I adjusted my sunglasses and tugged on my little black dress. This day was wearing on me and I was ready to go home and climb into bed. I gave my friends a hug and stepped into my car. As I drove away from the crowd of people, I couldn’t help but think this wasn’t reality. I thought back to when I first heard the news.
//Newsflash//
The American army said that three of its soldiers were killed and one was injured in a booby trapped car explosion on Saturday. A statement by the army said that the soldiers were in a vehicle in the city which is situated to the north of Iraq, giving no further details…
Tears illuminated my cheeks as I mourned for my friend Kelly. We had been shopping for the baby’s room just days before and talking about how much Toad would love everything we bought. Now she was going to be raising a child alone and without her husband there to help her through the delivery. Timothy Road (Toad) had been killed.
I turned into the driveway of my house and wiped the tears away as a I glanced in the rearview mirror. My heart sank as I thought of the family I had just met. There were three sisters and a mother who ached for their soldier to come home. They would be waiting, but their soldier would never come. Jaxon Billings had been killed.
I clutched an envelope in my hand as I turned the key to my house. I put it on my bed and slipped into some comfy clothes. Then, I pulled all of the blinds closed, turned off the ringer to my phone, and locked my front door. As I crawled into bed, I focused on the letter in my hands. Before opening it, I thought about my life and what it would have in store for me, now. My husband, Justin Timberlake, had been killed.
The only survivor of the explosion was Collin James. I had met Collin about an hour ago at the funeral. He had been able to come home with only a broken arm and shattered ribs. I was happy for his family and the ones that he loved. Their soldier had come home. When I gave Collin a hug, he removed his hat. He told me about his respect for Justin, and I‘m almost sure I saw tears in his eyes. Then he gave me the letter.
I finally opened it and saw the lasts words that my husband would ever write to me…
My Abigail,
If you’re reading this letter, it means that I am gone. I guess when I signed up for the army, we both knew the chances that this would happen. I was ready for it to happen, Abigail. I knew that when I left you, it would be the last time I ever saw your angel face. That is why I wrote this letter, and left it in my bag for you to have. If I never come home, I don’t regret doing this. I always told you that someone must be a sacrifice for freedom. Jesus was a sacrifice for our freedom and I’m excited to see his face, Abi.
I know that we were only newlyweds and I never got the chance to spend a lifetime with you. I ache that I won’t be there when you have your children, when you send them off to college, or when you start getting gray hairs. I would give anything to be there, Abigail, but my time here is done. Every second I spent with you was enough to make me satisfied with my life, even though you might think it was too short.
When heaven calls
And this life is over
We’ll stand before
Our God and Savior
When heaven calls
We must be ready
To trade these mortal things
For immortality
For every man there is a time
To love and to laugh,
To live and to die
So I’m living for
The One who is love
And I’m dying to hear
Him say well done
When heaven calls
You were my small taste of heaven, and I can’t wait to see the real thing. I don’t want you to stop living just because I couldn’t anymore. I want you to mourn for me for as long as you need and not a second longer. I want you to be happy. I want you to remember our love and be glad that it happened, not sad that I can’t come home to you. I have to go now Abi.
Goodbye My Love, Justin
A/N: It's finished! I'd like to thank the acadamy...just kidding...okay I'd REALLY like to thank the American Soldiers because we owe so much to them for all that they do, risking their lives every day for freedom. Thank you! ~Lauren
~When Heaven Calls, by Nicole C. Mullen
