Nerd Paladin, Level Up! | File 016 (Lv. Remix): Hope

Every hour, the antique clock in the living room would ding.

Ding.

Ding.

Ding.

Twelve times. Midnight. It is quite comforting once you get used to it.

Quietly, I stepped out of the master bedroom I lovingly share with my wife, Odelia. She’s had quite the productive Monday. An elementary school teacher’s work is never done. Spring break will be starting very soon for the students. An entire month off. Goodness, I wish I had that kind of time off when I was enrolled in grade school. The academic standards of Berlin, Germany are quite different from Toronto, Canada. It was also so long ago.

I flipped the switch for the hallway light to illuminate the darkness. As I made my way down the hall, I stopped at the base of the stairs and glanced up. I could hear the sound of a conversation behind a closed door and I tilted my head. Placing my hand on the smooth, wooden rail of the stairs, I ascend to the second floor of the house and look to the right. No light. No sound.

Mein Sohn’s bedroom.

I still remember when Mr. Emile Trenton came over to our house and asked for Zachary. He was interviewing my son, going over his sample gallery and video demo, and right then and there… He offered Zachary a job in Trenton Modeling Industries, New York City. He was eighteen years old and on the verge of graduating from high school in June. This was the perfect opportunity to kickstart his career. Odelia and I were so proud of him. It was hard for my wife to let her “little boy” go, but it was the chance he needed to live his dream.

Looking to my left, far down the hallway, I saw an ever-changing light underneath the door.

Mein Tochter's bedroom.

The sound of a commanding woman resonated from here and I could make out the words.

“Faster, ladies! Come on. My grandmother has more life in her, God rest her soul. Move it!”

I made my way over with the softest steps and pressed my ear against the door.

“You’re not really thinking of picking Rogers, are you?”

“I’m more than just thinking about it. He is the clear choice.”

“When you brought a ninety-pound asthmatic onto my army base, I let it slide. I thought “What the hell.” Maybe he’d be useful to you, like a gerbil. I never thought you’d pick him.”

“Up!”

“You stick a needle in that kid’s arm, it’s gonna go right through him.”

-“Come on, girls!”
-“Look at that. He’s making me cry.”

“I am looking for qualities beyond the physical.”

Even in my age, I knew where this was from. It’s only one of mein Tochter’s favorite movies of all time. Captain America: The First Avenger.

Ironic, wasn’t it? I could hear my father laughing within the depths of my mind. “If zis actually happened in Vorld Var II, I vould have enjoyed ze sight of un American man in a spangly outfit kicking Nazi ass!” At least, that is what I believe he would say if he ever saw this movie.

God rest his soul.

“Do you know how long it took to set up this project? All the groveling I had to do in front of Senator What’s-His-Name committees?”

“Brandt. Yes, I know. I am well aware of your efforts.”

“Then throw me a bone. Hodge passed every test we gave him. He’s big. He’s fast. He obeys orders. He’s a soldier.”

“He is a bully.”

“You don’t win wars with niceness, doctor. You win wars with guts.”

Ah, the pulling of the pin from the grenade and then throwing it into the group of brand new soldiers-in-training before the yell…

“Grenade!”

Everyone scatters. Even the commanding officers retreat. ...Except for the young, small, and fragile Steve Rogers. He dives for the grenade, maneuvers his body to cover it like a shell, and he tucks his body in. He does this to minimize the incoming explosion.

“Get away!”

...If there was an explosion.

“Get back!”

It was only a dummy grenade. It is quite the revealing scene in the movie. Someone so tiny was willing to sacrifice their own life to save everyone else. Someone everyone saw as weak and powerless… showed the best qualities of a human being.

With a smile on my face, I opened the door to my daughter’s room and see her laying on stomach, on the bed and in her Sailor Moon pajamas. She was a bit surprised to see me when she did, lowering the volume of the television with the remote. She turned over to sit up on the bed and shyly smiled at me.

“I know it’s a school night, papa, but I noticed it was playing on FX and…”

“It’s alright, Jessica.”

