Forever and Always

Author's Note: This is a draft of a WWII story Idea I had for school. It's not complete, as it still needs a lot of editing work. But I wanted to share it with you, so that I can know what needs work, and what is good on its own. Anyways, I hope you like this. (:

It happened a year ago, on a late October evening...

An important letter had arrived... Hand delivered...

Eight P.M. and an Official US seal...

My heart sank.

They needed more soldiers, so the letter said. More protection. More help. Whatever else was stated.

They were training... Preparing...

War was at our very doorstep, after all.

I understood... I really did... But, I could only cry out in protest. Who to, I'm not even sure. But I cried nonetheless.

Why? Why now of all times would this have to happen?

My husband and I had just purchased our first house, after being married seven months. He'd become a rather successful business man, despite only opening a small trinkets and such shop in town.

Being the somewhat eccentric collector he was, he carried all kinds of things. From board games, to perfumes, and the like. Everyone adored the place, to say the least.

I can remember the look on his face every time those school children came in to see the displays. Oh, how they laughed. And he'd laugh right along with them.

They especially loved the round-store train set he'd put up. That man; such a child when it came to his toys. But I loved him for it.

Everything was so perfect. We'd gotten a new home, a successful business; we were even planning on starting a family. We'd chosen the room that would be our nursery and made a list of names. So many things...

So why then, did this have to come and wreck all of our hopes and dreams?

I don't think I've ever seen my love so serious in all the times I've known him. His expression was so stern - so distant. The soft, crystal eyes that I'd grown to adore so quickly were now cold, and lifeless. It disturbed me to my very core.

I can remember it all so clearly... As if it'd happened just yesterday....

He dropped the paper on the floor as soon as I'd shed my first tear, and he just embraced me. No words were exchanged, apart from my frantic protests to no one at all. No eye contact. No anything. Just a warm embrace and a gentle hand rubbing my back softly.

He just held me there...

...And I feared to death that it would be the last time.

Soon enough a loving "Shhhhh." escaped his lips. He told me everything would be okay, as it always had. God was with us.

I tried to hold onto those words with everything in me.

The next day was horrid, preparing for his departure... I'm sure my time was divided 20% packing, 30% hugging, and the other 50 % crying. He held me so closely... I didn't want to leave his warmth. No; I didn't want his warmth to leave.

But I, as my friends and fellow Americans, had to learn to give up our selfish desires for the good of our brother. I knew that. I really did.

And so did he.

I truly believe that's why he faced the challenge with the brave face that he did. Despite the pain it caused him - us - he knew protecting our country was the higher priority.

He wanted those young children that loved his shop so much to be able to grow up free and able to make their dreams come true. Just as he had.

That didn't stop the hurt, though.

When the draft heads had come to take him away... I couldn't feel anything. Nothing but a throbbing numbness. My heart was pounding in my ear drums, and sweat and tears were flowing freely. Reality had set in, and I realized the full potential of my situation: This could be the very last time I see my husband. Ever.

My face paled As I looked up into his cobalt eyes. That pleading gleam... Those brave orbs... Looking back at me. Begging me to stay strong. That things would be okay.

I'd tried so hard, to be courageous up until this point... But as the sound of draft vehicles filled my ears, I lost every sense of optimism I'd ever owned.

I begged him not to go. To stay right here with me. I had no one else... No one at all... I needed him here. I needed him with me. To be my support, my dream, my love...

But none of these things could stay.

He had to go.

And my heart along with him.

The last kiss we shared felt like a lifetime and a millisecond all at once. He held my hands tightly, rubbing my wedding ring with his thumb. "Forever and Always." He whispered softly. I closed my eyes, blocking everything else but the sound of his gentle voice. Squeezing his in return, I replied...

Forever and always.

He gathered up his things, adjusting his soldier cap and heading towards the door. He hugged me once more before walking out into the chilly, autumn air, insisting everything was going to be alright in the end. He'd write letters to me, and always be with me in heart and spirit. It wasn't the same, but it was better than nothing.

The last words we spoke before he left for training were...

I love you.

I really did love him... With all of my heart...

He meant the world to me. The way his eyes lit up when he smiled. The way he always knew if something was wrong, and would pester me about it until I confessed. The way I could always run into his warm, loving arms when I felt the weight of the world upon my shoulders.

