Imperial Love: We'll Meet Again: Richard and Alexander's story Book 6

Chapter Sixteen

Jimmy and Richard spent some time trying to figure out what to write next. Richard didn't want it to be too sappy but he wanted to also be a little bit romantic, which was something that he was far from good at. Jimmy on the other hand was excellent at being a romantic. When Jimmy was starting to fall in love with Dorothy, he used every gesture in the book to try and win over Dorothy. But then again, Richard knew how it ended between them.

"So what are you thinking?" Richard asked, "In regards to writing to Alexander, what would you write to him if you were me."

"Well, I'm not you." Jimmy said, "How do you feel?"

"What do you mean?"

"How do you feel when you are with Alexander?" Jimmy asked,

Richard had a whole list, a list of things of the way Alexander made him feel. He felt like he could truly be himself, without caring what anyone else had thought. The two of them could talk for hours about their future and what they think life would be like after the war. Richard and Alexander could talk about where they were going to end up after the war, wondering if they would continue to be in the military after the war is over. Both of them knew that they weren't going to go back in the military, and Richard didn't want to stay in Virginia after the war. He needed to get away. Get away from everything that he had ever known. Which was something that he needed to write to Alexander about.

Richard just didn't understand why Jimmy didn't understand.

"Do you think you know what you want to write about?" Jimmy asked,

"I do." Richard admitted, "Give me the goddamn pen." 

Jimmy slid the pen to Richard and Richard snatched it without hesitation. Richard opened it and looked at the piece of paper that was right in front of him. Wondering how smoothly this could go. But he didn't want to lose hope, and he certainly didn't want to lose the one thing that kept him going in the war.

"What's stopping you?" Jimmy asked, "Why aren't you writing?"

"Sorry..." Richard apologized trying to not yell, "I'm trying to concentrate!" 

Jimmy just chuckled at seeing Richard get all sappy, it was something that he never imagined to ever happen. But Jimmy was proud of Richard, for finally finding his happiness. It was what he deserved, after all, that he had suffered. But when Richard finally started writing, he knew everything he was going to write from the top of his head. Jimmy just sat down there and watched, watched as he wrote everything. There were some mistakes that he made, mistakes in his writing, and some mistakes that he made with Alexander. But these were the mistakes that Richard was going to try and move past and be forgiven by Alexander hopefully. Richard knew that Alexander was forgiving, so he wasn't worried too much of the thought of Alexander not forgiving him.

At least an hour has passed and Richard had finally finished his letter, Richard looked at Jimmy close to falling asleep as he was folding the piece of paper, waiting for Jimmy to finally make a response and acknowledge that he was done. 

"Jimmy." Richard called his name, "I'm finished." 

Jimmy still hadn't made a sound.

"Jimmy!" Richard said throwing the pen at Jimmy and he finally sought himself awake.

"What?" Jimmy asked as he was on the verge of falling asleep. 

"I'm done..." Richard said, "Do you want to read it?"

"Sure... do you want to read it out loud?" 

Richard nodded and looked at Jimmy, unfolded the letter and sighed. He was a little nervous to show Jimmy what he had written. He had put so much effort into it and never showed anyone what he had written. He was finally ready to show it to someone, and that someone was going to be Jimmy. Jimmy, who had been his closest friend for as long as he could remember. There was no one that deserved to read his letter more than him. No matter how mad at him he was for anything.

Dear Alexander,

I am putting a lot of effort into this letter and it has been extremely hard trying to figure out what to say, but I know what to say now. I know what I want and I know who I want to be with.

And that's You.

I'm so sorry I scared you away and I am so sorry for what I said to Marjorie and I want to let you know that none of it was true. What I said to Marjorie was far from true. You weren't just a friend to me. You were more than that, You ARE more than that. So much more that. And I hate myself for not listening to my heart when I knew what I wanted all along.

I hate myself for scaring you away and letting you go. 

But that's in the past now, and I am just writing to you hoping that you will forgive me. Because if you can't forgive me, I don't know how I can forgive myself. 

You know something, all of those moments in the bunk were worth it. They were worth talking to you. Spending time with you was everything that I ever needed to keep myself motivated. Motivated into staying alive, and motivated to keep fighting when things were getting tougher each day. I remember those days when I didn't know if I was going to make it. I remember all of it. But the one thing that kept me going was YOU.

You helped me and you believed in me when I felt that no one else did. You helped me keep my emotions in line and you reminded me that it was okay. Not to be okay. 

I am trying to say that I love you.

Which I am clearly not good at.

But it's true. And I don't care what anyone else says anymore, because as long as I can be with you when the war is over is all that truly matters to me. 

I do hope that you write to me soon.

And I do hope you can forgive me.

I just want to be with you. Not Marjorie, not anyone else. 

I hope you still feel for me the way I feel for you.

We'll meet again

All My Love,

Richard

Richard took a deep breath and looked at Jimmy, wondering what he thought. It took him a long time to try and figure out what he wanted to say. But Jimmy, was just proud of him. Proud of him for showing who he really was. 

"You better mail that tonight," Jimmy claimed,

"Don't worry I am." Richard sighed

"Did I tell you I'm proud of you." Jimmy said,

"Yes..." Richard smiled and hugged his best friend.