We Make Them Go Ooh-Rah

Chapter 61: You Always Get Your Way Little Man

Cooper had Hunter’s hand as they worked out of the now dark room. The nurse smiled at him and handed him a folder. “Here you go Marine.” She smiled. Cooper looked inside the folder and smiled.

“Thank you Ma’am.” He said slipping the folder in his kit. He picked up Hunter as they walked out.

“Daddy, where are we going?” Hunter asked as Cooper strapped him into the truck.

“I want to get Mommy a gift and I want your help.” He smiled at Hunter in the mirror as he drove to the board walk. Hunter was playing with some toys I always kept in the back seat of the truck fro when he wanted to play. Cooper got out and took Hunter with him. He walked into the tattoo parlor.

“Cooper, I was wondering when you would be coming in.” A guy behind the desk smiled. Hunter snuggled into his father not really knowing what else to do. “Now who is this little guy?”

“This is my son, Hunter.” Cooper smiled. Hunter gave a little wave before snuggling his head back in Cooper’s shoulder.

“Did you bring the hand prints?” The guy asked taking out the folder. One piece of paper had Ryan’s foot and hand prints with an R on the bottom and the other had TJ’s hand and foot prints with a T at the bottom.  “Perfect, do you have the other two?” Cooper took out his wallet and took out a folded piece of paper. As he unfolded it you could see the hand prints Hunter ad I made for Cooper. It was a project he saw on TV and wanted to do. Under it I wrote ‘always with you and never apart, maybe in distance, but never in heart.’ “Good, you have everything. Now I just need about 30 minutes to draw theses up for you, than you can have these tattooed on you.” He smiled. Cooper smiled.

“Thanks again man.” Cooper shook his hand. “See you in about an hour, me and little man are going to get something to eat.” Hunter snuggled in Cooper’s neck. “See you soon.” He called as they walked back to the car. Hunter looked at store and patted his father’s cheek.

“Daddy lets go there.” He said almost jumping out of his arms. Cooper put him down and watched as he ran to an animal shelter. Cooper ran after him and grabbed him as he opened the door.

“Don’t run away buddy, I don’t want you to get lost.” Hunter looked up at him.

“I’m sorry Daddy. Can we go look at the Kitties?” He asked looking up at the sign that said ‘Cats’ on it. Cooper smiled and put Hunter down taking his hand and walked down the lane of kittens and cats. Hunter ran to one and looked at the cat sitting in it. “Daddy look, look Daddy.” He pointed to the spotted cat licking at his little fingers. “Aw daddy look at him. He is so cute.” Hunter gasped at Cooper. Cooper looked at the cat purring and rubbing his side on Hunter’s little fingers so he could pet him.

“His name is Hero.” He said looking at the little information carded in the corner of the small cage on the floor. “His owner…” He read that his owner was killed in Iraq and had no one to take the little guy in. The sailor got hero after he got wounded and Hero saved him from himself; hence the Hero as a name. Sadly the sailor later died when we was sent to Iraq, were he was killed by an IED. Cooper took a deep breath.

“Daddy, what happened to his owner?” Hunter asked looking at his father.

“He went away.” He said quickly. He looked back at the cat that was looking at him with an ‘I know you want to help me’ look.  Cooper sighed.

“Daddy can we get him, oh please Daddy. Mommy would love him. Oh please, please Daddy.” Hero purred at Cooper.

“Okay fine. Let’s go fine someone who works here. You little bugger.” Hunter giggled hugging his father. Cooper found a shelter worker and smiled at him. “Hi I want to adopt a cat.” The guy smiled at him.

“You can come with me.” He walked to a desk and sat down. “So who were you looking at?” He asked. Cooper held Hunter on his lap.

“We were looking at Hero.” The guy started to smile. “My son just loved him so I guess he can have a friend.” The guy nodded.

“Hero is great with Kids.” He nodded.

“What about babies? You think he will be okay with them?” The guy nodded.

“He should be. He never had a problem before so he should be fine.” The guy nodded. “So you’re a marine?” He asked as he got out some papers.

“Yes Sir and my son can’t wait to get the little cat.” He smiled. Hunter nodded from where he sat on his father’s lap. The guy smiled.

“I bet you can’t buddy. But you can’t take him till tomorrow. I’m sorry buddy.” Hunter made a Cooper frown.

“Don’t worry buddy. We can pick him up tomorrow as we take mommy home.” Hunter looked up.

“Okay Daddy.” He sighed. The guy handed Cooper some papers.

“All you have to do is sigh this and Hero is yours.” Cooper read over the adoption papers before sighing them. “That’s it. You can come any time tomorrow to pick him up.” He smiled standing up and shaking his hand. “Also thank you for serving our country.” Cooper smiled and took Hunter outside.

“You always get your way little man. Always.” He laughed. Hunter smiled. They walked back to the tattoo place after stopping to get Hunter lunch to go. The tattoo guy smiled as they came in.

“I was wondering when you two would get back.” He laughed showing Cooper his idea for the tattoo.

“Perfect. Hunter ran into the shelter and now we have a cat.” He laughed sitting Hunter down on a chair next to a table by the tattoo table.

“Okay Cooper shirt off, I need you to sit so we can get this done with so you can get back to your wife and babies.” The guy smiled………….