Chapter 16 - Leo's First Birthday
The bright red front door opened and closed all afternoon.
Friends arrived carrying gifts.
Children filled the backyard.
Members of Lucas's unit brought enough food to feed twice the number of guests.
Sophia's father arrived with a cake so large Lucas stared at it.
“Is Leo feeding a platoon?”
“He only turns one once.”
“He also can't eat most of that.”
“Then you'll have to sacrifice.”
Lucas nodded solemnly.
“For my son.”
Sophia overheard.
“You two are ridiculous.”
She was smiling.
That was what Lucas noticed most.
A year earlier, smiling had seemed difficult for her.
Now it happened without effort.
Leo sat in a high chair wearing a tiny paper crown.
Everyone sang.
He stared at them as if they had all lost their minds.
Then he smashed one hand into the cake.
Lucas laughed.
Sophia covered her mouth.
Leo examined the frosting on his fingers.
Then wiped it across Lucas's uniform shirt.
The backyard erupted in laughter.
Lucas looked down.
“Betrayal.”
Sophia took another picture.
“Perfect.”
Later, after guests left, the house became quiet.
Wrapping paper covered the living room.
Toys were everywhere.
Leo slept upstairs.
Sophia sat beside Lucas on the porch.
“Good day?”
“The best.”
She rested her head on his shoulder.
For a while, they watched the street.
Then Sophia said, “Do you remember the hospital?”
“Yes.”
“I thought I'd always feel like that.”
“Like what?”
“Scared.”
Lucas took her hand.
“Do you?”
“Sometimes.”
He nodded.
“But not always.”
“No.”
She smiled.
“Not always.”
A car passed.
Neither reacted.
That itself was progress.
Sophia looked toward the house.
“I used to think healing meant forgetting.”
Lucas waited.
“I don't think that anymore.”
“What do you think it means?”
She considered.
“Remembering without letting the memory decide what happens next.”
Lucas smiled.
“You should put that on something.”
“Absolutely not.”
“A pillow?”
“Lucas.”
“A coffee mug?”
She elbowed him.
He laughed.
The following week brought another milestone.
Sophia received excellent results from her program.
Lucas received confirmation of a longer-term local assignment.
Leo began attempting to walk.
He was terrible at it.
He would stand.
Take one uncertain step.
Then sit down with an expression of deep betrayal.
Lucas encouraged him.
Sophia filmed everything.
One evening, Leo stood near the couch.
Lucas knelt several feet away.
“Come on, buddy.”
Leo stared at him.
Sophia crouched nearby.
“You can do it.”
One step.
Then another.
Then a third.
Leo wobbled.
Lucas reached forward but stopped himself.
Leo regained balance.
Two more steps.
Then he fell directly into Lucas's arms.
Sophia cheered.
Lucas lifted him.
“You did it!”
Leo laughed.
Sophia's phone captured the entire moment.
Later, she watched it repeatedly.
Lucas noticed tears in her eyes.
“What's wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Those are tears.”
“I know.”
She showed him the video.
Leo walking toward his father.
Lucas understood.
The image carried more meaning than anyone else would see.
A year earlier, Lucas had walked through a doorway toward a frightened wife and sick newborn.
Now their son was walking toward him.
No fear.
No emergency.
Just trust.
Sophia saved the video.
Then her phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
Her smile disappeared.
Lucas noticed immediately.
“What is it?”
Sophia stared at the screen.
Then handed him the phone.
The message contained only seven words.
I hope someday you can forgive me.
No name was necessary.
May you like
They both knew who had sent it.
Eleanor.