But most of all, I loved the way he loved me. How he'd do anything for me, and I him. God had blessed us with such a strong bond. Something so rare, and true. I loved how he acted as though he'd found buried treasure everytime he saw me. How he always smiled so brightly every time we kissed.

How he always reminded me I was beautiful, not just through his eyes, but through the eyes of my Creator.

I watched the vehicles drive away. So many innocent men, and my husband right along with them. All leaving their friends and family, all to protect them and their country. It wasn't fair how they had to, but they went along anyways. They didn't try to run or hide in the face of danger - They embraced it. With heads held high, and brave faces on, they walked away courageously. They were ready to protect their country - their loved ones - their freedom - whatever it took.

Even if it meant losing their lives in the process.

As I said, it wasn't fair to them. But life isn't truly fair to anyone, I suppose. But they accepted their fate with dignity, and I had to admire them for that. Home of the brave, indeed.

The next couple of months went on slowly, and lonely. Of course I'd kept close with the friends I held dear, who had also given up their loved ones to their country. But it wasn't the same as him being here. Waking up to an empty bedside, with an imprint of his sleeping form where he was not every morning had begun to grow normal. Painful. But normal.

And I hated it.

But I also had to realize that I wasn't the only one who'd lost something. As I said, my loved ones had sacrificed their fair share as well. They knew the pain just as much as I did. But they too were moving forward with hope and courage. And I truly believe that I learned to follow their example.

My husband, bless his heart. He wrote letters to me everyday, just so I would know he was okay. Sometimes I'd wake up to find two, or three letters from him all at once. It was a sweet gesture, and I wished I could show him so, even more than ink on a page.

Every letter consisted of optimism and love. He'd tell me how well things were going, and how much he'd learned. How much he missed me - especially my home cooked meals. I'd laugh at his funny expressions, and grin at his occasional slip up. Grammar was never his strong suit, he insisted.

I'd both smile and cry as he poured his heart out to me, telling me how much he missed and loved me. How strong I was and he hoped I'd continue to be, but he knew I would, because I'm me. How sometimes, he'd go to the edge of camp, on this one hill top, and look up at the stars. He'd always be reminded of me, as their shined in the night sky, because I was the light in his darkness.

I missed him so much.

But it didn't occur to me just how much until Christmas eve.

I'd gotten over sixty letters by December 24th. All filled with good news, and optimistic dreaming. But that didn't stop the ache in my heart come Christmas time. Even Thanksgiving, despite not feeling like there was all that much to be thankful for, didn’t match the feelings I felt at that time. Half the house couldn't be decorated. An angel left off the tree top. Nothing could be done without him (Thanks to my wonderfully short stature). But truthfully, I didn't want anything done without him.

It wasn't the same... And Christmas ended up being a reminder of that.

I knew I couldn’t spend my time feeling sorry for myself, though. My husband wouldn’t want that. And really, neither did I. Christmas was my favorite holiday, and he wouldn’t want me to be miserable.

The girls had invited me to a Christmas party at Miranda’s house that night. Miranda and I’d grown up together, and we’d been each other’s maid of honor at our weddings. We’d done everything together since forever, really. It would be good to spend time with her and the others.

And I did. On Christmas morning, I walked up the front steps of Miranda’s porch, and knocked on the door. She greeted me with a warm hug, like the ones we’d always give each other if we were down when we were younger. I missed her hugs.

I was greeted with the aroma of fresh ginger bread and apple pie, my two favorite Christmas desserts. The house was decorated with tinsel of all shapes and sizes. Red, green, gold, silver, and white decor lay everywhere, while a magnificent seven foot tree stood tall and proud in the corner of the room.

Everyone was in the kitchen, talking and laughing and such, preparing the meal we were going to have. I suddenly felt much better than I had before. I realized that, even though I had no other family left, and my husband was away from home, I still had people with me. People who I cared about, and who cared about me. Who loved me, and knew what I was going through. Most of all, people who could stay strong with me, in both hope and faith.

Another thing I realized is that I wasn’t the only one with problems. Not that I didn’t know that already, but I was finally able to let it sink in fully. I was barely getting the edge of problems. Susie had a baby girl that she was caring for on her own, and Elisabeth had one, perhaps two, on the way. Emily, poor dear, she had two sons and a daughter, anywhere between two to six years of age, having to raise all of them on her own.

Claire and Moriah hadn’t even been able to wed yet, their lovers had been drafted so quickly. Claire, bless her heart. She and David were going to have a winter wedding planned to be but a week ago, and they’d had to put it on hold so he could go. Moriah had just gotten engaged three weeks before.

