Author's note: this is set after the Season 1 Episode Dedication.
Disclaimer: all characters, and the text of the message from Sergeant Wirth, are the property of Shawn Ryan and CBS.
Looking around at the people filling her home, talking in hushed tones, comforting her two daughters, Kellie Wirth felt inexplicably overwhelmed. Excusing herself, she quickly fled to her bedroom, closed her door, and sank down onto the bed. As she did so, a wry thought crossed her mind: there was literally dozens of people in her home at that moment; yet she felt as though she was the only woman on the planet.
Kellie thought back to earlier that day, attending the dedication ceremony, listening to the phone message from Joe…….it had seemed like an ordinary day, even getting that message was nothing unusual. Right from the time they had gotten married, when Joe was on deployment, he would try and call to leave a message if he could. Kellie had asked him once why he did it; Joe had shrugged and said simply
"Hearing your voice reminds me why I do what I do – to protect my country and those I love."
Recalling that statement, Kellie smiled to herself. Since that moment – glancing at her watch, she was stunned to realise it was only two hours ago – the black car feared by every Army wife had turned into her driveway, everything had seemed somewhat surreal. It had been almost like an 'out of body experience' – Kellie had seen the condolence assistance officers and chaplain come up to her front door, she had invited them in, heard them tell her that Joe had died, seen them out, tried to explain what had happened to their two young daughters, seen the other wives arrive – but it was almost like watching it happen to someone else. For the last hour or so, she had noticed some of the other wives looking at her, she could imagine what they were thinking:
"Why is she so calm?" "Why hasn't she cried, screamed, done SOMETHING?"
The answer to that question, Kellie thought, was that she didn't know WHAT to do. She had been at the homes of a lot of women after they had been told their lives had been torn apart, she had seen their different reactions – shock, tears, anger, stoic acceptance – but she had never expected it would happen to her. This was NOT something she had planned for, thought about, contemplated – she trusted in Joe, that he would come back safe to her every time. And, until today, he had.
Pulling her phone from her pocket, Kellie listened to what she now knew to be his last ever message to her,
"Hi baby, its me. Just wanted to hear your voice, say that I miss you, can't wait to see you and the kids. OK…..I love you so much."
It was the sound of her beloved husband's voice that finally unleashed something in Kellie. Setting the phone down, she buried her face in Joe's pillow and wept. Wept for her husband, who was never coming home; wept for her daughters, who would now have to grow up without their daddy; wept for herself. In just a few short hours, she had gone from being a happily married woman to a widow, from facing the world as part of a couple, to facing the world alone.