"We are gathered here today to join this man and his woman in holy matrimony. If you think these two should not be wed please speak now or forever hold your peace." No one spoke it was quiet," Let’s continue do you Clay Bevans take Calista Brady to be your lawfully wedded wife through sickness and in health do death do your part as long as you both shall live?"
"I do"
"And do you Calista Brady take Clay Bevans to be your lawfully wedded husband through sickness and in health and do death do you part for as long as you both shall live?"
"I do"
"May I have the rings please?" a little blonde boy ran up and handed Clay and Calista the rings, "Repeat after me I take thee Calista Brady,"
"I take thee Calista Brady"
"To be my lawfully wedded wife."
"To be my lawfully wedded wife"
"Through sickness and in health"
"Through sickness and in health"
"Do death do you part for as long as you both shall live,"
"Do death do us part for as long as we both shall live," Clay took a hold of Calista’s hand and placed it on her finger.
"Calista repeat after me…I take thee Clay Bevans,"
"I take thee Clay Bevans,"
"To be my lawfully wedded husband,"
"To be my lawfully wedded husband,"
"Through sickness and in health"
"Through sickness and in health"
"Do death do you part for as long as you both shall live"
"Do death do us part for as long as we both shall live" Calista took a hold of Clay’s hand and slipped the ring onto his finger.
"I now pronounce you Mr. & Mrs. Clay Holmes Bevans… you may kiss the bride," Clay leaned in and kissed Calista in front of everyone. The pressure was all off now.
A month later Clay was walking down Lakes Street to South Beach Café to meet up with some of his friends to have a cup of coffee. He walked in and saw Adam sitting down in a near by booth.
"So what was so important you had to bring me down here Clay?" Adam asked as he took a sip of his coffee"
"I am leaving for Vietnam Adam…and the worst part is…is that I haven’t told Calista yet. I have tried so many times to tell her, but the words never came out the way I wanted them to," Clay explained.
"How long have you known?"
"About a week. I leave in 2 weeks…."
"That’s like not enough time Clay. How long are you gone for?"
"Mr. Scaper said about 6 months if not more… but what I wanted to ask you is will you come with me? I know you have a girlfriend and you promised her you wouldn’t go, but I need someone like my friend with me. What do you say?" Adam sat there and thought about it for a second. He did promise his girlfriend he wasn’t going to go, but his best friend that needed him too. Adam took his hand and ran it through his black hair and sighed.
"Clay, you are my best friend and we have done everything together. Sure I will go. I will sign up later on today. Even though Jalena said not too I wanted to join the Marines in the first place. I wouldn’t miss this for the world," Adam got up and walked over to Clay and gave him a hug.
"I am sorry I have to leave you like this, but I have to go and tell Calista that I am leaving. I will talk to you later," Adam nodded his head and Clay walked out of the café and down the street to where Calista was working. The Coopers Barber Shop. He walked in.
"Clayton honey what are you doing here?" she asked.
"I have to tell you something. And it’s really important. Is there somewhere… we can go and talk?"
"Yea right in here…" Clay and Calista walked into the room and sat down in a near by chair," Calista I am going to be going to war…I have known for about a week. I am sorry I should have told you sooner…its getting pretty rough out there and they need more help. I leave in 2 weeks,” Calista’s face turned into a frown. Her bright green eyes started to fill up with tears of sadness,” Calista please don’t cry. Everything will be fine,” he assured his wife.
“Clayton how long are you gone for?”
“Six months…” The tears started to roll down Calista’s face. Clay walked over to her and gave her a hug,” Calista please don’t cry. The next 6 months will go by fast I promise. I will write you everyday…”
“Clayton, I will miss you so much you don’t even know. We just got married a month ago and now you are leaving…”
“Calista I will miss you too…just promise me you won’t forget me when I am away,”
“Oh Clayton I will NEVER forget you…how is Adam taking it?” she asked.
“He is coming with me. He is signing up now. I wanted my best friend to come with me. Jalena isn’t going to take it well, but I hope she will understand…”
“I am sure she will Clayton. Now you run along home and get ready to go to war. I will be home in about an hour,” Clay and Calista walked out of the room and hugged each other and Clay walked out of the barbershop.
