Swallowing thickly, I nodded my head, my voice momentarily lost to me.
He waved his hand toward the inside of my house. “Do you mind if I come in for a moment?”
I jerkily nodded my head and stepped back, letting him step into my house. He cleared his throat, aiming a smile at Alex before looking at me. “You might want to take a seat, Mrs. Williams.”
I shakily dropped onto the couch, thankful for the seat beneath me. I wasn’t sure if I could stand any longer anyway. Somehow, I knew whatever news he was here to deliver was going to destroy my entire world.
“Mrs. Williams, before I can tell you what I need to tell you, I need you to confirm your identity for me, please.”
I roughly cleared my throat, my heart already aching. But I was hoping this wasn’t the news I was thinking it was.
“Tawney Williams,” I rasped. “My husband is Sergeant Eric Williams.”
He nodded. “Thank you, Mrs. Williams.” Alex stood up and tottered over to me on his chubby legs. I ran my hand over his dark hair as he banged his toy on my knee. I barely registered the pain. "The commandant of the Marine Corps has entrusted me to express his deep regret that your husband, Eric, was killed in action.” The rest of his words failed to register in my head.
My husband was dead.
Dead.
I was never going to see him smile again. I was never going to hear his stupid, corny jokes again. He’d never hold his son again.
My son would never know his amazing father.
“Mom?” Alex softly called, climbing up onto the bed with me. “Mom, are you okay?”
I squeezed my eyes shut so he wouldn’t see my pain and pretended to be asleep. I couldn’t let him see me like this, but I couldn’t force myself out of this bed. Maybe he would think I was sick and leave me be.
A moment later, he pressed his lips to my cheek and got off the bed again. I bit back a sob.
My sweet baby boy would never know his father, would never truly know the depth of the love Eric held for him.
Alex was next to me in a car seat, cooing softly as he stared out at the passing gravesites. Tears slid down my cheeks when I saw the six military personnel standing at the passenger side of the car at attention, their hands raised in salute as the hearse carrying my husband drove past them.
The hearse came to a stop, and so did our car a few feet from it. The driver got out and began to slide the casket out, which had an American flag laying on top of it. He stood to the side and held the door, nodding once at the sergeant commanding the other six. More tears slid down my cheeks as I watched them march forward before doing a right face and marching towards the hearse.
Once they grabbed his casket, it felt like they would never stop moving. Their turning was so slow, but I knew this was what they’d been trained to do.
Just as they’d trained my husband to go overseas and potentially give up his life.
After the cars were parked, my father opened my door and helped me out while my aunt grabbed Alex for me, putting him in his stroller.
The sun was shining brightly today, like it was taunting me for being in such a good mood while I felt miserable and lost inside.
My tears dried as I walked toward the casket. I didn’t cry at all during the sermon the preacher gave.
I didn’t feel anything until those three rounds of gunfire shattered the deadly silence around me. My chest constricted.
But when that trumpet played, I lost it. And when the soldier knelt in front of me and began to tell me how much the government and everyone else appreciated my husband’s service, I just wanted to scream.
* * *
Slater
My phone began vibratingon my desk, Tawney’s pretty face staring back at me, Alex wrapped in her arms. I’d snuck the picture in the day at the beach like a creep, but she looked so stunning that I couldn’t help myself.
I quickly snatched my phone up and answered it. “Hey,” I greeted.
“Um, Slater?” Alex’s voice rang through the line. I frowned. He didn’t sound upbeat at all. He sounded worried and a bit scared.