"One Call and A Visit" by Shaylyn Beaton

Chapter 1

The Letters to Sophia

Letter 26

Dear Sophia,

Although I am unable to inform you of where we are stationed I can inform you that it is better than the last place. Sorry that I can not formally tell you where we are stationed other than the fact that we are overseas.

Unlike the last place we have warm food every night and we are provided a lot more water.

The beds are even ten times better. They are almost like the beds when we were at basics.

To answer your question of when I am coming home, I am sorry to say but we do not have another flight out for at least two months due to the fighting over hear. I promise I will come home as soon as I can babe, but it may take a little longer than expected.

I love you always Sophia,

give all my love to our family!

Love always,

Jonathan

Letter 27

Dear Jonathan,

Everything is pretty good at home. My final exams for my last year of college start tomorrow. I am getting so excited to graduate and start working in the real world. Only two more years and we get to start our life together up home. I can’t wait!!

Your mom made pizza the other night when I was over. It was delicious as always. I read your letter to everyone in the church. They were all grateful to hear from you and know that you are doing better. I just wish that I could really know about your whereabouts but I understand it is too much to ask.

I miss you like crazy and love you more than you could ever understand babe.

How is everyone else doing overseas? (hows Zach?)

Have you encountered anything interesting?

Are you staying safe?

Love always,

Your Girls Sophia

Letter 27

Dear Sophia,

Yesterday on our run through the town watching all the people I saw a little girl sitting with her doll and a boy on the corner of two streets that connected. She was in a raggy dress that looked way too big for her. The little boy was picking on her and pulled her doll away from her holding it high so that she was unable to reach it. I stopped our truck and got out. I walked over to the little girl that I think was about 3 years old or so and picked her up. At first she looked at me all nervous but when I had Jake come over and translate that I was there to help her, she smiled so big and hugged me so tight.

Jake walked over to the little boy and asked him to give her doll back and then asked where their parents were. He said that a man in a black suite and a red tie came and took them away. That he was left to take care of his sister.

We ended up taking them to the orphanage that we have over there and dropped them off telling the workers everything that happened. I had the hardest time leaving them, it was the first time that I had found kids without their mother.

It was a hard thing, but some good news is that I get to call you. The date that I get the phone is May 27, two days before my birthday. I get to use the phone for 20 minutes from 6:50- 7:10 your time. I will be calling my moms place so that I can hear their voices too so it would be great if you could be there!

I love you always babe and I promise that I am staying safe!

Love always,

Jonathan

Chapter 2

The Surprise of a Lifetime

Sophia was so anxious for May 27th, she felt that the day would never come. Every day passed as though it was a month. Her energy was at a boiling point when the day finally came. She had to pull an 8 hour shift at her job before being able to leave and finally head to Jonathan’s parents house. She got off work at 4 and told them that she planned to arrive around 5.

When she arrived at the house his little sister greeted her at the door and asked her to go look at the chickens with her. Sophia found it a little odd but she did so anyways and when she finally had gone into the house they were all sitting around the kitchen table getting ready for dinner.

“Sophia, what a surprise to see you here, haven’t seen you in about 4 weeks. We all missed you like crazy,” Jonathan's mother said from the stove where she was stirring the soup. “Choose a seat, dinner is almost finished. We are having macaroni soup and grilled cheese. Jonathan's favorite.”

“Thank you so much. This was always one of my favorites too!”

They all sat at the table and started to eat dinner when the phone rang all of a sudden. Jonathan’s mother got up from her seat and picked up the phone. “Hi……. wait why r u calling now….. I thought you were calling at 6:50……. really……”

Everyone was on the edge of their seats. They all knew at this point that it was Jonathan on the phone, but everyone was so in shock that they had nothing to say, and no one even budged in their seats.

“Sophia, I think someone would like to speak to you,” Jonathan’s mother said in a quiet tone “it’s……. it’s…… it’s Jonathan.”

