"FBI Special Agent Don A. Eppes…With exceptional courage, extraordinary decisiveness and presence of mind Special Agent Don A. Eppes…
Alan closed his eyes, unable to watch the videotape of his oldest son being decorated.
With unusual swiftness of action, regardless of his personal safety…"
Charlie watched transfixed at the image the officer citing Don's heroic deed and of Don in the background, standing stiffly to attention.
"Above and beyond the call of duty…"
A tear trickled down Alan's cheek.
"We hereby award Special Agent Don. A. Eppes the Medal of Valor."
There were cheers in the background.
"Congratulations."
Charlie sucked in a shallow breath, suddenly unable to watch the healthy Don clasp the citations officer's hand.
A weak cough quickly spurred father and son into action. Alan reaching for the buttons to shut the T.V. off while Charlie lunged to shut the T.V. off.
"Going though my stuff again Chuck?" Don asked weakly, struggling to push himself up in a sitting position.
"You always had cool stuff." Charlie rejoined, more out of habit than anything.
"You too Dad?" Don's pale face lighting up in a quick smile.
"Medal of Valor." Alan replied. "Not to many people get that award Donnie."
"Ahh." Don rested his head against the back of the couch. "Still doesn't excuse you going through my stuff." He teased.
Charlie ducked his head, suddenly unable to hold back the tears plaguing him. "I'm going to get a drink. Don you want anything?"
"Water would be great buddy." Don replied, his eyes not missing a thing.
Charlie quickly escaped into the kitchen and turning on the water let the tears flow. It was so hard to see Don so pale and weak. He had lost so much weight in the four days he had been on the couch. Any food ingested was quickly brought back up because of the medications that Don was on.
It was so hard to remember what Don was before the cancer had come. Healthy. Vibrant.
Alive.
Now Don could barely stand up.
Charlie choked, trying to keep his tears silent.
He wanted so badly to escape to the garage and bury himself in the P vs NP, but he couldn't. He couldn't let Don down. He couldn't abandon Don. He couldn't let the numbers swirl in his brain to help his forget.
Taking a deep breath Charlie straightened his shoulders. Washing his face, Charlie grabbed two glasses and filled them up.
"Here Don." Charlie set his down first to help Don take a drink.
Don automatically wrapped his fingers around the glass, but was too weakened to really even hold the glass by himself.
How it pained Alan to see his oldest son… The strongest one in the family too weak to even hold a glass of water.
The chemo had ripped through Don's body leaving a broken battered shell behind, but the blood tests had shown that the cancer was leaving. The chemo was working.
"Thanks buddy." Don smiled at his younger brother before his eyelids slowly slipped shut once more.
It still scared Charlie to see Don quickly slip back to sleep, but all Charlie had to do was reach over and place his hand right above Don's heart.
No matter how weakened the cancer had left Don… Don's heart was still as strong as ever.
Charlie glanced over at the frozen image on the TV. It was a picture of Don in full health, a wry smile on his face accepting the award for valor.
In Charlie's mind Don deserved a medal every day…
Valor: The quality of mind enabling one to face danger or hardship resolutely