Unbreakable Bonds

Name - Jessica Chambers
Age - 21
Fiance to Alexander who is on deployment in Afghanistan
Appearance:


To my sweetheart Jessica,

I must begin by saying I really enjoyed reading your last letter. Your words spoke truly and they left a mark in my soul. You are the only thing that I ever need in this life, and I cannot wait to make you my wife.

I have done nothing but think of you since I came to Afghanistan last November. And I am speaking from the bottom of my heart when I say that you are the life and soul that gets me through this. You are the woman that keeps me going no matter what this war throws at me.

I close my eyes every night and awake beside you, knowing that it will not be long before I can take your hand in mine and travel till the sunlight dims in the skies of Northern Europe. I look at the stars whenever I can and think of the days when we would lay under the willow tree every night, listening to the night breeze and thinking about the future.

But I’m afraid this letter is not going to be the news you have been waiting for, and it pains me more than anything else to have to tell you this, but I am not going to be dishonest, for this war is far from friendly, and you deserve nothing less than the truth.

2 days ago we were on deployment to disarm 3 IED’s (Improvised Explosive Devices), and one of our outposts were caught in a surprise explosion. 2 of my closest buddies out here have been badly injured and another sadly passed away this morning.

As a result of this accident, our whole deployment has been refused leave, again. I am so sorry baby, and I wish for nothing more than to hold you in my arms and tell you what you mean to me. I need you more than anything right now and I miss you dearly...

Please forgive me, and please do not worry for me, I will be fine as long as I continue to hear from my beautiful fiancé. I have left you my card details of the last year’s savings and I insist that you go and see your friend in America for the summer. I know it will be good for the both of you as you have told me already.
So promise me only two things. Stay safe, and keep smiling and I will be home for our next anniversary, I promise.

All my love belongs to you.

Alex

That is the letter Jessica could not stop reading as she sat in the passenger seat of her Brother's car. Martin looked on at her with empathy in his eyes as he worried silenty about her willing to cope on her own.

"Are you sure you've got everything Sis?" He requested, for the 15th time since setting off an hour prior. Pausing for a moment, Jessica gave one last look at her surroundings as the car came to a halt in the London Airport's car park.

"Yes. I am sure..." Is all she had to say. Martin was a good brother. But he knew nothing of her pain. He just knew enough to let her go and do what she needed to do to get through the next 9 months. Her own Mother couldn't even handle the journey as he did. She was probably sat at home crying in to her pillow after yet another sleepless night.

Jessica had had it rough since getting that letter, but she was pleased to have been given the chance to finally meet up with her long-time pen pal in America. They had known each other for years and both of them understood how hard life, love, and distance can be. So it was only fitting that they enjoyed a summer filled with distractions, together. They both needed it, after all....

Name: Gwendolyn O'Bryann
Age: 25
Married to Reed O'Bryann (27, almost 28 years young) who's about to be deployed to Iraq, and mother to Charlotte Marie, two.
Appearance:


Charlotte Marie (appearance):


Gwendolyn clung to Reed, her husband, as well as she could with Charlotte, their two year old daughter on her hip who was clinging to him as well, both of them in tears.

"Dada...."

Charlotte looked at her father with tears running down her cheeks, and held her little arms up to him. He reached for her, and held her close, as she buried her face in his chest, clutching his shirt in both her tiny hands. Gwen stood back, and did what she could to try to stop the tears from falling, no matter how many times she had to do this, it was just as hard, or harder than the last time. It was worth it, looking back, but having to spend months with out him around, having to explain to their daughter where daddy was going, was the hardest. She had to remain strong for Charlotte, her daughter was the only thing that helped her through the days some times.

One thing that she was looking forward to was a visit from her long time pen pal Jessica, who she was actually really excited to meet. Just with Reed's current deployment looming over head it was hard for her to act like it. Giving up trying to stop the flow of tears, she walked back up and wrapped her arms around her husband, sandwiching their daughter between them, who was still clinging to her father and changing' Dada Dada...' over and over again as she clung to him.

All too soon it was time for him to go, and he looked down at her, with a soft sigh and leaned down, kissing her softly.

"Everything will be alright, hun."

Blinking a few times to try to stop the tears, he looked down at his little girl, who was refusing to let him go.

"Charwee, come on darling. You need to let me go."

She looked up at him, shaking her head.

"Come on now Darl. I know, I don't want to let you go either, but I have to go."

He leaned down and gently kissed her nose, and Gwen reached up, wiping even more tears away, before stepping forward and reaching for Charlotte.

"Charlotte, come on now, hunny. I know we both don't want daddy to go, but we have to let him go. I'm sure he'll give us a call as soon as he's able, right?"

She looked up at her husband, pleading with him to agree with her.

"Of course, darl, I will. You know that."

