AJ
nodded
his
head
excitedly.
“Yes,
I’d
like
that.”
“And
I’d
like
that
too.
We’ll
discuss
it
with
your
mother
and
see
what
her
feelings
are
on
the
matter,
all
right?”
“All
right.”
They
stared
at
each
other
as
the
reality
of
what
had
taken
place
revolved
around
them.
Then
AJ
asked
quietly,
“And
may
I
call
you
Dad?”
Dare’s
chest
tightened,
his
throat
thickened
and
he
became
filled
with
emotions
to
overpowering
capacity.
He
knew
he
would
remember
this
moment
for
as
long
as
he
lived.
What
AJ
was
asking,
and
so
soon,
was
more
than
he
could
ever
have
hoped
for.
He
had
prayed
for
this.
A
smile
dusted
across
his
face
as
parental
pride
and
all
the
love
he
felt
for
the
child
standing
in
front
of
him
poured
forth.
“Yes,
you
can
call
me
Dad,”
he
said,
as
he
reached
out
and
pulled
his
son
to
him,
needing
the
contact
of
father
to
son,
parent
to
offspring,
Westmoreland
to
Westmoreland.
They
shared
a
hug
of
acceptance,
affirmation
and
acknowledgement
as
Dare
fought
back
the
tears
in
his
eyes.
“I’d
be
honored
for
you
to
call
me
that,”
he
said
in
a
strained
voice.
Moments
later,
Dare
sighed,
thinking
his
mission
should
have
been
completed,
but
it
wasn’t.
Now
that
he
had
his
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