Bond of Love (Letters From Home Series Book 3) Read online

  “Hmmm,” I said, my curious mind already mulling over the work of these facilities. Saying nothing to mom, I decided to check into them.

  Jolting, I realized she had asked a question and I’d missed it. “I’m sorry, what did you ask?”

  “I was just wondering if you were still corresponding with that soldier friend of James’?”

  I felt a blush creep over my face and hoped that she missed seeing it. I should have known that wouldn’t happen. Before I had a chance to formulate my answer, she laughed.

  “I see that you must still be in contact with him, and if that blush is any indication, you are enjoying that contact!”

  Blushing brighter, I rolled my eyes. “Oh, mom, you make me sound like a teenager,” I complained, but had trouble keeping the smile off my face. “Okay, I admit, Ben and I are still corresponding and I really like what I’m learning about him.”

  She patted my hand and said, “James was a giving person but he was also discriminating when it came to his friends. That, in and of itself, tells me Ben is a good man as well as a good soldier.”

  “I confess I really like him, mom, but I know that’s premature. I’m sure he just thinks of me as a good friend.”

  “When does he get back from tour?”

  “I think in about three months.”

  Smiling again, mom said, “Well, once he’s back, maybe you can meet in person.”

  Nodding, I didn’t tell her I had already invited him to come. Now I just had to wait for his next letter.

  Dear Alicia,

  You cannot imagine the excitement your boxes brought to the squad! We divided up the toiletries and yes, there are a few women mechanics and they were appreciative of your gifts for them. The guys teased me, but I put them in a box and handed them to one of our female mechanics and just said, “Here, my friend sent these for any women here.” Then I’m sure I blushed as I walked away. I know, I know…men are such wimps when it comes to those products!

  Laughing out loud at the vision of handsome Ben, blushing as he mumbled his way through handing a box of sanitary products to a female soldier, I was glad they were shared with those who needed them.

  It was nice to hear you talk about James and how much he loved being a mechanic. That shows me you understand my fascination with the same career. I know I’m not college educated, but I love what I can fix with my own two hands. And as far as your nursing goes, keep doing what makes you happy but don’t be afraid of change. My life has had lots of changes and some of them have opened up amazing opportunities.

  I know what you mean about being able to handle thinking of James a little easier now. For a long time, his loss hammered me, whether I was working on a five-ton truck, dismantling a Humvee, or just playing a game of cards with him not here. Men, especially soldiers, are supposed to be such bad-asses, but the pain of losing my best friend killed me. But, I can think of him now without that punch to the gut. And most of that is due to you, Alicia. I hope you know how important you have become to me. (I hope that did not sound too needy – I don’t want to scare you away!)

  I’m from a little town in rural Pennsylvania, but I’ve got no ties there now. I admit I was thrilled that you would like me to meet your parents. And, to be honest, I was really excited at the prospect of meeting you. I’ve got nowhere special to be when I leave the military and would love to come and visit. I’ve got a few more pictures of James and me that I would be honored to share with your mom and dad, if you think that would be appropriate.

  You asked if I had a girlfriend and the answer is a definite No! I’ve had a few relationships in the past, but they never lasted long. I confess that when you said you were giving up on dating for a while, I grinned. Alicia, I’m going out on a limb and will just say that I’ve got a lot of changes coming up in the next couple of months. I rotate back home in two months, have a month of transition and then will be out of the Army. I’ll have to figure out where to live and then find a job. The Army will help but I’ve heard there’s only so much they can do. Most of it will be up to me. Who knows? I might look in Virginia for a mechanic job.

  There are a lot of things I’m excited about doing again. Like going to Walmart, eating in a restaurant or even getting a McDonalds’ hamburger. I want to take a shower that can last for more than a couple of minutes. I want to buy a pickup truck. I want to go to the beach and swim in the ocean. I want to find a nice, green park and just run in the grass. I even want to rent a mountain cabin and watch it snow.

