Page 4 of Her Honorable Hero

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Griff and Mirandaarrived a half hour late to the amazing house in La Jolla. It was the second time they had been to Leslie Bell’s house. Her best friend had been Carol Shepard who had died during the wreck on the Amtrak train three years ago. This was a celebration of life not just for Carol, but for the others whose lives had been lost. Leslie took it upon herself to host the event to celebrate the heroes. Miranda looked at the house with trepidation, because unfortunately she knew that in the eyes of most people, she was considered the ultimate hero, and she hated that.

She wasn’t a damn hero. She had been acting on instinct that day. She’d been scared out of her mind. She’d told everybody that until she was blue in the face, but they wouldn’t listen. Hell, she was married to a true hero, someone who had signed up to serve his country and put his life on the line time after time. Griff and his team were the heroes.

She sighed.

“I heard that. It’s not too late. We haven’t gotten to the front of the drive, I think only the valet has seen us at this point.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot. Only Leslie has a valet at her house,” Miranda laughed.

Griff slowed the car to a stop at the top of the circular drive, long before they got to the door. “I’m serious, Miranda, we can go home now.”

“Nope. I promised Susan we’d be there. She said Hope has a surprise for me. I won’t let her down.”

“I love that girl. Not as much as Livvie, but close. Damn close,” Griff smiled warmly.

“Well, get driving.”

As the car started up again, her stomach lurched and she gritted her teeth.

Get over yourself. You’re a grown-ass woman. Quit with the fucking phobias.

Soon they were walking up the granite staircase to the massive doors flung open in welcome. Tea lights guided them through the house toward the array of French doors that opened to a huge deck, swimming pool and yard. So much land for one person’s home in Southern California always made Miranda’s mind boggle.

“Randa!”

“Her name’s Mira,” Jeremy corrected his little sister. Both of the Thompson children came running and Griff put his arm around her so that she was braced for the mini hurricane when they hit her.

“I have a s’prise for you, Randa,” Hope lisped. At five years old, she’d lost her two front teeth.

“Your present has to wait,” Jeremy said, with the authority that only an older brother of seven could provide.

Miranda smiled up at Griff who was struggling not to laugh.

Mike Thompson walked up with a German beer and handed it to Griff. “Sorry man, there’s not a Pacifico to be found. Leslie figures we all have high-brow taste.”

Susan walked up and put her arm around her newly-minted husband. “Both of you do have high-brow taste, you married us.”

Susan winked at Miranda when the two men clinked their bottles. Miranda loved her friend. They sure as hell had been through the fires of hell together. When Miranda had had an opening for a staff assistant at her TAID, she immediately thought of Susan. She knew that the woman would be a great fit because she was familiar with how the military worked, since her deceased husband had been part of an Army unit in Afghanistan.

Miranda had been working for Technological Applied Integrated Data since she’d graduated with her masters. She loved it at TAID, because as a technology integrator that consulted for diverse clients throughout the world, she was never bored. Her expertise was project management and she had a flair for liaising with the military complex and civilian companies. Most of her work varied from classified to top secret.

“Come on, Missy,” Susan said, grabbing Miranda’s arm. “It’s time for you to make the rounds.”

Griff’s arm tightened around her waist.

“Want me to go with you?” he whispered against her ear.

She shook her head, and started to let Susan lead her away. The sun was setting over the Pacific Ocean and a lot of the guests were leaning against the deck rail, watching the sizzling splash of colors light the sea and sky.

“Wait Mom, where are the flowers?” Jeremy called out.

“Oh I’m sorry, Honey. They’re over by Leslie. Come with us.”

“What flowers?” Miranda asked Susan.

Jeremy heard her question. “Hope has to wait til after dinner for her present. You get mine now.” He ran past them and leaped down the steps into the yard toward a ring of redwood chairs surrounding a firepit.