Henry's war

It was cold surreal day and I had not yet heard from my Henry.  We wrote each other at least once a week, but with the war going on we could not find as much time to keep in touch.  It had been a year now to the day when I last saw him standing they’re proclaiming his love for me.  Bitterly I sulked for days, weeks, and even months because I could not have Henry by my side.  I realized recently that Henry was doing something important serving his country, which was being threatened by Japan.  So I decided I needed to be more supportive and less selfish for Henry did not like being away from me, but he felt obligated to fight for his country.  The war was coming to an end now and Henry would soon be home safe and in my arms away from the casualties and disasters this war has brought.  I heard on the radio that a peace treaty would be in order, but I am not sure as to what the terms may be. I was so worried because Henry and I had yet to communicate and I really needed to know if he was ok.  He fought in the trenches and I knew that would mean he could die at any given moment, but he managed to survive and I only prayed that he did in deed survive.  I had heard of the conditions in which he lived and 1

the horrid weapons especially the poisonous gas and the mask he had two times put on to protect himself from.  I even heard of what many called “no man’s land” where many soldiers including some I knew died by way of bullets springing out of the “machine gun” and immediately piercing through there skin.  How could these people be so violent and feel so much animosity? I did not know, I only knew that I wanted my Henry home with me so that we may be together and live our lives making sure that they other is happy.  The radio has come on and the president has announced to everyone that we have reached an agreement and or a treaty of peace.  Germany has lost a lot and it seems that we have back down a bit letting Russia and Great Britain have their way with the Germans.  I do not know that this is a good idea, but our country has a way with looking the other way and not speaking up sooner.  I just cannot believe that the U.S. a powerful nation would be so scared to speak up, but what can you do if you have no authority or say in the matter?  Suddenly the doorbell rang and I literally jumped out of my seat and ran cautiously to the door hoping and praying that this was Henry and that he was ok.  For if it was not then that could only mean one thing he was dead or badly injured and I could not bare the thought of either one occurring.  I opened the door and I saw a man I barely recognized his eyes looked tired and his facial expression was worn out, but he was very alert.  He looked up at me and smiled slightly, my Henry was alive and standing before me, but something just wasn’t right.  He told me that he loved me and that he missed me, but he had changed war had changed him.  He saw so much death, pain, and sorrow and he needed comfort in which he could not have every day.  My letters comforted him for a while, but soon he realized he needed something more he needed to feel wanted not just emotionally, but physically.  It’s what he said after that, which broke my fragile love struck heart.  He met someone a Japanese girl they had held captive and he and her almost immediately clicked.  There was intense attraction and a bond soon formed and in that bond they began to see one another not just for emotional reason, but physical ones as well.  He had been unfaithful, but I could have forgiven him if he did not say what he said next.  He told me he loved her and that she already had given birth to his child who he named after me (Jane).  I cried and let out a shrieking scream my proper manners soon disappeared and I became quite hostile.  Henry kept saying, “I am so sorry Jane, I love you and I never meant for this to happen.”  I just could not understand how he could still love me and how he told me in all his letters that he couldn’t wait to be with me.  He said it was all-true, but that he loved her to and he was now obligated to be with her, but he still wanted to be with me too.  I knew that something was wrong with him because he started talking about having two wives and having a family.  I stared at him for a while and tuned out his words of insanity only to realize that I did not recognize him anymore.  He was not Henry he was someone else so with that I backed into my house said “Goodbye Henry” and closed the door in his face and in my future.  The war wasover peace had been made, but Henry did not make it back to me he died in this war.  The First World War and hopefully the last. 2