Letters To A Stranger
by Momma2fan
Chapter 16
Dear Edward,
I miss you so much. It's been weeks and no word. I avoid the door and the phone because I am desperately afraid it will be one of those visits to tell me my husband is dead. I can't allow myself to think that way. I know in my heart you are alive.
I've been put on bed rest and have moved in with your parents until our son arrives. Please don't worry...the baby is fine and so am I. He is growing well and kicks me constantly.
Where are you? I wish I knew if you were hurt. I sense that you need me and I know I can't get to you. Please believe that we are with you wherever you are...I don't even know where to send this, so I am writing it more for myself.
I love you, Edward Anthony Cullen. Hurry up and come home to us. We need you.
Your loving wife,
Bella
She put the letter in a box with all of the others she had written over the last couple of weeks. She was desperate for any word as to Edward's whereabouts. Emmett called everyday saying there was still nothing they could tell him. He had decided it was nothing but bureaucratic bullshit.
Jasper called to check in as well. He was able to find out that the ruble had been cleared, but Edward had not been found in it. Then where was he? Could he have been blown off the premises? The force of the bomb was unknown, so depending on his location in the hotel, he could be anywhere.
Bella got up from her position on the couch and walked to the window seat. She picked up the book she had been trying to read and turned to her page. She was soon lost in her imagination.
"Bella?"
Bella started, she hadn't heard Esme walk into the room. "Hi."
"I brought you some tea, I didn't mean to scare you. Everything okay?"
Bella nodded, "Just thinking."
The doorbell rang, ending any further conversation. The two women stared at each other, neither wanting to answer the door. When the bell sounded again, Esme stood to answer it.
"May I help you?" Esme asked as she opened the door.
"I'm looking for Mrs. Cullen." The person on the other side of the door stated.
Esme gave the man a small smile, "Which one?"
She watched as the man looked at his form and felt the tears well up. "Mrs. Edward Cullen."
Esme showed the man in and directed him to Bella, who was sitting frozen on the window seat. "Can I...hel...help you?"
"Mrs. Cullen?" Bella nodded. "As a representative of the United States Army, I regret to inform you that your husband, First Sergeant Edward A. Cullen, has been labeled Missing in Action."
Bella was glad to be sitting when the news was delivered as Emmett and Carlisle burst into the house. "What does that mean? He's MIA. Are you searching for him?"
"Ma'am, the army is using all of its available resources to try and locate 1SG Cullen, but we are fighting a war, so man power is low at this point. We will keep you informed as we are able. Good day, Ma'am's, Sir's." The army messenger turned on his heel and let himself out of the house.
"Emmett? What does this mean?" Esme looked at her son for answers.
"It means if they find him great, but the effort really isn't there. Mom, they are fighting a war just as he said. They really can't spare the manpower at this point. And with Obama trying to pull men out, it could get more difficult."
Bella had never been a religious person so her next comment surprised her. "Esme, I would like to go to church and light a candle for Edward and his comrades. Can you guys take me?" They readily agreed and all of them went to church.
~~LTaS~~
His leg was bleeding profusely, he knew there was shrapnel embedded somewhere in the muscle. His ears were still ringing from the blast and from how he had landed. He knew if he didn't find shelter soon, he would be more at risk from Afghani soldiers out on the hunt for stragglers.
"Uley? Are you still with me?" He called to the man beside him.
"I'm still here, Sir. Where are we headed?"
Edward didn't have a clue. He was still so disoriented. He and Sam had tried to save Embry and Quil, but their injuries were too severe and they’d had to get themselves out. "I don't know, Sam, I’m just looking for some shelter. We have to get out of this area. We’re too susceptible to attack out in the open like this."
Just as he and Sam crossed over another dune, he saw a house. He looked over at Sam to make sure the other man saw it too and that it wasn't a mirage. Sam was looking at him as well. The two men slowly made their way to the house, once they reached it Edward lifted a shaking hand to knock.
The elderly couple who opened the door took one look at the American soldiers and led them inside. The woman took Edward and sat him down and immediately went to work on his leg, while the old man went about patching up Sam. After their wounds were cleaned and bandaged, they were fed and then shown where they could sleep.
Edward and Sam lay on the makeshift pallets and waited until the couple was asleep before finally drifting themselves.
Dear Bella,
I am alive. I love you so much. I hope that you and our baby are safe. I have no way of getting this letter to you, but just know that I am safe.
Cpl. Sam Uley and I were the only survivors who were inside. We managed to dig our way out and found ourselves in a different area, far from our unit. We walked and walked until we found a couple who took us in. Thank God they’re not Taliban sympathizers.
Just know that we are safe and that I am alive. I love you, sweetheart. You and our little man.
Your devoted husband,
Edward
Edward stashed the letter in his pack and woke up Sam. "We need to try and find another unit and get word to let everyone know we survived."
Sam agreed and the two men thanked their saviors and left, with a supply of food and water. They walked most of the morning until the sun was high and they came across a camp. Before they entered, they made sure it was American and not Taliban. When they saw the flag, they put up a white flag and slowly approached.
"Well, well, well. I believe you two are the missing men we’ve been trying to find. You guys have been missing for weeks," the captain exclaimed. "Just to be sure though, could you please identify yourselves?'
"First Sergeant Edward A. Cullen, Sir."
"Corporal Samuel W. Uley, Sir."
The captain grinned and introduced himself, "Captain Alec Volturinni." He led the men to the command center so they could get in contact with their unit and made arrangements to have some of his men be at the ready to get them back. He was certain with Cullen's limp and Uley's bandaged head these two soldiers would be headed to Germany and then home, for good.
