Chapter 14: House Hunting

Reveille played loud and clear over the intercom speakers around camp. Today was mine and Dylan's last day at camp.

We'd talked over a lot and had agreed that the move would be new family start and that's what we had told dad. So now we had to leave camp two days early because we needed to fly to Missouri and find a new house. Dad and Margaret wanted us to start the new school after summer not sometime in Christmas. That was okay because we were hoping the Hunnicutt's would be neighbors as they'd agreed to the job too!

So I got up and got into my boots and army greens. Everyone always thought it weird I liked the army and dad hated it…but I guess some things just skip generations you know.

After I'd tossed my black hair in a ponytail I hurried outside for calisthenics; definitely my most hated part of the whole experience.

"All right you maggots I want to see those jumping jacks jumping! And one-one, one-two …" Captain Killingworth snapped jumping with the children. Brad loved being in charge of a bunch of us.

"Yo Lieutenant Pierce!" Major Killingworth shouted. Jamie was a Major.

"Yes sir Major!?" I called stopping my work out and saluting.

"General Cruthers wants you in his office ASAP," Jamie stated saluting me.

"Sir, yes sir," I nod and ran off to the main bunker.

"Ben it's only two weeks of the year maybe three. Don't you think if they want to we can let them come back up here?" Margaret asked.

She was on the phone packing a bag for the plane ride for the weekend.

"I'd thought about it and I think we can," Hawkeye answered on the phone, "Margaret are you almost ready? I just called the cab company to pick up the kids and I called Cruthers."

"Yes I am are you coming to get me?" she asked.

"You bet. By baby," he stated and the line went dead.

Margaret smiled and hung up the phone.

"Estelle you've been a good team member here. We're going to miss you at War Games Day tomorrow," General Cruthers stated. He was a tall balding man that I could get to laugh. I think that's why he liked me.

"I'm going to miss it sir. Especially because it would have been Dylan's first," I sighed, "But I'm excited about a transfer sir."

"I see. Well Lieutenant Pierce I have a gift for your new post and I'm eager for the essay you'll bring to me next summer," Cruthers told me as he pulled from his old uniform a little box.

"General you didn't have to do that," I stated but tore through the packaging anyway.

Inside the box I found a brand new Swiss army knife with my nickname even engraved on it.

"Gee thanks a lot General," I stated.

"I noticed the one you always carry was getting old," Cruthers stated.

"Thanks it means a lot sir. You're a great commander sir," I saluted.

He saluted be back and winked at me before he said, "Now get out of here before I change my mind about drafting you next year."

"Sir yes sir," I laughed and hurried to finish packing.

"Do you see them anywhere?" Margaret asked nervously as she paced.

"Margaret come down they'll be here," Ben laughed pulling her into his lap, "They'll be here."

"We'll miss the plane. I thought you said Estelle was always on time?" Margaret sighed.

"She is but remember we can't control the taxi driver," Hawkeye chuckled kissing Margaret's cheek.

"Come on come on let's go!" Dylan stated.

"You go on," I laughed paying the driver, "I'll follow you."

Dylan grinned at me and just sped off.

"Look there they are…well there's Dylan," Hawkeye stated.

Margaret looked were Benjamin had indicated and smiled seeing her son.

"Hi mummy!" Dylan called.

"Hi baby," Margaret laughed grabbing him up in a hug as he finally reached them.

I could see dad smiling and talking with Dylan as Maggie held him and I had to smile approaching them. It looked like real family moment and we weren't even real yet.

"Hi guys sorry we're late but the cabby got all turned around on the back roads and wouldn't listen to me," I explained setting the two book bags and rucksacks down.

Dylan and I were in regular clothes again only I had dad's old army jacket on. Dad let me have his jacket years ago and I took very good care of it. Sometimes I even sprayed it with his cologne so it stayed smelling like him.

"That's fine. Come on we'll get these sacks and suitcases checked while they catch up," Dad stated grabbing Dylan's sack and two suitcases.

I grabbed my sack and followed.

"This has got to be the most boring thing ever!" Benny sighed angrily.

"We've only seen seven houses," Erin stated.

"And it's boring! I don't care what the house looks like as along as I don't have to share a room with you," Benny snapped.

"Whoa whoa guys why can't you get along like Estelle and Dylan?" BJ asked.

"They haven't known each other long enough," Benny grumbled as the car went down the road.

"Okay last house we're looking at today I swear," dad stated as he pulled to the curb yet again.

The real estate agent was in the drive way and the Hunnicutt's were behind us. We'd been looking at houses all day today!

"I'm tired," Dylan whined.

"Come on I'll give you a lift," I sighed pulling him onto my back as we climbed out of the car. Dylan and I looked up at the house and gawked.

This was the house I was sure. It was painted white with red shutters and a red door with an old brass knocker. The home was Victorian in style and it had a cool tower to it with a wrap around porch, garage, and a wooden swing.

"Coool!" Dylan and I stated.

"I think they like this one," the real estate man laughed. I think is name was Norman.

"It's really nice but isn't it kind of big?" Margaret asked.

"It's five bedrooms and four baths with an attic, living room, kitchen, dining room, and the tower of course," the man grinned.

"I like the one by it," Erin stated.

The house just next door was Colonial like and two stories with a wide porch that had a porch swing too. It had a garage also and a balcony over the front of the house. It was cream colored with a blue door.

"That one is for sale also," Norman nodded.

The four of us looked at each other before we split into twos and ran into the two houses. Needless to say mum and Aunt Peg loved both houses and the dads bought them. We were really going to be neighbors now.

"Glad there is a fence between us though," BJ laughed as we all sat at the Potters after supper.

"Fences make good neighbors I don't want those awful Hunnicutt kids over all the time," dad nodded.

"What about those Pierce children dear. That little girl is so odd," Peg teased leaning on BJ.

"You know what just for that I'm going to come to your house every day and bug you," I stated.

Everyone laughed as Grandma Mildred brought in cookies for us.