Authors Note: Huge thank you to TragicTales again for helping me!Y'all should go to her profile and read her stories!Amazing writer!
Denise didn't sleep but a few hours but she did wake up feeling a little better than the previous night. She got up and had a shower then made herself some coffee before going out on the balcony and enjoying the view. She closed her eyes when the cool breeze hit her face and for the first time since hearing her son died she smiled, and not a fake smile, a genuine smile.
How long she wished she where here on better occasion
She finished her coffee before going inside, she heard her phone ringing. She picked it up and sighed, it was Claudia Joy, she pressed ignore and laid the phone back down on the counter.
She knew what they must be thinking. She left her husband and child. She didn't care. She wanted to sit back and cry and be alone. How Claudia Joy had people over, she didn't know. How she remembered when she needed her she slammed a door in her face. Now she wanted to be there? No never again.
She picked the phone back up and turned it off; she was not dealing with anyone, period.
The next four days had been four days of exploring nature really. She hiked, she ran, she biked and on the fifth day she went camping. Her son's funeral was that day. Damn it she knew she was going to go
She got ready and made the drive to the funeral home. She ignored all the stares she received and sat down in the front row.
Everyone was looking at her. She hated it.
Her heart started to race, she felt like she couldn't breathe, this wasn't happening.
Frank was on the next row over holding Molly. She smiled looking over at her mother
Denise tried to smile but her chest hurt, Frank looked over and knew immediately something was wrong.
The ceremony was dragging on and Denise felt Frank watching her as if he wanted to say something,
Chaplin Maris walked up and started speaking; Denise was in tears before she had been there twenty minutes. As it should have been normal crying.
The ceremony dragged on for what seemed like days, their friends gave speeches and people cried, by the time it was over Denise was almost positive she couldn't cry anymore, then it was time to go to the graveyard, this part she dreaded more than anything in the world.
She saw his coffin laying there. She felt as if she was walking to her own grave
Once again it seemed like they were there for forever, only this time Frank was beside of her, but neither one of them dared look at each other.
It was part of the formality she thought, having the parents standing next to each other but she didn't care. She felt herself leaving shortly after being there.
On instinct Frank went after her "Denise come back" he said
She gave him a look as to say 'don't come any closer' but her body language read differently
Frank didn't move any closer, he wanted her to want him to comfort her, but he wasn't going to force it "Denise?"
"Yeah?" she replied
"Don't leave" he said "Let's go back," he reached for her hand
"No, come with me" she said, she was almost begging.
He nodded "Okay, where?" he asked, maybe this was what she needed.
"To the cabin I have been staying at"
"Okay, let me tell Michael we are leaving and we'll go" he said
"NO!..I mean, no, I don't care for anyone knowing"
He sighed "okay, let's go" he said and tried to hold her hand.
She squeezed it and practically pulled him towards her car.
They left the graveyard together and everyone stared after them,
"Why where they all staring?" She asked
"Denise we just left our sons burial" he said like she was crazy for even asking.
"So? What do they want from me? No one there had a son killed in such a meaningless war."
"Excuse me?" he asked, he couldn't believe she was trashing everything he stood for.
"You heard me. When their sons die in vain they will understand my pain."
"Denise, that meaningless war keeps me in a job!" he snapped, without thinking
"Profit, that's why you stay, not even worth it anymore."
"Denise I am a soldier, and no money is not why I stay, I love the army!"
"That army killed your son!"
"I know that Denise, but he knew what he was getting himself in to" he tried to calmly explain.
Denise understood that and he knew she didn't mean it. "Honestly Frank, why do you love something that hurts you?"
"Because it's who I am Dee" he said
"I could never."
"I know that you're angry Denise, and you have every reason to be honey, but don't punish the good guys for what the bad guys took from you" he said.
"Punishment is right."
"What do you mean?' he asked
"I wish it could punish those that did me such wrong, but I can't."
"No, but you can't punish yourself either"
"I am not punishing myself. I did nothing wrong but letting him reenlist"
"Denise you are punishing yourself by pushing everyone away and being miserable, it's okay to be sad, but don't keep pushing everyone that loves you away" he said
"Frank, you're the only one I am sorry for hurting. I shouldn't have done what I done to you."
He smiled "You're forgiven, but can you do me a favor?"
She smiled. "What?"
"If you want to be sad fine but let me help you, don't push me away" he said reaching across the console for her hand.
"I promise." She replied smiling and kissed his hand.
He smiled and kissed her cheek "Let's go to the cabin and have a good time okay"
"Don't you dare!" she giggled.
"And why not" he said walking toward the dock.
"Because we're in out good clothes!"
