An Unforgettable Letter

Dear Frank,

I am sitting here by the lantern writing to you as mother sleeps soundly in the next room. I can hear my little sister coughing in her room and I remind myself to make her some cough syrup in the morning. It is dark and everyone is sleeping, but me. I am awake because I long for your arms around me. I miss the sound of my name on your lips. I miss your lingering kisses that leave me wanting more. I miss the way how you touch me when you hold me. I can’t help, but be robbed of sleep as I think of you.

It’s been six months since you’ve left me for the war and I fear I go insane each day when I think of you over there fighting. I pray each day that you will make it back to your tent where you will light your lantern and write me a letter. I pray that each time you go out to fight, bullets run past you and that you will come home to me.

Winter has settled upon our small town of New Ulm and with a freezing frame of an everlasting white powder. Each time I go out, I am reminded of how you comfort me last Christmas when we were sitting outside. You took my hands to warm in yours and you told me that whenever I missed you, all I needed to do was warm my hands and hold them against my cheeks. The warmth would be from you. Today, I did that and I could feel you right here with me.

I am counting down the days to when I can see you again. I can’t wait and each day seems longer than the last. But I know that soon, you will be in my arms again.

Love,

Jane

Dear Jane,

I’ve written many letters in my life, but this will be the hardest one I will ever have to write in my life. I can’t begin to describe to you what I am feeling at this very moment. My fingers are numb and my heart seems to have stopped beating. I can’t breathe and I find it hard to make the right words to tell you what you need to know.

First and foremost, I should introduce myself to you. My name is John and I owe my life to Frank. He saved me in more ways than anyone could ever be saved. Last evening, we were sent to accompany an ally who had been a prisoner home. On our way back, we were ambushed and Frank went down. The last words that came out of his mouth were that he loved you. You meant everything to him.

Believe me, if I could change places, I would. I held him as he took his last breath and he made me promise to tell you that he wanted nothing more than to love you in his life. He was happy that he got that chance. In his life, it had meaning because he had you. He wanted me to tell you that you were what he fought this war for. As long as he knew he was going to give you peace and freedom, he was happy to die. He loved you like I’d never seen anyone love another person before.

I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this news. I hope that in your heart you will understand that he loved you more than anything in his life. He was a lucky man to have his faith and to have you. He’s the envy of all of us.

Your friend,

John