The Love Letters

The letters found in the belongings of 2nd LT David J. Williams, submitted to the reader as a dialogue between two people in love.

The Love Letters

A Short Story

By R.H. Proenza

 

SMASHWORDS EDITION

 

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PUBLISHED BY:

R.H. Proenza on Smashwords

12/23/2019

 

 

Copyright © 2019 by R.H. Proenza

ISBN:  9780463838754

 

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental.  The characters are productions of the author's imagination and used fictitiously.

Your support and respect for the property of this author are appreciated.

Many thanks to who encouraged me to write and to publish.  I hope you enjoy the story and perhaps become one of its characters, if for only a short while.

 

 

 

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OFFICIAL US GOVERNMENT CORRESPONDENCE

TO:  Miss Lori Bradford

FROM:  CAPT Jeremy Winthrop, Communications Officer

            3^rd Division, US ARMY Forces, Afganistan

 

Dear Miss Bradford,

It has fallen on me the sad task of informing you of the loss of 2^nd Lt David Williams due to mortar fire during an attack by enemy forces.

I was his good friend and considered this a final gift to him.  Lt Williams, David, has no next-of-kin, having lost his parents in a car accident, nor has he siblings, as you may already know.  A box of carefully packaged letters was found in his personal locker, all addressed from you, Lori Bradford.

I took the liberty of opening one letter (only ONE) and realized you two appear to be very close.  It would seem this stack of correspondence would be a treasure from David for you to keep.  It would certainly be to me.

Please receive my heartfelt condolences for the loss of this great friend.

Capt J. Winthrop

US ARMY Forces, Afganistan

 

 

 

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            Miss Lori Bradford soon received a package from the US Army with the above letter attached.

The letters were all addressed to her by a correspondent named 2^nd LT David Jeffrey Williams. They were bundled into a small packet tied with cord.  The letters were numbered.  The first eight were missing, and the series ended with number 18. Three other unnumbered letters follow and were placedin chronological sequence. This recounting includes only those letters found in the box.

 

 

 

 

     

 

 

Letter #9:

Dear Lori,

It was so hard to say Good Bye to you yesterday. I already miss you terribly. I miss hearing your sweet voice, your giggles (which I LOVE to hear); I miss looking into your beautiful green eyes and getting lost in them.

The few months we had together seem to fly by way too fast.  In that short amount of time, I got to know you better than I have ANYONE else in my life. Oh rats! Gotta go back to duty. BYE  --David

 

 

Letter #10:

     Dear David,

     Yes, it was very hard for me too.  I find myself thinking about you all the time.  Do you think that means anything? (wink-wink)  You are so gentle when you hold me, not brusque, as others have before.  Good grief, I think you treat me like some kind of Princess.  You better stop that, or you’ll spoil me!

     Today I bought a little black dress, you know, like one of those ‘sexy’ ones you see in the movies,

for next time you’re home, and we can go out. That is unless you meet up with a cute Army girl-GI that you find more interesting? Hee Hee!

My supervisor is calling for me.  Now I have to go. BYE.  --Lori

 

 

Letter #11:

     Dear Lori,

     WHAT…are you kidding?  A girl-GI? HA! No Way!

Look, lady (trying to sound ‘stern’ here…) no guy In their right mind would walk away from a treasure like you. Yes, you ARE a PRINCESS to me!  That’s just my humble opinion.

     How could I abandon those gorgeous deep green eyes that draw me in like bottomless whirlpools, and your luxurious auburn hair that I can bury my face in, and that cute pouty mouth that hardly needs any lipstick!  I mean, that last kiss you gave me left smoke coming out of my ears, girl! WHEW!

OH…..Dang, never enough time….BYE4Now.  --David

 

 

 

Letter #12:

     Dearest David,

      Pouty mouth? What pouty mouth?  HA!  Ok, I’ll take that as a compliment.

I’ll have you know when you kiss me, you curl my toes (giggle-giggle).  You’re such a great kisser. When you start kissing my neck and glide your lips all around, and I feel your breath on me --- OMG, you give me some delicious chills all over (and I mean DELICIOUS, and I mean ALL OVER and AROUND)! WHEW. I better quit this.

     Love you. BYE  --Lori

 

 

 

Letter #13:

     Dearest Lori,

     Okay, did I imagine a little steam coming out of your last envelope?

I have your picture in front of me right now.  And I realize just HOW MUCH in love I am with you. NO, I’m not going to stop spoiling you. You deserve it. Thank you for the ‘kissing’ compliment.  But you know, I think I need some more practice. On YOU, of course.  I don’t want to HEAR you mention about any other girl! Since I met you, you have pulled

the rug out from under me.

     Another thing, our Unit was able to get Electric Power to a local hospital and two schools. Hooray for the home team!  It makes me feel good to accomplish something good for humanity.

Now, about YOU---You are all I think about.  I can hear your lovely voice.  I can feel myself running my fingers through your hair, with its wonderful scent and your skin (OMG, your alabaster flawless SKIN!) with those teenie-tiny pale freckles.  And I think of gliding my lips gently over YOUR lips, and playing with them, and Nibbling them…and……   OKAY, um, so now I’ve gotta go take a cold shower!

