Come Home Soon

Come Home Soon

By: Amber Barnes aka Amber Krueger

Alexis bolted up out of what had been a deep sleep. It was the nightmare again, the same one she’d had every night for four days now. She knew exactly why she was having the nightmare she just didn’t know how to stop it. In the early morning light Alexis looked down and saw the bed she was sitting in and frowned. Along with the nightmare always came sweating and thrashing, tonight was no different, the sheets were wrapped tightly around her slender legs and her yellow lion fur was slicked to her body by the sweat. Her ears twitched back in annoyance as she attempted to untangle herself from the sheets; they would need to be washed again. When she was finally untangled she stood up and looked at the green glowing numbers on her bedside clock, 5:30am.

“Might as well get up and start the sheets washing,” She mumbled quietly to herself.

Alexis silently carried her sheets down to the washer located on the first floor just off the kitchen. She decided to wait till later to start the load because the washer could get pretty loud and she didn’t want to wake her mother and younger sister. As she walked back upstairs to take a shower Alexis thought about the nightmare that had been troubling her. She would dream that she was in Africa, out on the hot plains, and was being chased by a helicopter filled with army men trying to shoot and kill her. She had never been to Africa but her great grandparents had emigrated from there, so technically it was her homeland.

It seemed so weird now that America was at war with Africa, and until just recently her father had been over in Africa fighting with the American army against those who were trying to attack America. It seemed like such a confusing jumbled mess to her but unfortunately her family was caught in the middle of it.

When Alexis was just two her father joined the army, he was twenty-two at the time and enjoyed the feeling he got on maneuvers, like he was doing something to serve the country that had provided a safe home for his family and ancestors. Then fourteen years later when Alexis was sixteen her father was called to go fight over in Africa. Everyone in the family had mixed feelings about him going; on one hand they knew that this was always a possibility and that he would do the best he could, on the other hand they were all afraid of the likelihood for something bad to happen. In the end they all knew it was the right thing and watched him leave with his troop. Now, a year and a half later, he was coming home; unfortunately he was coming home to be buried in the states. The soldier who had delivered the message four days ago had said he had fought hard but had been gunned down by an enemy helicopter.

Alexis stepped out of the shower and looked at herself in the mirror, she had the same golden colored eyes like her father and one ear stood at attention while the other flopped forward slightly just like his. She leaned forwards and rested her hands on top of the wood sink counter in an attempt to steady the shaking she felt in her knees every time she thought about him.

Today is the funeral for Major Lee Jordan, she thought as she angrily dug her long claws into the wood counter top while biting back the tears that threatened to spill down her furry cheeks.

“Well I guess I better start getting ready, Mom and Sandy are probably up by now,” Alexis mumbled.

She dressed in a floor-length black cotton skirt and a short sleeved gray button-up blouse. It was technically the beginning of fall but summer hadn’t relinquished its hold just yet and today was forecasted to be fairly warm. After getting dressed she walked downstairs to where her mom, Rose, and her younger sister, Sandy, were solemnly preparing a breakfast of bacon and waffles. Alexis stood silently in the kitchen doorway watching her now smaller family. Her mom and dad together had painted the kitchen a bright sunny yellow less than a year before he was shipped out; even now it still held the cheery shine that just didn’t seem right for this solemn day.

How must Mom and Sandy feel? Alexis wondered. Mom and Dad have been married for eighteen years and in just one day it came to a halt. Sandy is only twelve, she’s just about to start her teenage years and now she has to do so without a father.

The morning passed by very somber and uneventful, before long it was time for the funeral. Alexis stood silently next to her mother at the gravesite. Through the tears, threatening to spill down her cheeks, she watched everyone quietly make their way over to join her family. The bright sun and warm temperatures seemed disrespectful to those here to mourn. Finally everyone was assembled and the pastor began his speech, but to Alexis he might as well not even be there. All she could think about was the things she and her father used to do together: the first time he took her hunting and taught her how to silently stalk prey, sitting for hours listening to him tell stories about their ancestors, and the first time she brought home a guy she was interested in, Dad had gotten so territorial that even now it brought a small smile to her muzzle. But her smile quickly disappeared when she realized they were about to start the gun salute. Alexis bent her ears slightly to protect them from the loud bursts of noise and waited silently for them to be finished. As the last shot echoed through the surrounding hills, friends and relatives started milling around Alexis and her mother and sister. Everyone kept saying things like “He died a hero” or “At least he did good things.” But that didn’t make Alexis feel any better.

