Preface

 

 

The stars were twinkling above us in the midnight sky. The moon was low behind the trees and wind whispered amongst the leaves. His finger tips grazed softly up and down my arm in a gentle caress. We lay in the bed of his truck which was laden with thick blankets. We enjoyed the silence. A bull frog would bellow every so often and the crickets were singing their sad ballads. The last night of summer. It was one well spent. 

“Good night my love,” he murmured rubbing his cheek into my neck. Davin had just given me one of the most romantic nights of my life; if you liked simple that is, and I was a very simple kind of girl. A flashlight picnic in the hayloft of our barn (well we couldn’t use candles now could we?) A midnight walk through the orchard across the road. I smiled, and sighed with contentment. Davin was the most romantic person, other than me, that I knew. Besides both of us still being madly in love after four wonderful years of marriage, we were complete opposites. He was tall, slim with a slight build, had short cropped dirty blonde hair, and deep ocean blue eyes. I, on the other hand, was slightly shorter, long wavy reddish brown hair, and deep chocolate brown eyes... or that’s how he describes them. When we were younger we used to joke about being one of God’s random experiments that just happened to be a perfect match. We knew were meant for each other since the beginning.

 

Morning came like any other day. The day dawned with a dreadfully beautiful, calm blue sky with not the slightest breeze. Time stood still. It wasn’t the romantic still that you saw in the movies. No, this was the kind of still so drenched in tension it was hard to breathe. Why did the sun have to come up? I asked myself for the hundredth time in a row. I rolled over and propped my head on my hand as I gazed at my husband so peaceful in sleep. His rounded shoulders and defined chest, though intimidating while awake, rose and fell with the rhythm of sleep. He’ll be waking up soon. I knew I should start fixing breakfast, but I didn’t want to be away from him for a second. It was our last day together. I leaned over him and my eyes swept down to his slightly parted lips. Leaning over slowly, I kissed him awake. So instant was his response, I was momentarily taken aback. Soon I forgot where we were and what day it was. I threw everything I had into it. I kissed him with frantic and utter need. I had little trouble ignoring the barking of our obnoxious Husky, Cash. Davin wrapped his arms around me tightly, pulling me close to him. He pressed his lips to my forehead. “Well what a wonderful morning to you too babe,” he said with a chuckle. I snuggled even deeper into his chest. “It’s alright baby. I’ll be home before you blink.”

            I lifted my eyes to his, and I couldn’t hold them back anymore. “Please,” I sobbed, my tears becoming more steadily uncontrollable. “Please don’t leave again.”

 

            “But baby, someone has to do it. It’s my job to go when and where Uncle Sam tells me. I know it’s hard, but you have to understand. I have to provide for you, and this is the only way I can.” He wiped the last of my tears from my cheek and sighed. “I’m sorry baby, but we made it through this before so we can do it again.” We lay there for a long while just grateful for the chance to hold each other. It wasn’t long before he was asleep again. It never ceased to amaze me how he could fall asleep with just a minute’s notice. After carefully untangling myself from him arms, I tiptoed into our kitchen and started making breakfast. I grabbed the bag of dog food from the bottom cabinet just as Cash came crashing into my legs. “Good morning boy.” I poured too much into his bowl, but was too preoccupied to care. My hands shook as I carried the plates to the table. What’s the matter with me? I couldn’t shake the bad feeling I had in the pit of my stomach. Nothing is going to happen. I scolded myself. He will be fine, just like he said, ‘I’ll be home before you blink.’ It was still gnawing at me when two slightly tanned and gorgeously defined arms circled my waist.

            “Mmm something smells really good. What are you cooking baby?” He gave me a smacking kiss on my cheek.

           

            “Oh, it’s only your favorite, pancakes, bacon, and...” Before I finished my sentence my cheek and nose were covered in battered. I gasped in surprised, and squealed in delight. I wiped the excess from my face and turned toward him. He backed away from me with hands raised in surrender, but it was on. “Oh you are so going to pay for that!” I could feel the mischievous smiled upon my lips.

 

            “Come on now baby, it was only a joke. Let’s not be too hasty about this...” I lunged at him and missed. And so the chase ensued. All around the snack bar, into the living room, outside on the porch and back again. Great loud spasms of shrieks of dismay and proclamations of triumph could be heard near and far from our home. The horses were neighing and Cash was barking with excitement. The tension and sadness from earlier this morning was forgotten, and only peace remained, but then the phone rang.

Author's Note

the highlighted part is a working progress