Hundreds of people stood looking up into the clear blue sky. They waved at the planes overhead and shouted as they passed. And when the aircraft Mike was assigned to came into view, Annie started waving both arms.
“That’s my dad up there!” she shouted, thrilled and proud.
Caught up in the excitement, Alex forgot about his bad leg and bounced in place, tears springing to his eyes. He threw back his head and yelled before he even realized what he was saying.
“Dad—that’s our dad up there!”
The words came straight out of him. Only afterward did he notice that Annie had gone quiet. She stood beside him with a knowing little smile, while Susan turned away from the crowd and quickly wiped tears from her cheeks.
Late that night, after a good dinner at home, a tired but happy Mike sat down beside Alex on the couch. He put an arm around the boy’s narrow shoulders.
“You know,” he began seriously, “every child deserves to grow up in a family. That’s where you learn how to love people, how to look out for each other, how to stand by someone and be stood by in return.”
He paused for a moment, then looked Alex straight in the eye. “Would you like to become a permanent part of our family?”
Alex felt a hot knot rise in his throat and steal his breath…
