I Made a Promise

"This is more than a just celebration of Emily's safe home coming. It is also a celebration to honor a man who has sacrificed so much in his own life for others."

He then briefly recounted the story of my life from the time my dad died right up to the time I was wounded in Germany.

"If this man had not been there for my daughter she would not be alive today. My wife and I will be forever in his debt, a debt we can never adequately repay."

Some where from the back of the assembled guests someone began to clap. Soon everyone was clapping and cheering.

It was several minutes before the crowd was quiet enough to hear him say. "My friends please let's go back inside and resume the festivities."

As we walked back inside Peter came up and confided to me.

"I hope you don't mind me telling everyone about your private life, Rick. I had George check up on you several months ago. After all Emily is my only child. Your mother filled me in on all the gaps this afternoon. You are quite an admirable young man, Frederick Steiger. I am proud to say I know you."

*******************

Several days later I had to tell Emily that I had to go back to Iraq. I would be leaving in the morning. She was crying and holding on to me saying, "No . . no. You have to stay with me. I need you. I want you more than anything I have ever wanted in my entire life. I can have daddy fix it so you don't have to go back."

"Emily," I replied. "When I entered the Marines I swore a oath . . . a solemn promise to serve and protect my country. What kind of man would I be if I went back on my word?"

The next morning I left. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do in my entire life My last vision of Emily was seeing her sobbing in the arms of her father.

********************

TWO YEARS LATER

I awoke from another troubled night filled with the same nightmare of that tragic day two years ago when the love of my life left me. The spot next to me in bed was empty. I could hear sounds of my new husband, of only one month, in the kitchen preparing breakfast for the two of us. He soon returned carrying a tray with coffee and buttered toast.

Sitting on the edge of the bed he handed me a mug of piping hot coffee and a slice of toast. After I finished my coffee he placed my empty mug on the night table.

"Was it the same nightmare?" He asked.

I nodded my head yes. "But the frequency of it has dropped significantly since our wedding."

"Emily, its been two years now. You have got to let it go. It wasn't your fault, no one blames you."

"But I blame myself. If I hadn't been so selfish it never would have happened. All I ever thought about was me... me... me. Everything I ever wanted, I got."

"Truth be told I'm not unhappy about having the nightmares. They serve to remind me of just how much I could have lost."

"Now I just need you to hold me."

My husband got back into bed, rolled over to me and held me tightly in his arms whispering the same comforting words he had said the night before as he calmed me down from my nightmare.

I began kissing him as my hand began caressing his naked shoulder. My fingers lingered lightly over the scars left by the two bullets that had struck him as he lay on top of me protecting me that afternoon over two years ago.

Looking into his eyes I whispered, "I love you so very, very much Rick. Just hold me, just hold me and never let me go."