It was a long flight home. Paul had dreamt about it for months. Just to get home and see his wife and children again meant everything in the world to him. Just to hold his wife and children again was all he thought about. That’s how he survived the long days and nights. That’s how he coped with what he had seen. He was finally going home.
“Hope. You have to have hope to make it here,” said his gunny sergeant. “You can’t ever give up.”
His gunny had said that on their first raid into Faluja. There is no such thing as fear until you’ve been in war. Everything else was just petty emotions when it’s compared to war. You have to have hope or you can die from carelessness. It’s amazing what hope does to you when the bullets are pounding the ancient walls right above your head. You think to yourself, “I have to get home.”
Paul took it to heart. He kept a picture of Susan next to his heart. His lovely wife, Susan was all that he lived for. He had met her in High School in the cafeteria. She bumped into him and fell into his heart. He was like a puppy, wide eyed and happy whenever she was around.
Paul was shy and quiet, an average student with no special ambition in life. That was until he met her. Men grow up in different phases, if they ever grow up at all. Paul matured in her presence without her even asking. Her big brown eyes were all it took. Somewhere, deep within himself, came the overwhelming desire to take care of her. He became responsible because of love. He even stood taller.
It used to be that he would scramble for change under the cushions of couches so he could hang out with his friends on Friday night. With Susan in his heart, he yearned to take care of her. He got his first job and his first glimpse of his future. Without ever verbally saying it, he vowed to watch over her all of his life.
He worked hard and saved his money. He studied hard and made good grades. He applied to college and was accepted at Stephen F. Austin State University where Susan had already been accepted. He became a man and left boyhood behind. All because of love. Love blossomed as they grew in each other.
They couldn’t wait, so they married in their sophomore year in college. Unbridled bliss was their daily life. Paul loved waking up in the morning with Susan in his arms, her brown hair caressing his face. There was nothing better in life than holding her.
With love and making love came the news, “Paul, I’m pregnant.”
That’s all it took for responsibility to grow deeper within Paul. He grew deeper in his commitment to Susan and his family to be. He was determined to finish college so he could provide a good home for them. He joined the Reserves to help pay for college. A weekend a month, and two weeks in the summer. He worked and loved harder than ever. His son was born and deeply loved.
Susan was so proud of him when he graduated from college. All the family was there and between the gifts and cards, came Susan’s gift, “Paul, I’m pregnant.” Susan loved the look in his eyes that day. That was his gift to her. A daughter was born and love thrived within their home.
It was the weekends and two weeks active duty that drove them crazy. They couldn’t stand to be apart. The only good thing about the time apart was the passionate reunion. That’s how child number three was conceived they joked.
Then he was called up from the reserves for active duty. Paul cried. He didn’t cry out of fear but out of utter pain of being away from his family. Susan cried too, but she cried out of fear. The weekend warrior had become a warrior.
“Welcome to Iraq gentlemen. This is your new home,” said Sergeant Bryan Zerkman. The sights, the smells were all different. The world was different. Paul was especially lonely at night.
“You job is to kill the enemy, your responsibility is to return home!” yelled Zerkman.
Paul was finally doing that just now. After nine months in Iraq, three months longer than planned. All he had thought about was getting home.
The plane touched down and the soldiers stood at attention in the aisles waiting for the gate.
“Is daddy on the plane,” wondered little Paul?
Susan’s sweet eyes met his and she nodded as she said, “Yes, dear. Daddy’s home.”
The soldiers piled off the plane and hugs and kisses were rampant. All of Paul’s family was there when his casket was rolled off the plane.