This story is fiction and resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental. I hope you enjoy the story. If you have suggestions or comments, please email me I look forward to hearing from you. Frontrnrusa@netscape.net
Copyright 2002 Holloway H.
My mind raced, I knew that tomorrow could be my last day on this earth, for the first time I realized how scared I was, not at the prospect of dying but at the prospect of never seeing Tyler or my parents again. I followed my squadron to the barracks and grabbed a rack dumped my clothes on it and managed to find enough water to shower and shave before getting as much rest as possible. I didn't dream during the night, I held my pillow so tight against my chest my arms tingled from loss of blood flow. I felt my eyes tearing, it was dark in the barracks, I didn't worry about the other guys seeing me, I was crying for Tyler. 0300 hours came in an instant, the scene in the barracks was sullen, every one was quiet, reflecting on what the day would bring. I looked around at people I had known for months and wondered who would not return. A mess tent had been set up near the airfield, we passed through the line eating very little but drinking a lot of coffee. I felt a chill in the air where there was none. At 0400 hours the Colonel walked in, motioning us to stay seated. He pulled the cover off of an easel and told us our mission. I wrote down every coordinate. When the Colonel finished he looked around the room, "I'd like to say a quick prayer." Everyone rose and bowed their heads, "Heavenly Father, watch over these men as they fight for freedom of all mankind in Christ's name Amen. Good Luck men." The Colonel stood by the door and shook every hand as we exited the hangar for our planes.
I listened as the prop on my plane built up a steady hum. One by one we lifted off and formed up flying into the fight of our lives. An hour into our flight we changed coordinates and flew another 45 minutes before we spotted enemy planes sporting the familiar rising sun. Within seconds we were spotted and the fight was on. The air was filled with the whine of aircraft and the constant explosion of ammunition rounds leaving the barrels of plane mounted canons. The radio blared as we all tried to warn each other of pending attack. At first I fired blindly trying to distance myself from the enemy then I began to understand and tried desperately to end up on the tail of an enemy aircraft, when I found myself in that position I urgently sent volleys of deadly rounds into the other plane. The first time I saw one of the planes I had fired at begin to smoke and spiral toward the sea sadness crossed my mind momentarily and then once more I was thrust into battle. Three of our aircraft went down that day, two parachutes opened, the third plane burst in to flames, exploding as it crashed into the water below. After almost an hour we were headed back to the airfield. Several planes had been damaged and were nursed as they returned I flew cover for two planes badly damaged during battle. The minute my plane's nose wheel hit the hard landing strip my hands began to shake, I had a hard time gripping the stick. Switching off the engine of my plane I quickly got out of the cockpit, I couldn't breath the feeling was overpowering. Today, I killed another human being a fact I would have to live with for the rest of my life. Today I lost friends and had to accept the realization that I had to fight to save my own life.
It was too much for me to take in at the moment. I tagged along with other squadron members to the hangar for a debriefing. At the debriefing we were given our number of confirmed kills I had two. Everyone gave me a round of applause at my good fortune and good shooting. Then we bowed our heads and gave thanks for our safe return and asked God to bless the souls of our friends lost this day. As soon as we returned to the barracks I climbed in my bunk and went to sleep. In my dream I found myself camping across the pond, the fire burning brightly, I could feel the warmth. Tyler was far away on the opposite shore of the pond, he was on the raft pushing himself across, I kept walking to the waters edge trying to pull him ashore but he was blown backwards and had to push himself across once more. I watched him tire and I sat down on the bank and cried out of frustration, I couldn't help him. He finally reached the other side and put his arms around me. Whispering to me as he kissed the back of my neck. I woke up to the sound of my fellow pilots getting ready for chow. I opened my locker and pulled out a clean uniform then I grabbed my gear and headed off for a shower. The coolness of the water did little to waken me from my mental slumber; I dressed then walked over for chow before returning to write letters home. I poured everything I was feeling into my letters, always using caution in the knowledge that letters were read prior to leaving the island of Hawaii. Once more I crawled in between sheets and closed my eyes, my pillow once more offering the slightest chance of pretending Tyler was in my arms.
