In Love and War

A story from my grandmother: (names and locations have been changed to preserve anonymity)

Charles and John were best friends as well as next door neighbors. The two boys were the same age and attended the same schools. John had a sister 5 years younger named Mary, who would tag along with the boys on their adventures from time to time. As they grew older, Mary matured into a beautiful young lady that Charles became very fond of. For years, Charles wanted to tell Mary his feelings for her, but he felt he had nothing to offer her and so he kept his feelings to himself.

When Charles and John were 22, World War II had begun and the U.S. was drafting soldiers and sending them off to fight overseas. Charles wanted to see Mary before he left, wanted to tell her how he felt for fear of never making it back home to see her again. Charles waited for Mary to walk her home after school one day when he saw her walk out laughing and giggling with another young man. Assuming that there was something going on between Mary and the young man, he left without talking to Mary and went overseas to fight in the war.

Charles made it back 2 years later. He found out from her family that she was working as a secretary and still single. He made it a point to go to her and finally tell her how he felt. He had gone to surprise her after work one day when he found out from a co-worker that Mary had left early to get ready for a date. Charles decided that he had bad timing and decided he would leave Mary alone. Mary eventually got married 3 years later, as did Charles and they both led good lives. Mary gave birth to 3 children, and Charles had 2 of his own.

20 years later, Charles, walking in the streets of New York City, ran into Mary. They stopped and decided to grab a cup of coffee together. A flood of feelings that Charles had for Mary came rushing back to him, and he could hold it in no longer. Charles told Mary how for years he had longed for her, that he had always wanted her to be more than just his best friend's younger sister. How during the times he was fighting overseas, it was the thought of her that gave him the strength he needed to survive and come back home. How he had waited for her after school that day, how he had come by her office when he returned, how for so many nights he had hoped to have a chance to tell her how he felt. Mary was crying steadily as Charles told her this. For all these years, she had never known that Charles had these feelings for her. Yet, when she thought about it, she knew that life would have been good with Charles, perhaps even better than the life she was living now.

As their conversation came to a close, Charles gave Mary a hug and told her that he would always love her. The two then parted ways, never to see each other again. Mary lived her life with her husband and kids, and Charles lived his with his wife and children.

The End.