Long Lost War Hero

Chapter 12

Three Months Later

Catherine

I paced around the living room in fear and anticipation. Today was the first day of nursing school, I was accepted at state but announced a month ago I decided to unaccept the invitation and scholarship for one at the local college. Nicole delivered beautiful baby Donna Catherine Nicole, named after her and I and of course Dales mother's name. Dale's mother forced Nicole hand about the name because Dale was her only son and her only living heir so her tradition had to be followed. There was a pounding on the door which made me jump as if my soul got shocked. I walked in a daze towards the door. Nicole and baby Donna were coming over today because I had asked them to. I had news that I only wanted my aunt to know, to teach me to be calm without knowing it.

"Come in Nikki" I said sharply as I found the breath to say it.

"What was so urgent that your going to be late to your first class for?" she said toting the once skinny tiny baby but now a chunky looker.

"Come in and sit down, Nicole!" I exclaimed as I slammed the door shut unknowingly which startled Donna.

"Geez Catty calm down will ya?" she said calming the crying baby.

We both sat down as Donna calmed down with a little smile cute with dimples she got from her momma. I was so nervous that my hands shook so badly I had to put them between my knees.

"First we need to talk about our boys, Catherine." She said with a half smile.

"I haven't heard anything since John's first letter." I said with sadness.

"Can I see that letter?" she asked as Donna started crying.

She looked down and smiled, the babe was hungry. Nicole quickly pulled down her tank top and revealed her breast. Donna quickly attached as Nicole started hand massaging her breast to help the milk flow.

"Sorry for being blunt but I haven't heard anything from Dale in the three months they've been away." she said as she got more comfortable.

"Umm, I have the letter here somewhere but uh if it's alright with you, I'll read it out loud." I said smirking.

"Oh yea, I forgot that you don't want to let me in on what happened on your honeymoon trip to the cabin." she said laughing as she startled Donna once more.

"Found it!" I said as I found my way back to the couch.

"Okay we'll get on with it then, tell me juicy details too!" she said settling in for the story.

"Catherine, we made it safely to the base. Unfortunately we were told that our location is undetermined because of how sensitive our mission is. Dale is getting along great with the other guys in our platoon. He is being a real leader showing the guys not to be afraid of what will come next." " It seems like he's not near the other guys because it's not scribbled in a hurry." I explained.

"Today we start training to fly our planes. My knowledge from what we've been told the boys from Trura and Winters will be on the same air craft. Only two of us will be flying the plane. There's a guy here that I think will be one of the pilots. He flew a corn duster just like myself but he's a city boy that's grandparents live north of the city on a farm." I continued.

"Why don't they let Dale fly, he's been a pilot for a days age!" She said upset.

"Give Nicole reassurance that Dale will be alright, he sure is in his element over here."I went on not speaking upon her rudely interruption.

"That is all that is mentioning their trip, their mission and how Dale misses you and the baby." I added knowing she needing to know that Dale thought of her too even though he never wrote her a letter once in all the years in the military.

"I wonder where they went and why Dale never sent me a letter but at least I don't send him a letter leaving him like many wives do when they no longer can wait for their husbands." She said rejected.

"They both love us you know. But John does mention that they're on a beach so paradise!" I squealed in excitement.

I thought of our love and knew this was meant to be! How to break it to Nicole who had so much hope for me being the first woman to get a degree instead of just having babies first. She had me to take care of instead of finishing her dream of being a lawyer fighting criminals and deranged husband's leaving their wives. I gathered my breath and focused on how to break to her the news.

"Nicole, we need to talk in all seriousness." I stated looking down at my hands.

"What is it Catherine? Your not dying are you? I couldn't possibly let you die so young!" She started crying out of nowhere.

"Calm down Nicole! I'm not dying but after I tell you this you might wanna kill me yourself!" I exclaimed coming close to crying myself from the sheer terror of the unknowing.

"Snn okay tell me what is it?" as she sniffled while wiping her eyes.

"Well three months ago on our wedding night umm something did happen umm." I stopped short embarrassed by trying to explain the details.

"You had s*x okay, he's your husband and I know you waited even though we both know I didn't, you little hussy." she said laughing at my embarrassment.

"Well it was both John's and I first time so we were learning everything anew." I explained with my cheeks turning red.

"Okay so what's the news?" she asked lifting my chin as tears started streaming down my face.

"I got a bun!" I yelled as I full blown started to cry.

"You got a bun? A burn? From John? It better not have been a STD!?" She yelled as she got up off her seat barely remembering that Donna was fallen asleep in her arms.

"No a bun in, in!" I sobbed not managing to get the words out.

"A bun in what?"She asked confused.

"The oven!" I yelled starting to stare daggers at Donna showing her exactly what I meant.

"Oh haha!" She started laughing hysterically.

"Why are you laughing! This isn't funny!" I yelled more upset now then embarrassed.

"Sweet child, that's what happens when you lie with a man! You guys didn't use protection?" She said as she sat back down realizing what this meant.

"We didn't know until afterwards, when you were telling everyone that condoms break and that's how Donna was conceived." I explained.

"Okay, well how will you tell John about the baby?" She asked.

