“Not the baby pictures mom. Please?” Cody begged, making a beeline to his mother, hugging her as if warding off the bad thoughts and making the adults laugh.
“Brat!” Pratt remarked as she leaned down to kiss her son’s head, laughing at the same time.
“Who all is going to come tonight, grandda?” Ty asked, excitement in his eyes of meeting more family.
“Well, Broilin and Mary Catherine of course. They should be getting home any moment now. This is their last year of school before they decide of they are going to University or the military. Then Anna will be coming home with her horde as well as William Jr, Polin and Edward with their horde.”
“Has Brolin or Mary Catherine gave a hint on their decision? I mean it’s obvious Mary Kat will choose University since she’s always detested the military life, from the way she’s talked. What has Brolin said so far?” Marcus asked his father, trying to sneak a cookie from the plate before he got his hand smacked by his mother, who waived a wooden spoon his direction.
“For ye information, dear brother,Iam going into the British Military along with Brolin. We both have already spoken with the recruiter and had planned on speaking with mum and da about it tonight, if ye must know, busy body brute!” A young female voice announced from the doorway as she walked into the room, grabbing a cookie before kissing her mother on the cheek.
“Come again, young lady?” William Sr asked, shock evident on his face. “Since when were ye interested in the military?”
Pratt and Raso looked between the eldest MacLeod, the sons. then towards the daughter who was standing tall in her father’s presence. They looked at each other trying to decide whether to stay out of it, back her up, or back the men up. They weren’t sure what to say since they were technically outsiders in the home, no matter what anyone said.
“I’m joining the military, with Broilin.” The young girl repeated herself, staring her father down.
“And just what do ye plan on doing in the military, lass?” Sr asked, crossing his arms over his chest, staring his daughter down, as well.
“Once I’ve done what I need to do, I’m joining the SAS along with Broilin.”
Suddenly the room erupted of men yelling at the young woman. Seeing the defeated look on her face, Pratt whistled loudly, making everyone in the room quiet. Ryleigh ran to her mother, scared from the eruption.
“You boys will do good to remember there are young ears in this room. Joseph William MacCleod, do you mean to tell me, that if that was one of our daughters standing right there, you’d do what you boys just did?”
Highlander was quiet, moving foot to foot. “Well, no. She can’t join the British Military since she’s born an American…”
“Um, numbnuts, you were born in Scotland, yet you’re a US Navy SEAL. Try that shit with someone else.” Pratt fired back at her husband, narrowing her eyes at him.
“Look, I don’t know the requirements for the SAS, but we both know there are female spec ops in the US. They aren’t talked about. Hell, even your own sister…”
“Works in admin…” Marcus cut his wife off before she could say anything else.
“Bullshite! She only told mum and da that so he didn’t get upset. The same with Catherine and Elizabeth. We all know they were assigned to SAS regiments. It was agreed that the parents wouldn’t know so that da wouldn’t blow a gasket and mum wouldn’t blubber all over him.” Mary Catherine announced, outing her absent sister.
“Shite!” Highlander, Marcus, Tommy, Willie, Jack and Brolin all mumbled at the same time.
“What the hell are ye blubbering about?” Sr shouted, looking between his son’s and his daughter.
“Wait a minute, you guys told your parents that Kaitielyne worked in admin?” Pratt and Raso both asked at the same time.
“Aye, they did. Granted I knew what my girls did. I’m right proud of them too. They told their da something different because they didn’t want him talking them out of it. He feels that is no place for a woman.” Sylvia shocked the room with her admission.
“Ye knew?” Sr asked his wife in shock.
“Aye. Liz came clean after a harrowing mission. I tried to get her to talk to ye about it. They had lost a young man, and she couldn’t save them. She was the team medic. Cathy was also with the regiment. She knew the insides of her weapons better than any of the men on the team. Ye were so proud when she married an SAS fellow. Yet ye didn’t know that’s how she met him. She left after one term with the Regiment and went on to law school and became a lawyer while her fellow stayed in.” Sylvia told her husband, finally spilling the secrets she’s always held in.
“And my little Kaitie? What does she do?” Sr asked, sitting down in the chair Ryleigh deserted when the shouting started.
“She flies helicopters for the Recon and Raiders on missions.” Marcus admitted to their father, sighing heavily..
“Ah, that explains the phone call when ye demanded I tell my Kaitie to stand down from learning to fly. I thought it was a simulation.” Sr sighed, rubbing his forehead with his weathered hand
“Look, I get why you boys don’t like the idea of a female in Special Forces, no matter the country. They can be a distraction and your caveman tendencies tend to come out because you feel like you have to protect them. Trust me, Linds and I know that firsthand with you boys…” Pratt stated, staring her husband down more.
“Yet, you guys have to admit, as long as they can pass the requirements, they can be a huge asset to the team. We’ve worked alongside you boys in the US several times when it came to a few of our cases.” Raso finished, hands on her hips.
“Aye, and it’s not something I look forward to, knowing my wife is in danger.” Highlander admitted. “But damn, ye lasses are fierce in the field.” He finished, laughing as he dodged his wife’s foot.
