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Date Posted: 11:15:49 05/26/13 Sun
Author: usmgrad
Subject: Repost - Leaving

Title – Leaving (repost)

Author- usmgrad


While it doesn't exactly answer the May challenge of "goodbye" as the word is not spoken it does 'address' the thought of goodbyes and a certain parent's reaction to that thought.



Harm arrived home to find his five year old son sitting on the front porch steps, looking like he has just lost his best friend.

“Hey little man, what going on?”

“Hi Daddy.”

Harm joined his son on the steps hoping to find out what had caused the sad face.

“How was your day today?”

“Fine.”

Harm was expecting more than a one word answer. This morning all Matt could talk about was the big field trip. Matthew and his pre school class were going to visit a “big” school in preparation for moving to kindergarten in the fall. Harm tried again.

“What did you do today?”

Matthew shrugged his shoulders, “Nothing.”

Harm shook his head, something was definitely wrong. “Did you go on a field trip today?”

“Yes.”

“Did you have fun?” Getting information out of Matt was sometimes tougher than Mac.

“Yes.” Matthew paused a moment than looked at his dad confused.

“Daddy I did everything you told me to do, I said please, I said thank you, and I helped, even when I wasn’t asked. I even wiped my feet and hung up my jacket.”

“That’s a big boy, I’m proud of you.” Harm patted his son's back.

Matt shook his head no, his dad didn't understand. “But I did something wrong.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Cause when I told mommy about my field trip she got quiet and now she’s crying.”

“Where is mommy?”

“Inside. Daddy I didn’t mean to do it.”

“What do you think you did?” Harm was puzzled now more than ever.

“I don’t know but I’m sorry I made Mommy cry.”

“I tell you what Matt; let me go see what’s got mommy upset, I bet it wasn’t anything you did. It was probably something at work.”

“But mommy’s a Marine, she never cries.”

“I know.”

Harm gave his son a kiss on the head, told him to come inside and get washed up for dinner. As they headed inside Harm was reminded of the very few times he had seen his wife cry. Each time involved Matthew Mackenzie Rabb. When she found out she was pregnant, when she gave birth, when he took his first steps. Maybe Matt did do something after all.

Once inside Matt headed upstairs and Harm headed for the kitchen to check on his wife. He found her sitting at the kitchen table with a photo album in hand and tears in her eyes.

“Hey beautiful.” He kissed her and noticed the album was of Matt’s baby pictures.

“Hi.” She wiped at her tears.

“Are you alright?”

“No.”

“Want to tell me what’s wrong?”

“No.”

“First Matt and now you, it’s a good thing I’m an experienced interrogator or I might never know what’s going on in this household.” Harm tried humor to get her to talk

“Harm what are you talking about?”

“I have two of the most closed mouth people in the world living under this roof and because of that I have to resort to my professional skills to find out what’s going on.”

“Harm please.”

“Closed mouthed and stubborn.”

Mac didn’t reply.

“So did something happen today?”

“No.”

“Than why are you sitting here looking at Matt’s baby pictures crying, while he sits on the front steps thinking he’s done something to upset you?”

“Matt’s . . .”

“Its okay he’s upstairs washing up for dinner. Now you want to tell me what’s going on?”

“He's leaving.”

Harm was totally confused. “Who's leaving?”

“Matt”

“And just where is he going?” Harm asked but had a pretty good idea already.

“School. My baby is going away to school in the fall.”

“Mac he’s not going away, he’s going down the street and he’ll be home every afternoon. And besides he’s been in preschool for two years now.”

“I know but this is different. He’s going to be in kindergarten. Before you know it he’s going to be graduating from high school and leaving me.” Mac looked up and quickly corrected herself, “us.”

“Well not until he looses a few teeth and learns to drive. So we still have a few years left.”

“Not enough.”

“Daddy, can I come in?”

“Sure Matt coast is clear, you didn’t do anything.” Under his breathe “yet.”

Matt came in and immediately hugged his mom who teared up again.

“It’s okay Matt, I’m just happy you had a good time today.”

“It was fun, we each sat in a big desk with books, we got to color pictures and put them on the wall so all the big kids could see them and we ate in the cafeteria with the big kids. We even got to go outside and play with them. Some of them even let me play ball with them.”

As Matt continued to talk Mac briefly glanced up at Harm and noticed him wipe at his eyes. “See I told you.”

Matt looked up at his dad in time to see him wipe his eyes. “Daddy, are you okay?”

“Just fine little man; let’s go see about dinner while mommy washes her face.”

Matt started to follow his dad into the kitchen, “Is mommy okay daddy?”

“She’s fine, she was just thinking about when you graduate from the academy and go to flight school.”

“I was not. Matthew don’t listen to your father, you are to keep both feet firmly on the ground.”

“But he still graduates from the academy.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“But you didn’t say he couldn’t.”

“Stop putting words in my mouth.”

Matt knew when his parents started this at dinner time they usually ended up at Beltway Burgers so he headed for the front door.

“Matt, where are you going?”

“To get my coat.”

“Why?”

“So we can go get dinner.”

Harm looked at Mac and Mac looked at Harm, they both laughed.

“We have a smart kid there.”

“He gets that from me.”

As they walked out the door to the car, Matt asked, “Daddy, can I be a fireman?”

“A fireman?”

“Yah, Tommy’s daddy is a fireman and he gets to ride in a fire truck and work the siren.”

“We’ll see Matt, we’ll see.”

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Replies:

[> lol loved it -- Bev uk, 16:22:07 05/26/13 Sun [1]


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[> that was so cute, they do grow up fast! -- JoyZ, 19:25:37 05/26/13 Sun [1]


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[> So cute loved it -- Beth, 08:51:06 05/27/13 Mon [1]


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[> Thanks for the repost and this adorable Rabb family story. -- Can Sheshe, 18:25:40 05/28/13 Tue [1]


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[> Have always loved this story, thanks for reposting. -- Dee, 13:48:41 05/30/13 Thu [1]


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