Howard gathered up an armful of blankets. "Come on, everyone, we'll miss the fireworks if we don't hurry up!"
"All set," grinned Raj, hoisting a couple of six-packs.
Sheldon emerged from his bedroom, carrying a folding camp chair. Penny had been sitting next to Bernadette on the sofa. She rolled her eyes when she saw the chair but didn't comment. Leonard, having finally found his inhaler after several minutes of rummaging through his room, said he was ready.
"Amy's still not here," Bernie said with a frown as the group trekked up the stairs toward the roof.
"I guess that's what you get when you mix crack-addicted monkeys and fireworks," Penny said with a shrug. "She said they might get too worked up to leave them by themselves."
Up on the rooftop, Howard and Leonard spread out the blankets while Sheldon tested several positions from which to set up his chair for optimum viewing of the fireworks. Penny made sure to leave room next to her on the blanket in case Amy managed to get away from her monkeys at the last minute.
"Look, they're starting!" Bernadette squealed, cuddling up close to Howard. Soon, the night sky was filled with radiant bursts of color, and seven rapt faces were bathed in the coruscating pastel hues.
"Every year on Memorial Day, I think about my sister," Penny said suddenly. "She was assigned to the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt. They were the first ship to respond to the September 11th terrorist attacks. They patrolled the Gulf of Persia and set a new record for number of days at sea. I was just a kid at the time, but I remember being scared I might never see her again."
"My mom's brother served as a chaplain in Vietnam," Howard said softly. "He told me once that he lost count of how many scared young men came to him for counsel and reassurance, only to see them return in body bags within a few days."
"My dad has no memories of his father," Sheldon commented. "My paternal grandfather was killed in action after only a few weeks of service in the Vietnam conflict. He was posthumously awarded a bronze star. I suppose that could explain his difficulty in relating to me. My father died when I was fourteen, an age that most people would consider to be rather young to lose a parent, but I had twelve more years than he did and many more memories."
Bernadette spoke up. "My grandfather was a military courier in Washington D.C. during World War II. He used to tell us how he was the one to deliver the news to the president that the first hydrogen bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Funny thing was, after he passed away, I found out that there was no way his story could have been true. I figure that maybe he made it up because he never had the chance to do something heroic, but he still served his country, and I wish he had been proud of that."
"He shouldn't have been so eager to have war stories to tell," Leonard said quietly. "My grandfather was part of an armored tank division. One time, they were fighting off German troops somewhere in France when their guns jammed. They shot at the Germans until they ran out of bullets. Then my grandfather took a fire axe and lifted the hatch and did what he had to do to save the lives of his friends. He was never the same. When he came home, he couldn't live with himself sober. The only memories my mom has of her dad are seeing him at the local bar on the corner."
Raj cleared his throat, and everyone looked at him in surprise. "I have a cousin who served with the UN forces in Afghanistan," he said. "I don't always agree with America's foreign policy, but she says it was an honor to serve alongside the US troops. They were building hospitals and schools, and trying to better the lives of an oppressed people."
Raj grabbed the drinks and quickly passed them around, saying, "We need to make a toast. America is known around the world as a place of freedom and opportunity. All too often, people forget the losses that a few have suffered for the good of the many. I'm not even an American citizen, but I've benefitted from their selfless actions as well. Even if you don't agree with the American government, the individuals who make up the military deserve our respect for their bravery, their dedication, and the sacrifices they and their families make to help and protect others."
There were a few sniffles and surreptitious eye-wiping as Raj finished his impromptu speech.
"To our military servicemen and women, the everyday heroes," Penny said, holding her drink aloft before taking a sip. The rest of the group followed her lead, even Sheldon, who almost never drank alcohol. For several moments, it was quiet as they were all lost in thought, remembering.
"I suppose this is what is known as a moment of silence," Sheldon said, breaking the stillness.
"Well, it was a moment of silence, sweetie" Penny said, giggling. "Now shut up and let's watch the rest of the fireworks."
A/N: I wish I had thought of this story idea sooner, but it just came to me last night, so I wrote it up quick so I could post it. Many of the stories I relayed through the cast of The Big Bang Theory are personal, coming from family members who served in the military. Let's do something different. Instead of reviewing my story, please leave a comment and share briefly about a military hero you may have had the privilege of knowing.