Life After Afghanistan

I. Coming Home: Hope's P.O.V

His desert tan combat boots scraped against the concrete steps as he reached for the doorbell. The doorbell chimed and I got up from my chair continuing towards the front door and the ringing sound of the bell. I opened up the door and as the image of his green-eyed face came into focus, I fell to my knee in tears.

My boyfriend Peter had been deployed to Afghanistan for 9 months and had planned to continue his deployment on for a full year. His surprise arrival home was the best thing I could ever ask for because we had not spoken, the video called or written to each other in 4 months. During those 4 months, I waited; waited for a sign that he was alive, a call or email, or for a knock on the door from the military generals to tell me that my beloved Peter was not coming home.

As I fell to my knees in tears of joy and shock, he knelt down next to me, grabbing ahold of me tight. Being in his arms was almost unimaginable but yet, here I was and here he was; he was home. Soon, we both rose up from the floor and I quickly wrapped my arms around his neck. His face glowed with a smile and so did mine.

" You're home," I said happily

"That's right baby," he said smiling," I'm home."

I looked up at him as we both continued to smile. I reached my hand into the back of his neck and pulled him down into a kiss. It wasn't but 2 months after we moved in together did Peter get the call to leave for Afghanistan. Settling into a new house, and a new neighborhood all by myself had not been the easiest, but now, he was home and we could finally be together again.

"Wow, I missed you more than I thought," he said with a grin.

"I missed you too," I said," but babe, you stink," I laughed.

"It happens when you're jumping from plane to plane to get home before your girlfriend's big 21st birthday in a few days," he said.

I blushed. He smiled and kissed my forehead softly.

"Well let me run upstairs and get a shower, there is somewhere I want to bring you," he said as he leaned down and kissed me and with a big smile stretched across his face he continued, " I'm so glad to be back home."