As the rain fell on the window sill, I started to second guess myself. Maybe he wasn’t coming home. They had said they needed more men, to protect their country. I didn’t understand how with protecting came so much pain and death. As I continued to stare out the window, the howling kettle brought me back to reality.
I stood, and walked over to the stove, only to find my three year old daughter looking up at me. I smiled as I poured us both some tea.
“Mommy?” she said as she pulled on my skirt. “Is daddy ever going to come home?” I knelt down, and took her hand as I pushed back a loose strand of hair. She looked just like him, his deep green eyes, and flyaway blond hair.
“Honey, daddy’s doing his best, and we can hope that he’s ok.” She slipped her hand from mine, as she walked quietly to the window sill. I watched her sit and stare, as she wrapped up in a blanket. I turned the radio on, and news of soldiers split the silence. “Two more men died today in battle, “the radio spat into the open kitchen air.
I flicked it off, as I sipped the warm tea. Tea seemed to warm me from the inside out, and for a moment, as I relaxed, I remembered what my life used to be. My eyes closed as I saw him before me, whirling my daughter in the air as upbeat music flowed from the background. He then set her down, and grabbed my hand, and spun me into a dance. I laughed as I danced around the room, with the love of my life in my arms. As I looked across the room, my daughter was laughing and clapping to the music. She smiled and said, “Dance, dance!”
“Mommy?” the word was not from then, but from now. “Yes?” I asked quietly, as I set down the warm mug, and walked towards the window.
“Someone’s here,” she said as she pointed out the window. My heart raced as I stepped closer to the window, and peered out. I saw, no it couldn’t be! It was the truck he had came in! As my heart pounded out a jagged rhythm, I rushed to the door. My hand reached the doorknob just as the doorbell rang. A deep breath filtered through my lungs, as the door slowly creaked open.
In stepped tall as life, my husband, looking down at me. Tears streaked my cheeks as I collapsed in front of him. Then, it all seemed to melt away, and I woke in my bed. I gasped as I shot up, looking around, my husband in the bed beside me. I swung my legs over the bed, as my daughter ran into the room, a year old again. It was a dream!
I picked up the book I was currently reading titled, “A War Gone Wrong.” I scoffed as I threw the book into the fireplace.
I turned to my daughter, and smiled as I said, “Let’s go get some tea.”