Free Shattered Dreams by Brenda Kennedy Page B

he tells me he loves
me, always and forever. He never did get our saying
right.  
    I get our pictures out from the top of the
closet and look at them. He is so handsome and strong. His smile is
as big as his heart. Max loves with his entire heart. I know people
say that men are afraid to love with their whole heart because they
are afraid of getting hurt, but not Max. He loves me with
everything that he is as a man.  
    I fall asleep and wake up to a crying baby. I
pick up all the pictures that are now scattered across my bed,
change James, and sit up in the rocking chair in the nursery
feeding him.  
    The next few days go by with
no word from Max. Danny runs every morning and Cheryl and I do yoga
and exercise to Tamilee Webb DVDs every
afternoon. Danny spends a lot of time on his cell phone talking to
I have no idea who. A knock sounds at the door, which Danny opens.
I walk up behind Danny thinking I am going to see Brooke and the
boys standing there. Instead I see Captain Stewart, Chaplain
Newman, and Sgt. Majors standing there with sad looks on their
faces. I shake my head and back up from the door. “No, God, no.
Please tell me it’s not true. God, please tell me it’s not
Max.” 
    “ May we come in, Mrs.
Greyson?” the Captain asks. 
    “ Danny? What is this about?”
Cheryl asks Danny and not the three men standing in the
doorway.  
    I back up until my legs hit
the couch. I sit down, but I can’t hear what is being said. I see
Cheryl raise her hands to her face and cry. Danny reaches out to
hold her and I can see tears fall onto his cheeks. I watch the
events unfold but I can’t hear what they are saying. Why can’t I hear anything?  
    Brooke scoots past the three tall men, who
are still standing in the doorway. She and the boys come over to
me, and she holds my hand. Tears now blur my vision, and I can no
longer see what is going on. I can hear everyone crying. I listen
and they say there was a booby trap and that Max was killed
instantly. I shake my head not believing what I am hearing. I sit
on the couch feeling numb. They are here to tell me Max isn’t
coming home, that Max is never going to come home
again.  
    I stand on shaky legs. I need to walk over to
them, but my legs refuse to move. Brooke stands with me and holds
my hand. Through blurred vision, I see the three men walk over to
me.  
    “ I’m sorry, Mrs. Greyson. We
wanted to confirm it to make sure it was indeed Sgt. Greyson before
contacting you. We plan to have Sgt. Greyson’s body flown here in
the next few days. We’ll be in touch with you about what you have
decided about funeral arrangements.” 
    The rest of what happens that day is a blur.
I don’t even remember going to bed. 
    “ Em, Emma, wake
up.”  
    I blink a few times and
smile. Max is lying beside me on the bed. He smiles and his clear
blue eyes are beautiful. “You’re here?”  
    “ I am, I have missed you.”
He says leaning over to kiss the tip of my nose. He gently caresses
my earlobe like he always does. I love you so
much.”  
    “ I love you and I have
missed you. I had a terrible dream.”  
    “ I know, Em, I just came by
to make sure you and James are all right.”  
    “ How long are you staying
for? Your mom and dad are still here.”  
    “ I know, I saw them. James
is getting so big. He looks just like you.”  
    “ I think he is handsome
like you.” I lean over and touch Max’s scruffy
face.  
    “ Em, if you need anything,
I want you to ask my dad or your dad. Don’t be afraid to ask them;
they will want to help you. And please, tell James how much I love
him.”  
    “ I love you,” I say, trying to memorize every word he
says. 
    “ I love you, always and
forever?” He smiles at me.  
    “ Forever and always,” I
correct.  
    I wake up to the sound of
people talking. I look at Max’s side of the bed and it is
untouched; he hasn’t been here. The pain in my chest tells me that
Max is gone. I have no idea how much time