Army Girl

Bye

So Amber didn't hear it all right. The conversation wasn't about asking the new girl out. It was about asking her to the winter formal, which is a month after the sleepover.

Last Friday was great but this Saturday, that's a totally different story. We were in the car on our way to say goodbye. Today, my parents are getting sent to Iraq, and this deployment is going to be the hardest yet. Not only are both parents going, that would be too easy. We don't know when they're getting back.

In all of their other deployments, we knew how long they were going to be gone. 22 weeks, 6 months, that's all changed. We have absolutely no idea how long it will be until they actually come home.

We made it to the airport way too fast. The car came to a stop and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. I didn't want them to leave, I just wanted them to stay with me. I guess we can't get everything we want.

The next two hours were just a blur in my mind. The next thing I knew, we were sitting in the terminal and watching the countdown to boarding. 10 minutes.

"Mom, Dad?"

"Yes honey?"

"Ummm." 5 minutes "Can you guys promise me one thing?"

"Depending on what it is." I paused, 2 minutes.

"Come home."

My dad's conforting voice chirped up, "We'll do our best sweetheart. Don't worry, this isn't our final goodbye."

When the anouncement comes on, I almost crumble to the floor. I probably would have if two sets of strong arms weren't suddenly around me. My dad kisses the top of my head and my mom squeezes me tight. In an instant they were walking towards the doorway to board the plane.

I think this is the only time I've ever seen tears well up in my parents eyes. I can feel tears rolling down my checks as I wave them off.

Another set of arms wraps around me from behind and I don't have to look in order to know it's Tristan. I lean my head on his chest and cry into his shirt.

"They're going to come back, I know they will." If only I was able to believe him.