Uncle Will looks at my friends, then asks, “Could we have a few minutes?”
“Oh,” Audrey exclaims, standing up. “Duh. Sure. We’ll just…” she waves a hand and leads Isla and Elan out of the room.
“Okay, what’s going on? I ask.
Aunt Ruthie looks like she has no clue.
“I have some news.”
“About Dad?” I ask, sitting up straighter. Thank God the cough has diminished, and I no longer feel like I’m hacking up a lung.
He nods and pulls a chair close to the bed on the opposite side as Aunt Ruthie. “Sorry to just ambush you,” he tells her.
“She’s not supposed to get stressed out,” Aunt Jillie warns him.
He cringes. “There’s no way this news can wait. I’m sorry.”
“Just tell me!” I say, pulling on his shirt sleeve.
“They found your dad’s dog tags.”
My heart drops, and the smile that was on my face, falls, giving way to tears.
“So, he’s dead for sure?”
Uncle Will takes my hand into his and kisses it. “He’s alive, Jillie.”
My heart leaps, and I want to shout and dance and scream.
“But he’s hurt pretty bad.”
Happy balloon deflated.
“Tell me. Please. Jesus God, he’s alive!” I look at Aunt Jillie through my tears. “He’salive.”
She nods at me through tears of her own.
“He was taken in by some of the civilians when they saw him. They knew he wouldn’t make it until help arrived. They jumped in and did what could be done there, then took them into their home to help them.”
“Them?”
“A couple of the guys weren’t going to make it, so they helped.”
“Who are they? Why did they help him? Is he back in military care now?” I ask.
“They’re some Afghan civilians who believe in our country’s cause, and, yeah, he’s back with the military. They flew him to Germany. They have a great hospital there,” he says.
“I know you’re stalling,” I mention even as my stomach ties into knots. I swallow hard. “What are his injuries, Uncle Will?”
He looks down at our joined hands, then back into my eyes. “He lost his left leg—”
“Oh God.”
“Below the knee.”
“Still,” I say.
“He was unconscious, and he had some burns on the left side. I don’t know all the details, but they’re coming in.”
