The Jade Butterfly by Dawn Gardner

Author:Dawn Gardner [Gardner, Dawn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-04-12T16:00:00+00:00

December 1971

It was a week before Christmas. Jack had been gone since the beginning of September. First it was basic training, then another training. Joni ached for him. After her shift, she went by the garage to see his dad. She seemed to miss him less there. Joni moved quickly from the car to the garage, even though the door was open, the heaters kept the space inside warmer than the cold December air. Jack father’s was with a customer, so Joni wandered out to the back courtyard area where she first saw Jack. Joni closed her eyes and imaged the hot summer day, the sound of the ping pong ball and Jack’s body moving at the table. Opening her eyes, she realized Jack was not there. She moved back inside to see if Jack’s father was finished with the customer.

“Hi there lovely lady.” He said.

Joni went over and gave him a big hug. She came to visit about once a week. It made both of them feel better to talk about Jack. “Hi. Sure is cold today, and here I brought you some cinnamon rolls. Jack shared the recipe with me. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Oh, I guess I’ll have to try them.” He winked, lifted the foil and sniffed. “You’re so sweet. Now, my turn. I got something that’s going warm you up.” Jack’s father smiled like a mischievous child.

“Please tell me.”

He went over to the wooden table and underneath the tool box was a letter from Jack. He pulled out the letter from the envelope and pointed to the very end of the letter.

Joni read the portion of the letter, …Dad, I’m coming home. I got my MOS and where I’m going. Tell you about that when I get there. But the great thing is I’ll be home on Christmas eve and have leave for a week and a day. Don’t tell Joni, I want to surprise her on Christmas eve.

Joni wanted to be mad at him, but she couldn’t. She was so excited that he’d be home for Christmas.

“Now, you listen here. No word to him that I spilled the beans, you hear.”

“My lips are sealed. I won’t rat you out.”

“I wanted you to know because you been moping around and it’s getting to be Christmas. Now, you need to get a tree and I’ll bet my bottom dollar, he’s going to have a gift for you. So I wanted you to be prepared.”

“I haven’t even gotten a tree. I will today, I’ve so much to do to get ready!” Joni pulled Jack’s father in for another hug. “Thank you,” she whispered in his ear.

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