It’s been a couple months, and New York is getting chilly and lonely without him. Her bed; the only place that smelled just like him, his sweet cologne. The right side left untouched, cold and always made. Her mind only concentrated on one thing, how many more days. A calendar hung above her big black wooden desk that out looked the whole city, the leaves changing colors; green to red. Nine more days. The longest nine days of her life. From sending letters in the mail once a month to eagerly waiting at the mailbox to read his response, she was more than ready. Her newlywed of just seven months was coming home from Iraq. The first time seeing each other in six months. Years ago he knew he wanted to fight for the people, fight for his country but then he met her and that would mean leaving this amazing person for six months. Short messy blonde hair that was always covered by a baseball cap, thin and very fit body always in the plainest of clothes, she was different from most women. She was herself and he loved that about her. The day they said goodbye, was a rainy Thursday, tears flooded both of their faces but they knew it was for the best.
“Only half a year, we can do it baby!” she said.
Now only a few days left, she sits impatiently with butterflies in her stomach reading a letter, from him. As she read it her face started to get hot and red, her eyes started to water and then as she read the words
“I will not make it home until another two months, I’m so sorry, I love you”.
How could this happen she thought? It was only six months no more than that. For those extra two months she worked harder than ever to keep herself busy. It was still fall and the leaves were almost all changed. Some days she would sit in her cozy padded chair with a big warm sweater on, some hot coffee next to her and just watch the city turn from day light to night time in a blink of an eye. The day had finally arrived, her husband was coming home! As she jumped out of bed she stumbled on a broken nail sticking out of her wood floor in her beige colored room but that didn’t stop her from sprinting to the bathroom to shower and get ready for the big day. Pulling up to a huge building with cars everywhere and huge planes flying all around her, she was overwhelmed. She ran inside the airport leaving her car at the pickup area. She glanced around and didn’t see him. But then out of the corner of her blue eyes she saw the love of her life, standing there arms wide open. The two hugged for what felt like hours and cried tears of joy. Their lips locked together never wanting to let go.