I chuckled and moved my right hand to the light switch. Picking up on this, she closed her eyes and covered her face with one of her many, many pillows. I smiled and turned the light on, then I walked over and took a seat on the edge of the bed next to her. She lowered her pillow, opened her eyes, and tilted her head.

“Papa, I thought you were sound asleep? Don’t you have work in the morning?”

“Actually, I have ze day off… und so do you.”

“Huh?”

She was genuinely confused. All I did was smile and press on.

“Is my first day off in a vhile, ja? So I called ze school and personally asked them to excuse you for your birthday.”

Her soft blue eyes lit up with excitement. I’ve never had the day off on my daughter’s birthday. I always had to celebrate it before or after. She smiled and hugged me tightly, then I wrapped my arms around her.

“Und zhat is just the beginning, Jessica. There’s more.”

“Really?”

“Ja, mein Tochter! There are many presents vaiting for you to be opened after a trip to Canada’s Vonderland--”

“Canada’s Wonderland! Ohmygosh, really?!”

She was so excited, giggling and bouncing in my arms. I couldn’t help but laugh as I looked into her eyes. I drew my right arm back so I could push my glasses up with a finger.

“A father-daughter birthday, just you und me. But before anything and everything else, there is something I vant you to have. I’ll be right back.”

She let me go with the cutest little smile on her face and I rose from the bed. I made my way to the hallway closet, opened the door, and reached up to the high level. I brought down a strange circular-shaped present wrapped up and tied with a red, white, and blue bow. She had moved on the bed to be able to see me bring this gift to her. Setting it in her hands, she was a bit shocked by how heavy it was.

“Whoa! What is this?”

“Open it und find out, mein Herz.”

Jessica was very careful to remove the bow. It was quite colorful and unique. The wrapping paper itself, on the other hand, was destroyed and her eyes grew wide.

It was an authentic, genuine Captain America Shield. Every detail. Real metal. Not Vibranium, but let the imagination change that.

“Papa, this is… ohmygosh…”

Her voice was already breaking from the emotions. She looked up to me, the shock and awe in her eyes, but the shock seemed to be overtaking the awe.

“...Wait, I remember how much this cost--”

“The price did not matter to me.”

I had to cut her off. I did not want her to begin experiencing guilt, not on her seventeenth birthday. That would not do.

“Your happiness did. You vere concerned when my work schedule at ze Toronto General Hospital became busier und busier, ja? You had nothing to vorry about. After two years of vatching your hope to be like your favorite Marvel superhero stay strong, I finally decided it vas time.

Happy Birthday, mein Tochter.”

I saw the tears of joy well up in her eyes. She drew her right hand over the front of the shield before she carefully turned it over. The genuine leather straps were spacious enough to allow her to slip her right arm through them. Looking up to me, she let the tears spill down her cheeks as she giggled happily and threw her arms around me. She hugged me tightly, bracing the shield, and I returned the embrace just as tightly.

“This is your shield, Jessica. Your symbol of hope, love, und justice. I vant you to carry it with your heart. Let it be your strength.”

I could feel her shivering in pure excitement. She slightly pulled away from my arms, but still, keep our hug intact. Looking up, she allowed me to see the sparkle in her eyes. She was the happiest she’s been in quite some time.

“Papa, you are my strength.”

My baby blue eyes widen, shocked in awe of her words. But the shield…

“I love you, papa. Danke. Vielen dank.”

The biggest smile crossed my face. I hugged her tight and gently placed my right hand on the back of her head. My little girl… there will be a day when I have to let her go, just like Odelia let Zachary go. One more year and she will be eighteen. That is when I believe she will be ready to meet her older half-sister for the very first time… It is my life’s greatest dream to unite my entire family.

Jessica.

Zachary.

Everalda.

Odelia.

And me.

...But that is far from today. Today, for the very first time, I am going to celebrate my daughter’s birthday with everything I have to give.

“I love you too, Jessica. With all my heart.”