Shattered
CP
It lay there before her, the afternoon sun glinting off its silver
edge. Taking a deep breath, she picked it up, and turned it over in her hand.
Why? What had he hoped to accomplish? There were so many questions, questions
that would never be answered. Not to her satisfaction anyway.
She thought back to a warm afternoon. Had it really
been three years? Funny, sometimes it seemed like only yesterday, and others it
seemed like forever. The laugh that came out of her seemed almost mocking. He
was going to change the world, make it perfect for her. Now, the only thing
that was going to change were the looks that people
gave her when she walked down the street. Sympathetic?
Several of those looks. They turned her stomach. What
did these people know? These were the ones that really got to her.
On that afternoon, in late July, they had exchanged their
vows, promising before God, their families and friends to stay together, until
death do us part. They were so happy. Then the telegram arrived at their small
apartment. Two pieces of paper had changed their lives that week. Little did
they know at the time just how drastic that change would be.
They had always dreamed of visiting
The United States Government regrets to inform you…
The officers that came to inform her were very polite,
almost too polite, as if they were at an afternoon tea. She should be
proud, they told her. He lost his life saving several of his fellow GI’s.
Walking back into the kitchen, she picked up the crumpled
piece of paper, smoothing it out so that she was able to read the words printed
there.
“We regret to inform you that PFC William G. Kirby was
killed in action on 25 March 1945.”
Picking up the box that was sitting on the table, she ran
her finger over the medal nestled in it.
Tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked at the picture on
the table.
“You got your Silver Star, Bill”
TO BE CONTINUED …