Traveling Soldier: Chapter One

When I got that letter, I felt my world shatter into pieces. The whole world seemed to fall silent. And then, all at once all these memories came flooding back like home movies in my head. The hurt is still with me today and the need to say goodbye, for closure is still completely present.

I thought back to the night I saw him. I worked at a small video store called the Video Corner near my house after school during the week. I was helping a customer when the bell on the door rang. Whoever it was was using the wrong door and frankly I was slightly agitated. So I went up front to see if I could help them, and then I saw him. The sun glinted off of his dirty-blonde crew-cut hair and the buttons on his uniform. His smile was almost as bright. I smiled back and then noticed how his sea-green eyes light up when he smiled. When he looked at me I felt like he could see all my secrets and I didn't care for it at first. Then, I looked twice.

I realized just who it was that I was looking at. It was little Joe Williams, the shy boy I'd grown up with. Only, he wasn't a little boy anymore. He was a man. And apparently, a Marine. "Joe?!" Our smiles widened at the realization of who we were staring at. "I can't believe it! Little Peyton Sawyer!" He grabed me and spun me around- sweeping me off of my feet. "It's so great to see you! It's been what three years?" I nodded in agreement almost speechless at this point. "You grew up." He said, looking me over. "You did, too." I said, one eyebrow raised, doing the same. He cocked his head to one side and said: "Step back I want to get a good look at you." I blushed a little and stepped back, then spun around.

"Yep, I was right. Still country as a turnup green and beautiful as ever." He hugged me again and whispered: "I missed you, baby girl." That had been his nickname for me growing up and now it seemed weird for him to call me that. We weren't kids anymore. I missed you too, Kid." He left one arm around my waist and with the other reached behind the counter for a pen. "How 'bout a number and dinner with me Thursday night? That gives you three nights to reconsider." I looked at the pen and paper, then at him. "How about tommorow night, so I don't?" He looked at me, considering. "You won't stand me up will you?" I tried my best to look hurt. "Have I ever?" He cocked his eyebrow, and looked at me. "Okay, so I have. I won't, I promise. Scout's honnor." He shook his head. "Only counts if you were a scout." I rolled my eyes and wrote down my number.

He left me to finish my shift in awe of his coming home without me knowing. We'd lost touch the previous year when I moved back home from Nashville where I'd been living with my aunt, and then I hadn't been able to track him down. Fourty-five minutes after he left, my cell phone rang. I laughed when I recognized the number he'd put in my phone. "Did I not just see you? And am I not going to see you tommorow night?" I heard him chuckle on the other line. "Yes to both. But I wanted to hear your voice again. It's been so long I'd wondered if you'd fallen of the face of the planet. And then to see you there like that.... I was completely unprepared to see you. I had this whole big speech planned out and then...." He trailed off, I just waited patiently. He hadn't changed that much. "Well, you were there. I guess you'd know wouldn't you?" Now it was my turn to laugh. "Yes, I was there. And I do know. It was good to see you. It's been too long."

His agreement came sooner than I though, as I'd barely spoke the words, he apperead inside the doorway again. "Yep, I was right... you're just as beautiful as you were when I saw you earlier today." I laughed aloud at that and looked at him. He'd changed into some jeans and a wife-beater to show off his newly earned muscles, I suppose. Whatever he was trying to do, it looked good. I was amazed at exactly how happy I was to see him. I couldn't quit smiling and neither could he.

Now, looking back on it, it seems like a simple start, but we'd come so far from where we were. And I realize now just how much I love him. And how much I took our time together for granted.