✔ A Minute in Heaven || Wattys 2017

Chapter Nine - Deliverance and a Letter from France

I will always be here for you.

...

Alfred's mind was slowly fading.

I stayed by his side as often as I could. I wanted him to know that I was there for him. He seemed to appreciate it, but he wasn't getting better.

He wasn't as bright as he'd once been. His skin was pallid. His eyes dulled. He never washed the oil out of his hair. Even when he slept next to me, his skin was as cold as ice.

I knew that cold. I had felt it when I went to my father's funeral. I'd felt it after Mother gave birth to Natalia. I felt it all around me every day. I knew what was wrong with Alfred.

His soul was dying.

+ + + + +

It was on April 17 when Alfred got his third letter from Matthew.

He didn't open it for the longest time. I kept trying to convince him to open it, but he refused.

"Alfred," I told him as I stood in the bedroom doorway. "Just sitting there will not make things better, da?"

Alfred turned away from me even more.

"He's dead," Alfred grunted. "Dad's dead, and Mattie sent me this letter to tell me that."

I turned the journal Alfred had given me in my hands over and over, trying to come up with something to say.

"I do not think so," I said. "What is that old saying... third time's the charm?"

Alfred snorted a response.

"So?" Alfred said.

"So," I responded, "I think that this letter will not be so bad. Please, Alfred, open it."

Alfred glanced down at the letter in his hands. I put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Please, if anything, for me."

Alfred huffed and rolled his eyes.

"I've got nothing to lose now," Alfred said. "I might as well."

I smiled as Alfred finally opened the letter.

I quickly noticed that this letter was much thicker than the others, several pages long, easily. Alfred didn't look too concerned. When he actually took a look at the letter, however, his entire expression transformed. His eyes boggled. His jaw fell open. He pressed the paper to his face and read it in disbelief.

"Oh my God," he rasped.

Then, with a wild shout of joy, Alfred jumped off the bed and forced the letter into my hands.

"Read it!" Alfred begged. "Read it read it read it!"

I knew that whatever was in the letter must've been fantastic news. I unfolded the paper and read it.

To my dear son Alfred,

I have no idea how far you are on your voyage, so I'm sending this to Matthew in the hopes that he might know your whereabouts and deliver this to you safely.

I am very happy to report that Britain has emerged the victor against the Germans near Saint-Quentin. I thought that the Germans might win, but due to our superior British defenses and the Fifth Army's fortitude, our enemy was forced to back down.