Unfinished Business

Never alone

Brantley POV

  I am walking with Savannah as she asked me to go with her to meet the plane. I know she is hurting and trying to keep it all together. Well they all are, her dad is in soldier mode and we all know that. I told Savannah that I would be there for her in any way that she wanted for as long as she wanted. I meant every word. We are standing and the planes gate lowers and the sight that I see takes my breath. There is a casket with Old Glory draped across it and standing on each side is 3 soldiers, battle worn and weary bringing their brother home. I hear Savannah's breath hitch and she walks to the bottom to wait for the casket. As it gets to the bottom, they stop. Each soldier hugs Savannah and I watch as she touches the casket and as she leans on it her sobs can be heard by all. Her body is wracked and she is crying so hard I don't see how she is still standing. My heart is breaking for her and the friend that she has to say goodbye to. Her dad walks up and tells her to get ahold of herself. The soldiers all place their hands on her back and I make my way to her as the give her something that she clutches to her chest and the sob that tears from her throat I haven't ever heard and hope to God I never hear again. It tares my heart out. I place my hand on her back letting her know I am here and in that moment I feel her body go limp. I catch her in my arms and lift her bridal style. She has a death grip on what they gave her.
   I stand and watch as they load the casket in the hearse and after the door closes, the Commander walks over and said," the car will take y'all to where you will be staying. It's a house on base and when Savannah is up and has read the letter she can be in touch with me on what arrangements she wants made for the funeral and when. " with those words he walks off. I carry Savannah to the car and place her in the back seat and crawl in and let the young driver take us to the house.
  As I carry Savannah in she wakes up and looks at me. I kiss her on the forehead and tell her to rest we can talk after she gets some sleep. It's 12pm and she has been up over 24 hours. I take her dress off and lay her in the bed and then I strip down to my underwear and climb in bed behind her and pull her close. I know she's not gonna sleep long but she needs it.
Savannah begins to stir and I watch as she slowly wakes up. She smiles when she sees me and then I see the reality hit her in the face. I pull her onto my chest and she holds me tight to her and says," I need to read the letter and plan the service but I would just really like to go back before all this happened. I'm not ready to deal with it but it is something I promised him. Thank you for being with me through this."
I kiss her and tell her," I am here for whatever and however long you need me." She kisses me and gets up and slips on my shirt and heads into the kitchen. I pull on my pants and follow her. She is fixing a pot of coffee and has pulled out a notebook and pen. She fixes a cup of coffee and sits down and pulls out the envelope that had her name on it. I watch as she sits and stares at it. She runs her finger over the writing and I pour myself some coffee and start to head out and she whispers ," Stay I can't do this alone."
I sit down and drink my coffee and I watch as she takes a deep breath and opens the envelope .

Savannah POV

I trace my name that is written in Shooters handwriting. As Brantley starts to leave I ask him to stay with me cause I know I can't do this alone. I open the envelope and I take out the papers inside the best I can cause my hands are shaking and I can't stop them. I open up the papers and I see his handwriting flowing over the paper and I began to read,

Savannah,
  If you are reading this, it means that I will have made it to Arlington and that I am not going to get to dance with you at your wedding or be godfather to your children. It also means that I don't get to see your smile or feel your hugs when I come home.  It means that I will never be a dad or a husband but we both know it's hard to do that and be a Seal. Your mom and dad and mine were the exception. You  have been part of my life as long as I can remember, I love you and I always will doll face, never forget that.
    I know I am asking a lot of you to do this but I know that you are strong enough to do this you are a Seal in every sense. Do the Arlington service but first take me home to Tuscaloosa and have a service for all our friends there. Go to Jupiter or Rounders and drink one for me please. Oh I know you quit drinking but Savannah you never had a problem drinking you had a problem that you didn't want to face and that was you knew all along he wasn't for you. If you had a problem drinking then I would have been the first to kick your ass. I have never been afraid to call you on your shit so remember that. I don't really care where the service is but I am partial to Bryant Denny. You know that is where we spent some of the greatest times cheering on our Tide. Those moments with you I hold close to me over here, those are the memories I hold onto when things get rough. I know that back home I have a blonde haired blue eyed girl who looks at me with love and can make me laugh with a look. So please have the service and I am asking one more thing of you and that is will you do my eulogy?  I know you are mad that I am asking this but doll face there isn't any one who knows me better or who loves the Seals any more than you. So please I ask this one last thing from you, I know I have no right to because it's gonna be hard and if the tables were turned I know I couldn't do it if you asked me to do yours but please??
  Again, I cannot tell you enough how much I love you and I hope that you will think of me fondly over the years and move on. Don't stay stuck on my death, live life for both of us. Make all our dreams come true and take the chances that come your way. I didn't want to die and leave you but it looks like God had other plans. Just know that I love you!
Forever and always your brother,
Shooter

As I read the letter the tears fall and the anger comes and then tears again. I know what must be done and I have so many things to work out. I hand the letter to Brantley so he can read it and I watch his reactions and he says,"So you need to talk to your dad to get the ball rolling on all this."
"Yes and then we will see but it looks like we are going home to Tuscaloosa then back here to Arlington. I know he thinks I am strong enough but I'm not so sure but I will give it my best shot."
Brantley comes and wraps me in his arms and I know that when I am weak he will be there to help keep me strong.