  But the thing that I am most excited about is meeting you. More than anything. If you’re not dating anyone then, I’d love to take you to dinner. And a movie. I haven’t thanked you for your picture yet, but you should know that I look at it every day and cannot wait until I can see you in person. Your picture is beautiful but it is nothing compared to the beauty on the inside of you. Just know that James would be so proud of you.

  I’ll close for now, but the hope that in about three months I can see you in person will get me through the last weeks here in this place.

  Love,

  Ben

  I clutched the letter to my chest as a tear slid down my face. Ben had slowly crept into my life and had become so important to me, but I feared I was just a pen pal to him. This letter gave me hope that he was feeling the same.

  Opening my eyes, I placed the pages on my lap and smoothed them with my fingers. I glanced over at the calendar I kept on my refrigerator and headed into the kitchen, grabbing a marker on my way. I didn’t know the exact date he would be getting out, but I knew it had to be in January. Counting from the middle of January back, I began writing a Ben-gets-out countdown on each day of the calendar. Less than eighty days!

  Halloween in the ER…worst place ever.

  Four emergencies with children who had nut allergies and had eaten candy with peanuts. Five cases of children being hit by cars while out trick-or-treating. Three burn cases from lighting candles in the Jack-O-Lanterns. And that didn’t even include the adults who were dressed in costumes, drank too much, and ended up in fights, accidents, or just plain stupid injuries.

  One of the final ones of the evening was a young man brought in by ambulance with the police in attendance. He was in full Army ACU, with blood all over his chest. The EMTs called out he had been stabbed in a bar fight. The wound was superficial but would need to be stitched.

  I stood to the side, rooted in place, shaking as I stared down at him. Lifting my gaze to the policeman, I asked, “Is he an active duty soldier or a veteran?”

  “Huh?”

  “This soldier? Is he active duty or a veteran at home?”

  “Neither…this is just a costume. He was at some Halloween party at one of the local bars.”

  I began to shake with anger as I stared at the man on the table. “A costume?” I yelled. “When real soldiers are dying, he’s wearing a fuc—”

  Roberta shoved me to the side, saying, “Go, get out of here. We’ve got this. Take a break.” When I didn’t move, she got in between me and the vision of the fake soldier and said, “Alicia—go now, honey. You don’t need to see this.”

  Blinking out of my furious stupor, I nodded and turned, blindly stumbling down the hall. Other ER personnel were seeing to his wounds and I wasn’t needed, which was good because, at that moment, I would have been more likely to pummel him than treat him.

  I made it to the nurses’ lounge before bursting into tears. Falling into a chair, I sobbed…for James…for my parents whose pain would never heal…for Ben and the others who were still in danger. After several long minutes, my tears finally slowed. I grabbed some napkins from the table and wiped my face, sucking in a shuddering breath. I glanced up at the clock and realized my shift was almost over.

  Over. That’s how this felt. Truly over.

  Roberta opened the door and slipped inside, sitting next to me and pulling me close. “I’m sorry, Alicia. Why don’t you go on home?”

  Nodding, I turned to look at her. “I’m going t
o check out the nursing jobs available at one of the VA hospitals in the area.” As I said the words out loud to her that I had not verbalized to myself, I realized they were true…and needed.

  Being the good friend that she was, she didn’t try to talk me out of it. She just smiled sadly and nodded. Maybe she knew before I did, that it was time for a change.

  Chapter 9

  (November – Ben)

  Thanksgiving came and, this year, for the first time in years, I had a lot to be thankful for. And the beautiful brunette with the slightly crooked smile and generous spirit waiting to meet me back in the states was at the top of my list.

  The DFAC did a good job with Thanksgiving, but the next box from Alicia made it even better with the seasoning packets and cans of cranberry sauce and gravy. The squad ate together and our spirits were high. Four of us would be transferring out in early January and the rest would go in a few months after that.

  A chill was in the air but it felt good after the hotter-than-hell summer months. Looking forward to being back in the states soon when it was cold and snowy was exciting.

