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When he turns around, recognition slams into me.
“Billy?” I gape. “Billy Priest?"
The man only looks like Billy, facially. His body is another story. He’s far larger and much more muscular than Billy ever was.
When he smiles at me, I know I’ve gotten it right.
“Hey,” he says with a little wave. “You weren’t home and one of the neighbors told me you’d be here. So, I was just waiting.”
“What are you…”What was he doing in town?
But before I can voice the question, Chase shocks us all by voicing, “Dad?”
24
LUKE
Mia goes stiff beside me,her hand in mine turning to ice. Her eyes wide as saucers, mouth gaping open.
It would be funny if it wasn’t so tragic.
“Dad?” Chase says as he walks forward, much to Mia’s horror. “You’re Billy, right? My dad?”
Billy, for his part, is a portrait of confusion. His eyes glance from Mia, to me, to Chase, and any answer he formulates only confuses him even more.
“Um…. I guess?” he says, weakly but that doesn’t deter Chase. In a move very uncharacteristic of the boy, he beams and then throws his arm around Billy’s waist. “Awesome. I’m glad you’re back.”
I take in the whole scene, but I’m not too distracted to feel Mikey’s hand squeeze mine. He’s watching the pair with tension in his face, the same tension I'm feeling.
Watching your son calling another man dad is certainly something. Gut-wrenching feels like the word but even that isn’t enough to fully illustrate just how terrible it feels.
When Mia finally comes back to herself, she turns to me with an apologetic look. I don’t know what to say, so I half nod, half shrug. I’m not even sure. Multiple emotions are probably stamped all over my face and there's probably anger mixed up in there too. I don't blame Mia for this. I understand now, why she didn't tell me about Chase, but that doesn’t make the situation any less difficult.
“Um…hey Mia.” Both of us turn our attention back to Billy who is patting Chase, awkwardly, on the back. “I didn’t know…”I didn’t know you had a son.That’s probably what he meant to say but he seems to reconsider, looking down at the kid, who believes that he’s his dad.
Chase pulls back, tucking his hand in his pocket, and then glances back to Mia. “Mom thinks I don’t know you’re my dad. I guess she didn’t want it to hurt me, that you were gone so long, but I get it. You’re a soldier, so you had to save the world and stuff.” He shrugs. “I’ve read the entire GI Joe comics, so I know how it is."
Billy shares another bewildered look with us, but then nods down at Chase. “Well, I’m glad you’re so understanding about it.”
“Chase, he’s not your dad,” Mia finally says breathing out as she moves toward them. “I don’t know where you got that idea from but it’s not true.”
“But…” Chase furrows his eyebrows. “Uncle Liam…”
Mia shakes her head and mutters something under her breath that sounds likeI’m going to kill him.“Uncle Liam was wrong and even wronger for having this conversation with you without asking me.” She squats and brushes her son’s hair. Then she says firmly, “He’s not your dad, Chase, I promise you.” She peers up at Billy. “I’m sorry Billy. I think he just had the wrong idea, that’s all.”
“Uh, it’s fine,” Billy gives her a weak smile back and looks like he’s quickly adjusting to the situation. Chase, on the other hand, appears disheartened. But his sadness only lasts for a second, before he nods, as though coming to a realization.
“Fine. He’s not my dad,” he says the second sentence like it’s supposed to have air-quotes around it. “Can he still teach me how to fight bad guys too? That’s what they do in the comics when the heroes come home."
“Uh..” Billy falters again. “That would depend on your mom.”
“Chase,” Mia speaks up, sounding a little exasperated. “Can you and Mikey go in for a little bit? I need to talk to Billy.”
“Sure,” Chase says, and beckons Mikey over. Mikey tugs my hand to get my attention first, and gives me a brief but meaningful nod before he lets go of my hand. He shuffles to Chase, who pats his shoulders as he speaks.
“This is Mikey. He’s my new friend, and we both play hockey together. And that’s Luke,” Chase turns to point at me. “He used to be a coach. He also used to be the best hockey player in the world, but now he’s just Mikey’s dad.”
“Gee, thanks for the intro buddy," I quip, and Billy glances up at me. He nods in acknowledgment, and I nod back. We never really interacted much, but on the few times we’ve met, he always struck me as a cool dude, if a little withdrawn. He looks a little different from when I last saw him, more filled out, but I guess ten years of serving will do that to a man.
