of metal on metal that was likely a flagpole of some kind. The sound of wheels grinding over cement was probably from a gate being opened, presumably to allow the girls to leave the school grounds. And the girls… I could hear their laughter and the tapping of their shoes on the ground. My nose was picking up various floral scents, so I knew we were likely surrounded by a variety of plants and flowers. There was traffic moving slowly up and down the street behind us, so I knew we were still in the city. All those little things were just puzzle pieces that I had to put together to form that picture in my head… the ones my eyes could no longer see on their own.
"She's so beautiful, Lex. Her hair looks darker. The last time I saw it, it was brown, but now it looks like it has some red in it. She's gotten taller, too. She looks so grown up. She's holding hands with another girl. They're both laughing."
Gideon continued to share everything with me in great detail. I never tired of how he looked at things. There were times now and again that I wished I could've seen some of his old photographs, but when I'd had him show me the ones he had on his phone, he’d described them in the very way he’d wanted people to see them, to feel them. I didn't know what the future held for either of us, but I hoped that his love of exploring the world would be a part of it.
It wasn't until Gideon's voice slowed and then stopped altogether that I knew the moment of truth had come. I didn't need a running narration to know that Emma had finally spotted her father. The hitch in Gideon's breath and the way he held my hand was proof of that. I struggled to tune out the sounds around me. It took some doing, but when I heard a young girl's voice call out "Daddy?" in disbelief, I knew I'd managed it.
"Lex," Gideon said softly.
"Go," I told him and then I dropped his hand because I knew that was what he was waiting for. He was afraid to leave me there by myself, but at the moment, his daughter needed him more. And I wasn't afraid. Even if I couldn't necessarily keep track of where Gideon was, I knew he'd always come back to me. He'd always find me.
I stood completely still and zeroed in on Gideon's heavier footsteps as he moved away from me.
"Daddy!" I heard Emma sob.
Gideon's footsteps quickened and I knew he was running. The chattering of all the girls that had been around us as they’d left school suddenly died down and I knew that meant Gideon and his daughter had an audience for their reunion. But I doubted if either of them noticed. Not with Emma sobbing like she was and Gideon murmuring to her. He was close enough to hear, but not close enough that I could make out the actual words. But it didn't matter because I knew he was comforting his daughter and telling her how much he loved her and that he'd missed her and how sorry he was.
I knew that because I knew Gideon.
I couldn't say how long the embrace between Gideon and Emma lasted because I lost track of them briefly when the girls around me began moving again. Eventually, the schoolyard emptied out enough that I was once again able to pick up on Gideon's voice. I smiled to myself when I realized Emma was introducing him to her girlfriend. I could hear the nervousness as well as the defiance in Emma's voice as she spoke. I wanted to tell her that the man in front of her would never, ever judge her, but she'd see that for herself soon enough. She'd discover a lot of truths about her father that she'd never known.
When I heard footsteps coming my direction, I tried to turn my attention that way. It was still disorienting not to be able to focus on any one thing in particular. My vision was just too far gone for that and I no longer bothered trying to identify any specific shapes. Sounds were easier for me to pick up on if I didn’t.
"Lex, I want you to meet someone," Gideon said as his fingers intertwined with mine. There was no missing the stark joy in his voice or the hint of tension