Lest we forget….

Gwen and Duncan were happy, happy as ever until one day on November 10th 1917 they got unexpected news…

There was a knock at the door. "Duncan sweetie can you get the door for me?" Gwen asked while she chopped the vegetables for the soup she was preparing. Duncan got up and went to answer the door. He opened it to see a tall solder in uniform. "Hello." Duncan said to the solder. Gwen peered over he counter to see who was there. She saw the solder and walked over to the door to see what was happening.

"Good evening sir and Madame the Canadian military is asking that you come fight in the war for them. The train leaves at 8am tomorrow. We will see you at 7:45am. Good bye." The solder left and Gwen's heart was sinking deep into her chest. Duncan closed the door and Gwen couldn't move. Duncan, her husband, the love of her life fighting in a war zone. She couldn't even think of it. Duncan turned to his wife. "Gwen..." He started. Gwen looked up at his blue eyes and she started to sob. Duncan took his wife in is arms. "It will be okay I'll be fi-fine." He chocked on the last word. The truth was he was scared shitless. He cradled her in his arms while she cried.

That night they were silent and Gwen's eyes were still red and puffy. She sat on the bed as he packed his precious items. Gwen noticed his dog tag on the nightstand next to there bed. She reached over for it while double checked his bag. She sat on the bed and held it in her hand. "You almost forgot this." she said. She held out her hand with dog tag sticking out. Duncan took his dog tag and looked it over. He put the dog tag around Gwen's neck. "Keep this, a piece of me." Gwen smiled and reached for her heart shaped locket. "Take this a piece of me." She sighed. "I don't want you to go." She said starting to cry again. He walked over and cradled her in his arms.

"I have to help my country." He said

"I know but…"

"But what?"

"What if you never come home?" Gwen said starting to cry harder.

"I promise you that I'll come home for you." He said comforting her. "I love you she said in her now shaky voice. "I love you too." He said. "Its getting late we should go to sleep." Duncan said.

Gwen crawled into bed and Duncan as well. She cried herself to sleep with Duncan's arm around her and her head on his chest.

The next morning they arrived at the train station. Duncan and Gwen walked hand in hand to where Duncan's train was supposed to be. Gwen looked around at the people. Children sobbing and women in tears. It was a cloudy and pretty depressing day. It was 7:45am and the solders were rounding up all the troops. Gwen held Duncan's hand the entire time. They got to the loading center. "Gwen…." Duncan started but she ran into his arms. Sobbing into his shoulder. She looked up at him. He had a few tears in his eyes just like the other solders saying goodbye to their family and friends.

"Gwen I promised you didn't I?" He said to her.

"Yeah, but…."

"I keep my promises." He said to calm her down. She sighed and buried her face into his shoulder. Seeing Duncan was taller then Gwen, he put his cheek on the top of her head.

"8am train boarding." The man on the speaker said.

Gwen looked up at Duncan. He kissed his wife. Everyone was hustling to get on the train and they stood there, kissing each other like it was there last. He pulled away.

"I love you." he whispered into her ear.

"I love you too." She replied. He kissed her on the cheek and walked off toward the train. She watched as Duncan walked off toward the train filled with solders. As the man stamped Duncan's ticket, he turned to look at Gwen. He smiled at her. She smiled back. He got on the train and took a seat at the widow that was closest to her. The train horn blew and the train started moving. Duncan stuck his head out the window and waved good bye. She waved back in tears until she couldn't see him anymore. As soon as she couldn't see him anymore her legs went weak. She dropped to her knees and started to sob right there in the middle of the station. She sat there for what felt like hours holding the thing she would have with her until she saw him again, his dog tag.

Gwen finally went home and EVERYTHING reminded her of him. She tried everything to take her mind off him, reading, cleaning, drawing but nothing worked. In her mind it was a debate to whether just to try and take him off her mind and the other to keep him on her mind 24/7. That thought ended as the thought of "you're going to throw up again." Came into her mind. She threw up yesterday and the day before and the day before that. She ran to the bathroom and threw up her breakfast. "Uggg" she groaned. Duncan was never there when she threw up. He was at work when she threw up. She didn't want him to worry about her because she thought it was nothing, But now she was worried.

