Grab your juice box and carpet square kiddos...its story time!
....in the midst of twilight on a cool September evening I watched the sun set just over the horizon walking along the shore Shadow's company. 6 months. Just a few months ago was when he was deployed. I can remember that day like it was yesterday. March 22nd a couple days after St. Patrick’s day, one of our favorite holidays to spend together, we always got together with some of our best friends and relive the college memories.
After he was gone for about a week, there was a knock on my door. I wasn't expecting any visitors, so when I heard that knock my heart skipped a beat or two. To my surprise it was just Mark, my husbands best friend. He said he had something for me, I was a little confused and not sure what he meant, but he pointed to the blue box by his feet. Mark told me to open it and I found the cutest chocolate Labrador retriever inside with a note from Ben. As soon as I started reading his letter my eyes filled with tears, and a rush of emotions ran through my body: happiness, sadness, being excited, being scared. But most of all at that point I truly began to realize how much I missed Ben and how important he was to me.
Ever since that day, Shadow has been right by my side, some days I would even go to work and I’d bring him along. The girls at the law firm didn’t seem to mind, his company was a delight to everyone and most important he kept me going. And today on the shore at sunset I found a bottle along the shoreline, of course I picked it up. But this wasn’t your typical empty coke bottle, there was a rolled up piece of paper inside. I was dying to read it so with the bottle in hand Shadow and I ran back to my car so we could head home and see what was inside. Sprawled out on the comfy dark blue loveseat, with Shadow’s head in my lap I carefully opened the bottle and found the message inside that read, “I’ll be seeing you…Love, Me”
With such an open phrase like that a million thoughts started racing through my head: who sent it, who was the intended recipient, where was it sent from, why was I the one to pick it up. At first I thought it was a sign, and then I told myself I was stupid for believing such a thing. Find a message in a bottle is just something that happens in romance novels or those chick flicks, I told myself. I came to my senses and decided it didn’t mean anything, and I just went on with my day and began to prepare a late diner for Shadow and me.
Later that night I received a phone call from an old friend Melissa, saying she’s in town and wanted to catch up over lunch tomorrow. Of course I sad yes and we were meeting at the Café tomorrow at noon. After hanging up the phone, I sat in silence for a minute thinking, and after not seeing her in a while, I thought maybe this was what the message was about, but I didn’t let it get to me.
It was time for bed, so I walked back to my bedroom, the master always seemed very empty with Ben on tour, and it made me miss him even more knowing he wasn’t right there sleeping next to me. Shadow has been amazing, but my puppy doesn’t make up for my loving husband that is over seas (for what seems like forever)! I just tell myself March will be here before I know it…that’s when Bens platoon is supposed to return to the states, and to me (sorry if I sound selfish). Before I am about to fall asleep I glance to my bedside table and smile at the picture we took just before Ben left. Then I glanced over and saw I had a new e-mail, and because I don’t like to go to bed with unfinished business I shuffled over to my Mac and opened the Mail application.
Surprised to find an email from Ben, he hasn’t sent an email since their last stop, which was over two weeks ago. It was short and sweet and to the point. He said he was safe and that they were relocated to work on some special project, but of course the details were scarce. He was safe and doing well, which was all I carried about. He also sent a recent picture of him and added the postscript; P.S. I’ll being seeing you. His picture made me smile beyond belief but the P.S. left me with an eerie feeling, especially with everything that happened today. I tried to go back to bed, taking a couple few breaths to help me relax and attempt to fall asleep. After tossing and turning for about half an hour I decided to get up and go for a run. Running was the only thing that truly relaxed me.
Although, it was about two o’clock in the morning, living in a small beach town I knew I was safe no matter what time of the day it was. Since it was so quiet, I could hear every step I took and with each stride I thought of Ben. Memories of us running up and down the bay and throughout our campus in college ran fresh through my mind. The comfort he provides and smile across his face is what I miss most. I never realized how hard it would be to spend a year apart from him, until it actually happened.
Trying to look to the future, I’m beginning to realize what I am going to have to do without my best friend by my side. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, our Anniversary. Four major events in my life, I’ll be taking them by myself, but I know he’ll be wanting to be home as much as I want him there…if not more. Knowing that put a smile on my face and I started to run faster.
I made it home, and Shadow was waiting for me at the door, I took a steaming hot shower, and at that point was ready for bed. Lying in bed, repeating, “I’ll be seeing you…” over and over again and glancing over at Ben’s picture I eventually managed to fall asleep knowing seeing and holding him in my arms again is one day sooner once I wake up in the morning…
….”I’ll be seeing you….”