Sophia got up from her chair and took the phone out of her hands. She stuck the phone up to her ear and took in one big gulp before quietly speaking. “Jonathan, is it really you.”

“Yes it is me. Sorry about the call so early and probably interrupting your dinner, but one of the guys was unable to get hold of his family so I took his time so he can try calling them again later.”

Sophia just stared into space. She could not find any words to say anything at all. She had rarely been speechless in her life before and now for some reason not a single word could come to her brain other than a quiet voice saying don’t cry Sophia, don’t cry.

Jonathan decided to keep talking sense Sophia seemed to have nothing to say. “So what did mom make good for supper?”

“Your favorite.”

“What, you guys are eating macaroni soup and grilled cheese without me. That is not fair.”

“Yeah, but I don’t think I am going to have any apatite after this to be able to eat anyways.

“Well maybe I should fly home and eat your soup for you then.”

Jonathan started to walk out of the room off the side of the kitchen and walk to where Sophia had been sitting. Her back was turned to him the whole time. She was in such shock that she was talking to him that she payed no attention to the noise behind her.

“Wow, yum. I forgot how much I loved moms soup this is so great.” He said to her.

“Yeah it was always your fav…….,” she paused, everything just started rushing and she couldn’t even move. He was behind her. That voice that she was hearing over the phone had just came from behind her. The look on her face all of a sudden changed. The phone dropped from her hand, but her hand stayed in place right next to her ear. Jonathan at that time had found his place behind her, but before he could wrap his arms around her she had dropped to her knees with tears pouring out of her eyes. Happy tears that is.

He got down on his knees in front of her and wrapped his arms tight around her, not letting go for at least one whole minute. Every one of her big welting tears hitting his shoulder that she had place her head on.

“This isn’t happening, it just……… oh my gosh,” she said into his ear. Tears were still streaming down her face onto his shoulder. He slowly lifted her up off of the floor, keeping his arms tight around her waist just incase she got weak knees again.

“It is happening though, this is me, Jonathan. It is really me,” he said with a huge smile on his face.

“What are you doing here?”

“I have a couple weeks off so I figured I would surprise you. I did surprise you, right?”

“Surprise isn’t even the word for that.” She said and then instantly turned around looking at his family. “You knew about this and didn’t tell me. YOU DIDN’T SAY A WORD.”

“Well it wouldn’t have been a surprise if we would have told you though,” Jonathan’s father says.

She turned back around and wrapped her arms around Jonathan, so tight that he could barely breath. He squeezed her right back and as he was doing so his father got up from the table and walked over towards them. To Sophia it just looked as though he was shaking his hand and he said “glad your home son,” but to all of the others at the table they could see the square box that his father had placed into his hand.

Jonathan took a step back once Sophia had released him from her tight squeezing grip. Jonathan got down on one knee, opening the box as he went down, then grabbing Sophia’s left hand pulling her a little closer. Sophia’s right hand slowly went towards her face covering her mouth in shock like most girls always do.

“Sophia, things have been tough these last couple months with me being gone a lot and not being able to call as much as I was hoping, but I love you more than anything and I don’t want you to go anywheres. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

She didn’t say anything for a few minutes, just looked him in the eyes and then at the ring and then back at him. “Are you being serious?” she softly said to him.

“Yes, I am being serious. I want you to be my wife.”

“Well dah I will marry you!” She said with an expression on her face that screamed did you have to even ask.

Afterwards everyone sat down at the table, an extra chair having to be added along with another dinner. Everyone chowed down, other than Sophia. She kept taking small bites, but in between every bite she glared down at her left ring finger, twisting the ring back and forth, smiling ear to ear.

Sophia went back to his parents every day after till Jonathan had to leave again. In that time they had talked so much about their wedding. Everything from location to flowers and all the little details. It was all just falling into place for them.

Dear family and friends,

Save the date!

October 4, 2004

At the town church

2:00 pm

We will be meeting

at the town hall afterwards!

-Sophia and Jonathan-

#shortstory