Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 74256 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74256 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
“I do. I only get four days since this is my first year, but yeah. Why?”
“I have this vision of coming home and us staying in bed for as long as possible.”
Her breath hitches. Surely, she understands how much I want her in my arms, right?
“You’d want that?”
“More than anything.” It’s hard to convince her when I’m not there to touch her. To prove with my actions as well as my words that she’s it for me.
“I’ll see what I can do. You just worry about coming home safe.”
“I will. I should go.” I really don’t want to end the call, but we only have so much time to eat before everything is cleaned up, and I really do need a shower.
“Chad?”
“Yeah?”
“Love you.”
My heart expands in my chest. “I love you too, baby.” I end the call because I know I’ll want to spend the rest of my night talking to her, and I can’t do that. Shoving my phone into my pocket, I head to the mess tent to grab some food before showering. Then I have a box and a huge stack of letters to keep me company the rest of the night. Basically, I get to spend the evening with my wife. It might just be her words, but it’s the best I’ve got right now.
When I make it back to the tent, almost everyone has showered, and they’re all eating something that came in the care packages.
“Hey,” I say, gaining everyone’s attention. “I was hoping we could find a time for a few of you to join me on a call. I want to call in to my wife’s classroom, her kindergarten class, and thank the students for the drawings and the goodies. Any takers?”
I’m shocked when everyone in the room calls out that they’re in. “All of you?”
“This is huge,” Mike speaks up.
“Erik’s wife helped,” I tell them. Not wanting Hannah to not also get the recognition she deserves.
“Sister?” Tim asks hopefully.
“Nope.”
“Damn. You assholes hit the jackpot,” Stephens says, munching on a Cheeto.
“What about a brother?” Jamie speaks up.
“Faith has a brother, but he’s engaged to my cousin.”
“The good ones are always taken,” Jamie mumbles.
“Hey,” Stephens says, as if he’s offended.
Jamie rolls her eyes. “I rest my case.” The room erupts in laughter.
My wife and her big heart lifted the spirits of this entire unit tonight. It’s been almost three months of living life beneath the desert sun and getting a little taste of home was exactly what we all needed to be revived. Our job here has been going well. I’m hopeful that we’re out in a few weeks.
That would put us home before Christmas. I would give just about anything to be able to be with my wife to celebrate our first Christmas together. Regardless, I need to figure out a plan. If I can’t be there, I still need to make sure she has presents under the tree.
“Hey, Erik. When you talk to Hannah, can you ask her if she’s willing to help me with gifts for Faith? If we’re not home by Christmas, I need for her to have something from me. I’m sure Faith would be happy to do the same for you.”
“She’ll be all over that. My in-laws are coming into town. I’ve already got my mother-in-law working on it for me. Just in case.”
“Smart man. I’m learning,” I tell him with a laugh.
“Nah, you’ve got this.” He grabs his notebook to write a letter, and I know I need to do the same. However, I have a box to sift through and a big stack of letters to read. It’s time to immerse myself in my wife’s world until I fall asleep.
CHAPTER
TWENTY
Faith
“Are we ready?” I ask my class, feeling nervous for this afternoon.
It took a little coordination to schedule today’s conference call between my kindergarten class and Chad and a few members of his unit. Their CO arranged for them to use the comms tent for up to thirty minutes, but in order to make it all work during the school day, they’re missing part of their breakfast time to do this. Chad wasn’t worried, stating speaking with my class was more important than enjoying a full mealtime, but I still feel guilty.
“Ready!” they all holler, eagerly bouncing around as kindergarteners tend to do.
I take in the group of nineteen students. They’re standing together on the reading rug, and it takes everything I have to keep them somewhat organized and in line. As soon as we start the video chat, we’re going to do a quick group thing and then have a seat on the rug. We’ve been talking about this all week, so hopefully they remember what we’ve talked about and remain polite and respectful throughout the entire call.
My laptop is on my desk, with the camera facing the room, but I’m using the projector screen for the actual call. This way, all the kids can see what’s going on when it connects.