Two days past eighteen
He was waiting for the bus in his army green
Sat down in a booth in a cafe there
Gave his order to a girl with a bow in her hair
He's a little shy so she gives him a smile
And he said would you mind sittin' down for a while
And talking to me,
I'm feeling a little low
She said I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go

To my dearest daughter,

I want to start off by saying I love you with all my heart. You are the reason I stayed alive after your father died. You were my strength, my rock. You're are so much like your father, and I wish you had a chance to meet him.

So they went down and they sat on the pier
He said I bet you got a boyfriend but I don't care
I got no one to send a letter to
Would you mind if I sent one back here to you

We sent letters back and forth to each other for two years, but by first glance I knew he was the one for me. He came back on the sixth of March, expressed his feelings for me, and on that night you were conceived, our precious baby. My parents didn't know about us – they wouldn't approve. Your father went back to war two weeks later, promising after his three years of duty were up we'd start a life together.

I cried

Never gonna hold the hand of another guy
Too young for him they told her
Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier
Our love will never end
Waitin' for the soldier to come back again
Never more to be alone when the letter said
A soldier's coming home

When I found out I was pregnant I had no other choice then to leave. I would be a disgrace to the family name; a pregnant, single, eighteen year old, and a soldier as the father. It would just cause to many problems.

I ended up at a woman's shelter, alone with only two bags of clothes, and pregnant. They let me in right away, made me feel welcome. From there I found a job and saved enough money to get an apartment before you came.

So the letters came from an army camp
In California then Vietnam
And he told her of his heart
It might be love and all of the things he was so scared of
He said when it's getting kinda rough over here
I think of that day sittin' down at the pier
And I close my eyes and see your pretty smile
Don't worry but I won't be able to write for awhile

I told your father about you after you were born, I waited because I didn't want to jinx my very own gift from God. Anyhow, he was more than thrilled, and just by his letter I could tell he loved you more than his own life. But in that same letter he said they were going into battle, that he wouldn't be able to write. I was worried, of course I was, the father of my baby girl could possibly die.

Well, you, my precious Jasmine, kept me going. I stuck to one job, getting higher and higher until I was manager, and had enough money to rent us a bigger apartment. I thought everything was going fine, even though I had no word on your father, my love, Jasper Whitlock.

That was until February fourth, when a soldier came to my doorstep, with his hat off.

One Friday night at a football game
The Lord's Prayer said and the Anthem sang
A man said folks would you bow your heads
For a list of local Vietnam dead

Your father went missing, and they've been looking for him for over two months. He left no trace, and they gave up hope. They told me he was most likely dead, that I should be honored that my love's life ended the way it did.

Crying all alone under the stands
Was a piccolo player in the marching band
And one name read but nobody really cared
But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair

They gave me a letter all soldiers write in case they passed away in battle. This letter said he was sorry that he wasn't strong enough, that he wanted me to stay strong for our little girl, and give her a kiss every night. I did that, too, I know you remember.

The last thing he wrote was that he will be waiting for me, and we'd be together again in the future.

I cried
Never gonna hold the hand of another guy
Too young for him they told her
Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier
Our love will never end
Waitin' for the soldier to come back again
Never more to be alone when the letter said
A soldier's coming home

And I don't know if I'll regret the decision I'm about to make, but in my heart the time has come for me to join your father. My dear, I will always be in your heart, your father, too. And I love you, you have to understand that. But you are grown now, married and expecting my first grandchild, you don't need me anymore.

I do ask for one favor before I go. And I understand if you refuse to do so but, could you keep Whitlock in the names of your children? As a middle name. It would make both your father and I so proud.

I love you with everything I have,

forever and always,

Mama.

Author's Note: Well, this just kinda popped into my head. For now it's going to stay a songfic-one shot, but I'm thinking about making it into a story later on. Any ideas? Suggestions? They'd be great – Thanks.

PS; The song is "Travelin' Soldier" by Dixie Chicks.