Charlotte finally let her father go, and looked up at him, and the look on her face caused a few tears to slide down his face. Gwen stepped forward taking their daughter before holding Reed close.

"Be safe, baby. Please be safe. Come home. You better come home."

He looked down at her, kissing her passionately before kissing Charlotte on the top of her head breathing in, and sighing before responding.

"I will come home, Gwen. I will."

"I love you, baby."

"I love you both. So much."

He turned and headed to the door, turning back and giving them both a watery smile.

"I miss you both already."

Gwendolyn nodded, unable to trust her voice as tears rolled down her cheeks and she blew him a kiss, which he caught and tucked into pocket of his shirt right above his heart, before blowing one back. one for each of his girls, which Gwen caught both of, before walking out the door, and shutting it behind him. Gwendolyn collapsed onto the sofa, clinging onto her daughter, as the sobs broke through, and she felt as if, once again, half her heart had been ripped out. It was going to be a long six months.

Jessica and Martin clung to each other like a pair of chimpanzee's to their mother. But this was no happy occasion. It was a goodbye. Fair enough, it was just for a few months. But it was the first time Jessica had travelled so far from home, on her own.

She'd have hoped the next time she got on a plane was for her honeymoon, with her new Husband, on the way to meet Gwen and Reed, another happy couple. Not forgetting their lovely daughter whom Jessica had heard so much about over the past 2 years.

Maybe this summer would be a good one, compared to the last Summer when she spent it all clinging to her Fiance begging him not to leave in November. But what could she do. She'd stood by him for 4 years, and she couldn't stop him now. He was doing it for the both of them. But that didn't mean she wasn't going to worry. And worrying was what she did best. Every day of his time away she cried and panicked and imagined the worst, for 6 whole months, and his deployment had been extended, twice now...so you can imagine how defeated she felt knowing that it would be another 6 months till she was able to cling on to him once more.

"So you're sure you'll ring your Mother when you get there?" Martin said, with a serious, yet sympathetic look in his eye.

"Of course i will! As soon as i arrive at Gwen's." She tried to escape from the strong grasp of her older brother.

"Come on Martin. You've gotta let me go sometime..." She said.

"Sorry Jessie. Im your big Bro. It's my responsibility to worry about you when Mum's not around, yeah?" He replied, grinning slightly while he spoke.

"I guess..." Jess hesitated as the loudspeaker announced her flight was now boarding.

"Thats me." She threw her rucksack over her shoulder and lead her big brother to the stand where her ticket would be inspected. Giving one final hug to her brother she said one last thing.

"I need this ok? I'll be back soon...." And then she was gone...

[People brought in in this post - to help clear up confusion -
Tamora and Liam - Reed’s parents
Michelle (Misha) married to Christopher (Chris), has a 2 year 8 month old daughter, Sophie (Soph)
Olivia (Livi) married to Graham, has a 3 year old son Lucas (Luke)

Both Misha and Livi are Gwen's close friends]

((hope that this isn't too long, this is what ya get when I write out a post on word. Hope ya like it.))

Gwen knelt in front of her daughter, seeing so much of Reed in her that it hurt, and she fought back tears, before opening her arms for a hug. Charlotte threw herself into her mother’s arms, giving her a tight squeeze.

“Mama, wuv ya.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

She kissed her daughter on the forehead before moving back a bit to look down at Charlotte, the two year old looking at her mother curiously.

“What’s we doin’ today, mama?”

She gave her daughter a soft smile, as good of a smile that she could manage with missing Reed so much.

“We’re going to go to the park, and then to grandmamma and grandpapa’s house where you’re going to stay tonight as I’ve got to pick up someone at the airport.”

She saw her daughter’s eyes brighten.

“Daddy, home?”

The enthusiasm in Charlotte’s voice, the hope that it was her daddy that was coming home, nearly broke her heart. She took a deep breath, swallowing back tears. It had only been a day since Reed had left, and she already missed him something fierce. There were times when she deeply questioned her sanity, but this was what she was happy with, she had to look forward to the time that they would once again be re-united, once his six months were up, and pray that he wouldn’t have to be kept longer. She did all that she could to keep her voice from quavering before she answered her daughter’s question.

“No sweetheart, not your daddy. I’m going to go and pick up my friend. Remember I told you about her? She’s coming over for a visit.”

It hurt to see her daughter’s face fall, knowing that Reed’s deployment wasn’t just hard on her, but on their daughter as well. It was tough trying to explain to their two year old where daddy had to go and why he wasn’t around as much as other daddys.

“Ya, I’s knows. Me miss daddy.”

“I know sweetheart, I know. I miss your daddy too.”