"So" he said laughing and sped up, Denise started screaming "Frank Stanton Sherwood don't you dare!" she said laughing
He ran with her into the water. She hadn't had this much fun with Frank in a long time
They were both soaked and laughing hysterically "You messed my hair up" she said pretending to be annoyed.
He playfully splashed her. She started to laugh uncontrollably
They played in the water until it was too dark to see then Denise leaned into Frank's arms "Okay now I'm tired" she said
He again picked her out of the water. He remembered how they had their honeymoon here and perhaps this trip would do both some good
He carried her back up to the house and into the bed room, he sat her on the bed gently and was about to kiss her when his phone rang, Denise stuck out her lower lip; she did not want this trip to be ruined by people. Frank went and grabbed his phone "It's Michael" he said
Denise heard who was on the other line and quickly jumped off the bed. She ran into the bathroom and shut the door behind her and turned the shower on
Frank sighed "Yeah I know but Denise needs this, she needs time away from the flagpole" he told his friend and CO. "Can you cover me a few days?"
"I can try, but no promises"
"Okay, just call me if there is any trouble" he said and hung up the phone and went after Denise. He walked into the bathroom and was immediate hit in the face with steam and could hear Denise crying softly.
"Why do people have to call?"
"It was just Michael calling to check on you honey" he said "Get out of there and let's go get ice cream."
"Jeremy loved Ice Cream"
"Denise don't do this" he said "Come on we are supposed to be on vacation."
She managed a smile, "alright"
She got out of the shower and got dressed and Frank took Denise out to get ice cream and show her off.
"Frank, when do you have to go to work?"
He didn't respond he didn't want to upset.
"When?" she asked again
"Two weeks" he finally replied
"Oh, that's fine" she managed
"Really?" he asked a little shocked.
"I actually thought you would leave sooner"
"I was supposed to, but I told them I wasn't leaving you" he said.
She smiled.
"See I'm not a total screw up for a husband" he said
"You never have been"
He laughed "You sure about that pretty girl?"
"Oh Frank you haven't flirted with me in ages."
He smiled "Well you haven't really been in the mood for me to even talk let alone flirt lately"
"Lately, but not before"
He smiled "Well you got me there" he said and poked her in the ribs making her jump; she hated being tickled more than anything in the world.
"Frank, you should know better!" she said as she scooted away
He pulled her back "What are you talking about?" he asked innocently as they neared the ice cream parlor.
She laughed and winked. "You should know better"
He laughed and held the door as they walked inside "Okay anything you want, name it and you got it" he said.
"I want to go home afterwards," she winked
Frank burst out laughing "Denise Anne Sherwood!" he said "Behave yourself young lady!"
"You aren't suggesting!" she giggled.
He shook his head and ordered them both a huge ice cream and then took Denise's hand and walked back toward the cabin, a few teenagers were looking at them like they were crazy.
"I remember being young"
"Yeah do you remember how much trouble we got ourselves into?" he asked laughing holding her around the waist.
"Remember mother not wanting me to marry you, 'That boy is nothing but trouble' ha-ha she was right of course"
laylabranson27: "No she wasn't" she said seriously "She was dead wrong and I told her so."
Again more laughter
As they walked Denise heard music and looked over at the dock "Frank look" she said pointing to where a band was playing up-beat country music
"Let's go dancing!"
She looked at him wide eyes "You hate dancing" she said smiling
"Awh who cares" he said as he dragged her over
Denise laughed hysterically as they started dancing, before the first song even ended people were surrounding them cheering. Both Denise and Frank were great dancers and everyone let them know it.
She remembered when she was younger and dating him and how he would dance with her in private but never like this, and he was always such a wonderful dancer
"You having a good time soldier?" she asked
"Wonderful" he smiled
She smiled and continued to dance until she was nearly dead on her feet "Can we go, I'm getting kind of tired and this music is making my head hurt" she asked
"Of course," he said. They walked back quickly and Denise fell on the couch as soon as she arrived.
He laughed "You okay there beautiful?"
"No," she giggled "Carry me away"
"You're getting spoiled" he joked.
"I deserve it" she giggled
He laughed "You're darn straight you do" he said, he picked her up and carried her to the bed room.
She smiled and for the longest time she was happy
"Frank can I ask you something?" she asked later that night while he had her in his arms playing with her hair.
"Anything"
"When you get back, can we do this more often, just us?" she asked, it was clear after twenty years these deployments were taking their toll on her.
"Of course" he said. He too needed this
She smiled and cuddled closer to his chest "Goodnight soldier" she said and kissed him.
"Night" he kissed her back
She fell asleep that night and for the first time in a while she finally felt happy, safe.