Gwen walked to the nearest doctor. She got in fast seeing it was quiet and the doctor looked board anyway seeing he was sipping his coffee and reading a news paper. Gwen knocked on his office. He looked up from his paper. "Hello, come in." he said. She slowly entered the room and sat down in a chair on the other side of the doctor's desk. "So what brings you here today?" The Doctor asked

"Well… In the mornings I've been throwing up a lot and I just wanted to know what was wrong?" Gwen replied.

"Well let's have a look." The doctor says.

After about 20 minutes of examining and testing the doctor came back in the room. "Well Mrs. Myers, We know why you've been throwing up in the morning." He paused and looked at the piece of paper on the clipboard. "You're pregnant." He said. Gwen gasped and held her stomach and held Duncan's Dog Tag. She was happy and sad at the same time. Happy because her and Duncan were going to have a baby, sad because what if her family doesn't have Duncan in it.

"Thank you." She say to the doctor.

He nods his head in response. she ran home. Gwen walked into my now empty house. She walk over to my couch and start to sob. He left this morning and she already feel like he's been gone for years. She wanted him to come home and tell her that she would be

Two months pass and no letters, no solders coming with bad news and no Duncan.

Gwen was starting to feel like something was wrong. She put her hand on her exposed stomach and looked out the window at the January snow. Gwen had became the town loner. She didn't talk to anyone unless she had too. Didn't go out of the house unless she needed to see the doctor or if she needed to go to the store. Other then that she was in the house usually moping about Duncan not being there. Gwen's Mother came over to check on her, but she assured them that she was fine. Truth was Gwen was lonely and needed Duncan. "I can't take this anymore!" She cried. She needed to tell Duncan Something anything; she needed to now that he was okay. She rushed into her room to get a piece of paper and pen. She was going to write to him. Maybe she would feel better. Gwen sat at her kitchen table and started to write.

Dear Duncan.

These last two months have been torture without you here. It's hard to wake up in the morning and be a little bit cheerful. I've made it through the days but it has been hard. My Greatest fear is that will not return to me. Two things have been keeping me going, knowing that everyday I get up I'm may be another day closer to you and something I didn't find out about until after you left. Duncan the morning you left I felt sick. I went to the doctor and he told me I was pregnant. Remember on my 22nd birthday you said you would make it special and we did it. Well now I'm pregnant, 2 months. I miss you more then ever. Do you know when you'll get back? Will you get back before your 23rd birthday I know that is seven months away but will you be back? Guess what. The doctor said that the baby would be due on July 14th! You two will have the same birthday! Duncan do me a favour, write me we'll go back and fourth. I want to know what's happening. How's Geoff? Bridgette said she sent a letter to him but I want to know too. Duncan I love and miss you very much.

-yours, Gwen

Gwen rereads the letter. She slides it into an envelope and goes out of the house with the slightest smile on her face. Her neighbors looked at her and she waved to them. They smiled back at her feeling warm inside knowing she was happy. She slid the letter into the mailbox. She took the dog tag from her neck and examined it, and smiled. She walked around the street looking at her surroundings. She finally went back home and was happy for the first time in months.

The happiness didn't last soon she became sad and gloomy again. Gwen's mother couldn't take it anymore she came to stay with Gwen until Duncan returned.

"Mom you don't have to stay here" Gwen said "I'll be f-fine."

"No Gwen I'm staying." Her mother said. "Did you get a letter yet?"

"No, Mom I sent it in January it's already April. I'm starting to think that-"Gwen got cut off from a knock at the door. She walked over to the door and opened it. Her nightmare came true. A solder was standing at the door with a pink telegram in his hand. He looked young maybe he was only 17 or 18. "Gwen Myer?" He asked. "Yes?" She asked.

"My dearest apologies." He said.

Gwen slowly opened the telegram with shaky hands.

Mrs. Myer,

We are saddened to say that your husband went missing in battle. We are deeply sorry.

Gwen stood there staring at the letter. Not being able to move.

"We found this on top of his bag and though you might like to see it." The solder said handing her an envelope. Gwen opened it and saw a letter from Duncan.

