A Day Late

The Hero Returns

Dodge
I am warn out and My arm is still in a sling from it being broken by an enemy in a hand to hand combat. I had no choice but to kill him to save the rest of the men. We were all transported to the military hospital and after we healed we were sent home. It has been six months since I called and came home. I am finally in my way home and couldn't get to a phone to call to let Mia know I am coming home. I arrive home and grab my keys from my pocket and unlock the door and the alarm goes off and I try to enter my code, but it isn't working. I feel a gun at my head as someone turns the alarm off. I see a woman who isn't my wife pointing a gun at me. I hold my hands up and tell her I am Dodge Sullivan and live here with my wife Mia Sullivan. She apologized and lowers her gun.
Mia
Sharon is it safe?
Sharon
Yes ma'am it is your husband, he didn't have the new code for the alarm.
Mia
I can give it to him and you can go to sleep now. I type in the code and rest 5he alarm. He kisses me, but Carrie's his bags to the laundry room. He then takes my hand and hops into the shower and takes a long shower and grabs his boxers and puts a sling back around his arm. He holds me and say I love you a missed you so much.
Dodge
I rub her beautiful baby bump and kiss it. Can we go to sleep baby I have been traveling night and day to get back to you. Sorry about not calling you, but my phone was crushed in the flight home. My arm will need to be looked at by a surgeon soon. The military hospitals aren't the greatest in war torn areas.
Mia
Let's get to bed and we will worry about things tomorrow. He falls asleep immediately and I cover him up and lay down beside him. He looks exhausted. Ray told me to let him relax and not to ask him about what went on with his tours. He said just be there when he needs you to be.
I watch as he suddenly move and then falls back down. Ray said he might have nightmares and he will work things out eventually.
Dodge
I wake and Mia is sleeping with her baby bump clearly visible under the sheets. I haven't shown her the scars yet, but I will and soon. The scar from operating on my arm to reset the bones and the cuts from the torture just before I was able to escape and got four of our men freed right as our ride to get us out arrived. One man died during transporting us to the closest safe medical facility. I love Mia and hope she will love me even scarred. I can't wait to hold our child in my arms, but I am going to have to have my arm operated on by someone who specializes in orthopedic surgery. We don't always have the luxury of having someone who is an expert at the kind of surgery we need, when we need it and supplies aren't always available for us to get the expert care. A war zone you lose access to all the basics and you definitely don't get the luxury of finding the best doctors for the task and the best place and definitely not the best supplies and equipment as well. Not to mention the right medicines for the tasks at hand. Luckily I won't be going back at this point, but I might not be able to work as a bodyguard again. But I saved every penny I could to assure I have a future and my family has one too. Raymond has a backup plan for me and my buddies if needed. My dad died after saving all but one of his team Ray tried to save him, but got there too late. So he has been there to help us if we were stumbling in our efforts to move forward. I have been blessed by having Ray in my life. At first I thought he was a big PIMA (pain in my ass) but mom pointed out that everything he did had led me down a good path and she was right. She left this world knowing Ray and Carla were there for me if I needed them. And they were there at every turn for me and the kids of the team my father and the other man who was killed in the battle. But I think I can get through this, but if I need help I can get it. Unlike some of my teammates. Now I have more family and friends that will help if I need it.
Mia
I watch as Dodge quietly looks out the window at the sun rising. I roll over to try to stand but the baby decide it doesn't like that position and moves. I get up finally with Dodge helping me. He holds me with the arm without the sling.
Dodge
Mia I want you to see my scars before we go see the doctor today and you tell me if you can't bear looking at them, if you can't I will understand and we can go our separate ways, but they are bad. I lift my shirt off and she looks at them and asks if they still hurt. I tell her they will hurt for a long time physically and emotionally. She asks if she can touch me and them. I place her hands on them and turn so she sees my back as well. I show her my legs too,
Mia
My love for you has nothing to do with what your body looks like, it is what you in your heart and mind, you know that right?
Dodge
I pull her to me and kiss her passionately and get a big kick from our baby. I guess the baby has spoken too. We dress shower and dress and Sharon drives us to my doctors appointment. They want me to take antibiotics to clear up an infection and they will reassess and then schedule my arm repairs. It might take three surgeries to fix my arm, they are hoping for eighty percent of full use.
Mia
I listen as the doctor tells us what to expect and then we go visit my mom at her office. Dodge wants to relax before he sees the rest of our families. I can understand that. I am going to spoil him while I am able to.