As spring turned into summer the heat of the day became unbearable, there wasn't a place to cool off except in the water. The shade of the tent allowed little relief unless a wind decided to come our way. Constant sorties, air raid sirens and the clap of bombs all pushed one much closer to the edge than would normally happen. I found myself hungry to kill the enemy and increase the number of X's on the fuselage of my plane. I no longer felt regret or pity as pilots in opposing planes tumbled to the hard ocean surface below, I knew they would feel little when I too crashed and burned. Our squadron of 35 pilots was slowly becoming a squadron of 25. I saw the change in the Colonel's face during each debriefing, the toll of another letter to write hung heavy on his shoulders. I flew and slept, not even hunger was a constant. I ate when I had to, everything except for sleeping I did when I had too.
During August the heat and daily rain was unbearable. I was walking across base when I saw a glint out of my eye, I looked up and several yards in front of me was my friend Nick, I'd not seen him in months. He spotted me at the same time and ran over, sloshing mud all the way. I looked in his eyes he had lost much of his happy go lucky glow. He smiled, "damn Zach you look like hell."
I stared at him without speaking, he saw the look in my eyes, "come on back to my quarters with me."
I followed him blindly, he opened one of the end rooms, inside was a desk, a bunk and locker. "This is my private quarters I'm acting Master at Arms for now, this is one of the benefits." He told me to sit on his bunk, I sat on the edge, he ran his fingers through my hair, I lay back on the bed and waited for him I put my hand on his head and gently stroked his hair. He moved up next to me and we held each other, "everything is going to be fine, you're tired that's all."
I fell asleep, he didn't wake me throughout the day, when I woke up it was dark outside. He handed me a sandwich and a coke, I took a bite and looked at him, he looked at me with such compassion it was hard for me to swallow my sandwich.
"Zach, I've missed you. I've tried to keep track of your squadron, I've heard about you becoming an Ace Pilot, I'm proud of you."
I nodded my head; Nick walked over to the bunk and caressed the side of my face with his fingers. I told him about Tyler and the guilt I'd felt the last time we were together, he looked up at me, "Zach neither of us has anything to fill guilty over, I think Tyler would understand."
I looked at him and in my expression I knew he could see the need. He reached up and flipped the bare bulb in the room off. In the dark of early morning, I dressed, then bent down and kissed Nick as he slept. I slipped out quietly and got back to my bunk in the barracks before reveille. I got about 30 minutes of rest before lights came on and once more the day repeated itself. Each successive mission since December 7th pulled the squadron further away from our home base. Many times we squeaked back to the airfield with no more than fumes in our tanks and as many times we returned less one or two members of the squadron.
In October 1942 we began to get fresh faced, newly trained replacements. Pilots barely 18, who had received an abbreviated version of flight training in an effort to keep the war machine moving forward to victory. Seasoned members of the squadron were assigned to each of the new kids to train. No one wanted to lose a pilot because of lack of skill or training. After a few days of living and eating together we became family and we wanted everyone to go back home when this was all over. I was assigned to instruct Clay Morris he was from West Virginia and he became my shadow. He spoke with a thick southern accent; he was tall and lanky with a round face and shock of red hair. Clay and me we got along right away, he listened and learned quickly. He was a smart kid and he wanted to go home like the rest of us. He stuck to me like glue wherever I went he followed along. Clay and I were walking across the airfield when I spotted Nick and he waved, I walked over to him. We talked I saw the jealous look Nick gave Clay and I felt responsible to introduce the two of them. The three of us agreed to have a beer later at the officer's club. I headed back to the barracks to get some rest and to get some of the grime off my body, seeing Nick again made me miss Tyler so much.
I dug out Tyler's last letter and began to read, it didn't take long for me to feel my eyes beginning to tear, I never thought I'd ever have anyone to miss much less love the way I did Tyler. Placing the letter securely in my leather jacket, I headed to the shower, as I stood under the water I heard a voice, I opened my eyes and looked up it was Clay, he was looking at me smiling. "What?" I asked the tone of my voice tense toward him for pulling away from my daydream.
"Nothing, I was just thinking about having a beer." "You're too young to be drinking."
Clay laughed, "You've never been to West Virginia then, have you?"
I grinned, "No I guess I haven't."
