Fifteen Days

He’ll be home for a full fifteen days, she said.

Her face so full of joy.

And they don’t count the transport time, she said.

A full fifteen days.

 

Her son will be returning home from Iraq.

His wife will join him.

They’ll all be together again.

For fifteen days.

 

She’ll sleep soundly.

She’ll laugh without hesitation.

Now she won’t have to worry.

For fifteen days.

 

I’m getting through it, she said.

The anticipation of him having to leave was almost worse.

But now he won’t leave again.

For fifteen days.

 

We get emails from him, that helps, she said.

Yet sometimes it’s better not to know.

But there’ll be no need to worry about his safety now.

For fifteen days.

 

They’ll too soon say goodbye again.

Their hearts will break once more.

But they’ll let him go, knowing he’ll be back.

For another fifteen days. 

                        ​                               -Patricia A. Nugent