Chapter 13 - Facing the PastA week before my due date, I decided to visit the military cemetery where Michael was laid to rest. It was a crisp, clear afternoon, the autumn leaves painting the rolling hills in shades of amber and crimson.
I walked slowly down the stone pathway, my hand resting gently on my swollen belly, until I reached headstone 404. I knelt down, brushing a stray leaf off the polished granite surface that bore Michael’s name, rank, and dates of service.
"Hey, honey," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "I missed you today. But I wanted to tell you... Project Orion is fully operational. Thousands of soldiers are going home safe to their families because of what you started and what we finished together."
I pulled a small, laminated ultrasound photograph from my pocket and placed it carefully at the base of the headstone, securing it with a smooth river stone.
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"Our little boy is coming any day now," I continued, a tear slipping down my cheek, catching the sunlight. "He has your eyes, I can already feel it. And he is going to grow up knowing that his father was a hero who never stopped fighting—not just for his country, but for us."
As a gentle breeze rustled the canopy overhead, I felt a sudden, reassuring warmth wrap around me, like an invisible pair of arms holding me tight. It was the exact same feeling I used to get when Michael wrapped his military sweatshirt around my shoulders on cold winter nights.
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