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the door. “Especially today of all days. Can we come in?”
“Yes,” she said, her worst fears confirmed before the news was
officially delivered. “Honey,” she said to Hailey. The little girl had made
her way to the door, looking outside as if her father were going to join
them next. “Why don’t you take your stocking and go into your room
for a few minutes.” She took the stocking from the fireplace and handed
it to Hailey. The little girl ran down the hall, shoving her hand into the
stocking as she went.
“There was a rocket and mortar attack yesterday in Mosul,” the
First Sergeant said. “It was the largest in the history of the war in Iraq.
We’re sorry to inform you, but we lost three soldiers, and your husband
was one of them.”
“Oh my God,” she said, dropping into a chair. “Oh my God.”
***
Hailey peered out the window, the sound of the government car
pulling away. She turned as her mother entered the room.
“Honey, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“I already know,” Hailey said.
“You already know what, honey?”
“Daddy isn’t coming home,” she said. She was back on her bed
now, sifting through the candy and hand sized toys she had dumped
from her stocking.
“How do you know that, honey?”
“Daddy told me. Last night. He came to see me for Christmas.
Just like I’d asked Santa.”
“I think maybe you were dreaming, honey,” her mother said,
making her way over to sit on the bed, convinced her daughter was in
denial.
“No I didn’t,” Hailey said. “He gave me this.” She picked up the
battered and twisted AK-47 round that had been lying on her bed. “He
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