Private Bryan

Chapter 3:

The rain ran down the window as I sat and watched. It was going to be another long night. This house was big and lonely. Only five more months then I can finally have someone with me. Bryan had left for Afghanistan nearly three months ago, shortly after we moved to this country town. It broke my heart watching him drive away from a place we barely got to call home.

I sobbed and felt a kick to my ribs. My son was moving around happily and he was the only reason I even had to smile anymore. His father would be so happy to see me growing bigger every day with his child. Bryan was so happy to be a father, he was so broken when his Sargent called and said he had to leave.

A loud knock on my door brought me out of my sorrow. I stood up carefully, completely aware of my rounding belly, and pulled my sweater around my body as I walked across the wooden floor to open the door.

A man stood in front of me, drenched from the rain, in all black. My heart sunk.

"Mrs. Klein?" The man asked with a deep southern accent.

"T-that's me." I stuttered, rubbing where my son kept kicking me over and over again.

"I'm sorry." Was all he said as he handed me a folded up flag with dog tags on top of it.

I knew this day was coming, I had just hoped this day didn't come until after our son was born and after bryan got to hold him and love him. My knees shook and I leaned against the door frame as my vision blurred with tears.

"He wanted you to have this, in case anything ever happened to him." The man said and handed me a Manila envelope then tipped his hat and left.

I shut the door and the click as it locked reverberated around the room. My feet dragged on the floor as I walked to Bryan's chair and sat in it, pulling my feet under me as I opened the Manila envelope and pulled out the papers. It was a letter from Bryan.

My dearest Camile,
If you are reading this then I didn't make it back home to you and our son. But don't cry. I'll always be there in our home. No matter what, I will be there to hold you through the darkest nights.
I want you to move on. I want you to get married. I want our son to have a father to play ball with in the yard, or go hunting and fishing. Don't worry about me, my love. I'm never very far from you. Afghanistan is tough, and I had a feeling this would happen to me. That's why I gave you the love I did when I was home. As you're reading this letter I am wiping away your tears and kissing your cheek. You were my light in the darkness, my queen. And you always will be.
So don't be sad that I'm gone. Be glad that we got to share the time we had together. Not many women can handle military relationships. You're a very strong woman, you will be able to get through this. I love you. Forever.

Love always,
Bryan

I refolded the letter and pulled out the other papers. One was a check, which had enough money to support me and our son for the rest of our lives the other was a letter stating when and where Bryan would be buried.

My tears wouldn't stop as I set the envelope down and cradled my belly. I soon fell asleep to the sound of the rain on the window.

My phone ringing woke me up. I reached blindly for it and stared at the screen. Erin, a girl from town, was calling.

"Hello?" I said and rubbed my eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" Erin asked.

"Kinda. But that's alright. What's going on?" I asked and sat up, stretching out my stuff legs.

"Just making sure you're alive, I got news that there was a man at your place last night dressed in all black." She said and it sounded like she was typing something.

"Yes, there was. But I'm fine." I said and looked at the envelope.

"Tell me the details." She said and giggled.

"Bryan died in Afghanistan." I said and the tears started again. I sobbed and my son kicked me as if to tell me at least he's still there.

"Oh my god. I'll be right over." She said then hung up.

I locked my phone and went upstairs to change. My yoga pants were clean so I pulled those one with a grey maternity shirt and my boots and went downstairs. I pulled on my jacket and walked outside. It had snowed overnight so there was a light dusting of snow as I checked on the chickens and collected the eggs.

"Camile!" Erin yelled as she ran up to me, her strawberry blonde curls bouncing. Her blue eyes shone with tears as she wrapped me in her arms and just held me. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

"It's alright, Erin. We had discussed the chance of this when we first decided to be together. I knew the risk I was taking when I fell in love with a soldier." I said and released myself from her and carried the basket of eggs inside. My boots were kicked off at the door and I walked inside in my socks.

"Well, at least you're staying positive. That's a good thing." She said and followed me into the kitchen.

"Are you hungry?" I asked as I put some of the eggs into the fridge but left a few out to make a couple omelets. I also grabbed some cheese and bacon.

"Starving." She laughed and sat at the breakfast bar.

"Omelet sound good?" I asked and cracked the eggs into a bowl and started to scramble them then proceeded to make the omelets. They were done quickly and I handed Erin a plate. She ate happily and then we walked into the living room. "I need your help. I don't want to do this, but it's the only way for me to heal, I need to put Bryan's stuff into boxes and put them in the attic. Can you help?"

"Of course. Let's start. Gather all of his stuff and I will put it into boxes." She said and smiled. So I wandered around the house, grabbing Bryan's stuff from all over and gave it to her to box up. "What about the dog tags and flag?"

"No. Those im going to get framed and hang up down here on top of the mantle." I said and watched her box up all the stuff of the love of my life.

"Phase one, done. Now, we need to get the nursery ready for little boy." She said and rubbed her hands together. I was in for it, but I loved our time together.