As I lay in bed watching a rerun of Chicago fire, I think about Jack. Just hoping he is safe. Praying he is safe. These past months the clock seemed to tick by in slow motion. Recently, my life has been a constant treadmill. I’m walking but I’m going absolutely nowhere. All I do is worry. I spraw out on the bed to stretch and accidently hit our cat, Mavis. She hisses at me and jumps off the bed onto her perch on the windowsill. Then I peel myself out of bed and out from underneath the warm covers and go over to my white wooden desk that is probably 50 years old. I know Jack hates it but I can’t seem to part with it. I carefully rip out a piece of lined paper from a notebook and begin to pour my heart onto the page.

“Dear Jack,

I miss you. I miss you so much that it hurts. The house feels so quiet without you. I know it's only been 4 months since you were deployed but it feels like a lifetime.

Last night, I decided to take a walk. I found myself wandering into town. My feet led me right to our place-the arcade. The arcade that is 3 miles from our house. My legs sure did hurt after that. But I needed to go to the place where I feel closest to you. Where we had our first date. I will always remember that day. Where we shared a soda, I laughed at your jokes that weren’t even funny and where we played skee ball for hours on end. My mom was mad when I got home an hour after curfew but oh well. It was worth it. That was the second best day of my life. First being the day I said I do.

I played skee ball once last night. It is not as fun without you. Please come home to me so we can play.

I love you. Be safe. Love, Rebecca.”

I fold the paper, put it into an envelope and seal it. I write his name on the front, slip my shoes on and walk it to the mailbox. I kiss the envelope and slide it softly into the box.

The next week, I’m walking out of the grocery store with the supplies to make a marshmallow fluff and peanut butter sandwich that I have been craving for days, hoping it would fill the emptiness inside me. I’m glancing around the parking lot to find where I parked. My eyes land on a man about 20 feet away from me, dressed in a camouflage uniform, with a bouquet of flowers held firmly in his hands. Just 20 feet away stands the love of my life.

“Jack?!” I whisper. My eyes are flooding with tears and suddenly I can no longer see him. My mouth drops along with my bag of groceries. I race toward him with open arms as my tears reach their breaking point. I reach him and my body goes limp against his. His so familiar smell of coffee and peppermint shampoo rushes over me. I hadn’t realized I missed it so much until this very moment. Everyone going in and out of the store stands in awe to watch us reunite. Soon people start cheering and clapping but I’m too laser focused on his face to even acknowledge them. My eyes lock onto his as I am frozen with shock and happiness and I can’t seem to find the right words to say. I manage to spit out, “How..what, um, how are you here?” I shriek.

“We got relocated and we had a few days until we had to be there so I had to come home and see you.” His gravelly voice echoes in my ears as he squeezes my hands that he holds close to his heart. “I missed you so much.” He breathes. “I thought about you every minute that I was away.”

“Me too.” I say. Oh he has no idea.

“I got your letter,” he states. “I’m here to play skee ball with you.” He chuckles and my smile gets so big I feel as if my face will split in two.