Not Goodbye
It had been three years since Buck had joined the Navy and left for basic. He hadn't come back to town but he called every now and then to let Joe and Shelly know that he was okay. He called Shelly every year to say happy birthday, sometimes it was weeks late but she didn't mind; he was calling and he cared that's all she needed.
Shelly sat against the headboard and cradled the phone with her shoulder. She liked painting her toes as they talked; it made her feel normal, as if they talked all the time, that this was just another phone call and not her only connection to him. "So, I talked to the recruiting officer today." They had been talking about her becoming a nurse; Joe ratted her out last year and told Buck that she wanted to be a military medic. "We talked about my becoming a nurse and working at Walter Reed someday. He thinks that I should volunteer at a smaller veteran's clinic before I take on something like that though." She laughed and then quieted, realizing that Buck hadn't said anything for a while, "You still there?"
"Yeah kid, I'm still here. That sounds great, you'll be a great nurse, you really care about people but I don't want you joining the military." He sounded as if he had been thinking about it for some time and had made up his mind. "Buck I don't understand; if I join up then I can help soldiers when they get hurt, before they get home and to a hospital. Tensions are rising and if we go to war then I want to help!" Toes and nail polish forgotten she held the phone with both hands. "I don't want to fight you about this, it's my choice and you'll just have to deal with it later. I just want to help, Buck."
She sniffled and wiped her eyes, waiting for him to respond. He sighed, "Okay kid, I know. Whatever you choose, just keep me updated and I'll support your decision. I gotta go, happy birthday, I'll see you later."
"Thanks. See you later Buck, bye." Laughing to herself Shelly rolled over and hung up the phone. She hugged her teddy bear close and tried to salvage the smeared paint.
