Romeo mustered a shy smile, one that felt painfully awkward on his usually confident face.He extended a hand toward Captain Reinhart, his heart pounding in his chest. "Good afternoon, sir," he greeted, as his voice was almost trembling.Captain Reinhart glanced at Romeo's outstretched hand but ignored it, as his expression remained stern. "Afternoon," he replied curtly, as his eyes bore into that of Romeo's. There was no recognition yet, and Romeo prayed that such would be the case at this point in time.Romeo quickly retracted his hand and stepped back, trying to maintain a respectful posture. Helen, unaware of the tension bubbling beneath the surface, beamed at both men. "Dad, this is Romeo," she introduced brightly. "Romeo, this is my father, Captain Reinhart."The captain gave a curt nod and moved toward the living room, his crutches making soft thuds on the hardwood floor. He lowered himself onto the sofa with a grimace, clearly pained by the effort. Helen fussed over him for
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