Sarah hurried through the terminal doors, shutting the oily gasoline street odors out behind her, but the odor lingered in her nostrils. A taxi driver leaned on his horn, causing a barrage of musical honks and beeps to erupt in response. Traffic is unreal in this city. Glad I don’t live down here. Hope I’m not too late. She scanned the luminescent boards announcing arrivals and departures. Blinking lights caught her attention. Flight 4055 - Delayed. Phew. Never thought I’d be glad to see that word.
Waiting in line at the security check-point took almost ten minutes. Clearing security took five more. She glanced up at the board. Still delayed. Reaching the arrival lounge, she collapsed in a seat by the window.
A lady with frosted purple highlights through her grey hair smiled at her. “Waiting for your soldier to come home, Dearie?”
Sarah nodded and forced a fragile smile in response, uncertain if she could carry on a conversation without bursting into tears.
A voice crackled over the intercom. “Flight 4055 is now landing. Passengers will disembark in approximately thirty minutes, as there is a delay on clearing the runways for taxiing to the terminal. We apologize for the -"
Sarah wasn’t listening. Reaching into her purse she pulled out the thick envelope. Hands shaking, she sorted the dated letters inside. Opening the first one, she read -
“Hi Baby,
Man it’s so hot over here. It gets to 120 degrees by nine in the morning. You burn in the shade. Which reminds me - I miss you so much. Only got a few minutes to write. We have to get ready for our next mission.
All my love,
Kurt.”
An insistent wailing cry interrupted her thoughts. Looking up, she noticed a young mother trying to calm a red-faced infant, wrapped in a blanket of red, white and blue.
“Sorry,” the young mother said, glancing in Sarah's direction. She clucked and cooed at the baby some more.
Sarah shook her head. “It’s okay, he’s beautiful." Noting the blue socks poking out underneath the blanket. she added, “How old is he?”
“Six months."
“He’s a cutie,” Sarah said, watching the infant now busy mouthing the pacifier his mother offered. “My little brother is only six.”
“I can’t imagine Hunter being six,” the woman said. “I’d better go change him, before it's too late. Excuse me.”
As the young mother walked away, Sarah closed her eyes, remembering Kurt’s last phone call. They’d talked about having children. She could still hear the pride in his voice.
“I want ten children - nine daughters as beautiful as you, and one son,” Kurt joked.
“Why only one son?”
“Because when they make him, they’ll have to break the mold, just like they did after I was born."
She’d laughed as hard as he did. Those calls were always too short.
Opening the second letter, she began to read.
“My dearest Sarah,
The rainy season started. These damn tents leak. Can you believe it? I miss you so much. Only four months now until we come home. Can’t wait to see you. I think about home all the time. I’ve made some good buddies. One of them is Luke. He’s my right hand man, Baby. We can joke around but I know he’s always looking out for my back. That means something over here.
Gotta go,
All my love,
Kurt”
Tears filled her eyes. Stop it. Be strong. You’ve gotta be strong for him. He doesn’t need some weeping female here to greet him who can’t control herself. He’s been through too much already.
Dabbing her eyes with a tissue from her handbag, she folded up the letter and tucked it away. The next letter waited. She took it out and tried to focus on the shaking page in her hands.
“Dearest Sarah,
We leave today for a five day mission. They split me and Luke up. God only knows why! This is our last mission before we come home, Baby. Can you believe that? Anyway I’m teamed up with another guy, Alex. He’s okay, really. Married with two kids, so I might see if I can get some good tips from him while we’re on the road. LOL. Can’t wait to see you!! I’ll try to call when I get back from the mission, but you know what those dang phones are like. Two lines and two hundred guys all waiting to phone home!”
LOVE YOU,
Kurt.”
Taking a deep breath, she placed it under the second letter. Both letters arrived in the same envelope that day. Biting her lip, she looked down at the crumpled paper and smoothed it with trembling hands.
"My beloved Sarah,
If you are reading this, I’m not coming home. But you will know that by the time you read these words. Baby, I’m so sorry for the pain you’re feeling. I gave this letter to Luke. He swore to me on his grave he would mail this to you, if anything happened to me. Baby, he’s a good guy. We have so much in common; some of the guys think we’re brothers.
Luke was going to college before we got called up. Ha! So much for two weeks a year, one weekend a month. Training to be a doctor. Now, doesn’t that make you laugh? You being a nurse and all. I’m not saying you have to hook up with him, but seeing I can’t be your husband - I told him to take care of you. He’s under an oath of honor to either marry you himself or make sure the S.O.B. who does, looks after you like a princess. I mean it! You deserve the very best.
Damn, this is hard to write, sweetheart. But I keep thinking how much I’d want you to read it, if it does happen. Freaky to think it did happen, if you are seeing this. Baby, I know you’re crying. I know you so well. But I need you to do something very important for me. Please.
Go to the airport the day Luke comes home. It’ll be like you’re welcoming me home too. Luke’s parents were killed in a car accident two years ago. His girlfriend cheated on him and sent him a Dear-John letter when we'd only been gone three weeks. I told him he should have a girl like you - loyal and faithful. I know you love me and you’d never do that! Should be illegal when guys are over here, busting their asses to keep our country safe.
What the heck. Sarah, if you’re reading this, you both have no one. I love you all the way to the moon and back, remember? I always will. When you look up at the stars each night, remember I’m one of them, shining down on you. Man, I hope I get to come home and burn this. But if not - if you are reading this- I want you to go on. You’re only twenty.
So meet him for me, will you babe? I know it will be hard, but you can do it.
Welcome him back, and just know I’ll be smiling down on you from up above. I hope. Naw, just kidding, I’ll be up there.
Love You,
Kurt.
PS Here’s a photo of the two of us horsing around. My buddy, Matt took it. Just so you know what he looks like when he gets there."
Ink smudged the paper as fresh tears fell. Blotting it with her sleeve, she looked up as cheers and whistles erupted around the room. Soldiers were walking off the plane.
Wrapping the pages around the photo, she shoved them in her bag and searched the crowded lounge.
A young man was heading her way.
She rose from her seat to meet him as he spoke.
“Sarah?”
“Luke?”
“Yes.” He gave her a warm smile, his eyes sparkling with tears, like hers.
Holding out her arms, she stepped forward into his embrace.
“Welcome home, Soldier. Welcome home.”
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