Surrera one-shot (English)

A new story to tell

Second and last part of "Mom, can you tell me the story of you and dad?"

Ever since the marine had told Andy that they had found her husband's body, she had been left speechless and under shock. She couldn't move and she didn't realize her daughter was calling her.

Emily: "Mom? Mom?" Andy still didn't answer.

Marine: "Madam, are you okay?" she asked worried, but no reaction from Andy.

Emily tried to pull her jacket from her mother and only then, Andy reacted.

Andy: "I.. ok, I'll go with you" she told the marine and then turned to her daughter. "Go with Julie to uncle Luke and aunt Vic and tell them I'm not going to work today and I'll call them as soon as I can, okay?"

Emily: "Ok, but are you okay?"

Andy: "Yes, don't worry"

Emily: "And who would that gentleman at the door be?"

Andy: "He's a marine, now I can't tell you more, but I promise I'll tell you everything later, ok?"

Emily: "Okay. I love you mom"

Andy: "Me too honey" she said hugging her daughter and then following the marine out of the house.

After Andy left, Emily and Julie went to Vic and Luke's. When Emily told them what Andy had told her earlier, they were very confused. As the marine drove to the military hospital, Andy was immersed in her thoughts and stared into space. She wasn't sure how long it had been since they left home, but when they arrived in front of the military hospital, Andy felt a sharp pain in her chest. After all these years she never expected to be here because I had found her husband's body and she had to confirm it was him. She also thought of her daughter of hers, how could she tell her what was happening? Andy hesitated a few minutes before getting out of the car, but then he took a deep breath and took courage. Andy followed the marine inside the hospital, she had read that the morgue was in the basement, but the marine was taking Andy somewhere else and she didn't understand. If she had to recognize her husband's body, why weren't they taking her to the morgue? Many thoughts were invading her mind and she was not understanding anything anymore. At one point the marine stopped in front of a door and then turned to Andy.

Marine: "Your husband is in here. Many years have passed, it may be difficult for you to see him in these conditions, but.."

Andy: "I'm sorry, but I'm confused. You told me that I should have recognized my husband's body and I thought you would take me to the morgue. Here it seems to me, I don't know, strange"

Marine: "Madam, your husband is not dead" at that moment Andy felt faint and immediately the marine took her and helped her to sit down.

Andy: "How is he not dead? 7 years ago you told me that he was dead and.. where has he been all this time?"

Marine: "I'm sorry for everything that happened. We thought that the people involved in the explosion were our men because there were the remains of our uniforms, but it was not so. He and other marines have been taken as prisoners all these years and we only got word of them a few months ago. Before notifying the families, we carried out the rescue mission in order to be able to give everyone certain news. I wanted to come to his house to break the news today because I am really sorry for everything he has had to go through over the years. Seven years ago I gave her the worst news, but today I wanted it to be a happy day"

Andy: "I.. I really don't know what to say, but thanks. Does he remember me?"

Marine: "Yeah, the first thing he asked us as soon as we got here at the hospital was to contact his wife, hoping she was still his wife and she hadn't forgotten about him" Andy smiled.