I can’t stand this! Alexis thought to herself. I don’t care whether he was a hero, what I care about is my father is dead!

Finally Alexis couldn’t take anymore and quietly snuck away from the group and headed towards the apple orchard up on the hill behind the cemetery. Once there she roamed aimlessly between the trees breathing in the sweet, crisp smell of the ripening green apples. After wandering around amongst the trees for a while, she stopped in front of a rather large tree. In front of her, on a branch, was a single apple blossom that had never sprouted into an apple like the rest had, it was on its way to dying but still held some of the remaining colors. She plucked the blossom from its perch then turned and sat down with her back to the tree trunk and slowly swirled the blossom between her fur-covered fingers.

“Don’t you know you shouldn’t destroy someone else’s property?” a deep voice said from slightly behind Alexis’ right shoulder.

Surprised that someone had managed to catch her off guard, Alexis sprung up onto all fours and faced the direction of the voice, the apple blossom falling forgotten to the ground in. About ten feet in front of her stood a young male lion; she guessed he was about seventeen. He was just standing there with a look that said he found it funny that he had managed to startle her.

“That still could have become an apple you know.” The male lion said in a pretend gruff voice.

Alexis straightened up slightly but still remained ready to run or fight which ever the situation might call for. “I didn’t realize…” She mumbled.

“Don’t worry.” The male lion chuckled. “I was only kidding you; it’s too late in the season for that one. We get a few that just never finish their journey to reach their full potential. My name is Johnathan, you can call me Johnny, but please save the “Johnny Appleseed” jokes, I’ve heard them all. My father owns this orchard and I’ve helped him out with it most of my life. Here,” He said, as he walked towards Alexis and picked up the apple blossom and handed it to her as she stood up. “It pales next to your beauty but we shouldn’t let it go to waste. What’s your name?”

Alexis felt her face grow warm as she took the blossom from Johnny, she knew it was a cheesy pick-up line but it was cute nonetheless. “I’m Alexis, Alexis Jordan.”

“Alexis Alexis Jordan. A lady so nice they named her twice.” Johnny said with a twinkle in his eye and a grin on his lips.

Alexis took an immediate liking to his easygoing, joking nature. “No just Alexis Jordan.” She responded with a smile.

“Alright ‘Just Alexis Jordan’ what are you doing on my father’s property picking defenseless blossoms?”

“Oh, well, I was in the area, sort of visiting someone, and wanted some peace and quiet and this looked like a good place. If I’m not supposed to be here I’ll go.”

“No that’s alright, dad always said an apple orchard should be a place where someone can get away from the hustle and bustle of life and relax and where a hungry man can find a healthy meal. Who are you ‘sort of visiting’?”

Alexis weighed the good and bad of telling him the painful story of why she was here. A part of her did want to tell him, because he seemed so honest and open, but at the same time she was enjoying his company and didn’t want to ruin it with a sad story. “Maybe I’ll tell you later.” She said softly.

Johnny could sense an unexplained sadness in Alexis but could tell that she was not going to share just yet. “Well I know of a place near by where we could get an amazing piece of apple pie made from apples grown right here. It’s a small diner ran by some family friends. If you’re done ‘sort of visiting someone’ then maybe you’d like to join me?”

Alexis knew the rest of the day would likely only hold visits from mourning family and friends and that just wasn’t what she was interested in at the moment. “Yeah, I guess I’m done here, lets go.”

Johnny took Alexis to a nearby 50’s era diner ran by a friendly older lady who kept calling everyone ‘dear’. The decor and smells reminded Alexis of what she always imagined the 50’s would be like. They spent the day there, talking and getting to know each other. She enjoyed the opportunity to get her mind off the events of the past couple days and by the time they separated for the evening she felt like she had known him for years, so when he asked to get together with her again the next day, she agreed.

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Over the next couple of months Alexis and Johnny got together often. They spent days picking the ripening Granny Smith apples together and evenings hunting small animals in the nearby woods and fields. One evening after stalking and releasing several squirrels, they collapsed by a trickling spring and laughed about the confused looks on the squirrels faces when they were released instead of eaten. In time the laughter gave way to a comfortable, relaxed silence and the pair lay down together and began quietly talking while Alexis ran her finger tips through Johnny’s thick, bushy mane.

“You know something Alexis Jordan? I think I’ve fallen in love with you.” He said quietly to Alexis then held his breath waiting for an answer, and hoping she felt the same way.

Alexis blushed underneath her yellow facial fur and replied. “Well, Johnathan Royce, I think I just might have fallen in love with you, too.”

