"Hey, what's wrong?"
Randy brushed a tear away from his wife's cheek. He put down his bag and looked at her. The sun lit up her tear streaked face and dark brown hair. She looked beautiful; just like the first time he saw her. It was two years ago; three days after his 18th birthday. He just walked into Lisa's Café for lunch. There she was getting up from her booth in the back reading a book. The noontime sun reflected off her light blue barrettes in her deep brown hair... Her white sundress rustling as she moved. Randy started walking toward her, just as she looked up from her book. Startled she bumped into a busboy carrying a pitcher full of water. Randy hurried toward the girl to help. As their hands touched, his blue eyes met her brown ones. He smiled.
"Hi, I'm Randy,"
"I'm Melina." She replied, smiling.
Now here they stood in their front law, two years later as departing newlyweds. Melina held onto the sleeves of his Army uniform.
"Do you really have to go?"
He stared into her eyes for a few moments before answering.
"It's only for four years, I promise. It'll go by so fast; I'll be back before you know it." He gave her a reassuring smile.
"Four years is a long time, Randy. A very long time." She rested her head on his shoulder. "I love you. You come home in four years and we'll start our family. I promise."
Randy was glad she wasn't looking at his face. He could already feel the hot tears rolling down his cheek.
"I love you too. I have to get going."
He wiped his tears away with the back of his hand. He gave her a hug and kiss, then bent down and picked up his bag. Standing back up, He looked up at her once more before he turned and started walking down the road.
September 17, 1941.
"Randy! You've got mail!"
Randy walked over to John.
"Thanks."
He took the letter from his and walked back towards his barracks. He sat down and opened the letter. It said:
My Dear Randy,
How are you? I can't believe it's already been 3 weeks since we since we said goodbye. I miss you my dear. I can't wait until the war is over and you can come back home.
He laughed when he read about the little children who lived nearby getting into the garden and was saddened by the news of the people who died. Every month he got a new letter from Melina. But then three years later, the letters stopped coming. His last letter came in June 2, 1944 and it said;
Randy,
I have some great news for you. I'm going to have a baby. I'm currently only two months along. You're going to be a father! I can't wait for you to come home,
Melina
It's now July 24, 1944 and it's a humid day where he's stationed. He walked around the base as he waited for the mail. As the mail came in he found John.
"Hey John. Any mail for me?"
"Sorry, Randy. Not today." He frowned shaking his head.
"Oh. Okay."
As he was about to turn around and leave he asked, "Are you sure I have nothing?"?"
John Nodded. His anxiety and curiosity grew as weeks went by without letters from Melina.
One hot day as he lay in his cot, the sirens started blaring. A group of soldiers walked through the barracks yelling, "We're under attack we're under attack!"
Randy scrambled to get his gear on. As they all piled into the truck, he could hear soldiers whispering, "we're gonna die."
He gripped his rifle for dear life.
"Okay, when I say out everyone get out of the truck, run and find cover."
"Ready…"
Suddenly there was an explosion 20 yards from the truck. Then bullets started flying through the air.
"…GO!"
Feeling his heart race, Randy jumped and ran out toward a tall dirt mound as bullets flew past him and dove behind it. He felt a sharp pain in his right arm. A bullet must have grazed it.
"Are you Okay?"
A soldier ducked behind the dirt mound beside him.
"Yeah, I'm fine. It just grazed my arm." He shouted over the sound of the firepower.
Randy looked out behind his dirt stronghold. It was clear enough for him to move. Gripping his rile, he army crawled to another mound 6 feet away. About a foot away from safety he felt a sharp pain in his side.
I got to make it to that mound.
Every time he moved, it felt as though there was a knife sticking out of his side. Holding his side with one hand, he tried to pull himself forward with the other. For a moment all he could see was Melina's smiling face. Parts of her letter drifting back to his mind.
You're going to be a father!
Slowly he inched his way to the mound.
I have to keep conscious. He thought. He could feel his blood from his wound on his hand. As soon as he was safely behind the rampart, he blacked out.
Randy opened his eyes. His hands were bound behind his back. He was in a small, dank cell that was made of stone. There was a single stream of light coming in through the cracks in the wall. The cell smelt of blood, mold, waste and vomit. He tried not to breathe in too much. He looked down at his side and saw it was bandaged up.
You're going to be a father.
"How can it be?" He asked himself over and over again. "I've been here for 3 years."
He looked up as he heard a lock click. He straightened up to get a better look at his capturer. A Japanese officer walked into the room carrying am Arisaka Type 38 rifle.
"Get up"Follow me." He said in broken English.
Randy stumbled as he tried to stand.
"Hurry!"
He led him down a long poorly lit hallway; they came to a large metal door.
"Get in there."
He pushed him into the room with the tip of the rifle. From what Randy gathered, he was in an interrogation room. In the room there was only a single chair and an uncovered light bulb hanging from the ceiling.
"Sit!"
He sat in the chair and waited for the questioning to begin.
"Better place or worse place." The officer said.
For a moment, Randy had no idea what the man was talking about. Then the officer put his face a couple inches away from Randy's.
"Tell us what we want to know!"
Randy looked him in the eye and replied, "Randy Orton, Lieutenant J.g, 617514, 1 April 1923."
Unsatisfied, the officer hit him in the stomach with the wooden stock of his rifle. Huddled over in pain, Randy let out short breaths.
