Mary hummed to herself as she walked down the driveway to the mailbox. Just after Easter Sheila had been victim to a stroke. Since then she’d been in and out of hospital for treatment leaving Mary alone in the house all day. Mary loved the arrangement; she could do anything she wanted. She read, and cooked, and on one occasion found her way back into her sewing room but the memories of Nick were too much and she sealed the room back up.

There was many times in the past few years that she had found an excuse to go into town and see him. Whether it was through a window, or on the street, she didn’t care; she just wanted to make sure he looked healthy and happy. It made her jealous to know that he had moved on. He had friends, he had fun and he did it all without her. She often wondered if he ever thought about her. As Mary sorted through the mail, a peculiar envelope caught her eye. It was addressed to her, she never got mail, and the envelope was also clean of any stamps or postmarks so it was obvious that the sender had delivered it. She walked quickly to the house, dropping the rest of the mail on the foyer table. Mary ripped into her letter, a sinking feeling coming over her that it may not be good news. 

It wasn’t good news at all, she discovered immediately. The letter was from Robert; he wanted her to know that Nick was leaving for Africa in two days. If she wanted to say goodbye (for what could be the last time) then she should come to the train station to see him off. He also said that he always thought she was a good person, and was sorry the way things had turned out for her and Nick. 

She read the words over again; not believing it could be true. She knew it was a possibility, even Jonathon had gotten a draft letter but for some reason she never let herself believe that Nick might go too. He was going though; her Nick was going to war and might never come back. Her Nick. Mary couldn’t let him leave without seeing him first. She wasn’t sure why Robert had decided to write her, but she was forever grateful. She had to tell him how she felt so he could leave knowing he had to come back for her. 

So two days later she woke up early, watching the rain falling outside the window. Nick’s train to New York was leaving at eight and from there he would take a boat to northern Africa. She got out of the house before Jonathon woke up, having told him the night before that she was going to see his mother that morning in the hospital. She took a cab to the train station and pulled her coat around her tightly for warmth as she looked around at the sea of faces on the platform. Men in uniform, women in tears, it didn’t take her long to find Nick. He was standing with his father, solemnly and silently. Mary approached them, and Robert smiled slightly as he spotted her. 

Nick followed his father’s gaze, shocked to see Mary walking towards him, “What are you doing here?” he breathed, his eyes still wide. 

“I came to see you off,” Mary smiled brightly, not wanting to let on that she was nervous to see him and scared to see him go. 

Robert smiled then stepped forward to hug Nick quickly, “Don’t forget to write,” he instructed before giving Nick his goodbyes. 

The pair watched the older man walk inside the station before turning their attention back on each other. 

“Did he tell you I was leaving?” Nick questioned. 

Mary nodded her head and wrung her hands together nervously, “I’ll write to you also!” she blurted, looking up at him, “I need to know where you are and that you’re safe.”

“You actually think Sheila O’Hara would let you write to someone like me?” Nick asked sceptically. 

“I don’t care!” Mary stated firmly, “I need to know, I love you!” 

The last thing Nick wanted was another reason to wish he wasn’t going but he would rather go knowing that someone back home loved him and wanted him back just as much as his family. “I thought,” he began, searching for the best words, “I thought I had lost you forever.”

Mary smiled then reached up to touch his cheek, “Never, I’ll always be yours.”

They gazed into each other’s eyes, only interrupted when the train’s whistle blew and people started shuffling to get their things and say their goodbyes. 

“You better not come home with a girlfriend,” Mary teased.

Nick smiled in return, kissing the back of her hand, “I’ll be coming home for you.”

They hugged each other tightly then Nick picked up his bag and headed for the train. As soon as he was in a car he opened the window and waved to Mary.

“I’ll write you as soon as I can!” he promised.

“I’ll be waiting,” Mary smiled, her expression changing to shock as she reached for her purse, “I almost forgot!” she pulled out a photograph then ran over to hand it to Nick through the window, “To make the other guys jealous,” she explained with a grin. 

Nick smiled, looking at her face in the black and white portrait. The whistle blew again as the train started to move. From the platform Mary blew Nick a kiss, which he caught and put in his pocket for later. And as the train pulled away Mary wiped a solitary tear from her face, wondering how they could ever be together. 

She had to find a way.