The next two weeks went by faster than Clay and Calista knew it. It was now the day that Clay was going to be shipped off to Vietnam.
“Calista I will miss you so much you don’t even know. Please don’t forget me. Here…these are the keys to our new home on the base they just assigned it to me… we move in as soon as possible…I got to go… I love you Calista,” Calista started to cry as Clay gave her a final hug and a kiss good-bye.
“I love you too Clayton I’ll be waiting for you when you come back…” Calista watched Clay walk onto the plane that was going to be taking them all to Vietnam.
“Clay we are really going to war”
“I know Adam I can’t believe it”
”Promise me if I die you’ll take care of Jalena”
“Adam I promise and do the same for me if I die,”
“I will Clay I promise” Clay and Adam started to feel the plane engines start up and they were now officially on their way to Vietnam.
====
Clay and Adam have now been in Vietnam for almost three months and it is starting to get hard being away from Calista. Clay sat in his bunk back at base and read a letter from Calista.
Clayton,
It is so hard being away from you. It is so lonely around here at the base without you. I met some of the other girls around here who are in the war right now. I miss seeing you and talking to you. Writing letters just isn’t the same anymore. You have been away. I can not imagine what you are going through my dear… we have been getting letters every day 20 a day now… I have been taking them to the girls around the base Kimberly Dickies just got word that her husband Corey got shot and killed. Clayton please be careful I love you….
Love,
Calista
Ps… I should have told you this sooner, but I did not know how to exactly tell you…but we are going to be parents…I just found out 2 weeks ago please come home soon…
Clay sat there and buried his head into his hands and couldn’t believe he was going to be a father. The thing he has been waiting for, for so long was now coming true. Clay got out a piece of paper from his bag and lifted up his pillow to find Calista’s senior picture lying there so peacefully.
Calista,
I am sitting here in my bunk missing you too. Yea, I knew who Corey was…he was a great kid he wasn’t much younger than me. It is starting to get really hard out here. I was out fighting just the other day and I saw something that I had never seen before. I was walking through the tall grass out in a field in the middle of nowhere when all the Vietnamese came out of no where and ambushed us! Poor little Corey Dickies were one of the first to get shot. I felt so sorry for him. I scooted across the ground to see if the poor little boy was okay…he was turned over I turned him over and his face was covered in blood. His skin was starting to peel off…I never saw anything so horrible in my life. All I could do is just cry I just felt so bad. I couldn’t imagine something being so horrible. I can not wait to see you in three months and be with you when you now just need me the most. I can not wait to be a father all the good times I will have with my little girl or my little boy all the baseball games all the dance rehearsals. I can’t wait Calista! It is going to be great. I got to go though…sorry this is so short my love…they need me to go out and fight some more…I promise to be careful as I usually am. I LOVE you
Love
Clayton
Clay sealed the letter and set it down on his bed. “Bevans! We need you now! Get your gun and go dammit go!” Sargent Richardson yelled. Clay did as he was told and grabbed his gun and the next thing he knew it was in a plane going out fighting.
“Okay guys you know the drill. Go out and fight. We have been out here for the past 3 months. The Vietnamese are getting stronger each time we come out here. Now Bevans you lead the group this time…and be careful. Go out into those woods out there. And beware for the Vietnamese they are disguising themselves.” Sargent Richardson explained.
“Will do sir. Bravo let’s go…” Clay and his troops went out into the cold and dark woods….
======
Calista roamed around the house waiting for the arrival of new letters to take to the families who have lost loved ones. She also awaited the new mail from her husband. She glanced out the window and she saw the mailman come up to her door and lay the yellow papers on her doorstep she knew it couldn’t be good. She walked out the door and picked up the little yellow pieces of paper and thumbed through them…none for her…she looked at the last name on the yellow paper Adam Jamerson…
“Jalena is going to be so upset. I wonder how Clayton is taking it?” she questioned herself as she walked out of the house carrying the letters. She walked down the road and saw Jalena standing outside batting the rug down on their front porch. She slowly walked over to her.