And of course, Miranda was in the same state as myself, only married some months beforehand, and everything going so well. Then…

We all had our burdens to bear.

But with each other, the burdens weren’t so heavy after all.

The months passed on slowly, the seasons coming and going. Winter, spring, summer. Everything seemed to move… I can’t really describe it. It was as though there wasn’t as much beauty without him here. And when there was, I only wished he could see it. Experience it. Right here with me.

My friends and I kept each other strong over time. And our husbands and fiancees did through their letters of support and love. Many of us had started doing things to keep their spirits up while away, as well as the spirits of those around us.

At least we knew they were only training, and hopefully would be back soon. Twelve months, that’s all they had to serve. Twelve months, and they could come back home to us.

Twelve Months.

Or so we thought.

Chaos ensued from then to December…

The months were extended, and several men threatened to desert after their promised twelve were over. O-H-I-O - Over the Hill in October - became the big mark, according to our letters and news. Though soon enough, few men actually went through with it. Many stayed, despite earlier proclamations, as the US truly was on the brink of war.

Our loved ones had decided to stay with their troops. It was… difficult. But we understood they were needed now more than ever.

The next month or so went normally. I had gotten a letter saying my husband had been sent to Pearl Harbor, a naval base in Hawaii, for the next few months. I was happy for him, as he’d always wanted to go to Hawaii. I wished I were there with him, but knowing he was where he’d always dreamed of going was enough to make me feel better.

Thanksgiving was actually really nice. All the girls and their families had dinner together, and I’d been invited to come along. Even my husband’s parents and sister had been able to come down. Being an orphan, I always felt so much better being around the ones I cared for so much around the holidays.

We’d all planned to get together two Sundays later and make Christmas cards to send to our men. It was such a sweet idea, and everyone agreed, so we all gathered our crafting supplies and met up at Claire’s house to begin.

It was a fairly nice morning, for winter, that is. A delicate frost had blanketed the ground and houses within Claire’s neighborhood. (Which, was of course, the most festive neighborhood out of all of them.) The kids were at their own table, making cards for their fathers or uncles, as some of of Emily and Elisabeth’s nieces and nephews were staying with them. And the infants, including Elisabeth’s seven month old twins, were sleeping in a crib near the window.

It was about eleven fifty when we’d all grown quiet, and decided to turn on the radio. The local news was playing, and we wanted to hear how things were going. Nine minutes later, a startling announcement took place…

Just four minutes previously… 7:55 A.M., Hawaiian standard time… Pearl Harbor had been bombed… By the Japanese…

I dropped everything…

And ran out the door…

They tried to come after me… They tried to get to me… To comfort me… But I wouldn’t let them…

I ran into my closet with nothing but my radio, letters, and picture of my husband…

And I cried.

I stayed there, awake, all night. I cried for myself, cried for my husband. I cried for my country, and for the innocent lives lost in all of this… This chaos.

The next day, President Roosevelt addressed congress, airing this speech across the nation:

Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with the government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.

Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleagues delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island.

This morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

As commander in chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.

Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us.

No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounding determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, Dec. 7, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire.

The incident had cost the lives of over 2,000 men and women alike. Wounding over a thousand as well.

It was true… After a year of staying neutral, helping our allies when needed…

War was upon us.

And we accepted that with courage.

All but one, that is.

Myself.

I couldn’t accept that war had begun. I couldn’t accept my country was in danger.

And most of all, I couldn’t accept that my husband… Was dead…

I don’t think I’ve ever cried as much as I had those nights.

Those nights of pain, and loneliness. Of heartache, and grief. I barely slept or even attempted to eat. I only stayed in my room, or in my closet, looking at my last memories of him… And crying.

Nearly two weeks, this went on. Two weeks I mourned my loss. Two weeks I felt totally alienated, and isolated myself to my broken thoughts.

Nearly two weeks, and I had finally felt the need to look at the stars… One last time. One last chance to be reminded of him.

It was, after all, Christmas Eve.

As I walked out into the freshly fallen snow, I glanced out into the open, night sky. Thousands of stars painted my view, from the east to the west. I had to smile slightly as a tear rolled down my cheek; How he’d love this night. The silhouettes against the gentle blanket of snow. The bright stars sparkling against a dark sky. These were our favorite nights, especially at Christmas time…

I missed him so much…

I walked back inside our - my - house slowly. As I did, however, I noticed a bunch of envelopes stuffed inside of the mailbox.

