"Then Jeffrey it is!" his companion answered with a grin.
When they got home the General told his driver, "I'm done for the
day. Go spend some time with that wife and kids of yours!
If there's an emergency I'll have you paged."
"Thank you, sir!" the driver snapped, then headed for his home just a
few houses down the street.
They went into the house to find several people there comforting the
General's wife. The General motioned his youngest son over.
"Henry!" he explained, "This is Jeffrey. He's going to be
staying with us a few days, military business. He needs to know
about the war of northern aggression. Can you show him all the
stuff you have on it?"
"Certainly, father!" the young man answered, "If it is your
wish! Hasn't this man been here before? He looks awful
familiar, like a relative or something."
The General smiled. His companion looked at him nervously.
"No," the General answered. "He's never been here before.
But what he's doing is very important, and despite the troubles we are
having now, we must help him."
The General's wife came out of the crowd of mourners. "What is it
dear?" she asked.
"A military matter," the General answered, "which I regret that I have
to bring home at this time, but it cannot be put off."
"Then if you feel it is that important," his wife answered, "it must
be! Marybelle!" she called.
A colored girl appeared, a little girl at her side that appeared quite
polite. "Yes ma'am?" she asked.
"This young gentleman," the General's wife explained, "is here on some
military business. I will be too distracted to see to his
needs. Would you be so kind as to do so? Put an extra cot
in the boys' room."
"Yes, ma'am!" the colored woman answered. "Is there
anything right away, sir?" she continued.
"No!" Jeffrey answered, "Just to borrow this young man for a while and
get busy on his computer."
The General's wife looked to her son. "Hop to it, young
man!" she snapped.
The two hurried off. The General's wife stared at him for a
moment, then spoke. "That young man has never been here before?"
she inquired.
"Never!" The General answered.
"Strange!" his wife remarked, "I almost feel like he's kin, a
relative. The warmth he radiates in this terrible hour..."
She suddenly threw herself into her husband's arms and began to weep
bitterly. For a time all the General could do was comfort
her. That's all any man could've done at that moment.