Michael Holden quotes from Army Wives

Michael

Frank?

Frank

I'm sorry to disturb you sir.

Michael

[Sara Elizabeth is crying and screaming in the background] What is that? A cat in heat?

Frank

Uh, that would be your goddaughter sir.

Michael

Sara Elizabeth?

Frank

Affirmative. I'm at the Burton residence and I got babysitting detail.

Michael

[chuckles] Really.

Frank

Yes, sir. And I have a bit of a situation. [Sara Elizabeth is still crying]

Michael

[amused] Apparently.

Frank

Nothing I can't handle but I thought that perhaps considering your background with a child and the fact that you've raised two females yourself...

Michael

Sit tight, I'm on my way.

Frank

[relieved] Thank you sir!

Frank

You all right sir?

Michael

[groans] Heavy PT this morning with Emmalin. We did stadiums.

Frank

Really. How many?

Michael

Ten.

Frank

[chuckles] Well, that's ambitious.

Michael

[looks at Frank] Word of advice. Start stretching now before the baby gets here.

Frank

Roger that.

Michael

When I was 25 I went to Ranger School. A nine-week combat leadership course. Intense physical challenges. Not enough food, not enough sleep. Twenty mile marches with sixty pounds on your back.

Emmalin

Sounds fun.

Michael

Yeah. Got to a point where my feet throbbed so badly, all I wanted to do was sit down and take off my boots. But I knew if I did that, I'd never get them back on again. So I pushed through, because more than anything, I wanted to be a Ranger. That's what I wanted. And my question is, what do you want? I thought it was to play Division 1 hockey. If that's not true anymore, that's fine. I won't be disappointed. I won't love you any less. But it is true, if you still cherish that dream, I don't want you wondering five years from now if you could've gone all the way if you had only pushed yourself a little harder. You have got all sorts of strength inside of you.

Michael

You really made this?

Emmalin

Mom.

Claudia Joy

She did!

Michael

Wow. A vast improvement over the very first meal you ever made me. You remember that?

Emmalin

[embarrassed] Not again.

Michael

You sat me down at your plastic pink tea party table, served slices of American cheese and a tower of saltines. I had to eat the whole thing and then you charged me for it.

Emmalin

And you paid. Ten cents.

Claudia Joy

And a quarter tip.

Michael

[e-mailing Claudia Joy] Dear Claudia Joy, it feels like an eternity since we kissed goodbye. I've been going 24/7 since we put boots on the ground in Kandahar. Mostly my days are taken up with shuras. That's Afghan for meetings, meetings and more meetings. I swear I've never had so much tea in my life. Frank's working with our NATO counterparts, though I think the officers from France would prefer he didn't try to speak French.

Frank

[e-mailing Denise] You should hear me parle de francais, Dee. I sound just like a native. There are 42 nations in the coalition and I'm liaison with all of them. There's some cultural differences and it can get confusing, but the assignment has its perks. The Germans have beer flowing in their base camp so I might just have to ask for a tour. I sure hope that baby Molly's easing up on her jiujitsu so you can get some sleep. I've seen Jeremy. The boy's settling just fine. Try not to worry about him, Dee, though I know that's easier said than done.

[e-mailing Denise] Hey Mom. I'm sweating my butt off here. I would give anything for a shower longer than three minutes. No worries though. Sergeant LeBlanc pushes us hard but I know he wants to keep us sharp.

Trevor

[e-mailing Roxy] Hey babe, I think of you all the time. No matter what I'm doing, you and the boys are always with me. I bet Fort Marshall's a ghost town since deployment. Hope you're finding things to keep busy. That's it for now. Love you and miss you tons. Hugs to the boys for me and enjoy the peace and quiet.

Michael

[video-conferencing] Hoping to make headway with some remote village elders who are getting squeezed by the Taliban.

Claudia Joy

Why are you going?

Michael

Their elders prefer to negotiate with our elders. And that would be me.

Claudia Joy

[giggles] Never knew "elders" could be so sexy.

Michael

Hey, Claudia Joy tells me she's hosting a bridal shower for your future daughter-in-law.

Frank

That's gonna take some getting used to. Daughter-in-law. I just had a baby daughter, now I have a daughter-in-law!

Michael

[grins] Tell me something, Frank. What exactly goes on at those bridal showers?

Frank

[laughs] Hell if I know sir. My guess is some intell is better left classified.

Michael

You deserve it, Frank. You showed everyone what the Army is all about.

Frank

It's just what we do for each other, sir.

Michael

But you did it for me.

Frank

[nods] Gladly.

Michael

We've walked a long road together haven't we?

Frank

That we have, sir. Good times and bad.

Frank

Sir, I was wondering if you'd like to join us tonight for a home-cooked meal.

Michael

Oh, that's awfully nice of you

Frank

Denise and Claudia Joy have been talking and, well, her intell is that you're not much of a cook.

Frank

[laughs] That's your wife's words, sir!