| I gazed out my window, lost in my thought. Every time I closed my eyes, I could see each man. My brothers. All five of us were close. And our wives were close. Even our children stayed as family. I glanced at the door as it opened and in walked seven grown men. �It�s a pleasure to see such fine looking young men,� I said. �It�s a pleasure seeing a war hero Uncle Brian,� Bobby said. �I�m going to tell you seven young men a story about each of your fathers. Dakota, you love the ocean just as much as Nick. Bobby, you are so much like your father. You and Kevin both love to fly. Tyler. My son. Even you don�t know something about my past. Then the two twins. Sammy and Joseph. You have your father�s craziness. I�m sure you remind Megan of AJ. And the last three boys. Lawerence, Jamie, and David. You have Howie�s sense of responsibility.� �And what happened to you dad?� �Shh Tyler. In my life, I�ve only told four people their husbands were dead, killed in action. In order I shall tell the stories. Five men, five days. On December 5th 1941, all four guys were shipped out, each going to different locations. Nick to Pearl Harbor, Kevin to Germany, AJ to China, and Howie to the Atlantic Ocean. I was the only one bouncing off into different places. First Pearl Harbor, then Germany, then China, and finally Japan.� I closed my eyes and told the tale in my mind. Everything was fresh. �Listen very carefully men. I�m old and have seen enough shit to last me a lifetime�� -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- USS Utah (Destroyer) �Baby, it�s Pearl Harbor. It�s totally safe over there. And I�ll get you when the doctor says it�s save to travel.� �Nick, please be care full.� I set his suitcase next to the door. �You worry to much Mare.� �Or maybe not enough. What boat are you on?� �I�m being stationed on the USS Utah.� I rolled my eyes at the name. �Don�t have to much fun without me.� �Maryann, it�s Dec. 5th! You�ll be there in like a week. How much trouble can I get into in that amount of time?� �Enough trouble Captain Carter.� �Okay, okay. Can you believe I�ll finally be on a destroyer. I�m finally doing what I love. And protecting my family.� I just reached up and silenced him with a kiss. �Okay baby, your ride is here. I love you baby.� �Not as much as I love you or this little one,� he said rubbing my stomach. �Go, be gone.� I watched him grab his bags and walked out the door. He waved as he climbed into the Jeep. I watched them drive off and I finally closed the door. I waddled over to the phone and called up my friend. �Rhoney?� �Yes?� �It�s Mare. Listen, I have a doctor�s appointment in two days, you can still take me, right?� �Of course.� �Great. Thanks.� I hung up the phone and sat down on the couch. I sat on the bed and watched the doctor look over my tests. �Well, Mrs. Carter, it looks like you can go ahead and fly over to Pearl Harbor.� It was 11:00 when we were walking out the door when the doctor called me back. �On second thought,, maybe you shouldn�t go.� �Um, Doctor Peterson, I�m not understanding.� �Mrs. Carter, Pearl Harbor has been bombed.� I looked beside me and watched as Rhoney ran off. �Where is she going?� �Her husband is Captain doctor Littrell.� �He�s the first meds shipped out, I believe,� the doctor said. �Yes. Excuse me, I have to go see if my husband is okay.� �You can�t leave. It�s being said they are writing letters to loved ones letting them know they�ll alive.� �I�m sorry sir. I�m not waiting to find out if my husband is dead or not.� I walked back to my house and saw Shannon, Theresa and Megan there. �Did you hear?� �Yes. So, we�re here to keep you company until word comes,� Megan said. I sat down on my front step and started crying. �Are you sure you don�t want some tea or something?� Rhoney asked. �I�m fine. Sit down Rhoney.� �Well, I�m hungry and I�m getting something to eat,� Theresa said. �Are you pregnant?� Shannon asked. Everyone just stared at Theresa. �Yes. My third child and Howie is excited�� her words trailed off as someone stepped inside. �Mrs. Nickolas Gene Carter?� �Brian?� �It�s Captain Littrell ma�am.� I just nodded my head. �On December 7th, 1931, Pearl Harbor was attacked. Captain Carter was stationed on the USS Utah. It�s my sincere regret to inform you that Captain Carter was on one of four destroyers destroyed and has been killed in action.� I clutched both Rhoney�s and Theresa�s hands. �I�m very sorry Mrs. Carter.� He saluted her and left. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fighter Louise (Fighter Jet) I packed his two bags up just the way he wanted. His uniform was on top of the bed just the way he liked. �Are you and Bobby going to be okay?� �We�ll be fine honey.� �Are you sure?� �Yes. Sides, aren�t some of the guys staying home?� �No.� I stared at my husband. �Kevin, are you serious? All you guys are like brothers.� |
| Heroes Never Die ~N~ Legends Do Live On By: Resa Dorough |
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