"Zach when I was a little boy my daddy would run mash for a man down the street, that's how he made a living. Sometimes he'd have a little left over and he'd give a sip to my brothers and me. It was something to see, us three boys with a little moonshine in our system." Clay had me laughing so hard I almost slipped and fell in the shower. Clay caught me by my arm and I saw the look of familiar recognition in his face. I finished my shower and headed to my bunk. I felt better clean with a clean uniform I'd hand washed myself. I was tying my shoes when Clay yelled, "lets go." I followed him out of our quarters and across the airfield. We walked to the Officer's Club the minute we entered Clay looked around and his expression showed disappointment, "what's wrong with you?"
He looked at me, "Zach I thought your friend Nick was going to be here?"
I looked at him, "Yeah, that's what he said." Clay grabbed a stool and sat. I ordered two beers paying for them with a new Mercury Dime.
Clay looked at me, "thanks."
"Don't mention it." Clay was intent on looking around while I was intent on having my beer and returning to my bunk. I never got enough sleep anymore, matter of fact it was the only way I relaxed, I was always drinking coffee to keep me going, if I didn't have any in my system I was dead tired. I looked at Clay's profile in the bar mirror, I saw him begin to grin I looked toward the door and saw Nick enter. He smiled and waved making his way to the bar.
"You guys are early don't they make you Army Pilots work?"
Clay punched Nick in the arm, "no we just sit around doing nothing." Clay bought Nick a beer, the three of us found a table and talked. Nick and Clay went round and round, actually I knew where they were heading in their cat and mouse game. Around 8:30pm Nick asked us back to his room, we followed him making sure the coast was clear before we all entered his room. Nick and Clay sat on the bunk with their backs against the wall and I sat in the chair, we drank beer and whispered, telling stories and laughing. Before taps I stood up to leave. Clay looked up at me and asked if I was ready, I nodded my head and explained there wasn't any need for him to leave but he said he was tired. Nick said he had to make rounds. Clay looked at Nick and thanked him for the beer. Clay shook hands with Nick, Nick followed us out stopping me as Clay lead the way, he asked me to come back tomorrow at 7pm, I promised him I would. Clay and me walked across the airfield. I'd had three beers and wasn't ready to hit my bunk and have my head spinning, I sat outside on the wooden steps leading to the barracks the night was pitch black with a few defiant stars and no moon. I stared into nothingness silently praying for my family and Tyler, wondering what he'd been doing in my absence. I'm not sure how long I sat there lost in my thoughts and was startled when the sun began to rise. Suddenly I was tired and wanted to catch a few hours of rest but knew that soon I'd be at another briefing. It didn't take me long to get cleaned up and walk over to eat.
After breakfast I sat once more in a leather and wooden chair, slats on the back of the chair eating into the bony parts of my spine, no matter how much I ate I continued to lose weight. The briefing ended with a prayer and I walked to my plane and another day of recon and enemy intercept. Every time I settled in the cockpit, my training took hold, I was an Army Pilot trained to do this job to the best of my abilities and through it all I remembered I was still human, I prayed that I'd make it back to the airfield among other things. I always ended my prayers asking God not to let me see the face of the person I was firing against. Last year when I claimed my second kill, the enemy plane that fired on me flew by and I was able to roll and end up on his tail. I fired several bursts taking out a part of his rudder and ailerons I watched his aircraft shake as he fought for control. He attempted a roll but lost control and ended up heading in my direction. He passed me by only a few feet I saw the look in his eyes filled with the certainty that today was the day he would die.
As soon as he passed me the fuselage broke into flames, I watched as he struggled with the canopy and as the plane spiraled toward the ocean floor, no parachute emerged, he died that day and I've never forgotten the look on his face, I killed him; I know it's war but I sent another human to their death in order to save my own life. I understood the complexity of what I was doing but I would never understand the human life that so quickly returned to the dust of the earth each day that the war lasted.
The whine of engines and gentle hum of props turning brought me to life quickly, every muscle tensed and every atom in my body found a rush of adrenaline forcing it to pay attention and respect to the evolution my body was undertaking in this machine. At 2000 feet I soared in formation, at 150 miles out we encountered an enemy recon flight sending it to a watery grave. Maybe they didn't get the chance to radio our position back to the fleet. It wasn't long before we encountered a small fleet of several ships. The largest in the group a destroyer, the others were mostly troop-transports and supply ships.
