A few years ago, a girl named Crystal graduated high school and went into the army. While in the army, she went to school to work in the medical field. She was currently stationed on a military base on the east coast near an active training base for soldiers. One day, while Crystal was doing her normal rounds of stocking the emergency rooms and cleaning up, a call came over the PA to rush to emergency room 2 for an incoming trauma! Crystal rushed in to see a young man with blood all over his arm! She quickly ordered pressure to be placed on the wound. The man was screaming in pain. She gave him a shot of morphine to dull the pain enough to see what the cause of the trauma was. She quickly cleaned and sterilized the wound to see a gash deep into his upper arm.

“What happened tonight?” Crystal asked, while cleaning out the wound.

“I got hit by a misfire from an AK47, training gone wrong…” The young man was able to say through gritted teeth.

“Alright, we will patch you right up!” Crystal reassured as she started to stitch the wound. She ordered the nurse to run an IV and give him a dose of medicine to knock him out. He needed to rest.

Before the meds could take effect, the young man looked into Crystal’s eyes and said in a whisper, “God, you’re beautiful” then passed out.

The next day, Crystal was back at work, doing her rounds and checked in on the young man. She grabbed his chart to check his status. Just as she put his chart down and was about to walk out of the room, the young man popped his eyes open and reached out to grab Crystal’s hand. Crystal froze for a moment and locked her eyes on his. The chemistry was immediate, but she didn’t dare react to it. He was after all her patient.

“Tell me your name.” The young man pleaded, still staring deep into her hazel eyes.

“Crystal, what’s yours?” Was her automatic response, she continued, “Your chart says ‘Sergeant Lautner’.”

The young man smiled as he answered, “Joe. Thanks for saving me last night, you were like an angel when I saw you.”

“All in a day’s work,” Crystal replied, “and it’s nice to meet you Joe.” She gently pulled her hand away for a moment to check his vitals.

As she filled out her paperwork, Joe said out of nowhere, “Would you go out on a date with me?”

Crystal’s eyes opened wide with shock! Against all her resolve, she then went on to say, even to her own surprise, “I would love to go on a date with you!”

About a week later, it was finally time for Crystal and Joe’s first date. Crystal was looking forward to it all week. She got home from being at the hospital all day and took a shower. She argued with herself over what to wear and what not to wear while staring in the mirror. She finally chose any woman’s staple; a little black dress with diamond accents. She spent approximately 43 minutes doing her hair and make-up. Just when she was just about finished, she would start re-doing everything she already did. The butterflies in her stomach were fluttering like crazy with every minute closer to her date with Joe. She decided to do her hair curly and straighten her bangs. Crystal put her favorite heels on and grabbed the matching hand bag before there was a knock at her door.

On the day of their first date, Joe paced around his apartment for what felt like hours. He had taken a shower, paced his living room, took another shower, and then begged the clock to move faster. Finally, it was time to make his way towards Crystal’s house. He got in his car and started the drive. He got to her house and walked up to the door. He knocked three times and stood back to wait for her to answer.

Crystal opened the door to see Joe standing there. He was wearing a black button down shirt and khakis. He reached behind his back and pulled out a small bouquet of colorful flowers. Crystal smiled and blushed as he handed them to her. She invited Joe into her house while she put them in a vase full of water. They were finally ready to start their date.

Joe took Crystal to the fanciest restaurant in town. It was on a pier next to the beach. They had enjoyed a great dinner and decided to go for a walk on the beach afterwards. Crystal kicked her high heels off and hooked them to her purse to walk barefoot in the sand. Joe joined her as they walked hand in hand while the waves crashed on their feet. It felt so surreal as they walked and talked. If almost felt like they had known each other forever.

Months later, Crystal and Joe were on their usual date to the pier and beach. They were walking and talking as they usually did. The sun was beginning to set when suddenly, Joe stopped walking along. Crystal turned around as she had noticed he stopped walking. She asked him, “Joe, what’s the matter? Are you ok?”

Joe smiled at her and nodded. Then he got down on one knee and reached in his pocket. He said, “Crystal, I feel like I’ve known you forever. I can’t imagine spending the rest of my
excited they almost ran out of the church! They danced all night at their reception and finally it was time for their honeymoon. life with anyone but you. Would you do me the honor of marrying me?” He reached up and held her hands in his as he offered her a ring.

Crystal was shocked again by her love. She didn’t even hesitate as her hands shook like leaves. “Oh my God, yes! I love you so much!”

Joe was so happy he sprang to his feet! His hands shook too while he tried to slip the ring on her finger. With both of them shaking so much, it actually slid right on! Crystal jumped into his arms and they kissed as the sun set across the ocean. They walked back to Joe’s truck, their love gushing from them both. Joe drove her back to her house. Crystal invited him inside for some ice cream to celebrate. When they finished dessert, Crystal was exhausted. Joe was tired too cause he had just finished a hard drill weekend. Crystal saw the exhaustion in his eyes and told him he didn’t have to drive all the way home. Joe still had some clean sweats in his truck so he got dressed for bed. Crystal washed up and got her comfy Lion King pajamas on. Joe offered to sleep on the couch, but Crystal wasn’t going to have that. They went to bed and fell asleep watching TV.