April 5th, 1918

Dearest Gwen,

I don't know when I'll be back. It's terrifying here. Almost everyday we go to battle some of us not surviving. Try to stay cheerful and happy for the baby and for me. I can't wait to see the child, I'm really exited Gwen! I miss you more then ever. Geoff's fine misses Bridgette and his baby Charlie like crazy. I love you Gwen

See you soon-Duncan

The solder walked away and Gwen drooped to her knees in tears. "GWEN!" Her mother cries trying to get her to stand up. "Mom he could be dead, DEAD!" Gwen cries harder and her mother pick up the notes and leads Gwen over to the couch. Her mother reads the notes and starts to cry as well. "Gwen sweetie-"Her mother starts but not knowing what to say all she says is "I'm Sorry." Her mother walks away and starts on dinner. "Why?" Gwen cried into her pillow. She wrapped her hand around the dog tag. She sobs and sobs till her head aches, she cries herself to sleep wishing that he was there next to her.

Months pass and Gwen is more depressed then ever. She acts cheerful around her new baby girl Samantha. She's happy about her but everything else feels… like nothing. On November 4th Bridgette comes over uninvited. Gwen gets up to open the door. She opens it to sobbing Bridgette. "Bridgette come in." They go in and sit on the couch. "What's wrong?' Gwen asked. "I-It's Geoff, They found him dead but I got a note back in April that he was missing and they said when they found him he had dyed a few minutes earlier." She wailed even more. "Oh my gosh Bridgette" Gwen said starting to cry herself how could she not Geoff was one of her best friends." Are you going to have a funeral for him?" I asked. "Yeah November 11th" She replied. Gwen heart sunk. She reached for the dog day Duncan left.

"What's wrong?" She asked. "They haven't found Duncan yet." Gwen said getting more teary eyed. "Oh Gwen" she says pulling her into a hug. They sit there for a while talking like they used to. "How's little Charlie?" Gwen asks. "Very Upset.' Bridgette says. "If you ever need any help I'm here for you." Gwen says "Thanks." She says.

It was November 11 1918 and Gwen was still sad she lied down on the sofa and she lied there with tears in her eyes. She didn't really look at anyone who was at the funeral she went when the service started and left when it ended. She noticed a few solders in uniform. She missed her Duncan and she missed Geoff. Her mom went off to the store then she said she was going to her friend house. Gwen sat sad and alone on her couch until she heard a knock on the door. She got up to answer it. She opened it and saw a solder looking at his feet with a bag in his hand. The solder looks up at her and its no ordinary solder, it's her solder. He came back for her. "Duncan." She says running into his arms. She stays their crying tears of joy.

"You came back" She said.

"I promised didn't I?" Duncan said.

"How long are you back for?"

"The wars over, I'm back for good."

Gwen was overjoyed! "I never want to let you go." Gwen said

"And I never want to let you go." He said

"Do you know about Geoff?" Gwen asked

"Umm yeah I was at the funeral and we got lost together. I carried him till we found troops to help him."

"Duncan." Gwen said while hugging him again. She looked up at him and he kissed her like there was no tomorrow. She pulled away and felt the chain on her neck. It was Duncan's dog tag he gave her before he left. She took it off and put it around his neck. "You kept this on the entire time I was gone?" He asked smiling. Gwen nodded. He Took her necklace off and put it around her neck. I never took your necklace off either." he said smiling. She smiled at him and held him in her arms. He did the same. Then Duncan thought about something.

"Where's the baby?" Duncan said after he pulled away. You could see the excitement in his eyes,

"Over here." Gwen goes and gets Samantha and hands her to Duncan. "Samantha, Carolyn Myer" Gwen says while handing her over to him.

"Her middle name is my mothers middle name." Duncan said smiling. Duncan and his mother where really close but then she was killed a year an a half ago. Duncan missed her instantly loved his baby girl. "She has your eyes." Gwen said smiling. Duncan looked into Samantha's blue orbs. He smiled. "And she has your smile." Duncan said looking at his baby girls smile. Gwen walked over and put her hands on Duncan's shoulder and her head on his other shoulder. He kissed her on the head and together Duncan, Gwen and Samantha were a happy family.


Lest we forget what the solders and troops did for us, they fought for our safety. Some of them never returned home and some did. They fought for our safety so take a minute or two out of your day to remember what they did for us.

-xxperfectweapon714xx