Captain Nelson gave the command to attack and quickly rolled away from formation toward the targets below. Anti aircraft fire filled the air as ships virtually helpless desperately tried to take out our planes with their anti aircraft guns. The first plane to make a pass over the destroyer dropped a bomb causing a fire to break out. Over and over we attacked each ship sending one to a watery grave while the remaining ships were heavily damaged and burning. Heads bobbed in oil slicked water, as fire raced to consume the fuel feeding it. Our squadron was ordered back to the airfield, we returned to formation moments before enemy aircraft were spotted about twenty yards below us. We were taken by surprise our aircraft sprayed by automatic fire from above and below. Our formation broke apart and we battled for our lives. It seemed surreal as I watched the Captain's plane fall to the ocean, bursting into flames, no parachute visible. The enemy attacked several times before breaking off. We returned to base that day having lost our wing commander and two members of our squadron family. Gathering near the hanger my thoughts were mesmerized by the activity of the ground crew as they moved each plane preparing it for another day of fighting. Our briefing was emotional as we faced the fact that no ones life was safe. When the Colonel dismissed us I returned to my bunk and fell asleep in my uniform exhausted. I woke to the call for chow walking across the airfield, Nick walked up to me looking in my eyes he sensed my fear and walked me to his quarters. As we entered he locked the door and pushed me down on his bunk. He removed my shoes and told me to lie down. He left waking me when he returned, he had a plate of food and a beer. He watched me eat everything he'd brought then he gently cleaned my face with a washcloth and combing my hair with his fingers. He smiled but there wasn't any joy in my soul, not this day. Nick lowered his head to please me, my fingers moved in his hair, not even his ministrations could bring that part of me to life but the physical contact I had in touching his face and hair allowed me to relax and sleep.
It was well after taps when Nick woke me. He lay beside me and I held him tight, I was almost going to tell him I loved him when I realized it wasn't Tyler I was holding but Nick, the one person whose care for me gave me another day or two without losing my sanity. Nick looked up at me and I saw the need in his face. Without him asking I lowered my head and made love to him until he cried out. I sat on the edge of his bunk, he sat next to me and asked me to hold him once more, I did so readily then we parted, he looked at me through mist filled eyes and made me swear to be safe, I swore then returned to my barracks and sleep.
The following week I was promoted to Captain and given a five-day pass to a Rest and Relaxation site. Nick managed to arrange his schedule for the same period. We rested on Hawaii's main island in a house near the water provided by a family that fled to the mainland after December 7th. The first night I was in the house I ran down to the beach and dove into the cool, salty water, I realized the relaxation had made me hungry, I dried off and hurried back to the house, as I neared the porch I saw a light go on, my mind told me the enemy was inside the house. I carefully entered through the backdoor running smack into Nick who smiled and continued to put groceries away. He looked me over pulling me into a dark corner where he kissed me. I held him for dear life and only let him go when he said I was holding up dinner. That evening as a cool breeze blew across our bodies I possessed Nick to my very soul, his cries and moans only completing my need and desire. Five days passed with a speed I'd never realized existed before. Nick was a part of me, he needed me and I now needed him to feel complete, he'd saved my sanity and gave me a reason to continue on. As we landed at the base we waved as we returned to our separate quarters.
While I'd been on R&R having fun, Clay had died at the hands of the enemy, his loss affected me greatly and I swore to heaven that I would exact his revenge. The following morning after briefing I headed to my plane filled with anger over the loss of Clay and need for Nick something I had never planned. Tyler was still in my heart but I knew that seeing him again was not in the cards, I would die here at anytime, he would go on and
I would lie rotting in a quickly dug grave. Completing my checklist from memory, I waited in line to take off heading to a rendezvous with the enemy. On this sortie I was the wing commander, we reached 100 miles out, then 125, 175 and then below us moving slowly across the almost mirror like surface of the ocean was the enemy steaming toward some unknown destination. I radioed the enemy's position and ordered the attack as I rolled out of formation and headed to the largest target to drop my bombs. Fate dove with me and sent my bomb to its target. Explosions rocked the ship and my plane as I moved over the target. The squadron's planes bombed ships one after the other as payback for our losses. Having dropped all our munitions and carrying only enough ammunition to protect our return flight we headed home, at least on this flight everyone would return, tired and worn but intact.