They sat for a few minutes in a joyful silence before Alexis said, “Johnny, do you remember that day we first met?”

“Course I do, I’ll never forget it.”

“Well the person I was visiting was actually my father. I was attending his funeral.” Alexis paused and took a shaky breath before continuing on. “He was in the army, fighting over in Africa, when he was shot and killed. They brought him back home to be buried. My dad and I were very close and I still miss him a lot, even now it’s hard to talk about him.”

Johnny sat in thoughtful silent for a long time before responding. “There’s something I should tell you. In three weeks I’ll be turning eighteen and the day afterwards I’ll be leaving out with my army platoon to join the fighting in Africa. I’ve enjoyed the past couple months with you so much that I forgot to tell you about my assignment. I joined up before I even met you, and have been waiting till my eighteenth birthday to leave. Once I ship out there is no way of knowing when I’ll be back. I would like if you would write to me and wait for me to get back, and then we could pick up where we left off, but something tells me you’re not going to be willing to do that in light of what you just told me. If that’s the case I’ll understand I guess, I won’t like it but it’s your decision.”

After a few moments of tense silence Alexis responded in a voice shaky with tears, “I... I’m not sure I can sit and wait, knowing that any day could bring someone to my door to tell me I’ve lost yet another person I love to the fighting. I just don’t know if I can do it.” With that Alexis jumped to her feet and ran towards her home.

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The next couple of weeks passed by uneventfully for Alexis, she moped around the house depressed and unwilling to converse with anyone. Johnny tried to call her several of times but she refused to take the calls. On the day before he was to ship out Alexis was sitting in her room reading a book when she heard the phone ring downstairs and immediately tensed waiting to hear if it was Johnny. She really did want to talk to him, to be with him, but she was just so afraid of the hurt and pain of losing another loved one. After a few minutes she heard a timid rapping on her bedroom door.

“Come in.” Alexis responded.

The door slowly inched open and Sandy’s furry nose poked in. “That was that Johnny guy again.” She said in a timid voice.

“I thought it might be. Did you tell him I don’t want to talk?”

“Yes, but he asked me to give you a message. Do you want to hear it?”

“Yes, I guess so.”

“He said to tell you he’s missed you, also he’s shipping out tomorrow and he would love to see you before he leaves. He said he’d be at the place you first met, tomorrow morning at nine for about an hour, if you wanted to talk before he left.”

“Was that all he said?”

“Yes, that was everything. Are you going?”

“I’m really not sure right now. Thanks for giving me the message, little sis.”

“No problem.” With that Sandy left, leaving Alexis alone with her thoughts.

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She spent the night tossing and turning trying to decide what to do, going back and forth in her mind, first deciding to go then not to go. When 9:00 am rolled around she was still fighting her internal battles. She sat in her room watching the minutes tick by on her alarm clock. At 9:40 she made up her mind, and hurried towards the apple orchard. She ran all the way, but didn’t make it there till ten after and Johnny was gone. Alexis skidded to a stop in front of the tree and bent over in half gasping for breath. She closed her eyes trying not to cry knowing that her fear had stood in her way. Johnny was gone and she had no idea where to. When she finally caught her breath she opened her eyes and saw a large rock placed at the base of the tree with a piece of paper sticking out from under it. She slowly reached down and pulled the paper from under the rock and unfolded it. In Johnny’s long flowing handwriting was written;

To the Beautiful Lioness,

I am writing this in case you don’t show up at our spot. I love you Alexis, nothing can change that. I understand that you are afraid of being hurt, but your fear is what hurts you the most. I’m afraid too, I’m afraid that I may never know the joy of being with you again, I’m afraid of you not loving me. I can’t let my fear run my life. I can’t spend my life wondering what if. I love you and want to be with you and if you let me I will do everything in my power to make sure you are never hurt again. I don’t know where I will be shipping out to but as soon as possible I will send you a letter as one last attempt to get you to allow me into your life. If I do not hear back from you then I will know that all hope is gone. Please Alexis, I love you; please don’t let your fear stand in your way.

Love forever, Private Johnathan Royce

By the time she finished reading, the tears had soaked the fur on her cheeks and dripped down to moisten her light pink shirt. Alexis sat down at the base of the tree and reread the letter a second and a third time, by the time she was finished she knew what she was going to do. She got to her feet, brushed the dirt from her fur then started for home to wait for the letter from Johnny. As she walked away from the apple tree Alexis softly whispered, “I love you too Johnny, and don’t worry, I’ll wait for you. Come home soon my love.”