The dining room was full, the smell of Colombian food mingling with the aroma of the wine Jay was serving, and laughter echoed through the room. Gloria was content watching everyone enjoy her meal, while Manny tried, unsuccessfully, to appear indifferent to Grant's presence. Jay maintained his reserved demeanor, but it was clear he was proud of his adopted grandson.
Grant, sitting between Hailey and Luke, was finishing his second helping of rice and meat when Alex, ever curious, rested her elbows on the table and adjusted her glasses.
"So, you've been back for a few hours and still haven't given us any details about what happened there. Are you going to tell us or are you going to leave us dying of curiosity?"
Claire looked at her daughter.
"Alex! He just got back, there's no need to interrogate the boy."
Jay, however, snorted.
"The boy has already been forged in fire, Claire. He can handle questions."
Grant laughed, wiping his mouth with his napkin.
"It's okay, Aunt Claire." He looked at Alex. "What exactly do you want to know?"
Alex crossed his arms.
"Everything."
Grant took a deep breath and looked around the table. Everyone was attentive.
"Well, I'll start by talking about how the operations worked."
Grant leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.
"Our battalion was operating alongside Delta Force on several missions. Those guys are on another level, professionals to the core. I admired them before, but working together changed my perspective."
Luke's eyes widened.
"You worked with the Deltas!? Like, the best of the best?"
Grant nodded.
"Yes. We flew a lot of night missions. Usually, we received intelligence from the CIA or other reconnaissance units and put together the plan with the Deltas and the Afghan forces."
Hailey leaned across the table.
"Were they missions like the ones we see in movies? Home invasions, capturing dangerous targets?"
Grant smiled.
"Exactly like that. We had to be fast, silent, and precise. Sometimes we'd do two or three missions a night."
Jay smirked.
"The same old routine."
Claire shook her head, worried.
"And you...were you never in real danger?"
Grant looked at her and chose his words carefully.
"Let's just say there were tense moments, but training makes us react without hesitation. The key is to trust the team."
Phil, who was fascinated by the conversation, raised his hand as if he were in class.
"So, tell me something...have you met those CIA guys who look like they're straight out of a spy movie?"
Grant laughed.
"I've met a few." Most of the time, they were discreet, wearing normal clothes to avoid attracting attention. But when they spoke, everyone listened.
Alex looked intrigued.
"Were they agents who worked directly in the field?"
"Yes, and they knew everything. We'd bring in prisoners or information, and they already had a complete dossier on the target before we even said anything."
"That's scary and impressive at the same time," Alex commented.
"Yes. Sometimes they were with us in the field, helping with intelligence gathering. But most of our interactions took place at the FOB, when we delivered reports."
Gloria grimaced.
"That job sounds too dangerous."
Grant looked at her with a smile.
"Yeah, but someone has to do it."
Manny, who had remained silent until then, finally spoke up.
"What about the British? I hear the SAS guys are just as good as the Americans."
Grant smiled.
"The British are beasts. We've done some joint operations with them. They're direct, disciplined, and extremely efficient."
Luke's eyes widened.
"You operated with the SAS!?"
"Yes. We did some reconnaissance missions and some direct action. Their accents made it all seem even more epic."
Phil nodded thoughtfully.
"So that's saying the stereotype of the British soldier drinking tea before a mission isn't true?"
Grant laughed.
"No, but I can assure you they drink a lot of tea at the FOB."
Jay let out a throaty laugh.
"Good soldiers. I remember working with some during Vietnam. Nothing's changed."
Cam, who had been silent until then, raised his hand dramatically.
"Now, the most important question... how was the food?"
Grant laughed.
"The food at the FOB wasn't bad." We had the Army's prepared meals, but sometimes the cooks would get local ingredients and make something better.
Gloria frowned.
"But what about when they were on deployment?"
"Oh, that was a different story. When we were away, we relied on the MRE."
Phil grimaced.
"The Army's famous 'astronaut meals'?"
"Exactly. Some are good, some are... let's say... hard to swallow."
Hailey laughed.
"What was your favorite?"
"Chili mac."
Jay gave a grunt of approval.
"Classic."
Cam sighed.
"Well, at least now you can eat real food."
Grant looked down at his plate and smiled.
"And how I've missed that."
After more stories, laughter, and food, lunch began to slow down.
Claire looked at Grant with a tender smile.
"I'm so proud of you, you know that?"
"We all are," Mitchell added.
Grant looked around at everyone.
"Thank you."
Jay raised his glass.
"To Grant. A true warrior."
Everyone raised their glasses, toasting the soldier's return home. Grant knew that no matter what he faced in the future, he would always have his family by his side.
More than 5 stories there already
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