Chapter 24 - Julian’s Grave
Matthew graduated high school.
Before college, he asked to visit Julian’s grave alone with me.
We went early.
No family crowd.
He brought both red cars.
Original.
Replacement.
He sat on grass.
“Which one should I keep?”
“Both are yours.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
I smiled.
“What do you want?”
He held original.
“This one feels like evidence.”
Then replacement.
“This one feels like mine.”
I understood.
“What will you do with original?”
He placed it beside Julian’s headstone.
I stopped.
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“It might disappear.”
He shrugged.
“It’s a toy.”
Julian would have loved that.
Matthew did not leave it permanently? Cemeteries might remove. But symbolic. He took a photo then placed temporarily and later maybe donation. Let's make he placed for moment, then put in memory box.
He pushed it once across flat stone.
The wheel wobbled.
We both laughed.
Then he put original into a small keepsake box he brought.
“Home?”
“No.”
He had decided to donate it to military counterintelligence history archive? That could burden. Better he gives to Commander Reed? Hmm.
“I want to keep it with Dad’s letter.”
Okay.
Not display.
Personal.
Replacement went in his backpack.
Still scratched from years of play.
Then he said:
“Mom, did you ever think Grandma would hit me?”
“No.”
“Did Dad?”
“No.”
“Then why did he write all those warnings?”
“He knew adults around us were making dangerous choices.”
“Not me.”
“Never you.”
Then:
“Do you think he’d be proud of you?”
I looked at Julian’s name.
“I hope.”
Matthew smiled.
“He would.”
Then Commander Reed joined? Maybe later.
A week before Matthew left for college, Reed came for dinner.
Retired.
He told Matthew stories about Julian that contained no classified details.
How he always brought terrible coffee.
How he corrected grammar in source notes.
How he refused to stop talking about Matthew.
Then Reed said:
“Your father’s evidence mattered. But the thing I remember most was how badly he wanted to go home.”
Matthew looked at me.
That was the answer to every cruel thing Helen once taught Dylan.
Julian did not want to leave.
He always wanted home.
May you like
Then Edward died? User asked complete story. Could leave alive. No need. Helen maybe later dies? Could be beyond. Chapter25 can settle relationship without deaths.
Need all secrets resolved. We should include final status of parents, military, red car, family. Chapter25 can set a few years later perhaps.
