One week after the wedding, Lula and Mary Lou waved to Stephanie and Val as Lula backed the Ryder rental truck out of the driveway, headed for Georgia. Bobby had called two days ago and told Mary Lou he had gotten the keys for their two bedroom apartment on base and that the guys had helped him move in some basic furnishings. He told Mary Lou he picked up the basics but he would wait for Mary Lou so they could buy any decorative items after she arrived.

"He has some good Husband potential, Mary Lou." Lula reminder her when she climbed into the truck.

"I am going to miss you!" Stephanie called to Mary Lou.

"We will come visit." Val called after her and then to Lula, "Love you, drive safely! And say Hi for us."

"Lula, we will see you when you get back." Stephanie waved as they moved away.

A week after the move, Lula was back with the news that the boys left on their mission- the one they couldn't talk about. She told Stephanie and Val that Ric was team leader and that he and Broussard did all the planning and expected they would be gone for eight to nine weeks. They couldn't say where or why. The girls all did their best to keep one another's hopes up. They all prayed. And their lives were filled with the quiet anticipation of the return.

Val hated her annual PAP smear so, of course, she was overdue. She called yesterday to see when they had an appointment and they had a cancellation for the next day. Now in the waiting room, she was trying to find her LMP in her calendar- with her irregular menses, she always had to write them down. She came across the wedding weekend and the notes of all the events in the run up to the big event. God, Lauren got married over four months ago. And Valarie had fallen in love in that short bit of time. How funny life was. Lester wrote the best letters. She laughed till tears came and read them over and over. She was reading his last missive before deploying when she was called back to give her urine sample and change into the paper gown. It would be hard not getting new letters while he was away.

Dr. Prada walked in the room and asked. "Valarie, how far along are you?"

Distracted by the letter, Val answered, "I think my PAP smear is six months overdue."

"Val- I am talking about the pregnancy. Your urine sample came back positive. I would like to confirm with a blood test since, with your irregular menses, it can be hard to date."

"I am pregnant?" Val's face drained of color. "But we used condoms every time." Her mind was spinning. Unmarried. Pregnant. Lester away. It was like she couldn't catch her breath. Her mother was going to kill her. This was worse than Stephanie hitting that asshole Morelli with Grandpa's car.

Dr. Prada confirmed she was pregnant. "After I examine you, I can give you a better idea of how far along you are."

"No!" She knew exactly when she got pregnant. Val gathered her things and started to pull on her clothes. "I need to leave… to think…"

Dr. Prada rested her hand on Val's arm. "Do we need to discuss options?" Val was in love with Les, so there was only one choice for her.

"No… I just need to come back with my fiancé. I need to reschedule. I have to go."

She got to the bench at the bus stop and dropped her head in her hands while trying to suck in ai to fill her lungs. She was six weeks pregnant. She spent only that one day with Les. He would be deployed for at least another month. It was early. She wouldn't tell anyone until she told Les. God, she hoped he loved her as much as she loved him. She hoped he wanted to be a family with her.

But what if he didn't? They hadn't known each other for long… The self-doubt seeped in. Well, it didn't matter. Everything would work out, no matter what. She had the girls, and she knew, even if he didn't want her, Les would do right by his child. He was honorable that way.

Stephanie headed to Saint Francis de Sales Catholic Church after work each day and lit a candle and said a prayer for Ric and the boys. In such a short time they had become so important to her, to all of them. She loved the church that had started life as a mission chapel. It had a simplicity that brought her tumbled thoughts peace.

Mary Lou had called a week ago in a state. Something went wrong and the boys were not back and nobody was talking. They were now a month overdue. Between that news and being told she was expecting twin boys, Mary Lou was a mess. Stephanie promised that she and Val would travel to Georgia as soon as Val could take a little time off. Lula couldn't get away again so soon after helping Mary Lou move. They would have a mini baby shower and play all the silly games and everything would be fine.

After praying at her church, Stephanie returned home to find Val despondent and Lula trying to comfort her.

"Oh my god, are the boys…" Stephanie couldn't finish her thought.

"No, not them, it's Steve…. He was in a car accident… Mom called… She thinks he may be dying… He is calling for me… I have to go to him." Steve. The asshole, piece of shit cheating ex-boyfriend. But he was Val's first love, first lover. They dated since 8th grade.

Stephanie wrapped her arms around her sister while Lula called the airline and booked Val on the next flight to New Jersey. They packed her a bag and the three piled into Lula's car and they went straight to the airport.

"Val, call and let us know what happens. I love you." The sisters hugged and then Valarie was gone.

The following Friday, returning from the church after work, Stephanie entered the living room to find Ric sitting on the living room couch. He was gaunt, tired to his bones and so much thinner. She took all that in before seeing the cane, then noting he did not stand up. Or could not.

She rushed to his side and sat beside him. "Ric, thank God you're home. I have been praying for you…"

"Steph… where is Val?"

The light went out of Stephanie's eyes. "Val had to go back to New Jersey… Oh no, don't say Lester is dead." The tears fell as her nose started to run.

"No Babe, no. Steph, Babe…" He took her into his arms. "He is missing in action. We… we think he was… Babe, I think they took him." Steph waited for him to continue.

"I was injured and Broussard took charge of our evacuation. He carried me more than two miles- He is a Tank of a man… Les was behind us, covering the back... then he vanished."

"Will they kill him?" He couldn't tell her who "they" were but it didn't really make a difference now.

"Our side is trying to get him back. I don't think they will intentionally kill him." Ric could not rule out the possibility of Lester dying from torture. The thought of it stormed through his nightmares. "I came to tell Val. Lester has a letter for her… in case."

"Don't give it to her yet. Not until we know for sure he isn't coming back." Stephanie swallowed hard. "A friend of hers back in Trenton was in a bad wreck, so Val went to visit."

"Stephanie, can we go to bed?" Ric looked at her with glistening eyes. "I need to hold you. Please…"

Stephanie led him to her bedroom, helped undress him and slipped under the covers next to him, holding him close to her as he finally let his tears come.