"I'm so glad we could help," said Piper. "It's nice to know we helped bring a family together again."
"Well, three's more than just me and Leonardo," said Smith. "His mother is away on business but she's going to join us as soon as she can. And a couple of aunts and uncles on my wife's side. Not to mention about eight nieces and nephews. I'm afraid Miranda has inherited a rather large extended family."
"I'm not complaining one bit," said Miranda smiling from ear to ear.
"Leo," said Smith, "what's you last name? I all ready know theirs. And the entire family will want to know who helped bring us together again."
"It's Wyatt," said Leo, "although I really didn't do that much."
"Wyatt?" questioned Smithy. "Your name is Leo Wyatt?"
"Yes, why?" asked Leo.
"It's just an amazing coincidence, that's all," said Smith. "Leo Wyatt was my father's name."
"But your name is Smith," said Phoebe.
"My adopted name," said Smith. "My father died several months before I was born. My mother gave me up for adoption and my name was changed when I was adopted. But my adopted parents told me everything they knew about my biological father. I'm just wondering if we might be distantly related."
"I doubt it," said Leo. "I don't have any living relatives."
"Still, it's quite a coincidence," said Smith.
"Yes, it is," said Leo.
"Mr. Smith," began Piper.
"John, please," said Smith.
"Okay, John," said Piper. "Could I ask how old you are?"
"I'm fifty-eight," said John.
"So that means you were born in 1942," said Piper.
"Yes," said John. "December of 1942. Just a few months after my father died, as I said."
"How did he die?" asked Phoebe.
"He died during the war," said John. "Like so many other men. He was a hero. He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for value in combat."
"The Medal of Honor?" questioned Leo.
"Yes," said John. "He was a medic in the army. He saved a lot of men before he died. In fact, he was helping a wounded soldier when he was killed.
"My grandfather is a bona fide war hero?" questioned Miranda. "How wonderful. I never had any idea."
"You ran away before I could tell you," said John. "As I recall you never cared much for family history."
"That's all changed," said Miranda. "I want to know everything."
"Oh, he'll be sure to tell you," said Leonardo. "He loves talking about that stuff."
"It's important to know where you come from," insisted John. "We have a rich family history and trust me, one day you'll want to pass it on to your children."
"Excuse me, John," said Piper. "I'm just curious. Where was your father killed?"
"Guadalcanal," said John. "After I was born my mother wasn't equipped to raise a son alone. So she gave me up for adoption. Some friends of hers adopted me. They couldn't have children and they were elated to have me. And they were very sure to tell me everything they could about my biological parents.
"After I grew up I was able to finally track down my biological mother. Unfortunately, she didn't have any photographs of my biological father any more. A fire burned down her house and she lost everything. So I have no idea what he looked like. But I do have some of her before she died."
He took out his wallet. He flipped through several pictures before choosing one.
"This one is my favorite," he said. "It's very old. It was taken just a couple of months before my parents were married.
Everyone looked at the photo. It showed an attractive brunette with her hair in the same style that was prevalent in the early 1940s. She was wearing a flower print dress of the same era.
Leo couldn't speak. All he could do was stare at the photo. He was staring directly at a photo that he himself had taken more than sixty years before. Directly into the face of the woman he had married before he had died at Guadalcanal in 1942.