The Lost Soldier

New Beginnings

A month later...

"Areum, honey its time to go" my mom called as she gently knocked on my door. Missing in action, Petty Officer Third Class Becket Stark was declared M.I.A after the bombing attack in Iran, where in Iran was classified. Beckett's body hadn't been recovered from the base camp, it had been over a month so Mai and Adam were having an empty casket funeral for him. Other bodies had been recovered, although some in the area where the bomb was centered were vaporized, another one of the bodies that hadn't been found was Roy Charleston.

"Reumi you need to be strong today, if you come to the funeral you'll be helping out Mai and Adam, Beckett loved you sweetheart, be there to support them and give Beckett a proper burial" Lanie reasoned from the other side of the door. I sat in my bedroom holding Beckett's half of the necklace in my palms, I was dressed in black from head to toe. I had cried my makeup off again, I looked like a Raccoon, but when you lose someone you love you put your life on hold. I felt small and helpless, I haven't felt empty since they day my dad died, Beckett had carved a hole in my chest and I didn't know what I could do to fill it. I finally stood on shaky legs, I was gonna try to be strong today, for Mai and Adam, my mother, and myself. I opened the bedroom door and Lanie's face cracked in relief, "are you ready?" she asked me. I nodded, I did not trust my voice at the moment, Lanie took my right hand and Archer took my left.

***

The ceremony was beautiful, Mai and Adam had put together a memorial video for Beckett. It walked everyone through his life, through home videos and pictures, I lost it when the video showed the picture where we first met. We were so young at the time, I was three and Beckett was four, we met by chance, my parents had a Christmas party and Beckett's parents came. They say Beckett and I were instantly inseparable, we played together, fell asleep together, and held hands. If one of us were crying, the other one was instantly there, it was like we were tuned into each other's emotions. Almost all my memories include Beckett, but watching the sleek black casket get lowered into the ground hurt my heart, this is one memory I did not want. I stood in front of the freshly tossed dirt, my reflection peered back at me from the finish on the gravestone, 

'Beckett Rowan Stark

Beloved Son, soldier, and partner

February 2, 1999 - February 12, 2020'

Beckett had just turned twenty-one, he was still so young, he had his whole life ahead of him. I went home that night and had dreams of Chrysanthemums. 

***

One Year Later

I held a bouquet of white roses in my hand and Fenrys's leash in the other. This has been the eightieth visit to Beckett's grave in a year, I knelt in front of the gravestone with Fenrys by my side, his ears were back as he snuggled into my side. "Hi" I said to no one in particular "I miss you Beckett, Lanie, Archer and I graduated, Lanie and Asher broke up" I continued "Archer and Lanie started dating about three months later, and even though they are the clingiest couple ever, I'm happy for them" Fenrys's ears perked up and I stroked his white fluffy head "Fenrys just turned one a couple days ago, your parents are doing okay your older sister Lysandra came home to take care of them, they're coping as best they can" I wiped a tear off my cheek "I'm taking a year off to save for college, and then I'm going to go to Western Michigan University" I took a deep breath "I wish you were still here" I mumbled. I set the bouquet in front of the gravestone, I was tracing the letters on the stone when Fenrys jumped up. I tried to grab the leash just as he bounded away, "Fenrys! What are you doing!" I sprinted after him "come back!" I finally caught up to him, he had a person pinned to the ground licking his face, I gripped Fenrys's collar and pulled him off. "I'm so sorry!" I said to the person mortified.

"Wow buddy you've gotten big!" The man said sitting up, his hood fell off and my knees gave out.

***

My hand was pressed over my mouth as I stared at the ghost in front of me,

"Hello Angel" He said smiling at me, 

 I cried harder I couldn't say anything in between the sobs that ripped through my throat and the heaviness in my chest. Beckett pushed himself off the ground and walked toward me, he stopped right in front of me and offered me a hand. My hand shook as I took it and he pulled me up, I stared into his emerald eyes, I reached up and ran my thumbs across his cheeks.

"I'm here..." he stopped "well most of me" I gave him a funny look and he lifted his left pant leg revealing a prosthetic leg. I wrapped my arms around his middle and laid my head against his chest, he pressed a kiss on the top of my head and he set his chin atop my crown. We stood there in that cemetery holding each other, I eventually stopped crying and said into his chest "I love you Beckett." 

"I love you to sweetheart" he said. Beckett pulled away from me and dropped to one knee, and pulled a small black velvet box from his jacket pocket. "Areum Eleanora Xavier will you marry me?" He opened the box and revealed a beautiful diamond ring, a smile split my face.

"Yes, of course I will!" I helped him stand up and he slid the ring on my finger. I kissed him and he kissed me back, I smiled and examined the ring on my finger. 

"Lanie helped me pick out the ring, I can't believe Archer and Lanie are together, how the hell did that happen?" He asked mystified. 

"I don't know I just accidentally walked in on them one day, I've been going to therapy ever since" I shuddered but paused "Lanie helped you pick the ring out? When?"

"A couple days ago" he shrugged.

"You've been back for two days but didn't TELL ME!" I hissed.

"I'm sorry I wanted this to be a surprise!" He said trying to calm me down.

"I thought you were dead Beckett" I gripped him by the collar of his shirt "never pull this shit again, NEVER."

Beckett had his arms up in surrender and nodded, he rubbed the back of his neck "I deserved that, I should've told you earlier" I nodded in agreement and took his hand I was honestly just glad he's home.