Free The Love Letters: A Novella by Ashley Pullo

hockey in high school . . . and later, I’ll do that thing you like with my tongue,” she whispers.
    “Deal.”
    2100 hours
    “Zach, I’m so happy.” Natalie places my arm around her shoulders as we curl up on the sofa to watch Gremlins .
    We spent the afternoon ice skating in Bryant Park. I only fell once, and Natalie decided to take that opportunity to straddle and kiss me. We received some applause from skaters and then a pimply-faced employee actually blew a whistle.
    On our way back to the apartment, we bought a red Christmas tree (Nat’s choice of course) and some seafood paella from Gristedes. After two bottles of wine and a loaf of bread, we decided to screw dinner and just have sex.
    “Kiss me,” I say as I pull her onto my lap. I’m leaving in the morning and I want to tell her, but instead, I keep my promise and simply kiss away the dread. Time has no meaning when I’m with her, but knowing that I will soon be without her is torture. Our lips part and she starts to cry. “Ma femme, please,” I beg.
    “I wish, I wi—” she says between gasps of air.
    “Tell me. Tell me what you want, but please don’t break my heart.”
    She shakes her head firmly as I wipe away every single one of her tears. I cradle her in my arms under the red glow of the lighted tree and we watch the entire movie – in perfect silence.
    2002-12-18
0700 hours
    Twenty minutes of scorching hot water penetrating my skin and the only pain I feel is heartache. The moment I step out of the bathroom, she’ll know . . . she’ll know that I’m leaving her. Fucking, fucking shit!
    I turn off the water and quickly dry myself off. I wrap the towel around my waist and dart into the bedroom. I’m going to tell her – I need to see her face when I tell her I love her.
    I push open the door and yell her name excitedly, “Natalie! Natalie, I love—”
    The bed is empty.
    I run into the kitchen and shout her name. But there’s no answer. Her red coat is missing from the hook by the door and it suddenly becomes very clear. She can’t bear to see me leave and frankly, I don’t want her to. I slowly walk back to the bedroom to get dressed and pack my shit.
    I smile when I reach the dresser and find a small plastic snow globe on top of a piece of paper.
    My dearest Zacharie,
    The cab company called while you were in the shower. They’ll be here at 8:15 a.m. to take you to JFK. They also mentioned some sort of $5-off-coupon that can be found in the Yellow Book, but I accidentally spilled a glass of wine on the phone book ages ago and tossed that mofo!
    The snow globe is mine – leave it! Don’t worry, I got you one as well. Your snow globe is packed safely inside your sexy pair of black briefs. Did I ever mention you’re wasting a perfectly fine ass in the Marine Corps? You should really be modeling underwear – goddamn you’re hot!
    There’s also a bottle of Virgil’s barbecue sauce wrapped in a pair of my recently worn red lace panties. Two things you LOVE to suck off your fingers . . . I know, I know – I’m a naughty girl!
    Okay, so when you get sad or lonely, just remember . . .
    I will be your light in the darkness and the pleasure during your despair. I’m more than just your star, I will forever be your beacon.
    Come home to me.
    xo Nat

2002-12-24
Camp Hammond
Kabul, Afghanistan
Lt. Parker-Operation Lab Coat
1600 hours
    “Hey, Parker, you ready for hoops or what?” Dr. Harry Fisher is a dental surgeon with the Navy and my bunk mate – basically we’re fraternity brothers sharing a dorm room and serving our country.
    My temporary home in Afghanistan is the most coveted base in the region. Camp Hammond is a Combined Forces base near the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. It’s known for its impressive amenities – like toilets, wifi and karaoke night. It was previously some sort of palace, but the military decided to pour cement and drop in a few shipping containers to accommodate the men and women serving in