I won't bore you with too many of the details of Kid's homecoming. Most of the struggles will just come out on their own. Some of them I wasn't privy to anyway. The biggest adjustments were being made by those in that little rented house and they were only my business when one of them asked for my help.

There was a big party at Emma's though. I'm sure you expected as much. More than just me and Lou and the kids needed to welcome that man home. It was good for us all. I don't think anyone had quite forgotten the night when we all gathered at Emma's and found out that he was missing. We needed that healing.

Jesse was meeting Kid for the first time. In some ways I know he was excited about meeting the man. I had talked him up a lot and I think Jesse wanted to meet my best friend. And I know Jesse was excited for Theresa to get him back. They weren't together then or anything but he never stopped caring about her. I think they had even kind of gotten themselves back to something resembling a friendship.

But I think Jesse was nervous too. He knew that Kid knew that he had dated Theresa. I think he felt like he had overstepped his bounds with this man without even having met him before. I understood. I felt the same way riding home from the UP after me and Joanie did all we did on the beach. Of course, Jacob didn't know what we'd done.

Jesse didn't know this but Kid didn't know all the sordid details of their relationship either. Neither did Lou. Some things didn't need talking about. You can ask all you want if I feel guilty for not saying anything and the simple answer is that no, I do not. Nothing would have been gained from bringing more people into the know. Both of them kids suffered for the decision in their own way. It was done and nothing was going to change that. And ultimately, no one had really been hurt. Some feelings here and there but that is just bound to happen once folks start dabbling in love.

The party was boisterous and jubilant. We needed something to celebrate after the year we'd had and getting Kid home was a damned good reason to celebrate. Still, with all of the noise and the crowd, Kid had to step out onto Emma's porch from time to time. That was new for him but after the war, he just couldn't cotton to crowds and he often needed to get out of doors and get some air.

Some of the others looked worried for him when he would leave. I guess I can understand it. He didn't look well. I mean he didn't anyway. He hadn't gotten his weight back up and you could just look at him and see he wasn't sleeping well. But I mean, he would get real pale and his eyes would get wild and dart around and if you were close enough, you could see him starting to breathe faster.

I'd done some research into what we used to call "battle fatigue" or "shell shock". We call it PTSD now. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Don't matter what you call it, he had it.

I knew he was just feeling the walls close in and in his mind he was somewhere else, somewhere dark and bad. Getting fresh air helped. I think the fact it was winter helped even more. There wasn't much for cool air in the jungle. The cold brought him back to reality that wasn't perfect but wasn't the hell he'd been in.

Sam and Al didn't look to worried either. I mean I know they wished he would talk or something maybe, but they understood. Al had fought in WWII and Sam in Korea. They knew what it was to feel trapped even in what should be a safe place. They knew how quickly the memories could overtake you and not even feel like memories anymore.

A couple of times when Kid went out, I went and talked to him a bit. He acted apologetic and I made sure he knew he didn't need to be. A person should be allowed some fresh air if they want it.

I won't insult anyone's intelligence by suggesting that a game of euchre and a party at Emma's was all there was to his homecoming. But, like I said, I wasn't privy to all the adjustments and the ones I was, well, they don't really need to be brought up just yet.

The important part was that he was home and that was a place for the healing to start.

When Kid came home, Christmas was right around the corner. Getting him home was the best Christmas and Chanukkah present I ever got. If Noah and Billy had been there it would have been perfect. Of course, Noah wasn't ever going to be there again but we could still hope for Billy to be with us once again.

Somehow it worked out for us all to be at Emma's on Christmas. Ike and Annie showed up later than the others. They had to be with her folks that morning and they'd celebrated with his folks the night before. But Buck and Carol were there and Kid and Lou and their bunch and of course me and Joanie. We weren't sure Sherry would be there but her siblings all descended on Midland the week before to celebrate with their parents so she was in the city. She'd gone to see Billy's parents on Christmas Eve and so she and the little guy were there on Christmas morning.

The day was real nice and like old times but even better for everyone's youngsters running all over. It was how Christmas was supposed to be. Or how we all always thought it was supposed to be. I think Sherry had a good time. She was still a little jealous of Lou getting her man home while Billy was still in Vietnam but she had a good time. I even saw Joanie relax and enjoy herself a little.

That evening we settled in front of Emma's TV and turned on the news to see Billy's report. He was in Saigon talking to some soldiers while they tried to balance between happy memories of Christmases past and wanting to forget it was Christmas at all since they weren't home to share it with loved ones.

"Any holiday here in Vietnam is difficult on these young men," Billy was saying. "But Christmas seems hardest of all. This reporter has only been in the country a few months but with a wife and new son back home in Detroit, the loneliness of the season is just as harshly felt as for these young men who've been here much longer."

He went on to talk to the men about favorite memories. They all talked about their mom's pies or going to midnight mass and stuff like that. Then he let them send wishes home. They'd give their name and hometown and who they wanted to wish a Merry Christmas to. Then the camera went right to a close-up of Billy.

"I'm Bill Cody from Detroit, Michigan," he began as all the others had. "I want to wish a Merry Christmas to my family in Detroit. Mom and Dad and the crowd that is no doubt gathered at Sam and Emma's. Sherry and Billy, Jr., you keep doing the things you do and I'll see you both soon."

He grinned wide at that comment, being able to slip the special message to his wife into his broadcast. Anyone else watching that broadcast across our great nation would have seen a self-assured young man fully composed. I heard the small break in his voice and I saw the way his eyes got just a little watery. But I'd known him a good long time. Sherry saw what I did too. I heard her whimper just a little. I know she was fighting to not cry. I reached and squeezed her shoulder and then turned back to the screen when I heard Billy's voice again.

"This is William F. Cody in Saigon wishing all of you a Merry Christmas."

It was quiet in the living room right then. Lights twinkled on the Christmas tree and snow fell softly outside the window and inside even the children were quiet. I heard the front door close quietly and Sherry's sniffle. I was torn in two for a moment until Al put a hand on my shoulder and nodded me toward Sherry.

It was best really. Kid wouldn't talk to me anyway. I don't know if he talked to Al or not but he wouldn't have talked to me at all. He never did about what happened over there. Well, not for a really long time.

Sherry, on the other hand, well, she needed a big brother and I was pretty good at that. I could hear the others pulling the little ones away to play with toys or whatever and I slid off the couch to where Sherry was sitting on the floor with the baby in her arms. I put my arm around her shoulders and squeezed her tight to my side.

She didn't say a word, just leaned her head on my shoulder and cried. I let her. She needed to be allowed to cry.

Eventually she picked her head up.

"Thanks, Jimmy."

"Are you going to be alright?" I asked her as she dabbed her eyes with a tissue.

"I have to be," she said resolutely. "He needs me to be. They both do."

"I'm here if you need me," I said and I felt her nod against me. We sat there quite a while in the living room with only the twinkle of the tree lights. Someone had turned off the TV on their way out of the room.

I don't know how long it was before little Billy started fussing a little and Sherry said she needed to change his diaper. I stayed on the floor and looked up when I heard the door open. Al came in first looking somber but offering me a half of a smile. Kid followed.

For just a moment my eyes met Kid's. I think that look was the most honest he was with me for years. I saw everything. His joy at being home, his desperation to put everything behind him. I could see the pain he had been through. That pain shot through me like a jolt of electricity.

As fast as the look came over him, it was gone. He went back to the façade he'd put up since he'd been back. I was once more at arm's length.

I know this is shorter than most chapters in this story. It seemed the right place to end things. There is a lot coming in the New year for the gang. I think it's best to give all of that a fresh page.

As always, let me know what you think.-J