“How many do we have today?” she asked. Calista looked down at the pieces of paper that she held ever so tightly in her hand,” Oh Calista I am so sorry is it Clay? Did he get hurt?” Calista still couldn’t think of anything to say. She felt so bad for Jalena,” Calista are you okay? Are you going to say anything?” Calista handed her the piece of paper.
“Jalena I am so sorry…I can’t imagine what you are thinking and what you are feeling…” Calista brought Jalena into a hug.
“I told him I didn’t want him to go and this is what happens…Calista I told him I didn’t want him to go and he didn’t listen I wish he would have listened to me,” she cried.
“I didn’t want Clayton to go but he made the choice and I had to accept that…Jalena everything is going to be okay. You can come and stay with me for a while until you find a new place to live.” Calista explained.
“Okay Calista thank you so much. You are like my best friend right now. How many more letters do you have to deliver today?” she asked in-between sobs.
“I have 5 more…you want to come?” Jalena nodded her head.
=====
It has now been 6 months since Clay has been in Vietnam. He is starting to wonder if he will EVER go back home and see Calista.
“We have some news. All of you guys in Bravo are going home, but we STILL need some volunteers.” Clay’s head popped up. Even though he wanted to go home and be with Calista he wanted to stay and fight for his country.
“I will stay,” he said.
“Charlie Bravo are you sure you want to stay? You have a pregnant wife back home,” Sargent Richardson said.
“Yes sir, I am sure,”
“Anyone else want to stay?” No one spoke up,” Alright it looks like you are the only one soldier.” Clay took off his hat and walked to a near by tree and sat down in the dirt.
Dear Calista,
Hey beautiful…how are you doing? Good I hope Jalena is taking good care of you while I have been away. It’s been kind of lonely with out Adam here…I miss him a lot. He was like my best friend for god knows how long and now he is just g-o-n-e! And this is can be good news and bad news at the same time…our infantry is being sent home, but they need more people to go and volunteer…and I volunteered to stay. I am very sorry Calista I will be back before you know it…and I will be home just in time to see our little baby born…I love you and I miss you
Love,
Clayton
Clay knew this was going to be hard for him to do, but he had to do what a Marine had to do that that was to fight. He doesn’t even remember what he is exactly fighting for? Or if he is even fighting for nothing at all.
“Charlie Bravo you are now assigned to go with Juliet they are on their way out now to go and fight…” Clay nodded and grabbed his gun and was out on his way to fight yet once again. He flew for 20 minutes and landed in a near by field…
“Hey you new guy you will be under the command of Sargent Tim Kills…now go out there and fight…” Clay got off of the helicopter and onto the ground with his new commander.”
“Hey new guy you will be fighting on front lines…I heard you are a pretty good soldier. Now try not to get yourself hurt. I also heard your wife is pregnant and back home I will make sure of it that baby has a father when it is born…” Clay nodded and moved into the front lines with unfamiliar people. He looked ahead and saw the thousands of Vietnamese running towards them.
“Why did I ever agree to this why dammit why?” Clay whispered to himself. He felt like something was going to happen to him…he stood there frozen as the Vietnamese started shooting…Clay felt a sharp pain go into him he knew he had been hit.
“Charlie Bravo are you okay? I repeat Charlie Bravo are you okay?” Clay didn’t respond,” We need to get him to the hospital NOW…come on you slackers HELP this man into the helicopter now!” Sargent Kills scouted at the top of his lungs…2 young men about the same age as Clay picked him up and carried him to the stretcher and lifted him up onto the helicopter. Clay was barely even living when he arrived to base camp in North Vietnam.
“Get him in here now…is he still alive?”
“Yes doctor…he just got shot…they all said he froze up when he went onto the front lines…he was the only volunteer to stay when his infantry was getting sent back home…”
“Ah one of these kids…so young…let’s see if we can’t save this boy’s life…” the doctor walked over to a near by table and grabbed some rubber gloves and slapped them on…..
