I stared out the window. I watched as my breath fogged up the glass. It was a cold, rainy morning.The kind of day that made you feel blue inside.And I felt especially blue today. She liked them, I remembered. She lived for days like this. How long had it been since she left? Six? Seven? I decided it was about eight years since she left for the war. Yes, because Arielle had been five years old at the time. Sierra worked at the base just outside of the town. She was in the Air Force. I remember Sierra and I talking. She said that the military needed her to serve as the Army was losing more and more soldiers. She said she needed to go. I nodded in agreement. If anyone I knew could serve this country, it was Sierra.
The day she left was painful. It tore me apart that there could be a chance that this was last day I would see her. But I didn't want to believe that. "Be safe soldier", I saluted.
"No worries sir", she playfully joked back. She gave a tearful smile as she bravely marched down the tunnel and into the plane. I weakly smiled back. She'll be fine, I thought. She'll be safe. She's Sierra.
I've tried not to worry about her too much. But it terrified me everyday. The thought of her being out there in war. No protection. No warning. Just the hopes of that everything you learned in training, would pay off. What was she doing? Was she ever frightened? I didn't know because it had been about two to three months since I got a letter from her. Usually she sent the kids and I a monthly letter, updating us on what was going on. But I was still waiting for one. And this petrified me even more. But I shouldn't be too worried. After all, she is the best Captain I know.
I was still deep in thought when Blake walked in.
"Dad, my game is cancelled", Blake stated.
"I figured", I chuckled.
"So is it cool if I go hang at the mall for a while?", Blake asked.
"Sure, just be back in time for dinner", I sighed.With that he strutted out the room and through the door. I smiled when Arielle pranced into the room.
"Hey daddy!", she said with glee. I waved at her as she bounced onto my lap.
"I need help braiding my hair", she stated with embarrassment. I could see the flustered look on her face.
"It's ok honey, most thirteen year olds have trouble doing their own hair", I tried.
"I know", she shrugged as if hearing it for the millionth time. I gently braided her thick, wavy hair. I was careful not to tug too hard. She winced a little. I loosened my grip. After I finished, she slowly rose off my lap and turned to go. I could sense that something was wrong. Arielle was never this quiet.
"Arielle", I sighed. She faced me without saying a word. Tears were in her eyes. "What's wrong?", I tried. She shook her head. "Arielle", I argued. She looked down in misery. She was upset now. "I miss mom", she weeped. I suddenly felt her pain. It was very close to Christmas, otherwise Sierra's birthday. It was holiday we all spent together. But we were miles apart. I rose from my seat and took Arielle back into my arms. For a while, I just rocked her back and forth in my arms. Her sobs began to fade. She only sniffed now.
"She'll be back", I promised.
"Really. When?", she choked. I fell silent. I couldn't answer her. I wasn't so sure either.With that, she rose and drearily trailed off down the hall. I once again, leaned back into my chair. I had a lot on my mind right now. I don't know what to do at all. So I sat, and waited for an answer. But nothing came. I decided it would be best if I rested for a little while. I silently strode over to the couch where I drifted off to sleep.
I woke up a few hours later. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and walked over to Arielle's room. Sleep. She must have had the same idea as me, I thought happily. I smiled and walked to Blake's room. I opened the door. Empty. Great, I thought. He must've still been out. I sighed heavily and began to fix dinner.
Dinner was quiet. No response from anyone. Arielle never said a thing. I couldn't get her to talk. And Blake on the other hand only made small talk. Every now and then I tried to make conversation, but I received no response. After finishing, Arielle dropped her dishes in the sink, and sulked off to her room. I couldn't help but wince when I heard the door slam.
"So what happened this time?", Blake jokingly asked with a smirk on his face.
"Nothing", I bleakly responded.
"Yeah, right."
"What?"
"When are you gonna stop lying to her?", Blake aggressively questioned. "I never lied to her", I said. "She just wants her mom home."
"Yeah, so do I but we all know mom isn't coming back anytime soon!", he sourly shot back.
"Blake, she's just as upset as you are", I reasoned. "Don't give her such a hard time."
"Who cares?", Blake scoffed. He leaped up from the table and stomped out of the room. I now sat at the table alone. I then ascended from the table and went straight to washing the dishes.
I could hardly sleep. Blake's words and Arielle's tears were chilling me to the bone. I felt awful. I didn't know what to do and neither did they. I felt so lost and hopeless. What was I to do? I gazed up at the ceiling.
