28 January, Matthew's Villa, City K

Matthew was sitting in the breakfast room, deep in reading the newspapers, when he heard a voice call out "Daddy Matthew."

With that he carefully folded and then placed the newspaper he had been reading beside him on the table and looked up. He saw that Lexi and Dominic had entered the breakfast room, and it was obvious that Dominic was excited to see him.

Dominic flew across the room, and Matthew turned gathering him in his arms for a hug, before asking "What is it Dominic?"

"I missed you."

"I am sorry, but I had to work over the weekend."

"But Uncle Andrew, Uncle Chester and Uncle Phillip do not."

Carefully looking at Dominic, Matthew said "Dominic, do you understand what a solider is?"

"Daddy Matthew, I am not silly. Our teachers have talked to us about the military, soldiers, sailors, pilots and the like. They are people who protect all of us."

Matthew paused, yes, a simple explanation, and that always given to primary school children. But for the discussion he had to have with Dominic. "Dominic, what else did your teacher tell you?"

"People volunteer to be in the military, and they work differently to other people."

Matthew paused and said, "You know your mum and I were friends when we were at school."

"No, I just thought it was Uncle Andrew you were a friend with."

"I was also a friend of your Uncle Andrew, as well as your Uncles Chester, John, Paul and Steven. We grew up together. I was in the same class as your Uncles Andrew, John, Paul and Steven, and your mum was younger than us."

"Oh," came Dominic's interested response.

"Despite being good at school, and that your uncle Phillip wanted me to join his company I decided it was not for me. Your Mummy helped me to something I had wanted to do for a couple of years the day of my eighteenth birthday. I joined the army. At the time your Uncles Andrew, Chester, Phillip, John, Paul and Steven, as well as my parents as well as your grandparents and your Uncles John, Paul and Steven's parents were not very happy with me. Importantly your mummy told me I should do what I felt I had to, so I did not let everyone else's unhappiness stop me."

"What did you do Daddy Matthew?"

"I joined the army. I was lucky that I my initial training was here. As your mummy was a great friend of mine, we spent the time I had free together, until I had to go elsewhere for additional training. At the time your mummy was in her last year of High School, but she kept telling me to do what I wanted. At the time your mummy finished High School I was sent away for close to a year for special training relating to what I do in the military."

"And before you ask, I did not meet your daddy. By the time I came back for a visit, your daddy had died, and your mummy..."

"Had left and went away. Daddy Matthew, mummy, Uncle Chester, Uncle Andrew and Uncle Phillip all have talked to me why mummy did that."

"Dominic, I am still a soldier in the army. Just before your mummy and I met again after so many years and we married, I was sent back here to serve on the base. Why we could live in accommodation I was given there I wanted to live with you and your mummy close to your Uncles Andrew, Chester and Phillip so that if I had to go away, you had them near you. I was given this house by your Uncle Phillip and my grandparents. They died when I was sixteen and my grandfather supported what I wanted to do, so he gave me this house so that always had somewhere to live."

"But what does that have to do with not being home?"

"Being a solider as your teacher told you is about protecting everyone else. That does not stop because it is night-time or a weekend. It means that in doing that I may have to do it at night or on a weekend. As a result, regardless of how much I want to be with you and your mummy, or you want me with you it is not always possible. This weekend was one of those times."

"So, what were you doing?"

Matthew had to pause; Dominic was like most children his age he had met always wanted to know what people were doing. "It might not seem exciting Dominic, but I was going over some information about something that needs to happen. I am not allowed even to tell your mummy more about what I was doing, but it was it was something necessary. It should make things easier for other people."

"OK Daddy Matthew. But I thought soldiers used guns all the time. All the movies with soldiers I have seen pictures of show that."

"Dominic, soldiers know how to use guns, but more importantly we are taught that we should only use them when necessary. Using them all the time is not a good thing. And before you ask, and your mummy has a say something, do not ask me to teach you to use a gun, nor should you ask your Uncle John. Those in the military and the police are the only people who are meant to use guns. Bad people use them, but they are the people your Uncle John and I try to stop."

Seeing Dominic's fascination, Matthew paused and said "How about I talk to your teacher and see if I can organise for you and your classmates to come and have a look around the military base, if my superiors let that happen. And as I have accommodation on base, if your mummy is alright about it we could stay there occasionally so you can spend time with other soldiers children, who do not have a house like we do here."

"Can we mummy that would be so much fun."

Lexi, standing there listening to the conversation became angry with Matthew. He was reeling Dominic in and starting to put her outside their close relationship. That was not acceptable. Nor was trapping her on the military base. At the same time having Dominic comfortable there if things became bad with Richard's parents would ensure his safety.

"Dominic you need to have your breakfast, and I will have to have someone take you to school. Your Daddy Matthew and I have some things to talk about, and that can be one of them."

"OK Mummy." With that Dominic sat down and quickly had his breakfast before one of Matthew's assigned guards came in to take him to school.

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