CHAPTER 12
"Looks like you're healing up nicely, Matt. How's it feel to have the use of this arm back?" asked Dr. Wells, the head of Orthopedics at Lakeshore. He had removed the ace bandage that was keeping his right arm bound to his torso and was doing some range of motion exercises with him to make sure that it was completely healed.
"It feels great, doc. I can't wait to hold my little boy again. I haven't been able to pick him up in a couple of weeks," said Matt, rotating his shoulder joint in small circles both forward and back.
"I'm guessing that's your little guy out there with Maddy in the waiting room," said Dr. Wells.
"Yeah, that's him. He doesn't understand why his Daddy hasn't been able to pick him up and play like he used to, so that's the first thing I'm gonna do as soon as I leave here," said Matt.
"You still have to be careful, Matt. These ribs of yours are going to take a little longer to heal than your shoulder. I wouldn't want you to over do it and reinjure yourself," said the doctor. "I'll be careful, doc, I promise. I just miss being able to do Daddy things...and husband things, if you know what I mean," said Matt with a smirk.
"Just go easy for a day or two, okay? Don't rush into those Daddy things or those husband things, either. From one man to another, you'll be back in the saddle soon enough," he said, patting Matt's shoulder.
"I hear ya, doc. So am I good to go? We've got a family day planned," asked Matt as he cautiously pulled his shirt back on.
"Yeah, get outta here. Have fun but be careful. I'll see you back here in two weeks. Hopefully by then, I can give you a slip sending you back to work," said Dr. Wells. He handed him the receipt for the office visit and reminded him to stop at the receptionist's desk to take care of his co-pay. As soon as he stepped back out into the waiting room, Finn bounded off the chair that he was sitting on and grabbed Matt around the legs, yelling 'daddy...daddy...daddy!' Matt reached down and gingerly lifted him up into his arms for the first time in several weeks.
"Yeah, Daddy's back to normal...almost. Are you ready to go have a picnic with me and Mommy, big guy?" The toddler shook his head excitedly as he chewed on the fingers of his left hand and drooled down onto the front of his shirt.
Matt had never been the kind of man to let other people do things for him and these last few weeks had been rough on his male ego. Maddy had more or less taken over his duties at home. She was perfectly capable of handling things, but the fact that he wasn't able to help her toyed with the image of his manhood. He was a firefighter for the city of Chicago after all. He had an image to uphold.
His ego had taken an even deeper hit with the sudden appearance of Maddy's first husband. If Matt hadn't already felt like less of a man due to his incapacities, it was worsened by the fact that Jackson Walker was a giant of a man who stood at least 6'4" and had a deep imposing voice with just enough Texas swagger to make Matt feel completely inferior. His only saving grace had been the Maddy seemed nonplussed by his arrival in Chicago. She had already spent some time talking to him about what had happened all those years ago when he was originally reported as killed in action. She was quiet for a few days after their meeting, but nothing else about Maddy's behavior seemed out of the ordinary. He was confident that his wife's motives were purely out of wanting closure and nothing more. It had taken him a while to accept that, but so far Jackson Walker hadn't posed any threat to his and Maddy's marriage. He had more faith in himself and in his wife than that, even though it had taken him some time to realize that.
His main focus at the moment was spending the day with his wife and his little boy. A firefighter's work schedule didn't always allow enough free time for little luxuries like spending quality time with them. Maddy's work schedule further complicated things. Matt was going to take the full opportunity for it until he was able to return to duty. Finn would be turning two next month and Matt already felt that he missed a lot of his son's milestones. That was one of the reasons he wasn't in a big hurry for him and Maddy to have another baby. He knew that Maddy wanted another child soon as she was approaching forty. He also knew that she longed to be a stay at home mom, but they wouldn't be able to swing it financially. He was making more money as a Captain, but they just began construction on their new house and that was using any extra money that they had. Maybe in a few years when the house was finished and Finn started school, they could talk about Maddy quitting her job and having a second baby.
"Is Mommy ready to go have a picnic, slugger?" Matt asked of his son. "Yesh!" replied the toddler, still chewing on his fingers. "Then let's go."
"Your arm is free! That's a good sign," said Maddy.
"Yep...shoulder's all healed. Just have to be careful with the ribs for a few more weeks, then it'll be business as usual," said Matt.
"That's great," said Maddy. "Now let's get this family day started!"