We returned to a darkened airfield, our planes were quickly refueled and we were sent skyward without rest or food, the enemy was making a push to take the island and all defenses were needed. One hour of flying just above the clouds 150 miles out kept us out of enemy sight. Radio silence was broken as we were given coordinates to hit the enemy with a surprise attack. The battle began faster than anyone suspected, as we dropped from the clouds we were set upon by twice as many fighters as we had in the air. Planes dropped from the sky at an alarming speed and two hours into the battle the Japanese broke off their encounter and headed off into the night. I'd been hit in the shoulder, the canopy had a large hole, I looked at my arm blood flowed freely no feeling remained. My mind was clear and I was tired, very tired. My radio was out. One of my buddies flew cover beside me, I pointed to my shoulder, for a moment I let my hand fall away from the stick and it was then I felt the rush of blood from my stomach, there was a large hole in my stomach.
An hour felt like a day, I gathered up my shirt and pushed it against the hole in my stomach trying to stem the flow of blood, pulling it tight with the straps on my chute. The planes engine began to leak blowing oil onto the canopy and engine, the heat of the engine ignited the oil. Cutting the fuel supply switch didn't stop the fanning of the flames and the heat inside the cockpit was becoming unbearable. I felt my skin burning and my plane began to fall toward the sea I fought with all remaining strength to wrestle the canopy open, the flames lapped at my skin and clothing. I jumped from the plane, my uniform on fire my body in agony. I hit the water and was almost in shock from the pain of salt water on wounds. I crawled atop a piece of wreckage with the last of my strength.
I was rescued but I don't remember how, what I remember is being lifted into the back of an ambulance. It felt like my body had given out, I don't remember much from that point until I woke up in the hospital in Honolulu. My arm and shoulder were heavily bandaged and my stomach felt like a hot branding iron was pushing on it; I could make out a blurry image of someone standing next to me as I tried to focus. I heard someone talking about an operation and once more I was lost from memory. The next time I woke up I was on a ward with wounded soldiers and sailors. My arm was still attached at least by sight but I couldn't feel any sensation in my arm, I looked to my side and knew it was still there, that was all that really mattered. A tube ran from my stomach into a glass bottle hanging next to me. Nurses complained that I slept too much, they wanted me to sit up, but I just didn't have the strength or desire, not yet, I was afraid. My skin was burned over most of my body the feeling was more than I could stand at times.
My first letter from home made me sit up. Tyler wrote about the farm and how much everyone loved and missed me, how proud they were and wanted me to come home soon. I folded the letter closed my eyes and cried, I loved them all and missed them so much at that moment. It took me a while to stem the flow of tears and once I did I eased my back up against the back of the bed and sat up waiting for my lightheadedness to pass. Within three weeks I was told to get out of bed, I put my foot on the floor and then the other and soon I was shuffling down the hallway leading to the bathroom, after almost a month I peed on my own. I walked down the hall I had to go outside. As the door opened the first blast of warm wind hit me in the face startling me, then I saw the familiar palm trees, I turned and looked at the bay and saw the destruction of December 7th a sad reminder as workmen hurried over the piers carrying out work. After fifteen minutes I was worn out and returned to my bunk. Each day the amount of time I spent sitting in the sun increased. One morning the doctor came by my bunk and ordered me to undergo therapy for my arm, he spoke of the muscles and tissues and what he hoped would be accomplished. Over the next several weeks I worked relentlessly to get my arm to work, I gained feeling slowly but motion in my shoulder remained limited. After three months all that remained of my stomach wound were scars, with my arm working somewhat I could hold a glass in my hand, but I'd never fly again.
When the words left the doctor's mouth, I found myself staring at him and everything I felt inside at that moment was anger. Over the next weeks I was loaded on a transport back to the United States after another month in the hospital I was given a train ticket back home. The train took me all the way home to Georgia. I caught the bus taking me the remaining two hours to town and I walked the remaining way home slowly, I hadn't told anyone I was coming home. Mom screamed from the front porch where she had been shelling peas, Dad came a running, I could see mom pointing. Dad ran down the steps as fast as he could, he looked at me, "son," and took me in his arms. I put my head on his shoulder and cried as he helped me walk slowly toward the porch.
