The Cracks in Perfection

The Family in Fairview

Chapter 27

Morgan

Two weeks until school was out. That meant less then two weeks until prom. That was practically all the school was buzzing about as I trudged through the next three days of school. Mia called out sick to her classes and stayed at our house those three days. She slept on my trundle bed since it was much more comfortable than the pullout couch.

Karen left school with me every afternoon and stayed for dinner each night as well for moral support. She was even there for my family while I was at work.

Seth helped me through work, and I noticed he kept topics light and never mentioned my brother. Graham had been missing for three days.

Dad got the email on Thursday night.

I had been sitting next to him on the couch when he gasped. I looked over at him, his brown hair was sticking up at random angles from running his hand through it and his eyes were flicking left to right s he read the message on the screen.

"What?" I asked him, and then he showed me the email.

Dad:

Hey, I'm okay I promise. I'm also coming home... I'm so sorry that I scared you guys like that. General Mack told me that you know about the Humvee accident. I got out with two of my other teammates.

I want to tell you as much as possible, but you'll just have to wait a few days until my flight lands and I can come home.

Tell Paisley that I love her. Tell Morgan that I miss her. Tell Parker I'll be home soon. Tell Mallory that I can't wait to see her. Tell Charlotte I can't wait to be home.

The attachment is my discharge form and my medical form... I guess I'm going to have to tell you at some point that my left leg is no longer there. I'm trying to cope with it as best as I can, don't worry about me.

My General will be contacting you before I get home.

I'll also send one to Mom and Mia.

Love

Graham

Tears slid down my face as I handed Dad his phone back, he hugged me and went to go show Charlotte. Mia was asleep on the couch, so I gently shook her shoulder.

"Mia," I wiped away the tears of both sadness and happiness that were streaming down my cheeks. Graham was alive. Graham was coming home. Graham was missing a leg.

"Hmm?" She stirred before fully waking.

"Mia, check your email. My dad just got an email from Graham."

"What?" She sat up quickly and smiled as she lifted her phone. "He's alive?" She looked at me and I nodded. She hugged me and we laugh-cried together before she read the email. Then we were hugging and crying again.

Karen came in from where she had been eating in the kitchen with Charlotte. She was crying and smiling too, meaning she read the email as well. I got up and hugged her. It felt amazing to know that Graham was okay and he was coming home.

Graham was alive. Graham was coming home.

Graham was missing a leg.

***

"Really Morgan? That's great!" Rose exclaimed once I told her that Graham was coming home. We were sitting in physics doing the worksheet that Miss Delany passed out.

"Wait, I thought he left around Easter... why is he coming home so soon?" Seth asked, "I mean, not that it isn't great and all." The purple in his hair was already fading back to blonde.