Dear Edward,
I miss you so much. It's been weeks and no word. I avoid the door and the phone because I am desperately afraid it will be one of those visits to tell me my husband is dead. I can't allow myself to think that way. I know in my heart you are alive.
I've been put on bed rest and have moved in with your parents until our son arrives. Please don't worry...the baby is fine and so am I. He is growing well and kicks me constantly.
Where are you? I wish I knew if you were hurt. I sense that you need me and I know I can't get to you. Please believe that we are with you wherever you are...I don't even know where to send this, so I am writing it more for myself.
I love you, Edward Anthony Cullen. Hurry up and come home to us. We need you.
Your loving wife,
Bella
She put the letter in a box with all of the others she had written over the last couple of weeks. She was desperate for any word as to Edward's whereabouts. Emmett called everyday saying there was still nothing they could tell him. He had decided it was nothing but bureaucratic bullshit.
Jasper called to check in as well. He was able to find out that the ruble had been cleared, but Edward had not been found in it. Then where was he? Could he have been blown off the premises? The force of the bomb was unknown, so depending on his location in the hotel, he could be anywhere.
Bella got up from her position on the couch and walked to the window seat. She picked up the book she had been trying to read and turned to her page. She was soon lost in her imagination.
"Bella?"
Bella started, she hadn't heard Esme walk into the room. "Hi."
"I brought you some tea, I didn't mean to scare you. Everything okay?"
Bella nodded, "Just thinking."
The doorbell rang, ending any further conversation. The two women stared at each other, neither wanting to answer the door. When the bell sounded again, Esme stood to answer it.
"May I help you?" Esme asked as she opened the door.
"I'm looking for Mrs. Cullen." The person on the other side of the door stated.
Esme gave the man a small smile, "Which one?"
She watched as the man looked at his form and felt the tears well up. "Mrs. Edward Cullen."
Esme showed the man in and directed him to Bella, who was sitting frozen on the window seat. "Can I...hel...help you?"
"Mrs. Cullen?" Bella nodded. "As a representative of the United States Army, I regret to inform you that your husband, First Sergeant Edward A. Cullen, has been labeled Missing in Action."
Bella was glad to be sitting when the news was delivered as Emmett and Carlisle burst into the house. "What does that mean? He's MIA. Are you searching for him?"
"Ma'am, the army is using all of its available resources to try and locate 1SG Cullen, but we are fighting a war, so man power is low at this point. We will keep you informed as we are able. Good day, Ma'am's, Sir's." The army messenger turned on his heel and let himself out of the house.
"Emmett? What does this mean?" Esme looked at her son for answers.
"It means if they find him great, but the effort really isn't there. Mom, they are fighting a war just as he said. They really can't spare the manpower at this point. And with Obama trying to pull men out, it could get more difficult."
Bella had never been a religious person so her next comment surprised her. "Esme, I would like to go to church and light a candle for Edward and his comrades. Can you guys take me?" They readily agreed and all of them went to church.
~~LTaS~~
His leg was bleeding profusely, he knew there was shrapnel embedded somewhere in the muscle. His ears were still ringing from the blast and from how he had landed. He knew if he didn't find shelter soon, he would be more at risk from Afghani soldiers out on the hunt for stragglers.
"Uley? Are you still with me?" He called to the man beside him.
"I'm still here, Sir. Where are we headed?"
Edward didn't have a clue. He was still so disoriented. He and Sam had tried to save Embry and Quil, but their injuries were too severe and they’d had to get themselves out. "I don't know, Sam, I’m just looking for some shelter. We have to get out of this area. We’re too susceptible to attack out in the open like this."
Just as he and Sam crossed over another dune, he saw a house. He looked over at Sam to make sure the other man saw it too and that it wasn't a mirage. Sam was looking at him as well. The two men slowly made their way to the house, once they reached it Edward lifted a shaking hand to knock.
The elderly couple who opened the door took one look at the American soldiers and led them inside. The woman took Edward and sat him down and immediately went to work on his leg, while the old man went about patching up Sam. After their wounds were cleaned and bandaged, they were fed and then shown where they could sleep.
Edward and Sam lay on the makeshift pallets and waited until the couple was asleep before finally drifting themselves.
Dear Bella,
I am alive. I love you so much. I hope that you and our baby are safe. I have no way of getting this letter to you, but just know that I am safe.
Cpl. Sam Uley and I were the only survivors who were inside. We managed to dig our way out and found ourselves in a different area, far from our unit. We walked and walked until we found a couple who took us in. Thank God they’re not Taliban sympathizers.
Just know that we are safe and that I am alive. I love you, sweetheart. You and our little man.
Your devoted husband,
Edward
Edward stashed the letter in his pack and woke up Sam. "We need to try and find another unit and get word to let everyone know we survived."
Sam agreed and the two men thanked their saviors and left, with a supply of food and water. They walked most of the morning until the sun was high and they came across a camp. Before they entered, they made sure it was American and not Taliban. When they saw the flag, they put up a white flag and slowly approached.
"Well, well, well. I believe you two are the missing men we’ve been trying to find. You guys have been missing for weeks," the captain exclaimed. "Just to be sure though, could you please identify yourselves?'
"First Sergeant Edward A. Cullen, Sir."
"Corporal Samuel W. Uley, Sir."
The captain grinned and introduced himself, "Captain Alec Volturinni." He led the men to the command center so they could get in contact with their unit and made arrangements to have some of his men be at the ready to get them back. He was certain with Cullen's limp and Uley's bandaged head these two soldiers would be headed to Germany and then home, for good.