JUNE
Emily walked to edge of the driveway; she chewed on her nails out of habit. She smiled when she opened the mail box and saw her first letter. She had been petrified when Declan had told her he'd enlisted in the Army. She'd begged him not to, but he would not be swayed.
It had been 2 years since that scary day and Declan had advanced admirably. He was now a member of an elite black ops team. Her hand shook a little as she opened the letter, afraid of what it might say.
Dear Mom,
I can't tell you where I am, or what I'm doing here, but I want you to know that I have good friends who've got my back. I've been thinking a lot about my dad lately, and I think about the life that he had, and that's why I'm here today. Remember that day? When he asked you to be my mother I was four years old but I remember it so clearly. He said "You know what I am, Lauren. A warrior, I raise warriors." And I think I've never forgotten that…
I'm safe for now. I love you, and I'll be home to you soon.
Love, Declan.
P.S. You are what I'm fighting for.
And that was his first Letter from War. Emily sniffed, her eyes were watering as she sat down to write back immediately. She had no idea if or when her letter would reach him, but she had to try.
Dear Declan,
I miss you bud, this house is really big and empty when you aren't here. You've been thinking about your dad? Me too. I think about him every day and I know you didn't know him that much before he died, but I did. And I know he would be so incredibly proud of you. You're so brave baby and even thoughhe had his faults he always fought for you; fought for what he believed in and he's up there somewhere and he's got your back, Dec. I'm so proud of you and I can't wait til your home safe. I can't sleep the same when you're gone.
Come home, come safe,
Love, Mom
DECEMBER
Emily walked once again to the mail box. She hadn't heard from Declan in a few weeks. She was starting to worry, She had no idea where he was, how much danger he was in. She had no idea when he was coming home… Her hand shook as she read the first line of the letter.
Dear Ms. Prentiss
I know you've never met me, and you probably never will, but I know your son. I was captured by the people we were fighting. I can't tell you who because it would give away our location. I was running out of hope. There was shots ringing out and I was alone in a dark basement, I heard grenades and bombs were exploding. When I thought for sure I was going to die, there was Dec. He helped me escape and I am so incredibly sorry to tell you he was captured in the process. He told me to write to you and I swore to god I would. Keep praying, I never stop. Because without your son, I would have died. I pray everyday he will return to you.
Sgt. Jason Alvarez
Emily let out a breathy scream. She dropped the letter and fell to the floor. Declan was in trouble and there was nothing she could do to save him this time. She let out a cry of despair and let the tears fall freely punching the hardwood floors she laid upon.
2 YEARS LATER
Emily wrote every day to Declan. She had to, she had to keep believing he was alive. There was no other option. Her very livelihood depended on it. She'd fallen into a great depression after she'd used every connection and favor she'd accumulated over her years in the CIA and the news she'd received had been bleak, unsettling, news. His return was not expected.
But she kept on believing, and wrote every day just to say how proud she was, how he would make it through this, that she would never doubt him.
Then one autumn day a black car pulled in the driveway and Emily's hope came crashing to the ground.
And then out stepped a Sergeant where her son used to stand. He said,
"Mom, I'm following orders from all of your letters and I'm home again."
He held back tears of relief as Emily threw herself at him and sobbed uncontrollably, dropping his bag on the floor, holding all of her Letters from War…