The Soldier's Return

Chapter 8

It was just before 11 am Sunday morning when Matt arrived at the park where he had arranged to meet Maggie and Jimmy. He was early, but the other two had been even earlier. They were practicing soccer, one on one, and as he watched for a moment he noticed that his son was not only fast and nimble, but that he also had a good head for the game, anticipating his mother's moves. Maggie wasn't bad either, he had to admit, but then one of the things he had always liked about her was her athletic ability.

Suddenly shy, he approached slowly, and it was several minutes before the players noticed him. When he finally caught Maggie's eye she froze, just as she was about to dribble the ball away from her son. Seeing this, Jimmy turned around and looked at his father.

The boy paused for a moment, then scooping up the ball and tucking it under his arm, he sauntered over to Matt. Looking his father firmly in the eye, he held out his hand for a shake. "Hello, sir. I'm Jimmy."

Matt returned the level gaze, trying not to smile at the boy's adult manner. "Yes, I know. I'm Matt."

The boy looked him up and down. "Is that what I should call you?  Matt?

"That's up to you buddy." Jimmy
looked startled, and glanced over op shoulder at his mother questioningly. "That's what mom calls me. Did she tell you?"

"No, I don't think so. I guess it just seems to suit you."

Jimmy stared solemnly at his father for another long moment, "I've never called anyone Dad before. How about I just call you Matt for now? "Matt nodded gravely. Their gaze held for a moment longer, then Jimmy's face split into a huge grin. "Hey, Matt, want to play soccer with us?"  Jimmy held out the ball.

Maggie started forward, ready to intervene, but she had reckoned without Matt's cool response. "Well, I'd like to, Jimmy, but I wore the wrong feet for soccer."

Jimmy looked confused. He looked down at the two sneakers his father was wearing. "Those shoes are okay for soccer. I mean, we're not wearing cleats either."

"Not shoes, feet." Casually reaching down Matt pulled up the leg of his jeans, exposing his artificial limb, a column of metal with a prosthetic foot sized to fit into a shoe. Tears stung Maggie's eyes; after what he had told her about his discomfort at exposing his wounds this seemed an unbearably brave and loving gesture.

"See, this is my walking around leg. I have another one for running. It's got a blade at the end."

"Cool!"  Jimmy's eyes were round. "You're a bionic man!  Can I touch it?"

Again Maggie started to step forward. "Jimmy, I don't think.."

"Sure. Go ahead." Matt's response cut her off. "I won't feel anything anyway."  Father and son laughed together as if this was a great joke; Maggie contented herself with rolling her eyes.

"Did it get blown away?"  Jimmy was down on his knees now, eagerly running his hands over the steel contraption.

"Yup."

"Did it hurt?"

"Don't know, it knocked me out."

"Did you have to go to the hospital?"

"Yup."

"How long were you there?"

"A year."

"Did you get hurt anywhere else?"

Matt cooly lifted his shirt to expose the shrapnel wounds that pitted his chest and abdomen, and the long scar from surgery. Jimmy's eyes grew even wider as he noticed the deep crater where the left nipple had been. He stood, putting his hand on his father's chest, then looked up at him again. "It's like you got your boob blown off."