  “What’s the first thing you gonna do when you get back?” Brett called out.

  “Get drunk and get laid…but not necessarily in that order!” Sam yelled out, to the laughter of the others.

  Shaking my head, I looked up, seeing the others staring at me. A quip came to mind but suddenly I had no desire to lie or brag. Shrugging, I said, “Guess I’ll head to Virginia and meet up with James’ family.” The jocularity left the group and I felt guilty about that. “Come on, guys. That’s a good thing. I’ll spend some time with them, share some stories, and make sure to thank Alicia for her generosity.”

  Slow smiles filled the table and I braced for their teasing, but was pleasantly surprised. “Well, give her our thanks as well, man,” Paul, one of the newer squad members, said.

  Later Jacob and I were walking out together when he said, “You know, just because it’s been long-distance, you and Alicia share something really special. I wish you two the best.”

  Grinning, I nodded, completely agreeing. Less than fifty days to go.

  Dear Ben,

  You didn’t give me the date of when you get back, but I’ve been doing a calendar countdown anyway and hope I’m not too far off! I can’t wait to meet you in person!

  I realized the other night that, other than my parents and my friend, Roberta, I think you know me better than anyone. Mom and dad definitely want you to come see them and they would love to see any pictures you have of James and any stories you can share. I know it will be after the holidays but it will be the best Christmas present.

  Speaking of the holidays, I know this will be the most difficult one for us. I think we’ll keep it kind of easy – I thought about having my parents come to my apartment so they won’t have to face their house without James this year.

  I wanted to tell you my latest news – I am looking at changing jobs. My mom and I were at the Hampton Veterans Medical Center, which is a full hospital, (we were packing up boxes to send to soldiers for the holidays) and I really like their facility. I went to talk to the head of nursing and she said they had openings. I’m going back this week to take a tour and complete my application. I would not be working in emergency, but am looking to be in their post-surgical unit. Well, either that or their rehabilitation services. The time is right…I need a change and you’ve given me the encouragement to do what’s right for me. Thank you for that!

  I hope I’m not being too presumptuous, but I can’t wait to take you to Walmart and McDonald’s! And I would definitely accept your invitation to dinner and a movie! By the time you get this letter, it won’t be long at all. So excited!!

  Please take care of yourself and expect to get at least one more box of goodies (Christmas cookies this time!) See you soon!

  Love,

  Alicia

  Grinning, the thoughts of taking Alicia to dinner filled my mind. Hell, even the idea of wandering the aisles of Walmart sharing a shopping cart with her made my head spin.

  “Hey, Fowler!”

  I shoved Alicia’s letter back into my pocket and threw my lunch trash into the bin. “Yeah?” I called out to Jacob.

  “Got a call for a re-claim. Looks like it’s you and me.”

  Nodding, I went to get suited up. Our Staff Sergeant came over to give us the information that we would have an armed escort, due to the fighting that had recently been going on in the area.

  Within thirty minutes, we were in our armored five-ton wrecker in the middle of the escort convoy. We turned and headed up toward the mountains, the opposite direction from where I’d been before. The terrain became rougher and rockier, but our M1089 crunched over the gravel as we made our way. Coming upon the overturned vehicle, I let out a sigh of relief, seeing the job would not be difficult.

  Maneuvering our wrecker, we made fast work of attaching the winch lines. Once inside, we pulled it over, back on its wheels. Jacob got out again as I maneuvered the wrecker to get into the right position to hook up the towing mechanisms.

  Suddenly the sound of rapid gunfire echoed off the cliffs around us and our escort immediately returned fire. Jerking around, I looked for Jacob but couldn’t find him. A Sergeant pounded on my window, and yelled, “Go! We’re pushing out!”

  “Specialist Balston’s still out there!”

  The Sergeant ducked down and within a minute came back covering Jacob. As he climbed back in the armored cab we got our orders to drive on, the convoy would follow.

