

John "Jackie" Shepherd
-Hometown Heroes [Excerpt from Letter from Earnest to William] ...The only thing he ever talks about is that 'girl back home' of his, but how in the Lord's name does he know that she isn't married off to some other soldier. I understand that he's liked the doll since we were kids, but he's been off to war for a year. I don't understand how he isn't changed like the rest of us.Jackie's eyes searched the crowd, looking for her.
'She's gotta be here somewhere,' Jackie thought, leaning over the side of the horse-drawn firetruck to search for his girl in the crowd. He ignored all the other young women that wanted his attention.
He felt Earnest beside him, the other man's gloomy presence soddening the mood of the parade. 'He's been gloomy since Henry died,' Jackie thought, before glancing back at Billy. Billy was playing with a poppy that someone had tossed, glancing back up at Jackie with a knowing look.
As the firetruck came to a halt in front of the Town Hall, Jackie hopped off of the truck behind Earnest. He hugged his Pa tight, before his eyes caught on her soft figure behind his Pa.
His breath hitched as his Pa silently and discreetly passed Jackie Ma's ring. This was it.
She was going to be his girl.



