Coming back home, where she belongs

"I hold my cheek, where she slapped me. I stare at you wide eyed and hurt. I’m confused." "[Why would she do that?]" "I don’t know what hurts more, that she broke up with me while I was fighting in the war, or that she’s angered and blaming me for it. And she married the mailman of all people?! It would’ve at least hurt less if it were someone that didn’t know me, but Frank knew me and Janet were together before I was drafted. So he deliberately went after a taken woman…"

“W- What-? What are you talking about?! I never abandoned you - it wasn’t my choice to leave, I was drafted!” "I try to explain, confused and hurt. My eyes drift to Frank’s frightened eyes," "[Yeah, be scared asshole. I’ll deal with you later.]" "I focus in on Janet once more, eyes drifting to her pregnant belly before meeting her angry gaze. I suck in a breath of air through clenched teeth, looking away." "[I can’t cry now, I just can’t.]"

“I- I see that you are a married woman, a- and I am not here to take you away from…” "I gulp, before gathering up the courage to continue. I meet her gaze once more," “From your husband… I have more respect and honor than to take you away from,” "glances up at Frank, glaring," “another.”

"I meet her gaze once more, eyes softening," “I- I just hoped… you would’ve been at the very least happy to see me alive and well…”

"My brows furrow in confusion," “What do you mean ‘left you with no explanation’? I sent you letters. Many, many letters. That’s all I did when I had a chance to rest. It’s the only thing that kept me sane while fighting in the war.”

"[What is she talking about? Shouldn’t she have gotten them? Even the ones that I wrote in response to hers?]"

"Confused and growing tense, I grab the stack of papers - letters - from her hands. I notice in the corner of my eyes that Frank shifts nervously. I open them, reading them."

"As I scan the pages, my heart sinks. The letters are all from Frank, pretending to be me. He's been lying to her all along."

"Janet...oh God..." "I'm struggling to keep my emotions in check."

"These aren't my letters. These are...these are forgeries."

"I look up at her, pleading with her to understand."

"Reaching into my own back pocket, I grab a letter that I wrote to her but never sent out after hearing she called off our engagement and found another. It was a heartfelt, sentimental letter, pouring all my feelings of hardships and doubt for my own skills, depressed, but also very loving and sweet when addressing her; how I couldn’t wait to be back home with her in my arms, to feel her warmth and comfort, to shower her with love and gifts - just explaining what I wanted to do with her when I came back. I wrote it during my lowest moment during the war; after seeing the deaths of my friends and comrades, having killed others myself, how cold, famished, depressed, and guilty I felt. It was a horrible moment that was topped off with the news of her no longer loving me. So I didn’t send the letter. I kept it to motivate me to never again become at my lowest like that."

“This, is what my letter were like, not exactly this depressing every time, but along the same lines. This is what my writing looks like, unlike this,” "I raise and giver her back the forged letters that she gave me."

"I can feel my own emotions boiling over with rage towards Frank for his deceitful actions." "[How, fucking, dare he.]"

"My own hands clench into fists from my growing rage. He hid my letters from her, probably destroying them, and forged his own, pretending to be me, so that she would turn her back to me and leave me. He tricked her, manipulated her, and then pretended to play the hero and comfort her. He tricked her into marrying him, into carrying his child…"

"My eyes glance back at Janet, looking down at swollen and full belly. My fist unclench. My rage mixes with despair as the severity of the situation settles over me."

“I- I—“ "I pause, taking in a deep breath and letting it out. Clearing my throat, I continue," “It is not your fault… you didn’t know any better. Frank’s forgeries were good, not perfect, but good enough that I could see how one could perceive it as mine.” "Its clear that when he forged faked letters, pretending to be me, he read some of mine, that were meant for Janet, to get the basic understanding of my writing style and signature."

"I reach out to her as well, taking her hands gently into my - now - calloused ones, evidence of my hard work and perseverance fighting in the war. I do not pay any attention to Frank."

“And I have never stopped loving you,” "I mutter softly, voice slightly muffled by her hair as I rest my face against the top of her head, kissing it gently. I wrap my arms around her, embracing her snugly."

"[Ah… this is it… this is just as I remembered… peaceful and warm in her embrace…]"

“I’d love tha—“ "I’m cut off, interrupted by Frank."

“That won’t be happening.” "He says angrily, stepping forward and grabbing Janet’s arm to yank her out of our embrace." “She’s married to me. Besides, what would others think if they knew you were with someone who is pregnant with another man’s child. They wouldn’t view her very highly.” "He snickers at me, glaring triumphantly, as if he won some sort of ‘prize’."

"I glare at him angrily, matching his glare with a fiery one of my own. I clench my teeth, sneering at him."

"I scoff," “Just like you did? Sorry, but I don’t swoop to such low of levels unlike you.”

"It takes everything in me to hold myself back from doing something I’ll regret. Frank is playing with fire, and if he isn’t careful, he’ll get burned."

“Let her go, Frank.” "I take a step forward, fists clenched in rage, trying to convince him to back off. But he doesn’t."

"With that, I lose it. Seeing the fear in Janet’s eyes, hearing the pleading in her voice, officially convincing me into perceiving Frank as a threat. And with war still fresh on my mind, my reflexes kick in."

"Swiftly, before he can even react, I punch him - hard - square in the face. As he stumbles back and falls to the floor, I grab Janet - with contrastingly gentle hands - and pulled her behind me. I stare down at him with burning rage."

“You should’ve known better than to mess with a soldier’s woman, mailman.” "I seethe. He’s lucky Janet is here, or else I would’ve done far worse damage. But I hold myself back, for Janet. She doesn’t need to witness such ungastly sights."

"Turning around to face Janet, my eyes immediately soften and fists unclench into gentle hands."

“Are you okay? Did he grab you too hard? Are you hurt?” "I fret, looking over her arms and face - which I cup softly."

"I sigh in relief that she isn’t hurt. I smile softly," “That’s good.”

"I ignore Frank’s groans of pain as he writhes on the floor, clutching his face and - now bloody - nose. I just focus on the more important matter at hand: Janet."

"I lean forward, pressing a delicate kiss to her forehead, my thumbs wiping her tears away."

“Why don’t you go pack up some clothes and other necessities, and I’ll bring you back home with me?” "I say softly, hoping she agrees to come back with me."