"Take him away."
Two young Japanese soldiers came in and grabbed Randy while the officer blindfolded him.
"Until you tell us what we want to know, things will get worse and worse for you."
The soldiers then pushed him down the hallway they turned down a couple other hallways and through a door. They pushed him into the back of what Randy figured to be a military vehicle. He heard a couple of soldiers talking to each other in Japanese before somebody yelled, "GO!"
As they reached their destination, the two grabbed him and grabbed him, pulling him out the truck hauled him off. When in the building, they practically dragged Randy down two hallways and stopped. He heard the jingle of keys, the click of a lock and was thrown into the room. One soldier came in and removed the blindfold and unbound his hands. The other put a tray of food only feet away from Randy. Waiting until the door was closed and locked, Randy inched his way toward the tray. There was a piece of stale bread, a bowl of broth and a piece of chicken that had specks of mold. He looked closer to see there were little bugs in the soup. Disgusted, he pushed the tray away. An hour later, the lock clicked and the officer was back.
"Are you ready to tell us what we want to know?"
He stepped on the tray as he walked forward. Looking down, he smirked.
"I see you didn't like your meal. Maybe we can come to…an agreement,"
He signaled for a soldier who came in with a tray of steaming food in his hand. The tray consisted of chicken, rice, and a roll. Looking at it, Randy's mouth started to water. The officer knelt own down in front of his prisoner.
"If you give me the information I want, I'll feed you exactly what my soldier is holding right now."
Don't give in, Randy. He told himself. He's lying. Don't trust him.
"No." He finally managed to say, looking away from the food.
The officer's gaze darkened.
"Fine."
He stood back up and walked toward the door.
"Take him away….away to a worse place."
Then he marched out the door. The 'better place or worse place' interrogations, the moldy food, the small, dank cells and the abuse went on for about a year. This all ended May 2nd, 1945. The officer came to the door. Randy looked up. He was filthy with a full beard growing. His side was fully healed.
"Lieutenant Orton, the war is over. There is a truck outside that is ready to take you back to your base."
He stood up and followed as the soldiers escorted him outside. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the bright May sun. He walked over to the truck that the soldiers pointed to. A young Japanese soldier saluted him.
"I will be your escort to the US Army base, Lieutenant Orton."
Randy nodded.
"Carry on."
As he got to the base he was welcomed by a fellow lieutenant.
"Welcome back Lieutenant Orton."
He nodded before he walked back to his barracks. Other soldiers welcomed him back as he made his way to his cot. He rummaged through his bag until he found what he was looking for. He picked up the picture of Melina.
"Melina." He whispered. He grabbed all his belongings and stuffed it back into his bag. After having a shower and shave, he changed into a new uniform.
Let's go Home. He said silently to himself.
On the ride back to Saint Louis, Missouri he looked at the picture of Melina. He reopened his bag and took out one of her letters.
I'm going to have a baby. You're going to be a father.
He couldn't wait to see her. He close his eyes and saw her in her white dress like the day they met.
"Melina."
As the bus pulled up to his house, he could see, as if it were yesterday, him and his wife standing in the front lawn holding each other. He could still hear her words in his head.
I love you.
He said his goodbyes and walked up the walk to his front door. He lifted up the rug in front of the door, grabbed the key and unlocked it. The house was silent and still.
"Melina?"
He set his bag down.
"Hello?"
To his right, on a table there was a letter. Picking it up he turned it over to see, To Randy sprawled across the envelope. Turning it back over he opened it. It had today's date.
05-May-1945
He read:
Randy,
Welcome home Soldier. I'm so happy you're okay. After all, our daughter needs you. Yes. We have a daughter. Her name is Alana. Alana Orton. She's upstairs in our room in her crib. By now you're probably wondering how we have a child. Also you're probably wondering how when you've been away from 3 years already and I was suddenly pregnant. Well, this isn't easy to tell you. With you being away for so long I started to get lonely. I cheated on you. I cheated on you and got pregnant. I'm not proud of it but I thought that I should confess my sin and then maybe I can see you again in heaven someday. Unable to face you, I left our daughter in your care. I know you'll be an amazing father to her. Unfortunately this is my last letter. I'm not coming back. I can never forgive myself for what I did to you. I'm so sorry, Randy. Take care of yourself and our daughter.
I'll always love you,
Melina
Randy's tears smudged the ink as they fell on the page. He sunk down to his knees.
"Why?" He whispered.
Hearing a faint noise, he stayed still for a moment and listened. He could hear the faint cry of a baby coming from upstairs. Standing up he wiped his tears with the back of his sleeve. He set the letter down on the table and climbed the stairs. As he climbed the crying got louder and louder. As he walked into his room he saw the cradle. He walked over and peered inside. There she was. His beautiful dark brown haired, brown eyed daughter. Her little hands in fists and her face was red. She settled down a little as she opened her eyes and looked up at Randy. He smiled. She started to fuss again so he gently lifted her from her crib.
"Shh. It's okay. Daddy's here." He soothed as he gently rocked back and forth. As she started to settle down, he sat in the rocking chair in the corner of the room. Gently he rocked back and forth. As he rocked, he talked to her.
"Hi Alana. I'm your daddy." He whispered smiling.
And for the first time he's seen, she smiled at him.
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