Remembering YOU

Chapter 1

As promised the updated chapter 1! Enjoy, let me know what you think in the comments, and please vote! If liked I will post the updated chapter 2 tonight! Enjoy! 

I watch as I see men in uniform get off of the terminal and make their way into the airport. I stand up on my toes to look above the crowd looking to see a gray-haired man that I called my father. I scanned the room to see if I missed him. I notice a younger mother with her two young children. They couldn't be anymore younger than under six years old. They were on their toes bouncing up and down. I assume waiting for their daddy to walk though the gates.  I weakly smile I knew that feeling all too well. That relief once you see your loved one in uniform walk into the same room you are in. Still alive and well. Well honestly just breathing. This is one of the most nerve racking parts of having a family member in the United States Military. You know when they are leaving, you never really get used to them being gone but you deal. The worst is the days before knowing they are coming home. You just cannot stand it anymore, when you finally lie your eyes and your body into a bone crushing hug. You a relief wash over your body when you can finally see and hold them again. 

Those kids look so innocent, so naive. I used to believe that once my daddy got home he would be home for good. Little do they know; military life is all about picking up and leaving at only a moments notice. A new assignment, a new town, and lucky me a new school. But I have gotten used to moving all the time. Luckily for me I have been fortunate enough to be able to spend the past four years in high school at the same school. 

This wasn't my first rodeo though, I been through countless goodbyes, and countless hellos. I'm only 17, my father was first deployed when I was  so little that I couldn't even remember. I was almost 6 months when he first met me. I was born when he was doing a tour in Iran. My mother gave birth to me all by myself, without any family, and my father on a conference call. I know what you are thinking that my mother must be the strongest person you know.  She always likes to put that front up around me, deep down I know she is hurting sometimes. She just likes to be strong for me. She is truly an amazing mother, and I wouldn't trade her for the entire world. We do everything together, and whenever one falls one of us is always there to bring them back on their feet. 

I look over at my brown haired mother, noticing her wrinkles and slightly grey hairs. Shes getting older and stress really has taken a toll on my beautiful mom. I grab her hand in mine and squeeze it. She looks over at me smiling. I can see it in her eyes that she eager to see her husband. 

 His tour lasted a year and half this time this was the longest one yet. Lets just say I learned at a young age to cherish my time from my father because you never know when and if he was ever going to come back.

Sometimes when I was younger, I would wake up in the morning to pancakes that my mother made. I learned through the years that whenever those chocolate chip pancakes were made,my mother,always tried sugarcoating me. Those  pancakes meant that daddy had to leave and didn't known when he was coming back. My mother always thought it would be easier the way, it maybe was when I was litter. Now I just hate them. Hate the smell, taste, even looking at them. 

I see one after another of men in army uniforms. None of which are my dad. I am also getting impatient to see him as I push through a number of people to be closer to the entrance where they were coming in. 

I look over at that family from earlier. Those children will learn just like I did. Military is a different universe;you cannot just have a cookie cutter family with a picket fence and two lab dogs. When enlisted, and when the military calls you go running. 

That is why I promised myself that I would never fall in love with a man in the uniform like my mom did. I couldn't go through all the pain I watched my mom go through... The pain and depression when my dad was away. Even though she tried so hard not to show she was hurting. I could see it in her face and eyes. Even at a young age I knew. I tried my hardest to always keep her laughing. My putting on magic shows, plays, playing barbie dolls, house, teacher.