Her body seems so breakable, lying on the double bed. The arch of her back seems to be straining against her stomach.
Idly her hand goes to her middle and she feels the white hot tears streak down her face. She has just received the news.
“I’m sorry Ms. June. Terribly sorry. Sean Nearest has died while serving his country.”
The letter is next to her, flimsy pink paper that has just words. But they are words that say her fiancée is dead.
DEAD…
She is alone, carrying his baby before her marriage. The ring shines on her finger, on a hand that is shaking.
No one is with her. Why are they not? She has a girl inside her and no one is offering her help.
Oh, she got her baby at the end of high school, that’s why. Disowned, she is.
Why did Sean have to be in the line of fire?
Oh, that’s right. It was an accident.
Her plans and hopes and fears come crashing down upon her. She’s at the beach again, watching him surf and laugh. Water is heavy when together, but this is much heavier than any wave.
Soon the phone will ring and Sarah will ask her why she isn’t at work. She will reply and make the words true.
But now all she can do is stare in shock up at the ceiling and feel the spasms rake up and down her body.
She was so proud of her American soldier. He had only 2 months left then she could get married and they could raise their girl.
Yes, that’s what they’ll do.
She can’t wrap around her mind the fact that the world is scary when people have guns and when people have power.
For now the tears are knee-jerk. Her bubble has not yet burst.
But it will, and then she’ll become another example of what happens when people act stupid and people get hurt.