Page 12 of For Every Letter

Moving on before I end up having to stick my face in the freezer to stop the heat coming off of my cheeks from warming the oceans.

I can’t wait to show you the island. You’re going to love it! We can do a beer flight at Five Fathoms Brewing Co., play Mermaid Mini Golf, go on the rollercoasters at Mermaid Mystical Gardens, try every baked goodie on offer at Pirates Pastries, and – last but not least – go horseback riding at Sirens & Saddles where I will not so quietly show off my boyfriend to Warren. Mwa-ha-ha!

I bought one of those advent calendars. Turns out you can buy them in the middle of summer. But instead of counting down to Christmas, I’m counting down until you come home. And no one has to know I’ve eaten all the chocolates from behind the doors already. And then maybe replaced them with new chocolates. And then eaten those as well.

I have a problem. It’s not the chocolate. It’s ‘I can’t wait for Ben to come home’-fever. It’s not a known medical condition but trust me it feels like one.

Can’t wait to see you!

Your Sadie

PS I should probably tell you I love you at some point. I think it’s pretty obvious. There’s no one else I’d buy an advent calendar for. 😉I’ve loved you since the moment you sent me that goofy drawing of your camp. And when you smiled up at me from your hospital bed, it was a done deal. You’re mine, Benjamin Ward. I’m not letting you go. Come home safe to me.

24

Mermaid Motel

Smuggler’s Hideaway

August 15 th

My dearest Sadie,

It feels silly to write this letter when I’ll be seeing you live and in person in just a few minutes. But I want you to have one more letter. The most important letter I’ll ever write to you. My hand is shaking as I write this. I never thought I’d say these words or I guess write these words. I never thought I’d find a woman who gets me. Not me, the soldier. But me, the man.

What I’m trying to say is – I love you, too, Sadie. I’m a bit pissed you said it first. I wanted to be the first one to say those words. But I’m not really pissed. I’m honored a woman as wonderful as you would open your heart to me.

I can’t wait to spend my life with you. And give you those five kids you want. You were serious about five? If they’re girls who look like you, I’m going to have serious problems.

Of course, if they’re boys, we’ll probably spend half our lives in the principal’s office. Correction. Whether they’re girls or boys, we’re spending half our lives in the principal’s office.

Never mind. Whatever you want, you can have.

Including the Mermaid Motel. By now, you must know the owners sold it to someone else before you could get the money for the deposit together. What you don’t know is I bought it for you – for us – for our future together. I don’t know anything about running a motel and it's possible I’ll scare the guests with my ‘resting soldier face’ as you call it, but you can teach me everything. And I do know how to clean toilets. Ask me about the time my buddy Tate and I had to clean the latrines with a toothbrush. It was his fault. I was only the lookout but our drill sergeant didn’t care about my innocence.

Your car is pulling up to the motel now. I didn’t imagine you. You’re just as beautiful now as the night we first met in person at the hospital. I thought I was dreaming then. I hope I’m not now. How did I get so damn lucky?

I need to sign off before you notice me. Your brow is already wrinkling as you stare at my truck. I probably should have told you I used up all my extra leave to get an early discharge, but I wanted to surprise you. I plan to surprise you as often as I can for the rest of our lives.

The rest of our lives starts now.

I love you, Sadie.

Thanks for giving me a home. I will spend the rest of my life showing you how much I appreciate it.

Your Ben

Epilogue

Part 1: Sadie

I frown at the big, fancy truck parked in front of reception at the motel. It’s August – the height of the summer tourist season – and the motel is completely full. I hope whoever owns this truck doesn’t expect to just show up and get a room without a reservation. Because full is full.

Although, since Dakota is now living with Rhett, the owner’s apartment is available. I scowl. Owner’s apartment.

I’m supposed to be the new owner. Not someone who bribed the former owners to sell the motel to them. They promised they’d give me ninety days to raise the funds for a deposit. Their promise didn’t mean shit.

My stomach dips. I’m going to have to find a new job. Hell, I need to find a new dream since my dream of owning the Mermaid Motel is now lost to me. My eyes itch with unshed tears. I sniff and suck them back up. I am not crying again. Not now.