The Soldier Next Door

I have a very serious and somewhat nervous Ana looking into my eyes with the deepest affection that is held within hers. By the way, her eyes are sparkling in the early morning sun; I am not fully sure if she is just glowing from radiance or if she, indeed, maybe on the brink of crying.

She is making me worry somewhat, but as I have learned on several occasions, I that shall let her gather herself, and she shall speak when she is ready. But what can be this great that it has stunned this confident woman to silence, which is now going on for much more longer than my worrying heart can take?

If she is having second thoughts, then I’d say that we are past the point of return now. Much to my relief, with somewhat stumbling mumbles, she starts to speak.

“Soldier, you know how much I love you.”

“Yes, like infinity and beyond.”

“Don’t make me laugh; this is serious.”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“How serious? Like turn around and go back home serious?”

“No! God, no! I do not want to go back to Maggie.”

“Then what is wrong, boo?”

I watch as she once again starts to fidget around with her fingers, twisting them over and around each other. If she twists them any harder, then they might even break. She is now really starting to make me worry.

“Is there something wrong with the baby?”

“No! Soldier, I would be crying, not stuttering like a damn idiot.”

“Then tell me what is wrong, boo?”

She swallows hard and is struggling to find the words. If she is fearful of saying what is on her mind, I do not wish to think what her words are going to do to me.

“Well, the thing is, I was kind of…” she continues; I watch as her lips start to stutter as a fear sets over her.

“Kind of?” I say in return.

“Well, more like hoping…”

“Hoping for?”

“Well, actually wanting…”

“Wanting what?”

“I wanted to ask you…”

“Ask me?”

“Stop repeating everything I am saying, soldier!”

“Why must I stop repeating everything you are saying, boo?”

“Because it sounds like I am proposing to myself.”

I think the echo of my own voice has me slightly confused. Did she just say that she is proposing? I am almost for certain sure that she did. To say that I am not blown away, and dumbstruck would for sure be a lie. Can a woman even do such a thing? I am sure it is the man that should, but at the rate that I am taking, it might just take me forever to do.

“Sorry boo, but can you just repeat that.”

“I said I want you to…”

“Marry me?”

“Ugh! I see what you did there. You think you are clever soldier.”

“No, just a bit optimistic.”

Don’t I just feel like an idiot, but it stopped me from making a fool out of myself. And I think that it is kind of sweet that she asked me instead. I think this will go down as the most treasured days in my life.

“So what does your optimistic ass say, soldier?”

“No, you go first.”

“You are impossible.”

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes, soldier, it is a yes. But I asked you first.”

I chuckle at her frustration; I cannot help but stop and admire her beauty. This is the woman that I am going to spend the rest of my life with; she will be the mother of our child. I cannot think of any other that can take this place in my life, but somehow she shall always remind me of this day.

“I can already see that I am never going to live this one down.”

“So, are you going to answer me?”

“Yes, boo, of course, I will.”

“Thank god now I can breathe.”

“That makes two of us.”

It took quite a different approach, but now I can finally take this ring that has been burning a hole in my pocket and put it on her finger. And as I take it out, she is so overwhelmed that those tears I knew I saw earlier on come pouring down like a bursting cloud on a hot summer’s day.

I gently take her hand, and ever slowly, to savor this moment forever, I slip the ring onto her trembling finger. The smile that plays around the corners of her mouth is big enough to consume her beautiful face. In all our time together, I have never seen her as happy as this. This does ease my heart for thinking that she would have rejected me if I had asked her earlier on.

As soon as it is nestled firm into its place, I pull her closer into my tight embrace. She is still crying; I can feel my shirt getting soaked from her tears where she is laying her face against my chest. I want never to forget this moment, the exact minute that I knew for certain that she is going to be the woman I spend the rest of my life with.

And for the next few hours, that is where she stays, wrapped in my arms, safe and happy; nothing in the world matters but just us. She might never fully understand what it is that I feel for her, but I’d say this is pretty much a good place to start at.

The closer we get to Pendleton, the more the reality and excitement sets in. This has now become our new home; this is where we will build our life as husband and wife but also as a father and mother. As we drive through the gates to where the bus stop is, the tears that I have been holding back start to trickle down my face. I see Ana looks up to me underneath her fluttering eyelashes. But as soon as the tears roll, the sooner they stop; for now, I am a Marine, a husband, but more importantly, a father. I am not that frightened boy anymore.

With the first step I take off the bus, with very much shaky legs, I turn to Ana.

“Boo, are you ready for this?”

“Soldier, I am shit scared, but we can do this.”

“And we have a lot to be shit scared about.”

“You such a ray of sunshine, you supposed to say we can do this.”

“I think we both have established that I do not have a way with words.”

“Ugh, just come; I think that is Gibbs waiting for us.”

As we head on over to where Gibbs is waiting for us, I cannot help but think what a great friend he has been. He carried me out that godforsaken building where they tortured me and held the rest of my squad as prisoners. I can still remember his words as he lifted me into the humvee. He thanked me for saving them and promised me if it takes him the rest of his life, he will show me how thankful he was. The day I woke up in the hospital, he was one of the Marines that were standing by my bed.

I have seen this man cry like a baby when they had to tell me that I lost my leg. Even after I said I did not want to see anyone, he still came every day just to come to annoy the shit out of me. And I am grateful for every day, for it was those moments that got me through my deepest dark days. He and the rest of my squad have always been like brothers to me. Should my choice to take over from Ray not be easy, then?

“Hey, it is great to see you again, Sergeant. We were worried that you might not come back.”

“Who is going to grind your ass then?”

“The boys are over at Ray if you would like to join us.”

I turn to Ana; she has now become my only priority, “Boo, do you want to go for a bit?”

“Of course, then I can tell the whole squad how I proposed to you.”

I see old Gibbs look at me kind of weird at Ana’s words, he but only burtst out laughing at this Marine that can lift a gun confidently, but he cannot place a ring on a woman’s finger.

“Congratulations is in order then. I would love to hear about this proposal; I am sure it will bring some laughter to the boys that are shit scare before deployment. Ray said this is not going to be an easy one.”

As I look over to Ana, I can see a fear of seven horrors settle over her face. How do I reassure her that it shall all be okay? I think it has come time to make my decision.

When we ge to Ray, Ana wastes no time in telling all the boys how shit scared this Marine was to propose. And true to Gibbs’s word, it does bring much needed smiles to their faces.

Then as I look over to Ray, he looks at me in the way. It is time to tell him what I have decided,