Letters To My Soldier

Letter Twelve

June 2018

"Priscilla?"

Oh my God.

I'd know that voice anywhere. He was here. Behind me, waiting for me to turn around.

When I do turn around, it's like one of those movie scenes where the main love interests make eye contact for the first time and instantly fall in love; romantic music playing in the background.

Except I don't hear or see anything but him and those pictures don't do him justice.

"Heath?"

He's a few feet away, camouflaged printed duffle bag bursting at the seems hanging over his bursting-at-the-seems-biceps. His matching uniform looks neat and fitting on him, and the beige boots make me want to melt into a pile of goo.

But the best part, god, the most amazing features about him are his eyes, glassy and so bright anyone from a twenty foot radius could tell what color they were...not to mention his tousle of hair, though army cut, still managed to look like a disarray of dark brown mess.

His smile lights up his face as he slowly saunters up to me until I have to look up to see him and says, "Miss, I beg your pardon, but it seems you have my dog tags."

I hold in a gasp at the sound of his voice, unaltered by phone, and smirk up at him.

"Really? You sure? You see, this weirdo who sends letters to me gave them to me. Can you imagine what a fool he is? One of his most vital possessions and he gives them away?"

Heath feigns mock surprise and says, "What an idiot! No, surely those are not mine."

"It says: Black, Heath"

"Then those are mine!"

"So you're the idiot?"

Heath smirks at me, dropping his bag to the floor before reaching out to hold my shoulders before wrapping his arms around me.

His arms are so hard and warm as the hold me to his chest. I breathe in his scent: a mix of blueberries, toothpaste, and sandalwood. He smelled incredible and I could get enough as I wrapped my arms around his middle.

"I sure am a fool, P. It feels like I know you, but holding you like this is new. Now I know just how small you actually are."

"You're just a giant."

He snort laughs and gently pulls away enough so we can see each other's grinning smiles. One of his hands moves from my shoulders to my neck, tracing the chain until he reaches the dog tags. He twirls them in his fingers before letting them fall back down around my neck.

"Nice to finally meet you Priscilla Marshall."

"Nice to meet you, Captain Heath Dawson Black."

His eyes suddenly turn shy again as he reaches down to hoist his bag over his shoulders-I can't help but notice his muscles flex as he does-and nods his head toward the exit.

"Thanks again for letting me stay for my break. It's nice to not come home to an empty apartment in New York for once."

I lead him outside and towards the parking lot and ask, "Wait, you're not renting out a place in NYC, are you?"

He shakes his head and replies, "Nah, all my stuff is in storage for now."

"Oh," I say and fidget nervously as we walk in silence.

Heath glances in my direction and smirks, "You don't have to act all nervous, you know?"

"Huh?"

He reaches over and wraps an arm around my shoulders and says, "It's different seeing you in person rather than writing to you, but I think that's what's so incredible."

"How so?"

"I get to meet the girl with the sassy attitude who got me out of the funk I was in for awhile."

I smile softly at him as he continues, "I'm trying not to act flustered and nervous around you because it's not like we don't know each other. This isn't the first time we've talked or heard each other's voices."

"Living in the moment kind of thing?"

Heath nods and throws his bag in the back of my car once we've reached it.

"Okay. I see your point. How about we act like this isn't the first time we've met in person."

"I'm all up for it."

"Okay, Captain Black, next stop: Marshall de casa."

"What does that mean?"

"Uh, I think I said 'Marshall house' in Spanish but...I don't know if that was correct or not."

"Oh."

I turn the ignition and we're coasting down the road for awhile in comfortable silence.

"SHOOT!"

I look over to see Heath with wide eyes, sitting in the back seat.

"What?"

"I'm about to meet your father."

I chuckle evilly.

"Oh, sweetie, you don't even know the half of it."