"I honestly don't know, he hasn't sent any letters and I don't even know where to send them!" I sighed so relieved to tell someone finally.

"Who else knows this Catherine? Your twelve weeks then yes?" she probed.

"Just you, the local ob/gyn and one of the big city's pharmacy that I got the pee stick from." I said with a slight hopefulness in my voice.

"Are you planning on keeping it, adopting it or you know what I wouldn't want you to do but it is your choice. You are an adult married woman." She said as she rubbed Donnas little head almost making me weep with the sadness of ever hurting the little baby growing inside of me.

"We are twelve weeks, we are staying together and waiting for John's arrival." I stated absently putting my hand on my small growing belly.

"Yay another little baby in the family!" She screamed as she smushed Donna in between us hugging for joy.

"Your not mad at me?" I asked hopeful with how excited she had grown.

"Oh no, I am not mad but you are going to finish your nursing school because otherwise you'd regret it." she explained.

"Okay thank goodness!" I sighed with relief.

"Text me your next appointment and we will go together, you need someone to share the joy of seeing the baby with!" she said with cheer as she packed up to leave.

"Will do Nicole, be careful will you and kiss baby Donna for me when she's not on your boobies!" I yelled as she walked out the door.

Her laughter stopped short as a gasp came through the closing door. She rushed back in as promptly as she had skipped out.

"Catherine!" She yelled through the door that closed seconds after her gasp.

I ran to the door expecting not to see soldiers in dress uniforms walking towards the door. I equally gasped as I opened the door quickly and hugged the back of Nicole digging my face into her shoulder blades.

"Whom are you looking for gentlemen?" She asked with so much emotion in her voice I started to cry.

"Ma'am, we are here for a Mrs.Catherine that is the wife of a Private John B. Allen. Is that her behind you?" One of the men answered.

"Yes she is, she's very distraught right now so I can talk for her."Nicole answered.

"Ma'am we have to address to her, not a relative." He replied again to her.

I lifted my head wiping my eyes as I stood tall and proud. One of the men pulled out a folded flag from a pristine case.

"Mrs. Allen, We are regretfully here because your husband Private Allen was killed in combat. His helicopter was taken down on a mission. His body was not recovered. The military thanks you for his service and there will be someone from the grievance office to talk to you and to pay out as you are his beneficiary. Ma'am we present you with his flag that was put on his casket, he will be buried when his remains are found in whatever his last will and testament or if he doesn't have one what ever graveyard you choose. If you do not choose then the military will bury him in a military graveyard of the county. We repeatedly are sorry for your loss. Have a good day, Ma'am." He said as the other than handed me the flag.

Nicole and I cried as the man talked, hugging each other while Donna who woke up staring at her mom and crying herself. The little one didn't realize her mom wasn't hurt but heartbroken. The men started walking away, as Nicole yelled at them made them stop in their tracks.

"What about another man in his platoon. Dale, lieutenant Dale Sugar?" She questioned.

One of them quickly turned around as the other one ran to their car that was parked in the street at the end of my sidewalk. The man walked slowly towards us as the other caught up with another case. Nicole gasped as she fell to her knees hugging Donna with all her might.

"Ma'am you are Nicole Sugar, wife to Lieutenant Dale L. Sugar?" The man who only spoke asked.

She nodded her head as she screamed in sorrow through the cries. I knelt down and gathered both girls into my hug hoping my arms could protect them a little bit from the news the officer was going to give.

"Ma'am Mrs. Sugar, We are regretfully here because your husband Lieutenant Dale L Sugar was killed in combat. His helicopter was taken down on a mission. His body was not recovered. The military thanks you for his service and there will be someone from the grievance office to talk to you and to pay a service sum as your child is his beneficiary. Eh, Ma'am we present you with his flag that was put on his casket, he will be buried when his remains are found in whatever his last will and testament or if he doesn't have one what ever graveyard you choose. If you do not choose then the military will bury him in a military graveyard of this umm county. We repeatedly are sorry for your loss. Have a good day, Ma'am. I truly am terribly sorry for both of your losses. The nation lost a many of men that lonesome day." He said as the man handed me her flag as well knowing her grasp of her daughter wouldn't release.

Both men staggered back in shock to their car, knowing that they had to say the same spiel twice was as hard painful tact to give twice in a row in bare moments of each other. We sat on the sidewalk for what seemed like a decade, the sun had fallen and Donna seemed to have gotten hungry again as she started to cry once more. I gathered both girls up and herded them inside once more guiding them to the couch. We sat on the couch long after Donna fed twice more. We stayed embraced in a hug as the sorrow and grief saddle into our bones and soul. Our eyes grew dry from all the crying, our throats sore from the hiccups and our hearts broken in half. I grabbed a blanket from the cedar chest behind the couch, huddled back with Nicole and closed my eyes.

"Get some sleep Nicole, tomorrow will be a hard day for the both of us." I said sadly as I tried to calm the ramped thought twirling in my mind.

How could one day of joy and excitement turn so dark and grey full of sorry and pain. We have to make it through the loss of our husbands for our children. That thought stayed in my mind as I fell asleep feeling Nicole weight she held on her shoulders subside as she leaned in my arms falling asleep herself.