Chapter 11 – Forever's Dream

Time moved along quickly for the LaSalle family. Michael started kindergarten and three years later it was Emma's turn.

Moved by his birth father's sacrifice, Michael had determined in elementary school that he would be a lawyer and help people like him and his new mother. Chris had found an old TV show called 'Mission Impossible' to try to explain to Michael what Sonja did that took her away from them so often.

At 'Jack' Sloan's suggestion, the LaSalles hung his father's medal case on the wall in the room he now shared with CJ. Major Johnson had left several photos of Sean which Sonja placed in a photo album. She framed his official military photograph and placed it on Michael's night stand.

The family attended military functions throughout the year to honor Sergeant Smith and Veterans in general. Chris installed a flag pole on the front lawn where they flew both the American and MIA/POW flags. Michael's Gold Star flag was proudly displayed in the window of the living room until he bought his own home years later.

Each spring the children worked tirelessly to prepare valentines for 'Valentines for Veterans'. Chris or Sonja made sure that the cards were dropped off at The Walter Reed National Military Medical Center or Washington DC VA Medical Center. Michael was working on one of the cards in middle school when he was confronted by a classroom teacher for not reading the assignment with the rest of his English class. Forced to hand over the card, Michael and his classmates were stunned when the teacher handed the item back to him and left the room in tears. He found out later that her own brother had spent six months in the Army Hospital in San Antonio. The next Monday, there was an announcement on the PA system that materials were located in three areas of the school for students to design their own cards for the nationally known project. The cards now numbering several hundred were sent to two locations in D. C. and the Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, TX.

Sonja could swear that every time she came home that the children had grown an inch. One summer it did actually happen. CJ complained of his knees hurting and it happened to be her that took him to the doctor. The nanny had mentioned that he was sleeping a lot as well. He had grown two inches from May to August. The doctor warned that he would most likely start on an eating binge as well causing Sonja to investigate sports manuals on a healthy diet for an athlete.

Michael was a whole distinct story. His birthfather was 6 foot tall so did not take long for him to eclipse Chris in ninth grade. "Who would have thought that I would have a son playing power forward" Chris would brag in later years. Everyone looked in awe as they walked into parent's night, sports camp or team dinners – the tall kid with the shrimp dad.

Living up to her persona, Emma starred in nearly every class play until she went to high school. The LaSalles were thrilled when Emma was selected for admission to the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Transportation did concern them for several reasons including the fact that the train did not run near the school and the apprehension for Emma's traversing the city by herself at age 14. Fate, however, intervened when Chris met the grandfather of one of the players on Michael's team at a scrimmage. He was retired military and was looking for a little extra money so he rode the two buses with Emma back and forth until her senior year. He had a buddy that had a limo service who brought her home from late rehearsals when LaSalle was unable to be there.

Consigned to the role of a single parent, LaSalle pass up two promotions until Emma was a senior. He cherished he opportunity to be there for his children in all of their activities. He was saved by the fact that there were several military families in the neighborhood that he could exchange carpools with and them totally understanding the situation that they found their selves in with Sonja's professional responsibilities.

While all three children participated in at least one sport, one summer the entire family enrolled into a self-defense course. Chris and Sonja didn't push it but used the class as a bridge to teach the children some basic skills about observing unusual people or situations in their surroundings as an added safety precaution. CJ was the only one whoever used the training as far as they knew. He noticed an early model car parked near his middle school and told the school's security guard. After three days observing the man, D.C. police officers approached him. It turned out that the man was looking for his daughter that his ex-wife had run away with. They were able to confirm his story and later discovered that the girl was enrolled in the school under a false name. Because of Chris' connections in law enforcement, He discovered that the child was reunited with her father and they returned to their home in Iowa. Sonja and Chris were so proud of him and the award that he got from the FBI Missing Children's Bureau.

A few more years passed by and graduation time for young Christopher was approaching. The choice for college was painfully difficult. CJ's first choice was the University of Arizona. It was a long way from home and Chris was not ready to let his son go so far away. He invited his nephews from Dothan up for two weeks that summer then sent Chris back with them for two weeks. Sure enough CJ met a pretty Holly Berry look a like and decided to apply for admission at the University of Alabama. "Just great Chris Sonja exclaimed. A steady girl friend at eighteen! Once again LaSalle lucked out when the girl's mother got assignment orders for a military base in Germany and reported two weeks before classes began.

The now very tall basketball player had his choices of colleges. Michael finally decided on UNC after meeting Harrison Barnes on an airplane trip that he took with his father back to New Orleans to see King. Chris was impressed that Barnes took the time to visit with him about his conditioning schedule and academic performance. You won't be able to play basketball forever. He encouraged him to work with his sister as she was learning her lines. That will help you with diction, how to project your voice and stand tall. Barnes had no idea how them working together brought them into a closer relationship after spending so much time together. It also caused Michael to be more attentive in English while acing a Shakespeare class his junior year.

Sonja decided to end the worldwide travel Michael's senior year. She nabbed a CONUS base assignment and was thrilled to be at home in her own bed every night. Chris was tickled that it was actually Sonja who suggested that they move to the south after she retired. She was involved in a three car pileup coming from the grocery store which left her wondering why she was spending time in 'cold ass' Washington, D.C.

Emma's graduation was the marker for the family's relocation to the south. Chris got transferred to the NCISU Albany, Georgia office. Sonja found a teaching position at Albany State in the Home Land Security academic program which gave her the summers off to spend extra time with Emma and Michael.

Where did the time go Sonja wondered as she looked at photos from their beautiful D.C. wedding? The years had passed by and Sonja realized that she never dreamed that she could love someone as much as she loved her husband. She knew she was blest to have a man who took on the role as the primary caregiver for their children while she traveled the world.

Chris decided four years later that he was also tired of pounding the pavement. Supervising ended up not being his cup of tea. He sat down one day and wrote King a note thanking him for his patience from when he first met him on their first case to his head strong actions while he worked for him in New Orleans. He joined his wife on staff at the University enjoying the opportunity to be around the young and eager students.

Chris was in heaven when Michael got traded to the Charlotte Hornets his third year in the NBA. While Sonja flew up to help him house hunt, Chris got the benefits of staying in the luxury bachelor pad every time he came up for a game.

It seemed it took forever for the first grandchild to arrive. Michal was brought to tears when Emma decided to name her first child after Michael's birth mother. She had always loved the name Elizabeth and choosing her middle name for her daughter was an affirmation of how much she loved her brother.

Christopher approached his wife as they stood watching Emma's most recent cast members celebrating Elizabeth's first birthday. In the midst of the kids running around and the boisterous talking of men and women use to talking loud from the stage, LaSalle only had eyes for his wife.

"I love you City Mouse" he said as he wrapped his arms around her. "And I love you too Country Mouse" she responded as she stood on her tippy toes to kiss him. "Get a room" one of Emma's cast mates said as he walked by them! They both chuckled out loud and proceeded to hug each other even tighter.

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