One in a Million (Book 3 in the Four of Us Trilogy)

6 | Travelin' Soldier

Our love will never end

Waitin' for the soldier to come back again

Never more to be alone when the letter said

A soldier's coming home

-Dixie Chicks, "Travelin' Soldier"

Tallahassee, Florida

Rachel

When I finally picked myself up off my knees, I realized I really should've had someone drive me and Miles to the airport. I was in no condition to drive.

I walked to the food court that was on the outside of the security gate and ordered a small pizza and a Diet Coke. As I sat and ate in silence, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I glanced up to see an older lady standing behind me, looking down at me with concern.

"Hi, can I help you?" I asked kindly.

"Hi honey. I saw you at the security gate, saying goodbye to your sweetheart," she explained.

My heart constricted. "Oh," I said simply, not knowing what else to say. "Um, do you want to sit down?" I asked, gesturing to the chair across from me.

She smiled, her green eyes soft. "Don't mind if I do," she agreed, sitting across from me and putting her purse on the table. "I'm Polly," she said.

"I'm Rachel. Are you hungry? I have plenty of pizza here," I offered.

"Oh no, honey, I have a flight to catch in a few minutes, but I just wanted to check on you. I saw you... after he left, and I wanted to make sure you were all right," she said, peering at me.

I almost clammed up, but her face was so kind, and I immediately trusted her. "I'm not, actually. That was my fiancé, Miles. He is off to boot camp in Missouri... he just joined the Army to be in the Corps of Engineers," I said, taking a sip of my drink.

She nodded. "I had a feeling that was the case."

"How did you know?"

"Because fifty-four years ago, I stood in this very airport with my husband Edgar and gave him the very same kind of hug... the kind of hug you only give someone when you know you won't see them again for a long, long time," she said, her green eyes filling with tears.

I gasped. "You went through this too?" I counted in my head. Fifty-four years ago... that would be 1969. "Vietnam?" I asked, my stomach flipping.

She nodded. "You know your American History," she teased. "Yes... Edgar was drafted for the Vietnam War in 1969, and I had to say goodbye to him right here in this airport. Of course, it's been renovated a few times since then," she said, looking around. "It was horrible, saying goodbye to him," she said, obviously torn apart by the memory of it.

"Oh, Mrs. Polly, I know how that felt, trust me. This is the worst feeling in the world," I said, leaning forward on my elbows.

She pursed her lips. "Well, not the worst," she said quietly, looking down at her hands.

My eyes widened. "Oh my God, did he..."

She held up her hands. "No, no. Edgar made it back from the war," she said quickly.

"Oh thank God," I murmured, relieved not only for her, but for me too. I didn't think I could take a story about a man leaving for the Army and never coming home right now.