Finally, I picked up a pad of letter paper and a pen and began to write. Hello Catherine My name is Eric Steiger. I am a lieutenant in the United Stat...s Navy stationed in Afghanistan. Your father was correct, I can use every one of the items you sent. Thank yo so very much for your thoughtfulness and kindness. Words cannot express how much your gifts mean to me. I have been here a little over four months, and yes, it is lonely. My parents are both gone and I have no other living relatives. I. "Can't be. We killed her."I almost turned around and rearranged his nose for a second time. Not because he'd just flat admitted what he'd done, but because he'd said the "S" word in the presence of what might actually be a miracle. I grabbed a handful of his shirt and dragged him with me, my fist digging into his throat, choking off his protests. Reaching the base of the podium I shoved him to his knees, humbling him, leaving him to try to work out the dent in his Adam's apple that my grip had. And this was the first time he actually said they were leaving. Maybe my mind was just grasping at straws, but I could always hope.The next few days were going to be the longest of my life. All I wanted was to have him home safe and wake up next to him and let the weight of the constant worry lift off my shoulders. It’s hard to explain the emotion; how you never lay your head down without your cell phone on your pillow; never turn on the news because you don’t want to hear it.Nick and I had. I thanked her, and as it was already too late to try to intercept Rachel should she decide to call at her flat on her way from work, I did not bother to make another fruitless journey to check her flat.I went home satisfied that the job at work had been well done, but with the hollow feeling of loneliness as I went about cooking a meal for one. I had never felt lonely in my flat before, but after those heady days with Rachel with all the expectations she brought, the emptiness of the place.