   Love You.  --David

 

 

 

 

 

Letter #14:

     My Dearest David,

     OH, MAN! You are soooo lucky you are not here in front of me. I would jump on your bones so bad!!!!  I mean BAAAAAAD !  I might even hurt you! (giggle-giggle).

     I can hardly wait for you to come home on Leave. I can start making plans on all we can do (I mean ALL we can do) together. I will cook you a great meal (like you’re always asking for), and stay up watching movies, or whatever.

Congrats on your good deeds.  I’m very proud of you and your Unit. Please stay watchful and BE CAREFUL….PLEASE!!

     I’ve decided to take some college courses online toward a Masters Degree.  Would you help me with that? I hope so.  BTW, would you like me to change my hair color? How about bright PINK? Or not. I guess you said you like it the way it is now.

Or I could cut it short? You know, a buzz cut?  Or not, since you like long hair. HA! Just teasing you. I won’t change a thing if you like what you see. Hey, what you see is what you get, dude!

   Bye.  All My Love….Lori

 

 

 

Letter #15:

     Darling Lori,

     OKAY, that’s it. I’ve decided!  I’ve decided I’m going to ask you to marry me as SOON as  I get back. But I’m not going to tell you, so the proposal will be a SURPRISE (go ahead, roll your beautiful eyes at me!) -- Hmmf….how impertinent of you to do that!

     NO, don’t change ANYTHING about you. YOU ARE PERFECT AS YOU ARE!

Good on the college courses. I will support anything you do. Let’s see how far you can take your education.  Of course, I will help you proof-reading stuff, calling out stuff to you, interfering with your study time with little nibbles in different places…

They’re calling for me. We have an assignment to go to. I’ll be watchful.  Bye

…Loveyou somuch….David

 

  

Letter #16:

     My Darling David,

     OMG.  OK, I will act surprised when you ‘pop the question.’ Duh! HA!  All this is racing through my head now.

You have gotten me SOOOOO excited about our future.  I’ll have to practice how to say a ‘surprised “YES”….HEE HEE.

And make some plans.  I guess it will have to be a fast ceremony given our schedules, but that’s fine with me   --- Just so we are together.

     OMG, I’m a-buzz now. So many things to think about, so much happiness to pack into a short amount of time.

BUT WE CAN DO IT!  YES, I WANT THIS WITH YOU, DARLING!

Come on, hurry home. HURRY. HURRY.

  --All My Love, Lori

 

 

 

 

 

Letter #17:

     My Beautiful Green-Eyed Princess,

     Guess what?  GUESS WHAT?  (drum roll....) I get to come home after this next assignment for a WHOLE MONTH…..HA!

How about THAT for a surprise?  You can send me ONE more letter. There will be time. I’ve already been preparing.

I’ve neatly wrapped up all your *precious* letters into bundles and gathered my stuff, so when I return from this assignment, I’m outta here! Can you believe this?  Are you prepared? Are you prepared, baby?

I can’t wait to see you, and hug you, and kiss you, and….well…..BYE baby.

 --David

 

 

 

 

Letter #18:

     My Darling David,

     I have so much to tell you, so many plans running through my head.  My heart is full, thanks to you. Before you came along, I felt like an empty shell.  OMG, I sound like a soap opera.

I’m making preparations for your arrival.  Lots of things are in place.  My heart is not only full but bursting to see you and hug you, my darling.  Hurry Home.  All My Love.

 --Lori

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Letter #19:

     My Dearest David,

     Where were you--- you weren’t at the airport.  They told me they didn’t know where you were.  Did you miss your flight? What happened, baby?   Call me collect. Please.

  LOVE YOU…Lori

  

 

 

Letter #20:

     DAVID WHERE ARE YOU?  Nobody knows anything, or they’re not telling me anything.  I’ve already been making a big fuss, but I don’t carry any weight because I’m not your wife.  Not yet, anyway.  WHAT’S HAPPENED?   WHERE ARE YOU, BABY?...

 

 

 

Letter #21:

     Darling David…….WHERE ARE YOU????  PLEASE COME HOME TO ME, BABY….PLEASE…..PLEASE…. 

 

 

 

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Many Armed Forces sacrifice their ALL in SERVICE to their country and humanity.  Some don’t come back

home to their families and loved ones, leaving shattered lives and shattered emptiness behind.  May we

honor them by never forgetting the sacrifices that have been made.

 

 

 

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Reviews

[JamesTleBourn]

oh my goodness! I just read this, and wow...! I really like the true representation of emotion and personality woven through modern dialects. Very impressive. I almost feel like crying afterwards - your writing really showed me the personal life of all of those in service and how EVERYONE they know is affected by their service.

Thank you for showing me the sad truth of sacrifice!

[Ralph Proenza (Docralph)]

Thank you so much, James, for your kind and generous words.
-Ralph

[Donna]

This story is so touching and sad! Two people so happy & in love, waiting to start a life together. Such a bright future ahead of them. Then it's all over! He is gone and she will never be the same. This has happened to so many people! This is a wonderful story that you wrote. Thanks for sharing!

[Ralph Proenza (Docralph)]

Wow. Thank you so much for the affirmation of my work! -Ralph