She did not wipe them.
Beside her, Patricia cried openly.
Jessica envied her a little.
When the final note disappeared into the humid air, people remained standing.
No applause at first.
Just silence.
Then families slowly began moving.
Some toward the memorial.
Some toward parked cars.
Some toward each other.
Jessica stayed where she was.
Patricia waited beside her.
A Marine colonel approached from the front rows.
Jessica recognized him only vaguely.
He stopped several feet away.
“Major Dalton?”
Jessica turned.
“Sir.”
“I’m Colonel Marcus Bennett.”
She nodded.
“I know, sir.”
He glanced toward her arm.
“You need medical?”
“No, sir.”
“Photographs?”
Jessica looked at the marks.
“They should be documented.”
“I agree.”
He paused.
“I’m also going to ensure the alcohol issue is handled appropriately.”
Jessica nodded.
“Thank you.”
Bennett looked toward the walkway where Crawford had disappeared.
“I’m sorry you were treated that way here.”
Jessica answered, “So am I.”
His expression tightened.
“That’s not what this day should have been.”
“No.”
“You want to file formally?”
“Yes.”
No hesitation.
Bennett nodded.
“Good.”
Patricia looked at Jessica.
Jessica understood the question in her face.
Why not let it go?
Jessica answered before her mother asked.
“Because someone else might be next.”
Patricia nodded slowly.
The colonel heard.
“So you told him.”
Jessica looked at him.
“He asked.”
Bennett’s mouth tightened into something almost resembling a sad smile.
“He still doesn’t understand, does he?”
“Maybe later.”
“Maybe.”
The colonel turned to leave.
Then stopped.
“Major.”
“Yes, sir?”
“Your discretion earlier was noted.”
Jessica’s expression hardened slightly.
“I wasn’t protecting him.”
“I know.”
“I was giving him room to stop.”
“I know that too.”
She relaxed.
Bennett nodded toward Patricia.
“Ma’am.”
Patricia nodded back.
“Colonel.”
He walked away.
Patricia waited until he was gone.
“Are people always this formal around you?”
Jessica smiled faintly.
“Usually worse.”
“That sounds exhausting.”
“It is.”
Patricia looked at the cap beneath Jessica’s arm.
“So that little thing caused all this?”
Jessica looked down.
“No.”
Her mother raised an eyebrow.
“Seems like it.”
Jessica shook her head.
“His hand caused this.”
Patricia considered that.
Then nodded.
“You’re right.”
Jessica folded the cap once more.
Her mother watched her.
“You could’ve shown him earlier.”
“Yes.”
“Would it have ended faster?”
“Probably.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
Jessica looked toward a young family placing flowers near the memorial.
