Home At Last

Amy waits for a letter from her husband for over forty years. She does not budge when her friends tell her to forget Robert and to go on with her life.

 

Amy drew her grey sweater close to her breast, trying to block out the cold brisk wind that promised snow soon.  Her dress under the sweater hung limply, being far too large for her now small delicate frame.  As she walked towards the front gate, her slippers made a flip flop sound with each step she took.  She stood outside of the gate, as she had for the last forty-some years, pacing and waited for the mail to arrive.  

Surely she would receive a letter from Robert announcing that he was finally coming home, for it had been over forty years since she had last heard from him.  For some reason, her very being told her that she would see and be with Robert very soon.

As she waited, she thought only of Robert, and how close they were.  In fact, they practically grew up together.  He was the boy next door, who chased her with spiders, and put gum in her hair.  Amy recalled as to how he would call her “sissy” when she screamed when he dangled a night crawler in front of her face. Then, the torment of a young girl blossomed into best of friends during high school, and later, upon entering college, developed into a serious relationship and plans of marriage.  

Robert was twenty-four, and she twenty-two when they married.  Then, Robert was drafted less than six months later. He was given less than a week to get his affairs in order, and then he would be shipped out.  She recalled how they made the best of the short time he had before his departure.

When the time came for him to leave, both made promises to each other.  Robert promised to write to her as often as he could, and she promised that she would not shed one tear when he boarded the plane.  However, after leaving the airport and arriving home, Amy remembered how hard she had cried.

The first letter arrived within a few days, Robert stated that he was going through basic training, and probably would be shipped to Vietnam afterwards.  He would let her know the approximate date, and for her not to worry because he would come home.  About two months later, she received another letter from Robert, the last letter, which stated that his training had ended and that within the week he would be shipped to Vietnam.  Again he advised her not to worry, and that he would write soon.

 After no longer hearing from Robert, she contacted the Department of Defense several times seeking information on Robert’s location, however the reply was always the same, missing in action and presumed dead. 

Her friends finally gave up on her.  They had insisted that she forgot Robert, and that he would never return, and that she should go on with her life.  It was about time that she started to date other men, and not to wait until too late.  However, she remained stubborn and stated that one day Robert would return to her.

Amy noticed that the mailman was next door, and waited until he approached her house before asking if she received any mail.  Unfortunately, the answer was the same, no not this time. Any turned, and glanced down at her empty hands. She noticed as to how her once smooth hands were now badly wrinkled and covered with age spots and her fingers misshaped because of arthritis. 

She entered the house and stopped to gaze into the living room mirror noting the changes in her-self.  Her red highlighted dark brown hair was now a limp dull grey.  The sparkle had left her blue eyes, and her cheeks were sunk in.  Her complexion was no longer fair, but flawed with age spots and heavy wrinkles, especially around her eyes.  She pondered as to how Robert would look, would he have the dark massive curly hair, and deep brown eyes, or would he be balding?  Would he accept her now since her beauty had faded, and was replaced by what she saw in the mirror?

Amy felt tired, more so than she had ever been. She made her way into the kitchen to put the tea kettle on; right now she needed a good cup of tea. However, after filling the tea kettle with water, she sat it down, and decided instead to relax in her favorite chair in the living room, the tea could wait.

She leaned back and placed her head on the back of the chair, closing her eyes.  Never in her life had she felt this tired and exhausted.  Perhaps a short nap would raise her spirit.  She then closed her eyes.

Amy quickly felt that something was different, and opened her eyes.  She glanced down at her hands.  No longer was her hands covered in age spots, nor was her fingers twisted due to arthritis. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught another figure standing to the left of the chair.  Glancing upward, she recognized Robert dressed in his uniform.  His dark wavy hair was the same as it had been when he left. His dark brown eyes sparkled as he reached down for her hand.  Robert helped her to her feet and whispered in her ear “Don’t look back, but look forward” as he lead her towards the bright light.

Amy did not have to look back, for she knew what was in the chair.  Instead she walked with Robert through the bright light into a lush dark green meadow and both greeted with the songs of several birds. She and Robert were finally home and never to be separated again.

 

 

 

Author's Note

This is the second time that I wrote fiction.

Reviews

[Peanuts for Prose]

It's a very touching story. i love happy endings!