‘Hunter Briggs, you're not fit for full duty until January. Go home, get some rest.’
That's what my commanding officer told me, giving me an R&R leave after the medic inspected and patched up my shoulder injury. After everything that happened on deployment.
I'm very happy, though. I'm happy I will be seeing my family again after a year and three months. I believe what happened, happened for a good reason. Not everyone gets to spend the holidays with their family.
“Oh my God!! Hunter? Hunter, is that really you?”
I can’t stop the flood of emotion that hits me when I see her—my mom. My bag slips unconsciously from my right hand as I close the distance between us, wrapping her in a hug. I wish I could hold her tighter, squeeze her like I’ve missed her, but my shoulder injury won’t allow i
