The Lover

Dear Timothy,

It’s been a long eleven months without you. I still have your letters to keep me company and the kids, but it’s not the same. Especially now, since all of the kids are in school and business has been slowing down for the winter, I find myself looking out windows waiting for you to come home.

It does give me more and more hope every time one of your letters comes with the mail, even if they are dew and far between. The girls especially love it because I always do a dramatise retelling of one of our stories. Evan doesn’t appreciate it as much. He’s tired of the stories of you, babe. He just wants his dad back home, to pick him up from school, to practise soccer with, anything really.

Babe, we miss you a whole lot. It’s especially hard for the girls during birthday week and Christmas. A lot of tough and sometimes angry faces that always melt into whining and tears. I think All misses you the most. The Daddy-Daughter dance is coming up at church. All her friends are going and she so wanted to go, but she melted into a pool or silent tears when she realised that you’d still be gone and now refuses to go. Lina is walking around as if she hates everyone instead of just openly being upset that you come and go. I know we said that we’d try the career thing, but is there any way  to do it stateside?

Before you get mad, hear me out, okay? The kids are getting to the age where they actually know you are gone. They don’t really get why you’re done. Lina has spent most of her life in a what looks like a single-parent home. And, All & Evan were born during one of your two week personal trips. They don’t know what it’s like to have you around for more than a couple months at a time. And, I need you, here, with us. Babe, we said when the war was over or for five tours, whichever came first. But, the war is getting worse and I want you to know your daughters before you walk them down the aisle. I get it, I do. The world needs a hero, and you’re keeping us safe, but what about us? What happened to us against the world? The fight’s not over, but could their be a different from to fight?

I don’t know, just wondering.

To the moon,

Ashley

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