Disclaimer: The characters belong to Janet Evanovich.
"Babe. I have to go, it's my duty to this country."
"I know. I just wish it wasn't," she replied with tears in her eyes as she held onto her husband tightly.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
With these words, and a kiss to Steph's very pregnant belly, Ranger left to perform his duty and serve the country.
A few months later...
The intercom in the apartment buzzed and Tank asked Steph to come down, and with a few whines she agreed. It was difficult to move when she was on the third trimester of her pregnancy. She slowly dragged herself to the elevator and went down to fifth, where she saw Tank with two men in their uniforms. The hairs at the back of her neck tingled at the sight.
"Tank.. what's going on?" she asked, and Tank's worried face gave away the fact that this must've been bad news. Tank just nodded at the two men, who then began to speak.
"Mrs Manoso. It is my duty to inform you, that your husband, Captain Ricardo Carlos Manoso has been reported dead-" Steph fainted and the rest of that statement was left unsaid for the time being.
"Ay, mi niña querida. You have done nothing to deserve this," Steph woke to a kind voice talking quietly to her, while a warm hand was comforting her by combing through her hair.
"Mm.. Mama?" Steph recognized the voice belonging to Ranger's mom.
"Si, it is me. I'm afraid what I have to tell you is not very happy," she answered and looked at Steph with a sad smile. Ranger's mom, whom Steph as well called 'Mama', pulled an envelope with the name 'Stephanie' on it and handed it to Steph. When she realized her name was written with the familiar handwriting of her beloved, she felt a tear fall down her cheek. Slowly she opened the letter and read it, breaking down.
"Babe,
If you're reading this, my Mama's there, and she's given you this letter. The sad part about this letter is that it seems I was given just a one-way ticket.
If there's something I wish, it is to hold you in my arms and kiss you once more.
I might lay down my gun and hang up my combat boots, but I'll never stop watching over you.
And if you're reading this, you're probably halfway around the world at home. I won't be there to comfort you.
I won't be there to see our tiny baby girl be born. But I can already imagine her.
She looks like you, but she fights like me. She's like the both of us, standing up for the innocent and the weak. When she's born, tell her I don't regret choosing this life, because then I wouldn't have met you. And then she wouldn't exist, not without you having the strength to love me.
And babe, if you're reading this, remember, there's going to come a day when you'll move on.
And that's okay. Just remember, I'm in a better place, a place where even soldiers live in peace. And this place will be the home for my soul, until our souls find their way to each other once more.
Te amo, siempre.
Carlos"
Steph just cried, holding the letter tightly to her chest.
A/N: This is a very brief one-shot, that has been swirling in my head for far too long. I have no intention on making it a longer version - I already cut so much out of it, precisely wanting it to be very short. The main focus of this one-shot is the letter, which is based on Tim McGraw's song If You're Reading This. I won't apologize the vague overall or the length of this story.