"Come home", I silently pleaded. "We need you." And with those final words, I rolled over and drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, I woke up late. Good thing it's Saturday, I laughed. It was about noon. I checked Blake's room. Gone. Arielle was still sleep, her usual Saturday. I walked back into the living room. I felt the urge to check. Just one more time. I slid my slippers on and walked out the door.As I approached the mailbox I thought,What if there's nothing again? Did she forget? I tried not to get to worked up. I opened the mailbox with high hopes. Bills, ads, junk as usual. But there was something else. I slowly reached for the hidden little envelope and observed it. At the top of the envelope, signed in neat cursive, was Sierra. My heart stopped for a moment. I felt so relieved that she was ok. I literally tore the letter open. She started with her normal greetings and updates. But close to the bottom, I noticed she needed me to pick up her friend, Carrie, from the airport. I wasn't too thrilled at the idea but I agreed in my head to do it anyway.The flight information and schedule was in front of me. It wasn't the greatest news in the world, but I was delighted that she was safe. As I walked back up the driveway, I held the note close to my heart.
About a week later, I prepared to go pick up Sierra's friend, Carrie from the airport. "Gate 27. 12:30 p.m.," I repeated to myself, "C'mon!", I urged the kids to get in the car. Arielle rushed over and into the backseat while Blake took as much time as he wanted. I raised my eyebrows at him as he climbed into the passenger seat. As soon as we were locked and loaded, I drove quickly to the airport to make sure I wasn't late. Only ten minutes till the flight lands, I thought as we sat at the gate. Sooner or later, the plane landed. We watched as the passengers rolled their luggage away. I stood and looked for Carrie. But instead, I got the surprise of my life. Standing five feet away from me was my beloved Sierra. Her short brown hair tied neatly in a bun, her cap worn proudly on her head, and her lucent eyes igniting my heart. She gave me a smile. That same tearful smile she gave me the day she left. But this time it was a joyful smile. She nearly dropped her luggage and rushed into my arms. I held her close in my arms. I stroked her head as she cried happy tears. "Welcome home soldier," I grinned.
"Great to see you sir", she happily cried.We turned just in time to see Arielle and a Blake's shocked faces. They ran into our arms and tightly squeezed the both of us.They were too speechless to say anything. They only cried their joyful tears. We could hear the cheering and the clapping around us. I kissed Sierra on the cheek. She smiled. "Let's go home", she whispered. She grabbed her luggage and we all strode out the airport. I finally had my best friend back.
The day she left was painful. It tore me apart that there could be a chance that this was last day I would see her. But I didn't want to believe that. "Be safe soldier", I saluted.
"No worries sir", she playfully joked back. She gave a tearful smile as she bravely marched down the tunnel and into the plane. I weakly smiled back. She'll be fine, I thought. She'll be safe. She's Sierra.
I've tried not to worry about her too much. But it terrified me everyday. The thought of her being out there in war. No protection. No warning. Just the hopes of that everything you learned in training, would pay off. What was she doing? Was she ever frightened? I didn't know because it had been about two to three months since I got a letter from her. Usually she sent the kids and I a monthly letter, updating us on what was going on. But I was still waiting for one. And this petrified me even more. But I shouldn't be too worried. After all, she is the best Captain I know.
I was still deep in thought when Blake walked in.
"Dad, my game is cancelled", Blake stated.
"I figured", I chuckled.
"So is it cool if I go hang at the mall for a while?", Blake asked.
"Sure, just be back in time for dinner", I sighed.With that he strutted out the room and through the door. I smiled when Arielle pranced into the room.
"Hey daddy!", she said with glee. I waved at her as she bounced onto my lap.
"I need help braiding my hair", she stated with embarrassment. I could see the flustered look on her face.
"It's ok honey, most thirteen year olds have trouble doing their own hair", I tried.
"I know", she shrugged as if hearing it for the millionth time. I gently braided her thick, wavy hair. I was careful not to tug too hard. She winced a little. I loosened my grip. After I finished, she slowly rose off my lap and turned to go. I could sense that something was wrong. Arielle was never this quiet.
"Arielle", I sighed. She faced me without saying a word. Tears were in her eyes. "What's wrong?", I tried. She shook her head. "Arielle", I argued. She looked down in misery. She was upset now. "I miss mom", she weeped. I suddenly felt her pain. It was very close to Christmas, otherwise Sierra's birthday. It was holiday we all spent together. But we were miles apart. I rose from my seat and took Arielle back into my arms. For a while, I just rocked her back and forth in my arms. Her sobs began to fade. She only sniffed now.
