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house upon his return to the States. Not waited almost six months.
He stepped into the diner and looked around as everyone seemed to turn to check out
the newcomer. The waitress smiled and waved for him to follow her. Of course she d known
he was the outsider who was having breakfast with the McDougal s.
PHYSICAL THERAPY Carol Lynne
75
When he reached the table, both Connie and George stood. He was immediately
embraced by two thin arms.
It s so nice to finally meet you. Danny talked about you in every letter home. Connie
pulled back and looked up into Matt s face. It almost feels like I already know you.
Matt saw the tears shimmer in her brown eyes as she stepped back enough for George
to approach. George s hand stretched out towards him. Good to have you here, he said.
Matt shook the older man s hand. Nice to meet you both.
George gestured to the table. Would you like a cup of coffee?
Yes, please, he said, and turned the cup on the table upright.
Connie started to say something but stopped and covered her mouth. She picked up her
over-sized purse and dug out a tissue as she started to cry.
Matt s gut twisted. He prayed he d make it through their meal without falling to his
knees and begging the McDougal s for their forgiveness.
PHYSICAL THERAPY Carol Lynne
76
Chapter Twelve
Matt refused George s offer to accompany him to the cemetery. Even though he d no
doubt have to scour the area for Danny s grave, it was something he needed to do alone.
Connie had shared with him several of Danny s letters home and they still weighed heavily
on his mind.
No wonder these people treated him like a hero. Danny had made him sound so much
better than he really was. His friend even went as far as to tell his parents Matt was like a
brother to him.
Matt got out of the car and tucked the well-travelled album under his arm. Did brothers
have dreams of kissing each other? Of holding each other when the night skies were lit up
with fire?
He started slowly down the first row of the northeast section. George had told him
that s where he d find Danny s final resting place. He didn t have to walk far before spotting
it. Up ahead was a headstone surrounded with flowers and other trinkets he couldn t
distinguish from his location. It had to be Danny s though. The numerous American flags
planted on the newly grown grass.
Stepping up, Matt looked down Daniel Eugene McDougal Eugene? He couldn t help
but to smile. Had he known that was Danny s middle name he would ve done a whole lot
more teasing.
Knowing he d be there a while, Matt sat cross legged on the ground. He chuckled at the
Miller Lite beer bottles, no doubt left by his numerous friends. He remembered Danny being
shocked that Matt had never heard of the tradition. Now, as he looked at the surrounding
headstones, he could see for himself what Danny had talked about. There were trinkets left
on several graves, everything from beer to little statues. He even spotted a box of donuts on
one. Danny s had more than any of them. You re a very popular guy, Daniel Eugene
McDougal, he said.
He picked up a snapshot pressed between two pieces of plastic laminate. He recognised
the location. It was a picture of Danny in The Oasis surrounded by his friends. They were all
PHYSICAL THERAPY Carol Lynne
77
holding up beers in an apparent toast. The sign in the background signifying Danny s going
away party.
Matt wiped the moisture from his eyes. I met most of your buddies at the bar. Nice
people. His nose started to drip and he wiped it with the bottom of his shirt. It takes a hell
of a guy to have friends like that.
I bet they wouldn t have let you down the way I did. He cleared his throat and leaned the
picture against the black granite base.
He glanced at the book in his lap and knew he d put it off as long as he could. I guess
you can see that I brought your book back. Is that why you ve been haunting my dreams?
Because I stole it.
He opened the album to the last section. I finished that honeymoon itinerary you
wanted. I got to thinking about it, and decided you and Julie should see all the things we
were over there fighting for.
Matt held the pages up to the gravestone. I thought maybe you should start out in
Philadelphia and work your way to Washington DC. I tried to fit a side trip to Mount
Rushmore in there, but well, South Dakota isn t a side trip to anywhere.
He closed the book and laid it in the grass. I thought I d give it to Julie when I have
dinner with her later. I know it would ve gone to her anyway. I& I just needed a piece of you
for a while.
Matt shook his head, the tears flowing freely down his cheeks. Who am I kidding? I
wanted a piece of you forever. I loved you, Danny. I m ashamed of myself for it. You were
one of the few guys who knew about me. But you never treated me differently, not once, and
I took advantage of that friendship and fell in love.
He put his hands on top of the headstone and placed a kiss to the cold granite. There
was so much more he wanted to say, but he knew he couldn t go on without completely
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