He had lost himself.
And now, I was leaving. “What about him?” My voice wavered.
The officer softened slightly. “He has family.
We’ll contact them now that we know who he really is.”
I took a shaky breath, one last glance at the stranger I had poured my heart out to.
Then I squared my shoulders and turned back to the officer. “Take me to my husband.”
The two-hour drive to the hospital felt endless. My fingers were numb from gripping the seat, my heart a wild drumbeat in my chest.
Every turn, every mile, brought me closer to Ethan.
My Ethan. When we finally arrived, I barely waited for the car to stop before I bolted inside.
The nurse at the front desk barely had time to glance up before I was already demanding, “Ethan. Where is he?”
She didn’t ask questions—one look at my face and she pointed down the hall.
“Room 214.”
I ran.
I burst through the door, my breath catching in my throat. And there he was. Propped up in bed, bandages wrapped around his arms and a healing gash along his temple, Ethan looked weak—but alive.
His deep brown eyes met mine, and for a second, neither of us moved.
Then, in a voice rough from disuse, he whispered, “Jenny?”
A sob broke free from my chest as I rushed to his bedside, grabbing his hand, and feeling the warmth of his skin. “I’m here.
I’m right here.”
His fingers curled around mine, weak but firm. “I thought—I kept calling, but you never—”
“They sent you to the wrong hospital, Ethan.
I was with someone else.
They thought he was you.” My voice cracked, and fresh tears slid down my cheeks. “I would never leave you. Never.”
His eyes softened, guilt flickering across his face.
“God, Jenny… I was so scared.”
I pressed my forehead against him, breathing him in.
“Me too.”
For a long time, we just held onto each other, letting the silence speak for all the words we couldn’t say. He had been through hell.
So had I. But we were here.
Together.
Then, after a moment, I saw it—the look in his eyes. A quiet resolve, a decision already made. “You’re thinking about something,” I said, pulling back just enough to study his face.
A faint smile ghosted his lips.
“I am.”
I waited, my heart pounding. “I’m done, Jenny.” His voice was steady now, firm.
“I can’t do this anymore. I can’t keep putting you through this.
I can’t keep risking my life, knowing that one day, I might not come back.”
Tears welled in my eyes again, but this time, for a different reason.
“Ethan, are you sure?”
He nodded, squeezing my hand. “I’ve given everything to my country. But now… I want to be home.
With you.
With our family.” His voice broke. “I want to be there for the little things.
The bedtime stories, the first days of school, the holidays. I don’t want to miss any more of it.”
A sob escaped me, but I was smiling.
“Ethan…”
He exhaled, closing his eyes for a moment before looking at me again, his gaze filled with certainty.
“I fought for my country,” he murmured. “Now, I’m ready to fight for us.”
Source: amomama