"She'll be back", I promised.
"Really. When?", she choked. I fell silent. I couldn't answer her. I wasn't so sure either.With that, she rose and drearily trailed off down the hall. I once again, leaned back into my chair. I had a lot on my mind right now. I don't know what to do at all. So I sat, and waited for an answer. But nothing came. I decided it would be best if I rested for a little while. I silently strode over to the couch where I drifted off to sleep.
I woke up a few hours later. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and walked over to Arielle's room. Sleep. She must have had the same idea as me, I thought happily. I smiled and walked to Blake's room. I opened the door. Empty. Great, I thought. He must've still been out. I sighed heavily and began to fix dinner.
Dinner was quiet. No response from anyone. Arielle never said a thing. I couldn't get her to talk. And Blake on the other hand only made small talk. Every now and then I tried to make conversation, but I received no response. After finishing, Arielle dropped her dishes in the sink, and sulked off to her room. I couldn't help but wince when I heard the door slam.
"So what happened this time?", Blake jokingly asked with a smirk on his face.
"Nothing", I bleakly responded.
"Yeah, right."
"What?"
"When are you gonna stop lying to her?", Blake aggressively questioned. "I never lied to her", I said. "She just wants her mom home."
"Yeah, so do I but we all know mom isn't coming back anytime soon!", he sourly shot back.
"Blake, she's just as upset as you are", I reasoned. "Don't give her such a hard time."
"Who cares?", Blake scoffed. He leaped up from the table and stomped out of the room. I now sat at the table alone. I then ascended from the table and went straight to washing the dishes.
I could hardly sleep. Blake's words and Arielle's tears were chilling me to the bone. I felt awful. I didn't know what to do and neither did they. I felt so lost and hopeless. What was I to do? I gazed up at the ceiling.
"Come home", I silently pleaded. "We need you." And with those final words, I rolled over and drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, I woke up late. Good thing it's Saturday, I laughed. It was about noon. I checked Blake's room. Gone. Arielle was still sleep, her usual Saturday. I walked back into the living room. I felt the urge to check. Just one more time. I slid my slippers on and walked out the door.As I approached the mailbox I thought,What if there's nothing again? Did she forget? I tried not to get to worked up. I opened the mailbox with high hopes. Bills, ads, junk as usual. But there was something else. I slowly reached for the hidden little envelope and observed it. At the top of the envelope, signed in neat cursive, was Sierra. My heart stopped for a moment. I felt so relieved that she was ok. I literally tore the letter open. She started with her normal greetings and updates. But close to the bottom, I noticed she needed me to pick up her friend, Carrie, from the airport. I wasn't too thrilled at the idea but I agreed in my head to do it anyway.The flight information and schedule was in front of me. It wasn't the greatest news in the world, but I was delighted that she was safe. As I walked back up the driveway, I held the note close to my heart.
About a week later, I prepared to go pick up Sierra's friend, Carrie from the airport. "Gate 27. 12:30 p.m.," I repeated to myself, "C'mon!", I urged the kids to get in the car. Arielle rushed over and into the backseat while Blake took as much time as he wanted. I raised my eyebrows at him as he climbed into the passenger seat. As soon as we were locked and loaded, I drove quickly to the airport to make sure I wasn't late. Only ten minutes till the flight lands, I thought as we sat at the gate. Sooner or later, the plane landed. We watched as the passengers rolled their luggage away. I stood and looked for Carrie. But instead, I got the surprise of my life. Standing five feet away from me was my beloved Sierra. Her short brown hair tied neatly in a bun, her cap worn proudly on her head, and her lucent eyes igniting my heart. She gave me a smile. That same tearful smile she gave me the day she left. But this time it was a joyful smile. She nearly dropped her luggage and rushed into my arms. I held her close in my arms. I stroked her head as she cried happy tears. "Welcome home soldier," I grinned.
"Great to see you sir", she happily cried.We turned just in time to see Arielle and a Blake's shocked faces. They ran into our arms and tightly squeezed the both of us.They were too speechless to say anything. They only cried their joyful tears. We could hear the cheering and the clapping around us. I kissed Sierra on the cheek. She smiled. "Let's go home", she whispered. She grabbed her luggage and we all strode out the airport. I finally had my best friend back.