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parents when they came out of the security gate, giving them each a warm hug. With our elbows linked, I led them towards the nervous group. “Mom, Dad, this is Will,” I said, motioning for the little boy to come forward.
    My mom dropped her bags and crouched down. She was already crying by the time Will made his way over.
    Will held out his hand all business-like. “Hi. My name is William Jason Keaton.”
    Mom laughed as she shook his hand. “Well hello sweetheart, my name is Elodie Sherman and I’m your grandma.”
    “Are you my dad’s mom?” Will asked.
    “Yes, yes I am.” She gave him a watery smile. “Can I give you a hug?”
    Will gave a small nod and was immediately encircled in my mother’s embrace. “Oh my goodness,” she kept saying over and over. “I have a grandson.”
    I looked up at Dad, and he too was a little misty around the eyes. “He’s the spitting image of Jason,” he murmured. He shook off the oncoming grief and took a step towards Julie with his hand outstretched. “You must be Julie,” he said, shaking her hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
    Mom stood up but instead of shaking Julie’s hand, she hugged her instead. “Thank you,” Mom said. “Thank you for letting us be a part of his life.”
    Julie shook her head. “I’m sorry I didn’t do it sooner.”
    Mom looked down at the miniature version of her son. “Well there’s lost time to make up for. That just means we’re going to have to spoil him extra rotten.”
    Julie laughed. “As long as you don’t get him a flame-thrower, we’ll be fine.” When my mom cast her a confused look, Julie added, “Henry’s been giving Will toy weapons.”
    All eyes swiveled around to Henry, who had been standing quietly at the edge of the crowd with his hands in his pockets. He met my parents’ eyes and I swear there was fear on that handsome face.
    On the way back, I rode in the car with Julie and Will as my parents insisted on riding with Henry. When we arrived at the house, Henry emerged from the car looking more than a little shell-shocked, his face pale. I hadn’t told him that my parents already knew about his return from Korea and his objective to win me back.
    Dad pulled me aside as we made our way towards the house. “We talked some sense into that boy,” he said.
    I glanced at Henry, who was bringing in the luggage. “What did you tell him?”
    “The gist of the talk was that if he really loved you, he would let you go and fulfill your dream for a while.”
    “And?”
    “He said that’s what he was trying to do,” Dad said.
    “Anything else?”
    Dad nodded. “I said if he ever hurt you like that again, I would castrate him.”
     
    We spent the rest of the day at the house, catching up. My mom commented on how much she loved Julie’s decorating style and was especially drawn to the collection of birds. Julie showed her the glass eagle that I had guessed correctly as a gift from Jason.
    “He knew how much I loved them,” Julie said softly. “Every time we said goodbye, he liked to tell me to fly on home, little bird .”
    Mom took great care in placing the fragile figurine back onto the mantle. “You should come to Monterey soon. We can show you where he grew up.”
    Julie nodded. “I’d like that.”
    Will set up the Xbox and the men started a game of Lego Star Wars. Mom, Julie and I—content in playing out the gender stereotypes for one afternoon—went to the kitchen to start making an early dinner.
    “I’m glad you’re giving Henry a second chance,” Mom said as she cut vegetables for the salad.
    “You are?” I asked, tearing apart the lettuce leaves. “I thought you wanted to put a hit out on him.”
    Julie coughed out a surprised laugh as she headed towards the pantry.
    Mom grinned. “I know, but the boy seems genuinely contrite,” she said. “Still, I hope you’re making him grovel.”
    “He’s suffering, that’s for sure,” I replied, thinking back to that morning.
    Julie