Starry Nights

Chapter 9: Natalie

June 23, 2010

As she watched him walk away, she felt the tears begin to form in her eyes. She wished that she could restart these past 3 weeks and re-live them. As she walked back to the taxi, she knew that this year would be hard on her. Every day she would miss him and every day she needed him he couldn't be there for her. Her life wouldn't be the same without him.

As she got back in a taxi to go home, she watched out the window looking at all of the building she drove by. She watched and cried knowing that today could very well be the last day she ever saw Alex. This reality hit her like a car speeding down a highway. She wished that there was something she could do that would bring him back to her sooner, but she knew it was hopeless.

When she got home, she walked in with tears running down her face. Lauren didn't even bother to ask, but instead just walked over and held Natalie in her arms. "It's going to be okay, Natalie. He'll be back before you know it safe and sound."

"How do you know?" Natalie asked.

"Because you two are meant for each other, I just know that you two are meant to do something more than just have a three week relationship and then it just falls apart. You two are special. I've never heard any guy talk about you the way he did. He loves you Natalie, I promise, and I promise that he's coming home."

Natalie hugged Lauren a little tighter, and then let go. She looked at her, wiped her eyes, and said, "Thanks, Lauren. You're the best friend I've ever had."

"Hey, no problem kid. I'll always be here for you."

"I think I'm going to go to bed now. Night, Lauren."

"Sweet dreams, Natalie."

As Natalie walked into her room, she looked around. She remembered the night before, and wished she could kiss Alex again. She wished he was here with her so she could lay on his chest and listen to his heartbeat as they fell asleep together. She laid down, and looked at the clock on her nightstand and noticed a letter laying on it. She picked it up, and on the front it had her name written on it in beautiful handwriting. She opened it up, and started to read.

My dearest Natalie,

Thank you so much for the past 3 weeks. I love you more than I could ever explain to you. You are love to me, and I wish that I could have spent longer with you. Every night I look at the stars and they remind me of you because of how beautiful they are. I know that I can trust you with my life, and my love. I know you won't break my heart and I trust you more than anyone I know. I don't know why I trust you so much, I just feel a connection between us. There is more to our story, and I'm not giving up on you. You are mine and I am yours, and I will always be yours. I just hope that you will always be mine. I love you Natalie. I promise.

Love always,

~Alex

She felt the tears streaming down her face like waterfalls. She read the letter over and over. She held it knowing that Alex had once held it and read it just as she had. She looked at his signature and looked at his handwriting. She had no idea how wonderful his handwriting was. She wished that she could kiss him again. The world around her seemed to slow down as she rested her head on her pillow. She held the letter against her chest and stared at the ceiling. She wondered what Alex was doing right now. Whatever it was, she wished that she was there doing it with him. She felt her eyes begin to close. She fell asleep with thoughts of Alex on her mind, wishing that he was there with her so the world, once again, could be perfect.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

October 18, 2010

She woke up worried, but this was how she'd woken up for the past week. Alex had told her that he was going back to Afghanistan and that they wouldn't be able to talk as much anymore. She knew that this was a dangerous thing, and she worried about him constantly. She would watch the news every day to see if there was any news of dead or injured Marines. So far, there had been one death of a marine in Alex's group. She worried a lot more when she found this out.

 She started a hot shower and walked back into her room. She opened her night stand drawer and found the first letter Alex had written to her. She read it every day either when she woke up or right before she went to bed. She would sometimes read it two or three times a day. She loved reading it because it reassured her that he wasn't going to leave her and that he would come back home safe and sound.

She put the letter back into the drawer after she read it and walked over to the shower. She slid out of her clothes and as she got in the shower part of her wished that Alex was there as well. The thought of him in the shower with her made her stomach flutter a little. The feeling of the hot water running down her body gave her goosebumps. She loved a hot shower because it was the one place she could always think clearly.

When she got out, she slid into a bath robe and walked into the kitchen. She found Lauren already awake on the couch watching Psych. "There's a plate of food waiting for you in the microwave", Lauren said.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it kid. After you get it come watch Psych with me, I'm lonely today and I need a friend."

Natalie opened the microwave and found a plate of bacon and eggs waiting for her. She grabbed it and went over and sat next to Lauren. She hoped that watching Psych would get her mind off of Alex for a while. When she started watching, it actually began to work. Her thoughts of Alex seemed to fade away. She found herself unworried for the first time in a while. That was, until, she received a phone call. 

She heard her phone ringing and it was from an unknown number. She answered, though she was confused as to why someone random would be calling her. 

"Hello?" she said.

A man's voice could be heard on the other end. "Hello, is this Natalie?"

"Yes, why?"

"This is Denny, Alex's friend."

"OH! I've heard so much about you. How are you? Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine, thanks. But Alex isn't. I just got a phone call, and they told me that Alex was shot. I'm so sorry."

Natalie fell to the floor. She felt her heart drop into her stomach, and her whole body went numb. She had no idea what to think in this moment, and suddenly part of her didn't believe what she was hearing. "So, is he dead?" she managed to say.

She heard Denny pause for a while creating greater suspense. "No", he said. "He isn't dead, but he's in a coma and he hasn't woken up yet. In fact, they don't know if he'll ever wake up."