  Putting the wrecker in gear, I started down the road. Glancing to the side, I asked, “You okay, man?”

  “Yeah,” Jacob replied, his voice hoarse with adrenaline. “I got some rounds off but fucking hell, Ben, I’m glad the escort was with us.”

  Nodding, I agreed, my heart pounding as the sounds of gunfire continued all around. Looking in my side view mirrors, I saw some of the armored vehicles of the convoy falling in line behind us and one was coming up alongside, soon to pass in front. As we bumped along the rocky terrain down the mountain side, we slowly made our way back to base. As the sounds of conflict disappeared, I breathed a sigh of relief.

  Now that I had someone to get home to, I wanted nothing to interfere. Pulling through the base gates as the sun was setting, we made our way to the garage. Our squad was waiting for us, having heard about the attack. Assuring them we were fine, they assisted with unhooking the towed vehicle. Completing the paperwork in record time, Jacob and I headed off to the showers.

  As I opened the package from Alicia, I knew this would be the last care package I would get from her. It wasn’t large, but it did hold a surprise. There was just one baggie of her chocolate chip cookies, but also an envelope filled with papers. It didn’t appear to be a letter but as I opened it, I sucked in a breath realizing what I was looking at. Pages of computer printouts of mechanic job openings in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. Alicia has done a ton of research into a new job for me already…this must mean she wants me to live nearby!

  Unable to keep the grin off my face, I perused the job openings she had listed while munching a cookie.

  Jacob poked his head into the tent and called out, “Ben, Sarge wants to see us.”

  I looked up in surprise. “Now?”

  “Yep. You, me, Mendez, and Toller.”

  He and I shared a look, recognizing the four he wanted to talk to were the four who were supposed to leave for the States from tour in about six weeks. My stomach felt punched as I wondered why we were being called in. After all, the needs of the Army take precedence over everything.

  Jacob and I hustled to the garage, meeting up with the other two mechanics, their expressions just as surprised and worried as ours.

  Chapter 10

  (December – Alicia)

  “Ms. Newton, we are very pleased to have you join our staff.”

  I walked down the hall with Donna Perkins, the head of the nursing department at the Hampton Veterans Medical Center.
Holiday decorations were hung over the doors and in the glass windows.

  “We have a long and proud history,” she continued. “In 1865, Abraham Lincoln authorized the first national soldiers’ and sailors’ asylum to provide medical care for discharged members of the Union Army and Navy forces. This is the fourth one in the nation to be developed. It’s been operating for 135 years.”

  Impressed, I nodded, taking it all in. “I can’t tell you how excited I am to be here,” I freely admitted.

  Donna smiled at me and said, “You’ll find the pace here much slower than the ER, but from what you told me, that won’t be a problem.”

  “No, ma’am. I loved the ER for a long time, but I missed having a relationship with my patients. And after my brother was killed, I was made so aware of the families of our veterans that have needs. I’m excited to be working with both the wounded veterans and their families.”

  Nodding, she patted my shoulder as we continued to walk throughout the large facility. We ended up in the surgical area where I was introduced to the other nurses on staff that day. Providing post-op care was just what I had requested.

  I thanked her profusely as I began my first shift, knowing the change was the best decision for me. As I was taken on a tour of the post-op floor, I noticed a large wall calendar and grinned as I thought of my calendar at home with my countdown to Ben clearly marked.

  Forcing thoughts of him out of my mind, I smiled at the charge nurse as we began the day.

  I should have known Christmas Eve would hurt.

  Mom and dad agreed to spend Christmas with me in my little house, so I spent the day before decorating. With a wreath on the door and a small tree in the corner, I hung ornaments on its branches. Mom loaned me the family ornaments for this year and I found the ones James and I had made each year in elementary school. Heaving a sigh, I wondered how we would get through the day. Tiger, excited with the decorations, stood on her hind legs and batted at the tree. I smiled, glad for the distraction.