Buses and Breaking Hearts

Short story in honor of Memorial Day... (Kinda a Sue story, but Jack is in the army, not the FBI. WEEP!)

Hurt. Anguish. Tears. Pain.
Four words could sum up what Sue was feeling. She had known for three weeks that this day would come, but it had somehow snuck upon her and the children. Little Wes knew that his Daddy was a special solidier and that he had to go away for a while to fight. In his five year old mind, Daddy was a hero and was going on vacation without him. Two year old Judy didn't have an inkling of what was to come, so she babbled and talked as Jack and Sue waited at the waiting area. Wes let out a tearful sigh and rested his head on his father's shoulder. Jack wrapped his little boy in a hug and a lone tear fell. "Daddy! Daddy play?" Judy asked, wiggling onto his lap and smiling up at him. Sue sniffed and laid her head on Jack's other shoulder. "No, daddy has to go away to fight," Sue said. Jack looked at his wife, calmly wiping Judy's nose, offering Wes a snack, all the while dying inside. This was not the first time he was shipped out. It was the third. He remembered when he came back from the first one only to find out that Bobby didn't come back. He had been inside a command center receiving orders when a bomb hit it. The second time he came back, Jack heard that Myles had developed a disease and had died within a few hours. Sue and Jack sat there, waiting anxiously, never knowing just when the loudspeaker's voice would call him. "Will the 3rd division please come to the gates?" The tinny voice called out. Sue suddenly fell apart, crying and begging him not to go. "PLEASE! Stay here!" She cried, sinking down onto the bench. Jack broke down and picked her up. As he gathered his family around him, he prayed like he never had before. They walked to the gate together, where it was all she could do to keep from dragging him back. She clung to Wes and Judy and the trio sobbed as Jack's face disapeared from view.

(This is a one-shot)

Remember. Think. Pray.
God Bless America!