Mom waited at the steps, she threw her arms around me, kissing the top of my head, "Zachary we love you boy, we've missed you so much." We held each other for a few minutes before Mom and Dad helped me up on the porch. Mom looked at me with a smile. Mom hurried off to the kitchen to fix a special dinner while dad went off in search of Tyler. I walked in the house and to my bedroom. I removed my jacket and lay back on the bed closing my eyes, then I stood up once more and removed my shirt and T-shirt, I had to make sure Tyler saw what he would have to deal with from here on out, a cripple with burn scars over my chest and shoulders, scars covering my stomach and arm. I heard the door open and close softly, I felt Tyler sit on the edge of the bed and gently bend forward and kiss my shoulder I felt his tears warm against my skin. I opened my eyes and looked into Tyler's eyes, I couldn't talk, Tyler cried in my arms, he kissed my chest over and over, "Zach, I never stopped loving you, I've waited all this time for you to come home, now that you're here promise you won't go away again."
I gently caressed the side of his face my lips pressed against his and my hand on the back of his neck my fingers gently holding him. I'm not sure how long we lay there but neither of us moved. Tyler's fingers moved over my body gently. His head rested on my shoulder, he whispered his fears telling me he was afraid I wouldn't come back to him and if I did I wouldn't feel the same. The fingers of my good hand moved gently in his hair and across his face. He turned and looked at me, he said he would have died had I not come home I looked deep into his tear streaked face and made him swear to me to never leave me. He nodded his head and cried softly as I held him. I pulled his lips to mine and kissed him, neither of us moving until Mom called dinner.
Tyler stood up and helped me to my feet, I held him tight against me, I tilted his head back and looked in his eyes, "I'd have died a hundred times, but each time I fought harder because I knew you were here waiting for me, I love you more than anything in this world and I always will."
I ran my fingers through his hair and he looked in my eyes "Zach I've never stopped loving you never." Tyler poured water from a pitcher into the sink and washed my face and he helped me take my uniform off. Tyler ran his hands over my bare chest and stomach, I kissed him then put on my a shirt and pair of pants while Tyler carefully hung my uniform placing it in the closet. We went to the kitchen to eat. Mom, Dad and Tyler were interested in everything that had happened in the war, so I told them everything I had seen and done, all the way up to the day my plane crashed. Dad looked at me and told me how proud he was. Tyler waited for a moment before cutting the meat on my plate, I looked at my parent's their expressions didn't change and I didn't care if they had said anything.
After dinner we sat on the porch and enjoyed a cool evening breeze and a sky full of stars. Tyler sat next to me, his leg pushing against mine. Tyler looked over at mom and dad, he said he had an announcement, "I'll be leaving the end of the week." Everyone looked his way; I was shocked and felt immediately like I'd be sick, Tyler looked at me and pressed his leg tight next to mine, "what?" dad repeated.
"I bought my families farm back during the auction last month. It was a far sight cheaper than when the sheriff sold it when I was just seventeen. I've worked on it every spare minute I've had, even had some workmen come in and help out. It's ready to be lived in. Tyler and me have been saving all these years to buy a farm, I need a place of my own. I'll still come round and help you as much as you need, you all have been like family to me these last four years and I'll never forget your kindness. I'll be getting my land ready to plant this next season and I promised Tyler we'd share in the profits from the farm, it's his farm too if he wants to make a go of it. I looked at my parents, for the first time in my life I felt free.
I looked at Tyler and then at my parents. "Yes! I have my pension from the government and I can still work hard if you don't mind a cripple?"
Tyler looked at me, he put his hand on my shoulder, "you're not a cripple to me," mom and dad smiled, "if that's what you want?" "It is." That evening as we lay in bed together behind a locked door, I told Tyler how afraid he'd made me earlier. He told me everything was meant to be a surprise. Tyler hungrily moved down my body, I touched his hair and my entire body shook with excitement. Tyler moaned gently and his own body erupted without touch. He laid his head on my lap and we talked until we slept, once more I was a man, Tyler needed me.