Gwen got up slowly, Charlotte, who was still sitting on the floor, looked up at her mother before holding up her arms to be picked up and Gwen picked up her daughter, before heading into Charlotte’s bedroom to get some clothes and necessary items for her day over at Reed’s parent’s house for the night, even though Charlotte had enough things already there that Gwen really didn’t have to pack anything; it just helped her from having a breakdown if she kept herself busy. She was actually thankful that Tamora and Liam, Reed’s parents, had agreed to watch Charlotte when she went to the airport to pick up Jess. Even though she couldn’t wait to introduce her daughter to Jess, it would have been way too late a night for her little Princess and so it would just have to be put off till the next day. Charlotte tended to get crabby when she didn’t have enough sleep, so this was for the best.

After everything for Charlotte’s night at her grandparent’s was packed, and Charlotte had all the toys that she wanted both for the park and the night at her grandparents, the two of them headed out to the car, and Gwen got Charlotte all settled into to her car seat.

“All ready, sweetie?”

Charlotte nodded with enthusiasm.

“O’Course mama! Me’s love ‘ark!”

Gwen giggled softly at her little girl’s happiness. Her daughter always knew what to say to cheer her up. After making sure that the sign with Jessica written on it in big colourful letters was in the trunk of the car, she walked around to the driver’s side and got in. Heading to the park she was graced with Charlotte singing along with the CD that was in the car stereo, a CD of kids’ songs that Reed had gotten for her last Christmas. So many things around her just reminded her of him. The smells in the car, the music that surrounded them, even their daughter. None of them were bad things, it was just tough on her, keeping her composure. A few stray tears slipped down her cheeks and she reached up to wipe them away as the pulled up to the park that was pretty close to home. There was a scheduled play date today, so it would be good to be around others. She got out of the car, getting out the bags, as Charlotte waited in her car seat, banging her heels into the bottom of the seat, waiting, rather impatiently for her mother to get her out.

“Mama! Me’s gets out nooooow!”

Gwen sighed, laughing slightly as she got the stroller set up and ready for Charlotte.

“Almost ready for ya, sweetie.”

Within a second of her saying that, she heard the small voice speak up again.

“Weddy now, mama?”

Pushing the now full stroller up to the open door of the back seat, to see her daughter reaching up to be let out, with a look of slight irritation on her face.

“Weddy to pway mama, Me’s weddy to pway!”

“I know sweetheart, you always are.”

She unbuckled Charlotte from her seat, and into the waiting stroller, and Charlotte giggled happily when her mother kissed her cheek and blew a few raspberries on it.

“You’s silly mama!”

Gwen gave a true smile, her daughter was the light in her day. Pushing the stroller towards the rest of the group over near the playground she grinned, seeing her two closest friends, Michelle, or as she was known between her friends Misha, and her daughter two year and eight month old daughter, Sophie, and Olivia, also known as Livi, with her three year old son Lucas, sitting nearby, playing on the grass. Charlotte called out.

“We’s commin’! We’s commin’!”

Livi looked over, and gave Gwen a soft smile and a wave, speaking up once Gwen was close enough.

“Well, hello there stranger! How’re you doing?”

Gwen gave a soft shrug, and a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“Eh, surviving.”

Livi gave her a soft sad smile, knowing of her pain, her husband having left about a month previous, and both Misha and Livi knew how hard it was to have to say good bye for months at a time. Livi stood up and walked over, wrapping Gwen up into a huge hug, after she had gotten Charlotte out of the stroller and letting her head over to the other kids who were playing in the grass, gigging as kids do, with Misha looking over them.

“Really, hun, how’re you really doing?”

“It’s rough Livi, really rough, I hate his being gone.”

“I know, hun. I know. He’ll be home before you know.”

It did help that Livi and Misha both understood how it felt and how hard it was to get through some days; she was lucky to have them. Misha’s husband was currently at home, having gotten home about two weeks previous after being gone for about seven months. It was hard on him to be away from Misha and Sophie, having missed so much of her growing up, she was just a bit over two when he left, now she was about two and a half months from turning three. To be honest, I’m surprised that he wasn’t here today, as he had been spending as much time with his girls as he could since getting home.

Gwen wrapped an arm around Livi’s shoulders and headed over to where they were sitting, setting the brake on the stroller and settling down on the grass, on the blanket that Misha was sitting on, and looked over to where Charlotte was playing, giggling at something, probably a bug that they found. Bugs were so interesting to the kids.

“Buuuuuug!”

Charlotte came walking over, her little hands cupped in front of her, holding whatever it was inside. Gwendolyn blinked a few times, to try to clear the tears that were forming there, seemed to be a constant presence in her life at the moment, she was surprised that she still had any left to cry, before speaking up to her approaching daughter.

“Oh, that’s cool, can I see darling?”

Charlotte opened her hands, letting out a soft cry when she realized that the bug had escaped.

“Bug was there! Me pwomice! It was!”

“I believe you sweetie. Why don’t you go and try to locate another one?”

Her daughter nodded.

"OTay mama. Me's goes wocate amofer bug for ya."