All with different dates, up until December… 7th…

I walked in the house, looking through the envelopes. I began opening them, one by one, reading them aloud…

Dearest Maria…

I can’t begin to express how much I miss you…

Things are going well here…

Every line written… I could hear it in his voice… I could feel the passion and love pouring from every letter… Every dream that he shared… Every fear that he had… Every emotion that ever dwelled inside of him. Everything laid out on the table, in black and white.

I’d come to the last letter, and gripped it tightly in my hands.

These were the last words I would ever read from him… And I wasn’t sure I was ready…

Eventually, however, I opened the envelope.

Dear Maria,

I’ve said it so many times now, I know. But I have to tell you now more than ever.

I miss you so much, Maria. I honestly do. Every time I look up at the stars, I think of you. The way you smile, and how your eyes always shine. The way your hand fits so perfectly within my own.

The way your faith is so strong, and you never give up on your dreams. The way you remind me that, despite everything that could ever go wrong, there is so much right. We have each other, even we are far away. We have a home, and friends, and hope, and most of all, we have love.

I thank God day after day that He has blessed me with such an amazing woman. And that she too feels blessed that I have become apart of her life. I thank God that she loves me, despite my scrapes and scars. Despite everything wrong with me, she still loves me. She’s a reminder that I am loved for myself by not only her, but by my loving Savior as well. I am shown grace each and every day.

I love you, Maria.

And because I love you, I need to ask of you one, simple favor.

Stay Strong.

I do not know what life may bring, to you, or myself. I don’t know if it will bring us together, or draw us apart. But no matter what our physical presence, we will always be with each other in spirit. Always.

There are… Rumors… Among some of the men in my base group. Supposedly, we’re supposed to be under attack soon. That is, according to one of the men’s friends. I’m not too sure about it, but I’m not too against it either.

We are on the brink of war, love. We are on the brink of war.

It is now more than ever I pray that you hold onto your hope and your faith, securely, and never let them go. I pray that you remember, no matter what happens to either of us, it’s all in God’s hands. He’s leading us both on a road to His planned destination. Whether that’s separately, or with each other, I don’t know. But it’s to the same point, right? And if we keep on the path He’s planned for us, then everything will work out in the end.

Keep our feet towards Heaven, and our eyes on the Lord.

I don’t want you to fear for me, or yourself, love. I only want you to pray, and know I’m praying. To know I love you, no matter what. No matter where. No matter when.

I love you.

And God loves you.

Know that the men and women that I have served alongside here for the past year - the ones who are still fighting, and the ones who have lost their lives fighting - They have not gone in vain, nor do they fight in vain.

It is they who were faced with fear and death, and in return, it is they who faced these things with bravery and honor. With courage and hope. With fearlessness and faith. It is they who walked in the valley of the shadow of death, and feared nothing, for they knew the reason they were serving. For protection. For justice. For unity. For the land of the free, and the home of the brave.

And I too know the reasons that I stay and serve. And I too would love to keep my loved ones safe. And most of all, I too admire these men and women as they admire me, for we fight in honor of liberty. Not only of ourselves, but of our fellow men. Whether it be in our country, or in another. Innocent lives are at risk, and we hope to free them from their oppression. So God help us.

It’s midnight here, and I should sleep. I must be awake and alert by seven A.M tomorrow. Honestly, I believe they are trying to take us down by sleep deprivation. Aha.

I love you darling. So much.

Forever and Always,

Mark

I sat there in tears, reading his words over and over again. Everything I knew from day one and chosen not to accept hit me at once. He was gone… But his love never died. His physical presence was no longer, but his spirit was here with me all along. His dreams were my dreams, and his heart mine.

He, as well as the many men and women who had lost or will lose their lives in this time of distress are not in vain. They never were. They had one goal. One cause.

Peace... Unity… Justice… Protection… Liberty… And love.

Love for his people, love for his country, love for justice, and love for the innocent lives caught up in this mess.

Even if they didn’t deserve it.

He died for them, as His Savior died for Him.

And that is what I call a true hero.

Even now, I can still feel his presence. I can still feel his arms embracing me in warmth. I can still hear his voice, saying to me,

I love you.

Forever and Always.

Merry Christmas, love.