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It’s An All-Bro Christmas This Year

12/12/2025

“I don’t know.” Matt said, studying the back seat. “How should I sit?”

The med-tech crouched down to look in. “You want to sit behind Mom here. I’d roll that blanket up and plant it under your sling. Raising that arm up above your heart will help to keep the swelling down on the ride home.”

Gabe popped the trunk. “How about this?” He pulled a cooler chest out and held it up for the Private to see.

“My hero!” The young man gave him a thumbs-up. “Let’s slide that in from your side and we’ll get Corporal Jozsa tucked in for the ride home.”

Jenny grinned at that. She clung to Matt’s good arm. “Corporal Jozsa. Oh, Matt, I’m so proud of you.”

Color rose in Matt’s cheeks as he watched Private Matos and his dad configure the cooler and some blankets into a mobile comfort station.

Before long, they were back on the road.

“Wow, look at you.” His dad looked in the rearview mirror. “Apart from the broken arm, you look great. I guess desert life agrees with you.”

“Thanks.” Matt grinned. “I’m still a fan of trees and grass and… life.”

“Well, of course we’re glad you’re alive, too.” His mom nodded.

“Sure, but I meant signs of life. You know? Squirrels and birds and all the stuff you don’t find in a bunch of windburned rocks.”

“Sure, sure.” His dad smiled. “Even with the rough weather we’ve had the last week or so, they’re still out there poking around for food and everything.”

“Did you make some friends, honey?”

“Sure, I think I told you about Joe. Right? We work together at the Chaplain’s office.”

“Yes, you did. How’s Joe?”

“He’s a character. I tried to get the USO girl sold on him, but no dice.”

“She seemed lonely?” Mom turned around.

“She seemed hung up on me.”

She laughed and turned to face forward. “Who can blame her? You’re the very image of your father. When I saw him in his uniform, I almost lost my mind.”

“So that’s what happened to you?” Dad laughed.

She smacked his arm. “I said almost, wiseacre. You didn’t feel the same way about her?”

“Let me tell you. This girl was an absolute knockout.”

“Pin-up material?” Dad asked.

“And then some.”

“So, what’s the problem?”

“I don’t know. She’s just not the one. I didn’t want to string her along if nothing was going to come of it. You know?”

“That’s very levelheaded of you.” Mom nodded. “A lot of guys would take her for a ride. Especially if she was chasing you.”

“There was no ambiguity about her interest. Say, did you guys get to see my postcard video yet?”

“Boy, did we? Your father recorded it and turned it into a, what was it, Gabe?”

“Yeah, yeah, I made an MP4 and transferred it to an ornament I ordered from Samarkand.”

“What kind of ornament takes an MP4?”

“It’s a sparkly red ball with gold stripes, and it’s got an LED screen and an embedded speaker. You press the button and it will play the MP4. It’s really neat.”

“That sounds cool.”

“Oh, Matthew, you look so handsome in your dress blues. I’ll bet women around the world are fainting dead away when you turn up on their TVs.”

“Not quite the effect I’d hope for, but I guess it’s about the same as Isidore’s voice.”

“What do you mean?” Dad asked.

“When I called you from Germany using the app, the nurse got all excited.”

“Are you sure she wasn’t having the same feelings as this USO girl?” Mom asked.

“No, she was actually pretty grumpy with me, but the minute she heard Isidore talking, I thought she was going to melt.”

Dad laughed and thumped the steering wheel. “Oh, my goodness, I’m so glad to have you home. I’ll bet you’ve got a ton of great stories.”

“I’m glad to be home so I can see how people like my special Christmas presents. I got to meet a real sheikh.”

“A sheikh? Wow. Did he look like Omar Sharif?” Mom asked.

“I don’t know who that is, but he looked like one of those shrunken heads you make out of apples and he had a giant beard. Honestly, I think he could have tucked it into his belt.”

Dad cackled and tried to keep the car steady. “You’re a hoot.”

“That’s what he said.”

“He did not.” Dad’s eyes got big in the rearview mirror. “You’re pulling my leg.”

“Honestly.” Matt shook his head. “The whole thing was surreal. You should have seen him. Turban, robes, giant gold dagger and a beard he could have tripped over. Comes out holding onto his walking stick like Moses with his rod.”

“No kidding, huh?”

“The place was something out of 1001 Arabian Nights. Amazing. Comes out looking like somebody out of the Old Testament and he says, ‘Hey, Ted, it’s been too long. Come on in here with me. The coffee is all ready.’ You could have picked my jaw up off the floor. He tells me to grow a beard and have a dozen kids and I’d be as much a sheikh as him.”

“No way.”

“Yeah, so I said it’s probably easier making kids than affording them and he tells my boss, ‘this kid’s a hoot’.”

“A dozen kids?” Mom gasped. “I wouldn’t be sad about it.”

“If I win the lottery, I’ll give it some serious thought.”

Dad smiled and shook his head. “I’m sorry it took a broken arm to get you home, but I’m glad you’re here, Matt. This is going to be the best Christmas ever.”

Gary trudged in the kitchen door and took off his coat. The highchair was still missing, and there was a sad-looking grilled cheese sandwich sharing a plate with a handful of chips. ‘This is going to be the worst Christmas ever.’

He slid out of his boots and pushed them under the windowsill. Another paper plate in the microwave. Another lonely journey to his bedroom.

‘Lord Jesus, guide me.’