Before dawn the next morning Tyler and I did chores before walking across the fields to our farm. Tyler kept looking at me smiling and I looked at him wondering about his excitement and mischievousness. As we walked up to the farmhouse I couldn't believe my eyes. The outside was painted and around the house were flowerbeds neatly planted. New steps led up onto the porch, Tyler pulled a key from his pocket and handed it to me, he said all of this was for me. I unlocked the door and walked in, the house was beautiful. Tyler and I walked into the kitchen we had running water hot and cold and an indoor toilet. He smiled and said several craftsmen worked on the house in their spare time to get everything done. The house was beautiful and in the master bedroom where our bed would eventually be I held Tyler in my arms and confessed my love for him once again. He held me tight his body racked by sobs, the fear of the last four years over for both of us, he cried with the knowledge that I would always protect him, forever.
During the week we moved furniture that my parents had given us. Tyler's face brightened when he saw me looking around, "I hired six people cost me almost a hundred dollars to get this place in the shape it's in, but it's worth it, belongs to both of us." That night we learned about each other once more and the love we both felt was as strong as it had ever been. Tyler's touch was as gentle and desirable and nothing could ever change the way I felt.
We bought an old truck for seventy-five dollars and used it for hauling, including furniture we bought at farm auctions. We kept enough money in the bank to pay our bills for the next year and my pension insured we'd always have a monthly income.
During winter of the following year my father became ill, Tyler and me harvested the winter wheat my father had planted, the doctor came to the house several times but he wasn't getting any better, he had pneumonia and died, three weeks short of spring. I grieved for my father we'd built a relationship of pride in each other, and I'd never forget the way they had treated Tyler while I had been at war, they made him feel like family. I hadn't completely gotten over losing my father when my mother also passed on. The doctor said it was a broken heart that killed her and I tended to agree. A few weeks after her funeral Tyler and I had no choice but to go through the house and collect things we needed for our farm and get the rest ready for auction. On a warm June day a few weeks from my birthday, the auction company set about selling the memories of my youth, when it was all said and done, everything brought top dollar. My parent's had been down to earth people, saving money and keeping what they owned like new. The check I received from their insurance policies and for the sale of the farm would certainly see us well into our old age if we never worked another day. Throughout the summer and into fall I felt a great sadness knowing my parent's were gone, Tyler was a blessing because he understood my feelings and because he loved me unquestioningly. The following winter Tyler came down with pneumonia, I got scared and panicked. Not listening to Tyler's objections I put him in the truck and drove to the hospital in Atlanta, he was treated for almost a week before he began to get better and then he was released. I nursed him at home and I complained to him that I'd almost died in the war and the only thing that kept me going was the thought of getting back home to him and nothing was going to take him away from me nothing. He looked at me shaking his head, he told me he wasn't going anywhere without me. After 10 days he was his old self once more.
We put all full effort into planting crops and improving our farm, our crops did better then expected and when harvest rolled around we had 150 acres of pure profit. We hired out the harvesting and were content to give up the small portion it cost. Once the silos at the mill held our grain and the money was on its way to the bank we realized what we had done, just the two of us. We celebrated by buying one of the new Ford Trucks we needed something reliable. We received 125.00 for our old truck. I remember seeing the look on Tyler's face as he drove through town the next day on our way to eat lunch at the hotel. Neither of us were big cooks nor did we mind paying 50 cents rather then cook for ourselves. Most of the people in the hotel had just come from church. We didn't attend and the few times the reverend came around, he'd try his hardest to convince us to attend. After all, everyone in town thought we were brothers, we knew we'd go to jail if we were ever caught with each other and we planned for that to never happen. I loved listening to the radio while in the tub.
We were about the only farm with running water and a toilet inside. Tyler was a genius when it came to working with his hands. The following year our crops did well once again, Tyler said it was due to the care and attention we gave all our plants and the fields. I agreed with him. Using the knowledge I had gained in the military we invested in surrounding land, buying foreclosed property. We lived modestly wanting only to live somewhere we would be happy and free.
Tyler and I were 24 years old when the war ended with the dropping of the Atomic Bomb in Japan. Neither of us had ever lived anywhere but Georgia. I told Tyler about San Diego, he listened as I talked. The following morning as we were heading out to work in the fields, Tyler told me he wanted to see California. We had three weeks before we'd have to get down to serious farming business. We loaded up the truck on Wednesday and headed to California.