Love Survives (Love's Suicide #2)(52)

When we were finished the nurse folded the paper and stuck it in an envelope. I recited her the address and watched as she filled it out on the front. Then she assured me that she’d send it right away.

With that in order, all I had to do was convince my superiors to send me somewhere on the east coast, preferably close to where Kat lived.





Chapter 25


Three weeks went by before I was transferred to the U.S., and I wasn’t even taken to the east coast. Back at my original base in Texas, I met with surgeons regarding my injury. In between appointments I spent time researching locations that I could be sent to where my skill set could be essential. Even though I was ranked as a Sergeant, there were plenty of other higher ranking officials with better titles. For instance, I was sent to meet with my staff Sergeant regarding a transfer.

Since I was being given a temporary profile due to my injury, there was limited jobs I’d be able to do. Lucky for me, Fort Jackson in South Carolina offered training programs that I was well qualified for. Getting in would serve as the hard part.

Being on medical leave with the military isn’t like a regular civilian would have. Sometimes appointments took weeks, and then I’d have to wait for that paperwork to go through to see the next doctor. I didn’t have my choice of physicians, or where I could go. The Army was in total control of my life at this point.

By the end of March I called my parents to let them know that I was still in Texas. They offered to fly in to see me, but I was hoping for a transfer to a closer location, so asked them to hold off. Day after day I waited to be given the go-ahead to move to South Carolina. I didn’t care what my job would be. All that mattered was getting to Kat.

I’d like to say that I kept her letters close when I boarded a plane to come back to the U.S., but that’s not what happened. I packed all my things up and loaded them into my military gray travel gear. When I got off the plane it didn’t arrive with me. I’d filled out more paperwork three times, but they still had been unable to locate my gear.

While I was freaking out about not having all of Kat’s letters, and the rest of my belongings, I used my spare time to internet search for her number. I needed her to know that I’d arrived and was waiting for orders to transfer. I didn’t want to go for months without communicating. I knew she’d be worried, even after I’d sent her a letter explaining how time consuming the military could be.

Unfortunately, there was no listing for a Katy Michaels anywhere in South Carolina, not anywhere near the town I’d been mailing to. It made no sense. She didn’t have to hide. She wasn’t in danger.

I tried her old number, but someone else answered, claiming they’d had it for a year. Nothing made sense.

I wondered if she moved. She could have lost her job and needed a cheaper place. Perhaps she was living with friends, but finally started to do well enough to live by herself. Maybe she’d told me she’d built a house because she didn’t want me thinking she was struggling? Maybe she’d changed her mind about me? Surely she’d gotten my letter saying that I was coming home. Why would she make it so hard for me to find her?

Chalking it up to bad luck, I decided to wait it out. My bag was finally located back in Afghanistan. After a ton of calls it was being shipped to me.

It was April before I got approval to transfer. I’d already had one procedure on my hand, but there was little improvement. Still, nothing, and I mean nothing, could have prevented me from taking that job and moving to be close to Kat.

There was never a doubt in my mind that we wouldn’t be together. I’d played it all out in my head a million times. First I’d get settled on base. I’d buy a cheap vehicle to get around in and then show up at her door. I could almost feel the way my arms would wrap around her body. All I hoped was that I could keep it together when our eyes met for the first time.

I’d waited years to be with her again; to see her in the flesh. Nothing was going to stop us; not my brother, and certainly not the military. This was our chance after praying it would happen. I’d been patient, understanding, and as brave as I could be.

I deserved this new chance at life, especially after thinking for so long that it would never happen.

It took me until the middle of April to get situated. I’d wanted to rush over to Kat’s house that first day, but life got in the way. I knew I needed all my ducks in a row before dragging her into chaos.

I also needed to get my work situation managed. I couldn’t keep wondering what would happen with my hand.

On the day that I was finally going to get my girl, I bought a bouquet of flowers, got a haircut, slapped on some cologne, and headed to the address of her letters. My palms were sweaty against the old leather steering wheel as I turned off the highway onto a country road. This all seemed so surreal, almost as if I couldn’t believe it was about to happen. My stomach was in knots, and I felt like my head was spinning as the numbers on the mailboxes got closer. Then I was sitting right in front of the house, her house.

I put the truck in park and looked over at the property, taking in the surroundings of where my girl was living. The house was new, and it seemed so nice. In the back yard I saw a swing. I wondered if she was a babysitter, or maybe she had friends living with her that had small children. Since I’d pulled past the driveway, I climbed out and prepared to walk to her front door.

Just as my feet hit the pavement I saw someone coming out of the home. I would have thought my mind was playing tricks on me if I didn’t wipe them and recheck for the same result. A man, looking to be around my age, who walked with a limp, was leaving the house. A female, who much resembled my Kat was kissing him goodbye. He turned to walk away and went back for another kiss.