Army Deployment Dreams

Someone was knocking at the door. Jeannette lay very still under the warmth and weight of her tattered quilt.

"If I lay here quietly, maybe they will go away." she whispered to Chops her supposed guard dog who had not uttered a warning even though the unannounced guest rapped at her door.

Chops whimpered, shivered and then climbed under the quilt. Jeannette pulled the cover tight to her chin feeling the security of what was once her grandmother's only source of warmth on long winter nights. She had awoken just moments before, in a cold sweat caused by the most horrific nightmare of her life. She'd slept in this lonely bed for nearly a year, waiting anxiously for the day her husband's Army deployment would end and they were together again. Tonight was the first night she had such anxiety since he departed.

Rap-rap-rap....the knock startled her and interrupted her thoughts about the earlier visions.

"Boy, some guard dog you are." Jeannette muttered as she debated whether to leave the safety of her room. It wasn't a physical fear that tied her to the mattress and anchored her under the safety of her comfort blanket. It was the emotional drain of the nightmare pulling at her, making her dread any contact with the outside world.

Jeanette and Bobby had planned many things to do once he returned from Ithe military deployment. Each night while she rested her head on the pillow encased in the T-shirt he wore before leaving, she drifted to sleep thinking of a dream moments they had planned through letters. Tonight her thoughts had been of a mountain get away. She would work the day of the trip and he would travel ahead to ready the cabin for her. This was Bobby's choice; he had special plans for their time alone.

Rap, rap, rap...knock, knock, knock...the sound had become a pounding not only at the door but also in her head. How long had the knock been ongoing she wondered? Glancing at the clock she was surprised it had only been two minutes since the first sound caused her to stir. Her mind continued to race as she quickly transferred her thoughts away from the door sounds back to recalling the dream.

"Jeanette, I'm leaving." her favorite Army Soldier hollered from the other end of the house, as he headed out the door to the mountains.

"OK, drive safe and I'll be there this evening. I can't wait to see what you have planned! Love you."

Just as her dream fast forwarded to the moment of her arrival, so did her mind as she continued to hear the rapping at her door. Only the rapping was her own as she knocked at the door waiting for Bobby to answer. He never did. She didn't want to spoil his surprise by just walking in but the door was ajar. The dream took an unexpected turn as she walked through the door only to find herself walking into her own house again. Confused and dazed as dreams often left her, she thought she had awakened as she was again lying in her bed.

Rap, rap, rap... Was she dreaming? Was it her knocking at the cabin door? Or was there someone at the door? She pushed the cover back and headed to the door, realizing she was still dressed in the clothes she wore to the mountains. Her mind was foggy as she worked her way through the darkness to open the door, expecting to find Bobby on the other side with his big surprises; but the surprise was earth shattering.

"Mrs. Jordan, The US Army regrets to inform you"

Jeanette's screams cut off the words of the decorated Army Soldier standing in dress uniform at her door speaking the words she had feared for a year.

Her mind raced even more now, as she relived that frightful moment of her dream. She knew she was awake now with Chops nestled beside her in bed and was thankful she had shook herself out of the nightmare. Yet, fear gripped her to the point of not being able to move.

Rap, rap, rap...did she dare open the door? Was the bearer of a death notice standing on the other side? She did not want to know. She could not cope with this. Her mind spun as she struggled to find energy to get out of bed. Suddenly the rapping changed. No longer was it in her mind; no longer was it at her door. As the window by her bed started to vibrate from the knocking she heard a sound she would never forget.

"Jeanette, Wake up and open the door for the Soldier who lives here before he freezes to death!"