She headed off to get the other kids to join in her quest to find another one. Gwen smiled softly, glad that her daughter was having fun, the smile not reaching her eyes which both Livi and Misha noticed.

“Honey, are you sure that you’re fine?”

Gwen lay back on the blanket, shaking her head.

“No, I’m not fine. My heart breaks every time that I see Charlotte searching the apartment for Reed, knowing that he’s not there. She keeps on calling ‘Daddy are you?’ and knowing that he’s not going to respond, just breaks my heart. She actually asked me today, when I told her that I was dropping her off at her grandparents house this afternoon to pick someone at the airport, if I was picking up Reed....”

She trailed off, the tears starting to trail down her cheeks and Misha scooted forward and started stroking Gwen’s hair.

“Hun, I know it’s hard. We’ve all done it a ton, and it’s not going to get easier. Especially at Charlotte’s age. She won’t get that he’s gone for six months. That she’ll keep on asking and searching for him, as she has been. She may understand and it will help if he’s able to Skype or get into contact that way. For her to still be able to see and talk to him, may help. At least that’s what got Soph and myself through Chris’ long deployments.”

Gwen sighed, but gave her friends a soft smile.

“I’ll be fine, no worries. The first few weeks are the worst. Plus maybe this deployment will be different as Jessica is coming over for a few months. I can’t wait to visit her.”

She went into detail of a few of the things that she had planned to show Jess once she had settled in and asked her two friends if they’d mind watching Charlotte, if she and Jess needed some girl time, which of course Misha and Livi told her of course. Gwen had been there for them to watch Luke and Soph at times. That’s what they did. They were there for each other. Their day at the park soon came to a close, with quite a few bugs caught, and about that many having gotten away before they were able to be shown to the mamas which brought a few tears from the kids, but they were all cheered up, which made everyone happy.

Soon it was time to pack up and get ready to head to her in-laws for dinner. Getting a sleepy little girl into the car, she grinned, it made it easier on Tamora and Liam as now she won’t be so crazy hyper running everywhere. Saying bye to her friends she promised that she’d call them to figure out some time to get together, and got into the car herself and headed over to Reed’s parent’s house.

Once they pulled up out front, Gwen looked back and noticed that Charlotte had fallen asleep. Laughing softly to herself, she got out, and opened the back door to get out her sleeping daughter, and walked up to the front door. Apparently Tamora had heard them pull up, as the door opened right as they walked up towards it.

“Hello there sweetheart. How’re you doing? And how’s my beautiful granddaughter?”

Gwen gave her mother-in-law a smile.

“Oh, to be honest, I’ve been better Tamora. It’s never saying good bye. And she’s doing alright, just tired out from a long day at the park.”

Tamora grinned.

“Oh, yeah, that’s always the best. Letting them play their energy out.”

Gwen nodded.

“Oh, I definitely agree.”

“Well, head right in, her room is all set up and ready. Why don’t you go and put her down, and I’ll get her things out of the car?”

Gwen nodded and headed inside and into the bedroom that had become her daughter’s room in this house. She grinned looking around. Tamora and Liam were definitely amazing grandparents, and totally loved their only grandchild. Setting her daughter down on the bed, which already had the blankets pulled back, changed her into the pajamas that were waiting for her on the bed, and tucked her in, and softly kissed her forehead, smoothing her hair back.

“I love you sweetie. And I know your daddy love you too.”

She walked back out of the room, and almost ran into Liam who was watching from the doorway.

“Hello there, Gwen. How’re things?”

“Oh, things..... are going rough, but I’m managing.”

He nodded, knowing how rough it was for his daughter-in-law when their son headed off for deployment. She worried about him constantly but did all that she could to present a brave front, but those who knew her well enough could tell that she was hurting and unable to mask the true pain that she was in. It was hard on them all.

Together they headed down to dinner, which was quieter than usual. Before long it was time for Gwen to head to the airport so she’d be there in time for Jessica. She turned to her in-laws, as she got ready to head out to her car.

“Thank you both so much for watching her tonight. I should warn you that tonight may be rough as she’s been searching for daddy all day. I just don’t know how to tell her that he’ll not be home for another six months.”

Tamora gave her daughter-in-law a soft sad smile.

“Oh, sweetie, it will be ok, and we’ll be able to handle anything, of course we have your numbers if we need you for anything, if the need arises. And of course sweetheart. You know that we don’t mind watching our beautiful granddaughter.”

She pulled Gwen into a hug.

“Everything will be alright sweetheart. You go and pick up your friend of yours and we’ll see you tomorrow.”

Gwen nodded and headed out to her car and out to the airport, where she settled down with a book, and her sign to wait for Jessica’s plane to arrive. And did all that she could to keep her mind from going back to how much she missed her husband, and prayed that wherever he was, that he was safe.