Page 112 of Rescuing Mary

“I thought Franklin was perfect,” Annie said with a little grin.

Everyone chuckled, as they knew Frankie was her “boyfriend” who lived out in California.

“We thought about honoring our parents, but that didn’t feel right,” Fletch went on. “I refused to name my child after me, because he would’ve gotten beaten up on the playground every day if his name was Cormac.”

Everyone laughed again.

“I wouldn’t have let that happen!” Annie protested. “I’ll beat up anyone who dares hurt my brother!”

“Shhh,” Emily soothed. “No one is gonna be hitting anyone.”

Fletch reached over and smoothed a hand down Annie’s head. “Anyway, so we threw out a few more names and none really seemed to fit. After much back and forth, we decided on Ethan.”

Everyone oohed and aahed and said the name was perfect.

“Now, Daddy?” Annie asked once everyone had quieted down.

“Yeah, squirt, now.”

Annie walked over to where Truck and Mary were sitting on the couch. “I liked Ethan, but he needed a middle name. Mommy and Daddy suggested lots and lots of names, but none really felt right. I thought and thought and thought about what little Ethan should have as his middle name. It needed to be something strong. Something that would remind him to always be brave. He needed a hero’s name.”

Then the little girl climbed up into Truck’s lap. Mary shifted, giving her room. Truck put both his arms around Annie and didn’t take his eyes from hers.

“We named him Ethan Ford,” Annie said. “All of Daddy’s friends are heroes, but you’re the first person I thought of. We couldn’t name him Ethan Truck, but your real name is just as good, even if it’s not as cool.”

Truck blinked. His eyes went from Annie to Fletch and Emily. His chest got tight, and he swallowed several times, trying to keep the emotion at bay. He thought he’d conquered it—but then Annie put her hand on his scarred cheek.

“You’re brave. You tooked care of me when the bad guys came and stole me and Mommy. You take care of everyone, and even if you’re hurt, you just keep doing it. That’s what I want for my brother. I want him to know he was named after the strongest person ever. He probably won’t grow up as big as you, but that’s okay, because me and you will be there to beat up anyone who’s mean to him.”

“Squirt,” Truck whispered, but couldn’t say anything else.

Tears filled his eyes, and he couldn’t have prevented them from falling if his life depended on it. He was a big bad Delta Force soldier, and this little slip of a girl had brought him to his knees.

“I’m glad you and Mary are together now. I’m not as dumb as people think I am. I know when she was babysitting me and you came over that you guys liked each other, but since she was sick, you were both pretending you didn’t. But she’s better now. So you can get married like Daddy and Mommy did and live happily ever after.”

Truck heard Mary sniff from next to him, but couldn’t take his eyes off of the precious little girl in his lap. He cleared his throat several times and finally got himself under control. Annie wiped the tears that had fallen from his cheeks and smiled at him.

“Ethan Ford, huh?” he asked.

Annie nodded. “Yup.”

“Cool.”

“Yeah, cool,” Annie agreed. Then she climbed off his lap and asked, “Can we have cake now, Mommy?”

Everyone chuckled. Truck turned when he felt Mary’s hand on his thigh. Everyone began to stand, to congratulate Fletch and Emily and to coo over the still sleeping Ethan. But Truck couldn’t move.

“I can’t think of a better tribute for the greatest man I’ve ever known,” Mary said softly.

“I don’t know what to say.”

Mary smiled and leaned up and kissed him gently on the lips. “That’s the thing about best friends. You don’t have to say anything. Fletch knows how much you love him. Knows that you’ll do anything to keep him and his family safe.”

“I will. Just as I will you,” Truck vowed.

Mary leaned up again, but Truck met her halfway this time.

“I need to go see my namesake,” he said after a minute.