He folded his uniform neatly and deposited it in his hamper. A moment to ponder. Pajamas? Jeans? Stay home? Go out? Take Abby and Teddy? Let her stew?

Paul’s letter to the Romans from Sunday came to him. ‘Now the God of patience and of comfort grant you to be of one mind one towards another, according to Jesus Christ: That with one mind, and with one mouth, you may glorify God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive one another, as Christ also hath received you unto the honor of God.’

“This is getting fixed tonight.” He put on a pair of sweatpants and a warm, baggy sweater. If he had to camp outside her door, he would.

“Abby.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m sorry I upset you, but this has gone on long enough. We can’t live like this.”

“I’ve been packing.”

“What? Where would you go?”

“Don’t know.”

“Why would you go?”

“I’m sad.”

“So am I.” He rested his back against the door.

“You don’t trust me, and you don’t believe me.”

‘Dad, I need to tell you something.’ He sighed. “I’m sorry I made you feel that way. I love you, Abby. Always have. Always will.”

“Then why can’t you just believe me when I say that God is going to fix it when Teddy’s dad gets here?”

“Because I’m not used to miracles. I’ve got you and I’ve got Teddy. That seems like my quota.”

“You promise me.”

“Promise you what?”

“Promise me you’re going to stop looking.”

“I’m your dad.”

“It’s eating you up, and it’s driving me nuts. Stop looking and let the miracle happen. Stop looking or I’ll move out.”

“You expect me to react well to an ultimatum? Don’t you think you’re being unreasonable?”

“Why should I live where I’m not welcome?”

“How are you not welcome? I’ve never said anything that should make you feel unwelcome.”

“Oh, do I know who’s responsible?”

‘Dad, I need to tell you something.’ He recalled. ‘Oh, do I know who’s responsible?’

“Yeah.” She said. He could hear her walking away from the door.

‘What did she want me to say? Hooray, you’re an unwed teen mother? Yay, you won’t tell me who got you this way?’

He heard the knob rattling. He slid away from the door.

She handed Teddy to him. “Teddy wanted to say hi.” Abby stepped over him and walked to the bathroom.

He cradled Teddy in his arms. “Hey, sweetie-face. Mom’s really mad at me, but I love you both so much.”

Teddy fixed his marvelous green eyes on his grandpa, studying his face.

“I can’t imagine what it would be like not having you here, buddy. If your mom’s right and your dad showing up fixes everything, I’m going to be left here all alone.”

Teddy clutched at Gary’s sweater, so he sat the baby up and kissed his head.

“It’s going to be alright, Teddy. Advent is a time for miracles. Even if I think I’ve used up more than my portion, I need to have faith and be patient for what the Lord has in store for us.” He twirled his fingers in the baby’s dark hair.

“Loaves and fishes, Dad.” Abby wrapped her arms around both of them. “Just believe. I know it’s going to get fixed.”

Matt sat in the easy chair next to his dad. His mom had wrapped a few throw pillows in a blanket and propped them under his arm. They were watching some crazy movie about a guy trying to get an action figure for his kid for Christmas.

“A dozen kids, huh?”

Matt lost focus on the movie. “Huh?”

“A dozen kids?”

“That’s what Sheikh Ibrahim said. Daoud said he thought I’d have a dozen wives and a hundred kids.”

“Anything to clinch a sale, huh?”

“Seems like. Got me to buy this shirt.”

“Yeah, that’s cute. Does the smile mean something?”

“It’s Arabic. Says, praise to God.”

“Very nice.” He watched the movie for a moment. “A dozen wives? I can barely cope with your mother.”

“And don’t you forget about it, buster.” She snapped her fingers at him and returned to her crossword puzzle. “Don’t be getting any wild ideas about starting a harem or whatever.”

The front door rattled and Matt started to twist around to see, but the pain in his arm and back convinced him to wait.

“There he is.” Harry strode to his side. “You look comfy. How’s the arm?”

“Thank goodness, they finally put a proper cast on. We stopped over at St. Hedwig’s on the way home. Go here. Go there. The doctor will see to it back home. Gee…”

Harry knelt down to give him a hug. “My God, I’m so glad to see you in one piece. I heard about that explosion on the news. Holy smokes, I thought you were going to be one of those talking heads in a jar or something.”

“If those weirdos had actually put shrapnel in that bomb, I might have been. Easy on the back, buddy. It’s not just the arm.”

“Oh, sorry. What happened to your back?”

Mom pulled a kitchen chair over for Harry to sit beside his big brother.

“When the bookshelf pinned my arm, a bunch of shrink-wrapped Bibles fell all over my neck and shoulders.”

“I helped him with his pain cream, Harry. It looks awful.” Mom sat down and opened her crossword book.

“Wow, sorry.”

“No Izzy?” Matt nestled into the chair.

“We parted ways.” Harry frowned.

“That’s a shame. She was a real sweetie.”

“That’s what all the texts from Martin said.”

“No. She was cheating on you with Martin Malinowski? But he’s a tuba player…”

“Exactly. Ran off with a guy in an Oompa Band. I’m all alone for the holidays.”

“You and me both. It’s an all-bro Christmas this year.”

“Who are you kidding? Girls throw themselves at you like crazy. As soon as you show up in public with that sling, you’ll be mobbed.”

“He’s not wrong, Matt. Tell him about the USO lady.”

“C’mon, Dad.” Matt rolled his eyes.