She was scared. It was only basic training, 13 weeks wasn’t so bad she thought in her head. But it was more than that, this wasn’t a video game, this was a frightening reality. Waiting at the train station, millions of people passing her by, all admiring their loved ones saying farewell, or greeting them with tears and I missed you’s. She didn’t make her husband come, the way they left things, she didn’t know what to expect when she returned. 

Two Days Earlier…
“You can’t leave me like this Jane; you can’t do this to me.”
“I have to do what’s right; I want to serve for my country. You know that my mother served, I always tell you how inspiring it was to me watching my mom come and go knowing she was doing everything she could to fight for this country. You can’t tell me that I can’t it.”
“I’ll get a better job; I’ll ask for a raise, I’ll buy a larger apartment! Just stay, please just don’t leave.” He said with agony. 
“Rob, this is what I’ve wanted to do my whole life and you know that. You’ve known that the moment you met me. Now that it’s finally time for me to do the one thing I want, you won’t let me? You have your job and this is the career I want to pursue.” 
      He put his hands to his face; he didn’t want to believe what he was hearing. He knew he was wrong and she was right. How could he let her not do the one thing she’s always dreamed of doing? But how could he just watch her leave and know maybe one day she might never come back? He covered the couple tears that were beginning to form and rubbed his eyes like he was tired. 
“Jane, it might just be basic training now but after that, it’s not. You’re not your mother, you don’t have to follow into her footsteps, you can be whoever you want. Fighting in a war isn’t fun and games, its real danger with real bombs and weapons killing real people.” 
“I know that Rob, but I told you I wanted to go to the army and fight and protect this country. I’m leaving in two days and that’s it, there’s nothing you can do or say that will make me stay.”
“Do you want to be with me? It sounds like this is more about you leaving me, then leaving to go fight.” He was desperate; he knew that that was a wild question. He knew she gave everything she had to him. He was her everything, and for her to leave was the biggest leap she’s ever taken. 
“Of course I want to be with you. All I’m saying is that I’m not going to stop a dream I’ve always had because of you, and you shouldn’t want to stop it for me either.”
“Well... I just don’t know if I can do this then... Us.” 
      It grew silent. The only thing that made a sound was the drip of their leaky faucet in the kitchen. He looked up to see the expression on her face, and she turned and stared out the window blankly. 
“How can you not do this Rob, you vowed to be with me always through the worst and through the best, we’ve been married for a couple years now and suddenly I have to go away and you’re just ready to quit?” she said as her tone in her voice grew louder and she felt the heat rise in her face.
“If you’re leaving me like this, then you are not the man I thought you were, if it’s that easy to be done then I myself made a huge mistake in marrying you. I thought you were accepting of everything I wanted, of everything I could be, of everything I am. I’m just going to make this easier on you and leave right now.” 
“Jane don-“
“No Rob, I’m leaving. I’m going to visit my parents before I leave for the train station Thursday.” 
“Jane! Why don’t you just understand that I’m afraid I’m going to lose you? Forever. I know, I know this is only basic training. But I can’t stand to think that one day, you might be one of those people that say were killed by a bomb on the news. I’m going to be worrying every day, wondering, panicking if you made it each day. I don’t want to be the husband that gets the phone call saying you lost your wife. I’m scared that once you’re sent off, you might never come back.”
	She stopped folding clothes in her suitcase and looked at him. His face was worn out like the clothes on his back, he looked crazed from all the emotions that filled him but she could see the fear in his eyes. She felt like shit too, she knew that what he said could possibly happen. She was scared as hell inside, but the pride she felt for the country was greater and the inspiration her mom is to her made her feel that it was her duty, her destiny to serve. She began to fold again. “Rob,” her voice grew quieter. “You chose this life when you asked me to marry you, you knew what to expect. I didn’t hide anything from you, I told you I wanted to serve in the army. You’re going to have to worry.”
	He didn’t say anything; he didn’t want to say anything. He was tired and just felt there was no way she was going to let him hold her one last time before she left. He just wanted to hold her...
“Rob, I have to go. I don’t know where this leaves us, but if you want to say goodbye on Thursday my train leaves at 2.”
	She picked up her luggage and carried them across the room out of the door way of the apartment. She turned to see his face one last time. It might be the last time ever. He’s sitting on their bed, expressionless. She walked over and kissed him on the cheek. 


      It’s 1:45. She’s sitting on a bench clinging onto her luggage. She looked back and forth attentively, hoping just maybe her husband would come. The train station made her feel even more alone. Everyone had someone with them, whether it was going on a trip together, or leaving and saying goodbye. They had someone. Her parents asked if she wanted them to bring her but she turned them down. She said Rob was going to meet her there. She lied out of her teeth of course, but she didn’t want them to know that when she comes back home she might be handed divorce papers. It would devastate them. She looks at the clock, it’s 1:52. She knows she should board the train. She sighs, gives each side one last look, grabs her luggage and finds a seat by the window.
“We will be leaving in 3 minutes,” says the train driver.
	It’s over, she thinks. Once she comes back, she’ll have to live with her parents for a while. She knew what her decision was, but in that moment she just wanted to feel like things were going to be okay. She closed her eyes waiting for the train to move, when she heard a faint voice shouting. Her eyes shot up immediately. It was him; he was running, bumping into people just to look for her. She banged on her window, hoping he would hear. He turned and their eyes met. Perfect timing. The train began to move. He ran a little faster, stopped and shouted with all the breath he had left. She couldn’t hear what he said, but watched his lips mouth the words ‘I love you.’ 
 
p. 4


		p. 3

Goodbye, For Now
1-4, p. 1