Strong & Wilde

Two

Two

Cody

We walked quietly through a long series of corridors. The only sounds were the clacking of Uncle Mike’s boots and the squeaks of my sneakers on the waxed floor. After turning through several hallways, the guard finally came to a stop and punched into a keypad on the wall. With a click and hiss the door popped open slightly, and the guard pulled on the door handle. The door opened wide and the guard motioned for us to step inside.

“You have twenty minutes,” he said before slamming it shut.

Two years. It’d been two years since I last saw Dad and now I only had twenty minutes. So why didn’t my feet move?

I stared at the old man sleeping in the dimly lit room. I could hear his ragged breathing over the whirling and beeping of the machines attached to him. With each strained breath, his chest rose slightly, lifting the threadbare white sheet covering him.

The guard brought us to the wrong room. The old man in the bed was not my father. He couldn’t be. My dad was strong and tall. He could lift me up like I was no heavier than a sack of potatoes. He’d swing me around until I was so dizzy that I’d wobble around before falling down laughing.

The man was barely alive. He was a skeleton covered in wrinkled skin. My dad was full of energy and life. Whenever he’d come home, he’d grab my mom and dance with her around the kitchen. Then he’d scoop me up and we’d dance and sing to whatever was on the radio. After supper, he’d carry me into my room and tuck me into bed.

Nope, that man was definitely not Dad.

Just as I turned to Uncle Mike to tell him about the guard’s mistake, he rushed to the old man’s side.

“J.D., we’re here.” He placed a hand on the man’s bony shoulder. “I brought Cody with me.”

Sluggishly, the old man opened his eyes. He gazed up at Uncle Mike, who then gestured his head toward me. The clock ticked as the man turned his head ever so slow until finally I was looking into a pair of bright blue eyes that not even sickness could fade.

“Dad!”

What did they do to him? It’s as if they’d sucked all the life out of him, leaving an empty shell.

I threw myself over him, burying my head into his bony chest.

I sobbed as familiar arms embraced me. I didn’t know why I was crying. All I knew was at that moment, I wanted crawl onto his lap and have him hold me just like he used to.

“Cody, my boy.” His chest vibrated against my wet cheek. “There ain’t nothin’ to cry about.”

“I . . . I miss you, Dad.”

“I miss you too. Your hair’s getting darker. It was like your mom’s when you were little—gold like wheat.” His hand brushed over the back of my hair, smoothing down the same spot Uncle Mike had earlier.

I loved it.

Warm, dry lips pressed against my head. “It’s been too long. You’ve grown so fast. Seems like yesterday I was holding a hairless, chubby baby. Let me get a better look at ya.”

I sniffed, wiping my nose with my shirtsleeve, and sat up on the edge of his bed.

“Look at him, Mike. I’ve finally done somethin’ right. Ain’t Cody handsome? I bet you’re already drivin’ the girls wild aren’t ya?” He smiled, his dimple visible on his gaunt cheek.

I sniffed again. “Girls are a pain.”

He chuckled. “That’s what you say now. You just wait a few years. You’ll change your mind.”

His hand trembled as he lifted it and brushed a lone tear away from my cheek. Even though he was looking at me, he spoke as if he was seeing another me—a future me. “Smooth now. Wonder what it’ll be like when you’re older.” He swallowed thickly. “Gonna miss seeing your first shave, your first sweetheart. Your own family . . . ”

He shook his head, focusing his eyes. “Heard you’ve been getting into fights at school.”

“It was Seth Baker. He was saying things ’bout Mom. I got him good though.”

“Now Cody, I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I have. You’re gonna run into people like Seth and his brothers. They ain’t up to no good. All they want to do is rile you up. You need to let them be.”

“But, Dad, I can protect Mom. I’m strong enough.”

“I know you are, but sometimes being strong means holdin’ back. Look, there's something I need to tell you. You need to listen to me real good, y’hear?”

“But—”

“Cody Michael Wilde.” His voice was stern. He looked at me just like he used to whenever I got into trouble.

I miss that look.

“I’ve made lot of mistakes in my life. Don’t want you to do the same. I don’t know how much longer I’ll be here or if you’ll be able to see me again before . . . before I have to leave.”

I wanted to scream but my throat tightened as if there was a big wad of gum stuck in it. He wasn’t leaving. He couldn’t. Fathers are forever, especially my father.

The words finally came out in a whisper. “You’ll get better.”

He shook his head. “You’re old enough to know that there are just some things a doctor can’t fix. I ain’t gettin’ no better. I want you to promise me something. Can ya do that?”

The ball in my throat grew bigger. All I could do was nod.

“Don’t make the mistakes I made. Thought I had to fight to prove that I was a man. Thought a real man fought for his girl, for his family, with his fists. I learned too late. It’s not too late for you. Remember you’re not showing weakness if you walk away from bullies like Seth. Don’t ever let ’em get to ya. You just walk away. If I had done that, I wouldn’t be stuck in here. Can you promise me that, Son?”

“Yes, Dad. I promise. Just please, come back home.”

His eyes grew wet. “I can’t. I want to. Believe me I do. But you won’t ever be alone. Mike will be there to take care of you and Mom.”

“You bet.” Uncle Mike placed a hand on my shoulder.

I loved Uncle Mike, but no one could take Dad’s place.

Dad cupped my cheek, gazing intently into my eyes. “When you get older, you find yourself a good woman with a wild heart like your mom’s. You’ll know her when you see her. She’ll make you feel like you’re breathin’ for the first time. She’ll make you come alive. And when you find her, don’t you ever let her go, no matter what. A Wilde man’s love is strong. It’ll see you through good times and bad. We don’t give our hearts to just anyone, but when we do, it’s forever.”

“Time!”

I clutched Dad’s hand at the sound of the guard’s voice.

“I don’t want to go.” I meant to yell the words but it came out in a tiny squeak instead.

He looked over at my uncle behind me. “Tell Sarah I’m sorry and that I love her. Tell her I understand and that I pray she forgives me.”

“She does J.D. You know she does.”

“Let’s get a move on,” the guard grumbled.

“Come on, Cody.” Uncle Mike reached for my hand, prying it off of my dad’s.

“Please, Dad,” I pleaded as he dragged me toward the door. “Don’t leave me. Don’t leave Mom. Get better, please! I need you!”

His eyes grew red and a tear slowly rolled down his check. “Do me proud, Son. You and your mom are the best things that ever happened in my life.”