As soon as she called Ella could here the feet coming toward her down the hall. He ran in and immediately tried to crawl into her lap. Her little boy was darling, perfect.
"I've got something to show you." Ella stated as she maneuvered the squirming boy in her lap
"What?" Steven exclaimed with the excitement only a four year old can produce.
Ella carefully took the envelope off the back of the couch to pull the photograph out. Steven was all eyes as she put the image before him. Two men were kneeling in low jungle by the side of a helicopter. Both wore camouflage uniforms and carried rifles.
"Who is it?" Steven asks as he looked up expectantly to Ella.
"This is Sgt. Davis." She pointed out the one man but nearly choked up when she pointed out the other. "This one here is Captain Robert Plissken. He's your father."
Steven reached out for the picture which Ella allowed him to hold. "Dad?"
The boy pointed at the man in the picture before scrutinizing him.
"Yes. That's your dad." Ella smiled pulling the boy closer. Steven looked over the picture for a long time before looking up at his mother.
"Why doesn't he come home?"
Ella ran her thumb over her husband's image. "He's over there helping people."
"What about us?" Ella watched Steven try to understand.
"Well…" Ella wondered what to say. There were days she felt the same her son must have been at that moment. Why was he over there instead of here with his family, with the boy he'd never met? Ella sighed.
"He flies a helicopter to get wounded people to the hospital for help." It was the best she could come up with. "His job is very important to a lot of people."
"Dad flies an amb... amblence?" Steven had a hard time saying the word but he was getting better.
"That's exactly what he does. He has a flying ambulance." Ella was so proud of her son. "He wrote about you in his letter."
"How? He doesn't know me." Steven was all full of questions. It was the usual but Ella always encouraged him.
"Why don't I read it to you?" Ella pulled the letter out and unfolded it in her son's lap. "It starts here."
We have a beautiful boy. I feel like I'm missing so much with both of you. Maybe I'll be home soon. Steven looks strong. I bet he takes good care of you while I'm over here. I love him and haven't even seen him yet.
Ella stopped reading because farther in the letter was private and not something her son needed to hear.
"I wish I could read the letter." The boy pouted. Ella hugged him though she was worried. Steven could barely recognize all the letters of the alphabet let alone read.
"Why don't we try practicing tonight?" Ella put on her best smile. "If we try real hard maybe you can read the next one."
One thing that eased her mind was his willingness to learn. Even if the process was slow going.
"Can I keep the picture of dad?" Steven asked as he clutched the picture. He was still staring at Robert's image. Ella gently took it from him.
"How about we find a picture frame for it? Then you can put it next to your bed."
He thought it over. With a nod he wrapped his arms around Ella's neck so she could pick him up. He clung tightly. His head laid on her shoulder as Ella carried him toward his room to get a book.
"Will dad like me?"
Ella smiled and kissed his forehead. "He has a perfect little boy. How could he not love you?"
Steven nodded against her shoulder. She worried about that sometimes but then she knew Robert had wanted children. He'd wanted a son. Ella knew her husband, knew he would make an effort to be a good father when he came home. If he came home. Ella tried not to think about that if for nothing more than her son's sake.