discuss this and everything else. For now, I’d like to talk to Peter.”

“I’ll go change clothes,” said Jackie. She hugged her dad around the neck and kissed him on the cheek. Once he and Peter were alone, Al sat on the couch, and Peter pulled a chair from the dinette set.

The two men chatted about their experiences since the bombs hit. Al explained that he’d been convicted of conspiracy to distribute drugs although he never actually sold them himself. He’d been arrested driving a delivery van that had opioids hidden in the back. He’d refused to testify against his employers and was saddled with a stint in the Virginia prison system at Coffeewood, southwest of Fairfax, on the way to Charlottesville.

His wife had been similarly charged on another bust except her charges were federal in nature. She was housed at the Federal Prison Camp in Alderson, West Virginia. It was the same facility that had held TV icon and businesswoman Martha Stewart.

“Al, I was glad to help. Please don’t be too hard on Jackie. She’s been through a lot, and I had no business allowing her to go with me to the CVS.”

“She’s headstrong, like her mother. Even if you told her no at the top of your lungs, she would’ve just followed you over there anyway.”

Peter laughed. “Asia said the same thing. I figured that out pretty quick.”

“I don’t know how I can repay you for saving Mama’s life and, really, all of my kids. She’s overweight, but she gives this whole family strength.”

“Don’t worry about it. They’re tough, and I see they have their father, and Asia, to thank for that. I do need to be on my way, though.”

“Where to?”

“My family lives in the Keys. It’s a long haul.”

“No doubt about that,” said Al as he nodded his head. “Do you have a car that runs?”

“No,” Peter replied. He pointed toward the duffel bags, backpacks, and camping gear. “I’m gonna walk.”

Al thought for a moment, and then he stood from the couch. “I have something that’ll help.”

He walked through the front door onto the sidewalk. Lying on the ground was a gray Schwinn Mendocino bicycle. It was an eBike, a new design of electric bicycle with a rack-mounted battery above the rear wheel.

“I felt bad because they let me out of jail, and less than a day later, I stole something,” explained Al. “The battery needs chargin’, but I couldn’t figure out how. Either way, it pedals like a regular bike and holds me pretty good. You might be able to strap your bags on the rack or somethin’ like that.”

Peter walked to the bike and set it upright. It appeared to be fairly new. Then he hesitated as he set it against a support post holding up the walkway above them.

“I can’t, Al. You’re gonna need this to find your mom a hospital.”

“No arguments. Jackie and I can manage. This is perfect for you, and you know it.”

Peter nodded and shrugged. Other than a nonstop flight from Dulles to Miami that wouldn’t likely happen for years, this was his best option.

“Okay. I have something for you, too.”

Peter wheeled the bicycle closer to the front door so it didn’t inadvertently ride off with someone else. The family had gathered in the living room again, and Jackie worked with her sisters to clean up the floor.

He gathered up the medications and distributed the potassium iodide tablets for everyone to take. He also provided them a bottle of amoxicillin for infections.

Finally, the tears flowed once again as Peter said goodbye to everyone, especially Jackie. They hugged until she finally relented. It was if she thought she could keep him if she didn’t let go.

But go he did. Peter had a long journey ahead of him. One that would present him with many challenges if the stories Al relayed were true. Staying nourished and healthy would only be part of his difficult task. Not being killed for his belongings would be a bigger one.