Fighting For You (Letters To Harley)

Prologue

 

 

 

 

I woke with a start and was covered with sweat. “Harley?” I asked when I looked to his side of the bed, it was empty and cold. I fought back tears, my nightmare couldn’t come true, could it? Maybe he just went down to the kitchen.

 

I threw my covers off me and ran down the stairs and into the kitchen. The light was off and no one was in there. I shook my head in disappointment and tried to hold in my tears. “Mommy?” a little voice asked from the doorway.

 

I jumped in surprise and turned around, “Oliver.” I whispered. His black hair curled around his ears the way Harley’s used to and his green eyes that matched his to a tea. “What are you doing out of bed?” I asked making my way over to him.

 

“I can’t sleep.” He told me, clutching his blanket to his chest.

 

I bent down to his level and caressed his face, “It’s okay, you can sleep with me.”

 

He gave me a little smile, which I returned as he wrapped his arms around my neck and his legs around my waist as I stood up. Oliver was three and completely adorable. He was a mini replica of Harley and for that I was thankful for. Harley has been missing for three years and counting, he missed the birth of his son, he missed Oliver’s first steps, his first words. He missed it all. But it wasn’t like it was his fault, he was deployed in September and was reported missing in October. Raising Oliver has been tough alone but I know that I’m not the only one in this situation.

 

Oliver asks where his daddy is and I tell him he’s protecting the country. That his daddy is a hero, he thinks it’s the coolest thing ever. Harley would have been so proud.

 

I still have hope though, even if it has been three years and no one else did. Everyone told me to move on, to be happy, but I can’t. Harley was everything to me and I couldn’t just give up. I still believe he’s alive, I have too.

 

I laid Oliver down on Harley’s side and he looked up at with wide eyes. I gave him a reassuring smile and kissed his forehead.

 

“I love you.” I told him

 

“Love you too mommy.” He whispered back.