A few months later, the wedding was only weeks away. Crystal and Joe had finished making all the arrangements. Finally, their wedding was happening. Joe stood by the priest at the end of the aisle. He was wearing his best armed forces suit. The wedding march finally began to play. Crystal was walked down the aisle by her father. Joe saw her walking towards him and couldn’t believe how lucky he was. Crystal locked her eyes on his as she met him at the end of her long walk. The priest declared them husband and wife. Joe leaned down and lifted Crystal’s veil. They smiled from ear to ear at each other when the priest said, “You may kiss the bride!”

Joe and Crystal kissed so lovingly for the first time as a married couple. They were so

They went to the Bahamas for a whole week! They walked the beautiful beaches, dined at all the best restaurants, and enjoyed their nights out on the town in paradise!

Since Crystal already owned her house, Joe moved in with her. They both went to work every day and enjoyed each other’s company in the evening. One day, Joe’s phone rang and it was his superior officer. He had gotten the call that he was getting deployed. All Crystal could do was cry while Joe packed his army supplies. Joe was upset too, but he knew he had a duty to his country. Joe and Crystal spent their last evening together just holding each other.

The next day, Joe was deployed. While on the plane ride to his destination, Joe read the letter Crystal had written him over and over again. He didn’t know how long he was going to be deployed for, but he was going to fight so hard to make sure he would make it back to Crystal. Crystal took off from work that night cause she was so upset and missed Joe so much. She read his letter to her over and over while she cried herself to sleep.

She woke up the next day to feeling even worse than she had the night before. She opened her eyes and ran to the bathroom. She thought to herself that it must have been something viral going around, but she had to go to work to try to get her mind off Joe being deployed. When she got to work, her best friend Taylor asked her what was wrong. Before Crystal could answer, she had to run to bathroom again! When she got back, Taylor had a huge smile on her face!

Crystal was getting mad seeing her best friend smile like that and asked, “What has gotten into you? What is so funny?”

Taylor laughed and answered, “I’ll tell you what I think is funny! I think you’re pregnant!”

Crystal fell into her chair. She was shocked again by Joe and he wasn’t even there to help her through it! “Oh my God, how am I going to tell Joe?”

Taylor and Crystal giggled about the excitement, even though Crystal was upset again because she couldn’t just call Joe and share the news. Taylor gave Crystal the blood test to be sure that she really was pregnant.

A few weeks later, Crystal finally got a letter in the mail. It was from Joe! He gave her the details of how she could write him. They started writing each other every day. Crystal didn’t know how to tell Joe the news, so she just kept it a secret until she got the first ultrasound picture. Joe was a specialist in the Army and because of his work; he could not compromise his position so he could never call. Communication had to be old school with them with letters. When Crystal got their first sonogram picture, she decided to send Joe a letter with the picture.

She wrote; Joe, I wasn’t sure how to tell you this, I found out the week after you got deployed. I wanted you to meet our baby. I love you and please come home safe.


Joe received his usual package of letters. Every chance he got, he would take a few minutes and read them quietly to himself. He opened a letter that felt a little thicker than all the others. This got Joe curious. He pulled the letter out and a picture had fallen out with it. He turned it over and saw the black and white picture. His heart froze in his chest! He instantly got so excited and told his fellow platoon-mates. They all cheered him and congratulated him. He wrote Crystal back and sent his love to both of them. Joe went to sleep that night peaceful and content. For the first time in his army career though, he was upset about being stuck on a deployment when Crystal would have needed him the most.

Crystal got up the next day and had a smile on her face. The morning sickness finally faded, but in its place were a giant belly and no hope of seeing her feet for the next 2 months! She put her most comfortable sweats on and began straightening up the baby’s nursery. It was the middle of the day when grief struck her while she was filling the drawers of her unborn baby’s dresser. She couldn’t explain it, but she felt like her heart was breaking while in her chest. She had sat down and called her best friend Taylor to come sit with her for a bit. She just couldn’t explain the sinking feeling.

Taylor had arrived and tried to make Crystal some tea. As they evening went on, they relaxed a bit and tried to stay calm. Just as Taylor was able to get Crystal to rest her eyes, there was a loud knock at the door... … …

It was the morning patrol and Joe was heading the rounds. Something was funny in the air that morning, but Joe couldn’t put his finger on it. During the rounds, Joe and his troops had taken a quick break to re-hydrate a little. Joe took his helmet off in the heat and stared at the pictures he taped in there. One was of Crystal and the other, the sonogram picture. He smiled down at them and said quietly, “I love you and will be home soon.” Just as he strapped his helmet back on, all he could think of was Crystal and the baby. There was a deafening explosion… And then there was nothing more.