=========
Calista waited and waited for a letter from Clay the mailman came and she saw another yellow note. She knew it couldn’t be good… she saw a letter from Clay she opened it up it read:
Dear Calista,
Hey beautiful…how are you doing? Good I hope Jalena is taking good care of you while I have been away. It’s been kind of lonely with out Adam here…I miss him a lot. He was like my best friend for god knows how long and now he is just g-o-n-e! And this is can be good news and bad news at the same time…our infantry is being sent home, but they need more people to go and volunteer…and I volunteered to stay. I am very sorry Calista I will be back before you know it…and I will be home just in time to see our little baby born…I love you and I miss you
Love,
Clayton
Calista started to cry…Clay was going to be staying longer. She thumbed through the rest of the mail and saw a yellow slip of paper addressed to her. She immediately started to cry even harder. She couldn’t imagine their baby girl without a father figure in her life. She prayed that the letter was saying he was just hurt. She carefully opened it up.
Dear Mrs. Bevans,
We are informing you that your husband Clayton Bevans was hurt in combat last Wednesday. He is doing fine. He will not be able to come home for another four months—doctor’s orders. We are very sorry to worry you ma’am.
Sincerely,
Sargent Tim Kills
Calista sighed in relieve that Clay was still alive and well. Jalena came walking in.
“How many today?” Calista turned around Jalena saw her face and the yellow piece of paper in her hand,” Oh no! Please don’t tell me Clay died not now,”
“No, he volunteered to day longer and he got wounded really bad. He almost died. But he is okay. He is coming home in four months he is going to miss the birth of our first child,” Calista sobbed.
“Good I am glad he is okay when he comes home from Vietnam he’ll have something to look forward to. He’ll be okay Calista just remember I’ll always be here for you and the new arrival in about two months,” Jalena hugged Calista.
“I know Jalena I just wish he was going to be there,”
“I know Calista”
=============
Three months have now passed Clay still lays in an hospital bed the war is starting to affect him…someone he knew every day was getting killed or wounded. He was having a hard time dealing with the nightmares and the horrifying pains...something he wished would go away.
“Mail call! Bevans here’s your mail I believe it could be word on your new arrival. They handed Clay the envelope. He opened it as fast as he could.
Dear Clayton,
I am sorry you had to miss the birth of our first child your confined to a bed for another month. I just wanted to let you know we had a baby girl her name is Ashton Marie Bevans. She was born on January 31, 1975 at 6pm. She was 8lbs and 8oz. She looks just like you Clayton. I am sorry I don’t have a picture the doctor didn’t have a camera at the moment. I wish this next month would go by fast so we all can be a family and live a long and happy like together…Ashton is looking forward to meeting her daddy hurry up and come home.
Love,
Calista
Clay’s eyes started to water missing the birth of his first child was something so important.
“Well Bevans tell us?” all the guys waited patiently for an answer.
“I have a baby girl names Ashton Marie born January 31, 1975…just two weeks ago. I wish I could go back and just surprise her.
===========
Calista and Jalena heard something crash downstairs. “Jalena go and check it out”
“No… you it’s your home,”
“You’re older,” Jalena growled she slowly walked downstairs and walked around the corner she saw the tall man emerge from the darkness it was Clay.
“Clay! What why?” Jalena hugged him
“The doctor let me come home early. He decided that I needed to be here with Ashton and Calista where is she?” he asked.
“She is going to be so happy you’re here early. She is upstairs in your room,” Clay crept up the stairs and slowly opened the door to their room. Calista’s face lit up like flyer flies when he walked into the room.
“Clayton! I can’t believe it…it’s you yours home early,” she ran over to him and gave him a hug and a kiss,” I missed you so much Clayton you don’t even know. I am just glad you are here and a live also in one piece I love you,” Calista couldn’t help but start to cry all of her emotions coming out all at once.
“I missed you too Calista you can’t even imagine I am glad to be home. Where’s our daughter?” Calista took a hold of Clay’s hand and she took him into the next room in their Clay saw the crib that held his baby girl. She slowly walked towards the crib and looked in. There laid the brown-haired girl. He slowly picked her up she started to cry.
“ Shh…little girl it’s only it’s only me your daddy. I promise I wont leave you not now and not for a while,” Little Ashton’s eyes slowly opened and reveled her big blue eyes she slightly yawned and then smiled. Clay’s eyes started to water…they were now a family.
