Hey everyone, NickelzCrusta here with a short story that we thought you would like called My Soldiers Boots. We aren't giving up on any of our other stories, just taking a small break for ideas of how to end them or how the big action sequence should go, but bear with us. Things will hopefully be picking up soon.

My Soldiers Boots

"Tobias learned that he was going to be deployed so after our wedding day, June 4, 2010. It was a beautiful, everything was perfect. It was like one of those cliche fairy tales that people always strive for. Except that was not what we were going for. We wanted to be married quickly, so quickly it wouldn't give our parents time to object to it. My parents hated his 'judgement' on life, the way that he was so quiet and ready for trouble, and especially his tattoos. His parents didn't like my family what so ever, they didn't like that we spent so much time together, they hated that I didn't want him to leave for Afghanistan, but every couple should feel like that when they love each other and don't want to see each other hurt. Didn't you feel that way when your husband was going?"

The old woman who Tris was caring for, sat across from her listening to what Tris had to say. Tris comes to her house once a day for therapy. Cate Polk was her name, she suffered a stroke a few months ago and had gone through dozens of physical therapists. Tris was the longest that she ever had and they only been working together for a week.

Cate looked at the young girl in front of her. The one, whom she learned, got her GED at the age of 16, and who is now a single mother only at the age of 23. Cate was once in her situation too. "Yes I did." Her voice was soft and firm the way that it once had been before her husband died two years before. Both women were surprised to hear it that way. "In fact, I had been in your situation once before, granted it was World War 2, but that doesn't matter. I know what it was like to have your loving husband taken away from you, even after your constant begging. Danny was taken from me right after Pearl Harbor and wasn't given back until the war ended. He missed about 3 years of his children's lives."

Tris instant thought of her child, Tobias hasn't been home for a little over a year, she couldn't imagine Becca not seeing her father in over a year.

"Tell me, how old is your child?"

"She's going to be 2 in April." Tris says looking at her bag. She had it all packed to leave, but she had to get that damn message.

"Ah, I remember those years. Seems just like yesterday, that's how old our twins were when he left. Even after 73 years the day that he left is still clear as day."

Tris nodded in agreement, this is a haunting day to remember.

"Tell me about that day Tris. The first day he had to leave you."

Tris looked at the older woman intensely, she never even bothered to tell her friends this. But the old woman was employing her and they needed the money, she really couldn't afford to lose this one. "It was early August ironically it was a beautiful day for such a crappy one. We were both tired from the small get-together we had at his mother's the night before. It was supposed to be his sister's birthday party, but it kind of turned into a goodbye party. He of course kept the spirits up for his sister always suggesting that it was her day, but in reality he knew that it could never be. The car ride there, we were both silent, I finally gave up on telling him not to go and he gave up on hearing it. I drove us there, he held my hand the whole way. I went with him through the whole process of getting the boarding pass, never leaving his side. When we got to the waiting area we kissed and held each other tightly, afraid of what would happen if we let each other go. When he finally called for them to board, he kissed me and walked up to the lady, gave her the pass and never looked back."

Tris looks around the room, anywhere but the old woman who sat in front of her. Afraid if she looked at her that she would break down. She told herself over and over again to be strong but it was hard. She couldn't cry again, not in front of this woman.

"Was he handsome in his uniform? I saw a picture of him on your cell phone when you put it beside me earlier, I bet he was handsome."

"That he was. Everything was perfect on him that day even the way the laces on his boots were uneven but still perfect."

"A soldiers boots are very important." She starts looking at the closet, "they take them places that they need to go, they tell the story of where they been, and in reality when they're fighting it's the only thing they need."

Tris stares at the fountain of wisdom in front of her. At the beginning of the week when she started she hate the old hag, she was just a real pain in the ass, but today in the mist of the struggle in her life, she has shined a light.

Cate looked at Tris, she saw something in this woman sitting across from her that she never saw in any of the therapists that she had before. Just like her there are walls. These walls that they both have are what they hang onto to keep them going. And just like herself, Tris's walks are built up over the years by war and the leaving of her husband. They can only be broken by the ones who aren't afraid to crack them, those who understand what they both are going through.

They both miss their husbands.

After Tris finishes at Cate's house she heads over to Tobias's mother's house, knowing that where her daughter will be. Evelyn promised Tris the day that their daughter was born, that if anything happened to Tobias she would pick her daughter up from where ever she is at and take her to her house. She promised to do that with all of her children that they had together.

On way their she refuses to listen to the radio because all it will talk about is the accident.

Tris runs up the driveway as soon as the car is shut off and is about to knock on the door when Evelyn -Tobias's mother- opens it for her and engulfs her in a hug.

"We heard, we heard." She whispers stroking her hair.

"Do, do you know anything?"

"No, we know as much as you do. That it was an accident and there was gun fire and some of the tricks were over turned. And that they are bringing the wounded home to their families and the deceased..." She talks off and Tris pulls back nodding. They know the exact same thing.

Evelyn opened the door wider and pulled Tris in.

Tobias came from a big military family and all of Tobias's family was there, even his older brother and father. That means it is a big deal. This made Tris more scared than she already was before.

Her daughter, completely oblivious to this all, is playing on the floor of the couch, and everyone becomes silent when Tris enters the room. Her niece and nephews look scared because they just potentially lost there beloved uncle.

Tobias's older brother walks up to her and gives her a hug. They look exactly the same, execpt he is a bit shorter, they even smell almost the same. This cause her to break down. "He's going to be okay Tris." He whispers to her.

"How do you know, John?"

"Because I know my little brother, he's going to come waltzing in wondering who died and tell us to stop mopping around as he gives you and little Becca a hug, because that is how he is and I believe that it will happen."

He pulls apart and his little sister gives her a hug next. "Oh Sara." Tris whispers.

They pull apart and both look at the figure of authority in the room. He shows no emotion when he watches them, he doesn't even get up to greet her. "Beatrice." He says nodding to her.

"Marcus." She says back.

Then Tris's daughter starts making noises trying to gain her mother's attention, which she got. Tris walks over to her baby and notices something in her small chubby hands. "What do you have there baby?"

The baby squeals with delight after she finally got her mother's attention. She shows her mother the frame in her hands and squeals something that stabs Tris's chest to hear.

"Daddy."