It's Always Been You

Chapter Two

I exhale and open the door. "Yeah. I'm ready." I greet him then follow him down the stairs and out of the house.

We walk to the car and my dad opens the door for me. I get in and buckle up. My dad follows my lead then starts the car.

"It's nice having you back here." My dad murmurs and makes eye contact with me. "I've really missed my grandkids and I always thought Rober-"

"Dad!" I interject and hold my hand up. "I don't want to talk about Robert."

"Okay, okay." He drops the subject and starts to drive us to Memorial Park. I can't help the smile that spreads across my face as my dad turns on some old tunes and sings along to Conway Twitty

As we get closer to the park, I turn the radio down some. "I'm glad that we're here too you know?" I inform him as I watch out the window. It's a beautiful, sunny Chicago day. The thermometer on the review mirror says it's 80 degrees (Fahrenheit) out.

"I know." My dad tells me with a sweet smile. "I wish you would've came home sooner."

"Me too." I reciprocate and put my hand on my father's arm. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, sweetie." He chokes back the emotion in his voice.

I withdraw my hand and he stops the car, turning it off. We're at Memorial Park. I unbuckle and get out of the car. Taking in the sight, I notice that it's just like I remember.

"It hasn't changed since I was a kid." I comment as I walk to my dad's side.

He nods. "Yeah, just names added." He sighs sadly.

My dad loves it here, but it also upsets him. When I was a kid, my dad lost a close friend. His name was Henry Mills.

Henry was a great guy. I remember him well even though I was about 8 years old when he died. It was sad because he had a great family. I even remember playing with his son when I was a kid. I can't remember his son's name. He was always shy around me.

I don't know how to respond to my dad, so I simply take his arm and walk with him to the spot I know he always goes to first; Henry's badge.

I'm surprised by how my dad limps now. He's doing pretty well as we walk, but I feel like he's over doing it to try to make me think nothing's wrong.

"How are you feeling?" I ask with concern.

He huffs. "I'm fine. Great actually." He puffs as we get to Henry's badge. "I actually have something I want to talk to you about."

"Okay." I nod for him to continue.

He inhales deeply and shoves a hand in his pocket. The other that's farthest from me holds up his cane.

I can tell he's worried about how I'm going to respond. "Go ahead, Dad." I insist.

"I um," He clears his throat. "I talked to my old pal, Wally Boden."

"I remember Walace!" I chime happily. "What'd you talk to him about?"

"He's the Chief over at 51 now." My dad tells me. "And I asked him if there were any spots open during his shift."

"Dad," I sigh. "I don't know if I should go back yet."

"I know that." My dad clears his throat. "But Wally told me that if you apply, he'll hold the position for you."

I look my dad in the eyes. I need to do this. The pain from my burns are manageable and I know my dad would do anything to get back on the job. He was put on disability when he fell through a floor, dropped 3 stories and fractured a couple of vertebrae in his lower back. He can walk with a cane now, but that's it. If he could do anything to be on the job again, he would.