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Memorial
By: Eve Karma
Other: This is my "what if?" story, as in "What if there was another war?" I just wish I knew the dates of the Vietnam war. By the way, this Josh is in no way related to Josh in The West Wing. Enjoy!
His father died in Vietnam.
Josh was two when it happened.
He couldn't remember his father.
It didn't stop him from loving him.
Every once in a while they would walk to the Memorial, gazing at all of the flowers, and the candles, and the names, until they came to his. Luke Madison.
Josh would run his fingers over his father's name, remembering what his mother had told her son about him.
They would linger for a few more minutes, each deep in their own thoughts.
~~~~~
When war broke out, everyone panicked. No one thought America was ready. Everyone thought there would be a draft.
Except her.
Until the Wednesday night that changed everything.
The ringing phone greeted her as she entered her apartment and dropped her keys on the table.
It was Josh.
"Meet me at the Memorial." was all he said before hanging up. He never went at night.
She knew. Somehow, she knew.
~~~~~
She walked up behind him silently and watched as he traced the letters of his father's name with his fingertips.
Then, sensing she was there, he turned around. He was crying.
"You're leaving." It wasn't a question.
"Yeah."
"When?"
He looked at his watch. "I have to be at the airport in an hour."
The wind whipped her ash-blonde hair around her face, hiding the tears that streamed down her cheeks.
They hugged, and during their long embrace she felt him slip something into her jacket pocket. She didn't think it was important.
"Write when you get there." was all she said. He kissed her and left.
They did not feel the need to say "I Love You." They did not feel the need to say "Goodbye."
~~~~~
On her walk home, she stopped at the Clubhouse Diner. She was sitting at the counter, red-rimmed eyes boring into the decaf she cradled, when she remembered.
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small box. Puzzled, she popped it open and read the note inside.
"Jessica," it read, "Marry me when I get back. All my love, Josh."
Nestled in the box was a ring with a diamond in the middle. Tiny diamonds lined the band.
She knew instantly that it had been his grandmother's, whom he had told her so much about.
She slipped the ring onto her finger, paid the check, and left.
~~~~~
She never told anyone that she was engaged. Whenever someone asked about the ring, she told them that she had found it in an antique store and was sure it was fake.
She looked at the ring too often, knowing that they would be together again soon-they would be a family.
~~~~~
Several months after that Wednesday night, she got the call. Josh had been shot.
Josh was dead.
She didn't know what to do. So she went to the Memorial and ran her fingers over his father's name.
After college, she had always wanted to go home-to California.
But that night, she realized that, at least until the war was over, her home was there. In Washington, D.C.
~~~~~
Someday, there would be a place commemorating those who were lost in that horrible war.
She could go there and mourn for Josh.
But until then, she had to take his place. She had to keep up his tradition. At the Memorial.
(c) September 2001
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