Adam kicked the soccer ball to the front of the house. Sam watched him chase after it, while she sipped her sweet tea. The sound of his feet stopped and was replaced with car tires driving through the gravel road. She stood up and walked down the steps to see who had come. Adam cut her off before she made it around the corner of the house.
Panting and out of breath, he gasped, “Mommy…Daddy’s home.”
Sam stared at Adam, letting those two words sink in. Adam turned around and started running back. She stood there for a moment and then took after her son. Thoughts were flooding her mind. When she hugged him one last time before he left, him walking towards the plane, the letters coming home every week, his arms wrapped around her, and the sounds of him and Adam playing football in the afternoon.
Her pace slowed when she arrived to the front of the house. Cameron’s grey truck turned off followed by another black car tuning its engine off. Cameron hopped out of the truck and looked over at her with sorrowed filled eyes. Adam ran up and gave him hug, but Cameron’s eyes never left hers.
A Marines officer walked up to Sam with letters in his hands. Her heart started beating faster and could feel a hole beginning to form in her stomach. Please…Please, don’t tell me he’s gone. Please be a mistake, she closed her eyes and thought.
Ma’am, are you Sam Chesterfield?” the officer asked.
She opened her eyes and forced a whisper, “Yes.”
“Mrs. Chesterfield, I am sorry to inform you that your husband has died in combat. He gave me this letter to give to you. Here is another letter from the Department of
Defense about the funeral if you have any questions. You have my deepest condolences, Daniel was an honorable man,” he placed his hand on her shoulder and walked away.
As he climbed into his car, Sam broke down. She feel to her knees, letting her vision get blurry. Cameron ran over and wrapped his arms around her, trying to calm her down. Adam walked over and took his mother’s hand.
“Mommy…is Daddy coming home?”
Sam looked up at him. She saw so much of Daniel in him. Before she could answer, Cameron responded, “Your dad…well he went somewhere where he can get better.”
Adam just nodded. “Sweetie, why don’t you and Cameron go inside. I need to take care of some things,” she sputtered out.
As they went inside, she stared at the white envelope with her name scribbled on the front of it. She slowly opened it and began to read,
My Dearest Samantha,
If you are reading this, you already know that I am not coming home. I could not know or describe the pain that you are going through right. When Adam has asked what has become of me, tell him the truth. Let him know that his father died a hero and that I loved him very much. I already asked Cameron to look after you and Adam, and he has promised.
Sam, please do not grieve my death for the rest of your life. Smile and remember the good times. Our wedding day, the first day we met, how we fell in love. Remember all of that; watch the tapes to see my face again. I will always love you and be with you, no matter what. I know that it may be hard at first on your own, but you are a strong woman and can do it. You and Adam are my life’s love and happiness. I will always be with you two in heart.
There is another letter in here for Adam to read. I want you to give it to him when you think he is ready to read it.
I love you with all of my heart.
Love,
Daniel