by Rachel Jonitis

Created on: September 09, 2010   Last Updated: September 11, 2010

Maggie stood silently, watching his tiny chest rise and fall with each breath. His miniature lips parted slightly, he’d occasionally twitch, though his little fist still grasped his blanket tightly. She took a deep breath and fought back the tears, wanting to remember this moment. To brand this image in her mind. Tears would only make it blurry, make it heavy, and although this felt like she would never see him again she knew the day would come. He would be bigger then. Almost a year and a half. Maggie sighed and wiped an escaped tear from her cheek, realizing that it was just beginning. The flood gates were open.

                So not to wake him she turned and walked to the door, turning to look at his crib, his room, one last time. She smiled through her sorrow, trying to push out the thoughts of her leaving with happier ones of him smiling as he slept in her arms. Stepping out of his room and silently shutting the door, Alec embraced her. “It’s gonna be ok babe,” He whispered, pulling her closer. He was feeling it too. The weight of the deployment had been heavy on their hearts for nearly 7 months, creeping ever closer until it was finally here. Time had gone by too fast, this wasn’t fair, why did it have to be her? Maggie knew the answer as she held onto Alec, silently crying into his chest. She could have gotten pregnant like the rest of the girls in her unit, she could have gotten out when she had gotten pregnant. Unlike some she knew her duty was to keep the commitment she made when she signed the dotted line, and although her baby and her husband kept her heart at home she would be needed elsewhere. “It’s ok, we’re gonna make it through this,” Alec said, his voice beginning to shake. He was trying to reassure himself as much as he was her, but they might as well have remained silent.

                In his room their son stirred, turning over onto his stomach and sticking his butt in the air. He let out a tiny wimper before returning to his peaceful sleep, and Maggie turned to look through the crack in the door. She sniffled and wiped her nose, trying not to get any on Alec’s shirt. She absolutely hated crying, believed it was a sign of weakness, but who wouldn’t feel weak at the notion of leaving their 10 months old to fight a war in

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