The Postcard

What she had written on postcards had long been blotted out with his kisses, but not the last one written by her mother with no explanation other then she loved me, but it had been decided for her, she should get on with her life. He had been gone too long, and from the news it was felt his chances of coming home were slim.

Talk about lack of support for a soldier!

He remembered if it hadn't been for his buddies, he wouldn't have made it at all. Why he had gotten the box with her cards and letters out this morning was a mystery to him since it was years ago, but then he remembered he'd forgotten he still had them, and he wasn't looking for them. He was looking for his old bible, the one he had carried when he was gone. He had made a friend at church who still carried his battle worn bible and asked if he still had his? It was in the box under postcards and letters, hers and those of family and friends.

He sat with his friend at church that morning and told him, I found my old bible. His friend asked if he could see it. Sure he said. They both passed their bibles. They were thumbing through the others torn pages when they each came to a photograph elbowing the other. They passed the photo's. My God its her he said.

It is his friend said? I was engaged to her. I had come back wounded and later healed. I don't know why I wasn't sent back but I wasn't. That's when I met her. Six months later she broke it off, telling me I was her parents choice. She had already waved good bye to her high school sweetheart and she would always love him. She said if she married me, the marriage would be a lie. She said if I can't have him, she won't marry anyone. I asked her if she was going to write this fellow? She said her mother had destroyed his military address. Weeks later she said she tried, but everything came back unknown.

He asked his friend did he ever see her after that, because his friend was right, he never did hear from her again. He tried when he came home but her family had moved and no one knew where. He assumed she had gone with them.

His friend asked him, did you marry? No he said. Did you? No.

He asked his friend, did you see her after that? Not for a long time, but lately I've seen her often, weekly if you really want to know.

He did want to know, but he was afraid ask.

His friend asked for his photo back.

He gave it back watching his friend put it back in his old bible. His face was sad but settled in an old lovers way.

His friend said you want to know don't you, you want to know if she married?

Without thinking he said I do.

His friend smiled. Ask her, she's sitting in the row behind us in the end right isle seat.