Heading Off

I really wish you didn’t have to go. It was bad enough to lose Jason. I don’t want to lose you too.

Mum, look, I get where you’re coming from. I really do. But I have this feeling hanging over me that this is my calling—that this is what I must do. After all, my dad had done this before me, and so had Jason. I feel that I‘d show great dishonour to their memories if I didn’t play my part.

Derek, you don’t have to do this. You really don’t have to. We might not be a rich family anymore, but I still know some people that are pretty high up in government. If I pull some strings, I can get you in a position where you’re not gonna see actual combat—where you’ll stay inside, safe and protected.

I really appreciate that, ma, but I can’t let you do it. It’d be wrong of me to stay in and relax working a cushy desk job while many of my mates and a ton of other guys get ready to face the line of fire. I can’t honour them by just sitting there as they’re torn apart by bullets.

But son, that’s exactly what I don’t want for you! It’s an awful death to have—to be torn apart by bullets as your life leaves you. It’s been hard enough dealing with the loss of your brother—burying a son is never an easy thing to do—but I really don’t know what I’d do if both my sons had died.

I didn’t say this was going to be easy. I know it isn’t. Hell, to be honest, I also wish it didn’t have to come to this, but my king and my country need me, and I cannot refuse the call. Like it or not, ma, I’m determined to do this. I appreciate your concern, but it won’t stop me.

There is no convincing you, is there?

Nope.

I should have known that. Your dad and brother were nothing if not stubborn. Guess it runs in the family.

Yep. Some things never change.

Very well. Good luck. I love you, son.

I love you too, ma.

Promise me you’ll come back safe home.

You have my word.

Come here and give your ma a hug.

(They hug).

Okay. This has been nice and all but I really need to start going. I need to take the train at Elbridge Station to meet up with one of my mates who’s also going to training.

Do you need me to give you a ride? I don’t really have anything to do at the moment, and knowing everything you’ll have to go through later on, I want to give you this small luxury.

Nah. There’s a tram stop not too far from here that I can go to. From there, the tram goes to the station.

No, son. I insist that you let me drive you to Elbridge. It’s the least I can do for ya.

But mum.....

No “buts”. I’m taking you there whether you want me to or not.

Let me guess, just like ya couldn’t convince me otherwise, I’m not gonna be able to convince ya otherwise either, right?

Pretty much.

Well, alright then. Do you mind opening up the boot?

Sure.

(She opens up the car’s boot, and Derek puts his luggage there. Once put inside the boot, Derek shuts it. Derek then walks to the left side of the car, entering the car, sitting there, and closing the door as his mother opens the car’s right side door, enters the car, sits there, and closes the door.

Once the two were inside the car, she started the car up, and before long, their environs began to fade into the distance.

A brief silence permeated the car for quite a while until Derek’s mother decided to chime in.)

If you don’t mind me asking, son, what happened to that lovely lady you were dating—I think Carolyn was her name if I remember correctly—since you two seemed such a nice pair?

To be honest, ma...

(He sighed)

I broke up with her.

Why? You two seemed to really be in love with each other.

We were, ma. We were. And that’s why I wanted to break up with her. I didn’t want her to spend her time pining for my return—to be constantly worrying about me—while I’d be headed off to conflicts in all sorts of places.

Ah...I get it. Ya didn’t want to disappoint her or make her feel like ya didn’t care, so you decided a split would be easier?

Yeah. Pretty much. That said, I did promise her that if I came back from the Royal Army, that I’d get together with her again, and I did promise that I’d keep in touch.

That sounds pretty good, son. Your father would be so proud of you.

I’m sure he would. I’m sure he would.

He exhaled briefly.