A Little Slice of Heaven (27 page)

Okay, that wasn’t it. She loved her daughter and would miss her an enormous amount. She couldn’t help it. Even more than that, she worried for her safety. She didn’t want her only child to die on some barren hillside in the Middle East.

Her husband hadn’t been much help. Floyd seemed to embrace the idea of Cami serving her country. He’d even helped her buy everything he thought a young soldier should have. Good running shoes, a duffel bag, and a phone card. He wanted to get her a haircut too, but Cami balked.

While Elaine cried, Floyd beamed.
A lot of help he is.
 

“
Cami,” Elaine heard her husband say from upstairs, “I put your duffel bag in the car.” They’d all agreed to pack the car the night before so they wouldn’t have to worry about it in the morning.

Elaine heard her daughter bound down the steps in the other room. Her eyes glazed over. She pictured her five-year-old with blonde pigtails, sliding down the banister. Tears filled her eyes. Cami entered the kitchen doorway and Elaine turned away.

“
Hey, Mom,” she said.

Elaine wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve and looked back at her daughter.

Cami’s sandy-blonde hair was pulled back in a hair clip and her green eyes danced with excitement.

She’s beautiful.

“
Need any help?”

Elaine shook her head and returned to removing the husks from the corn. “No, honey. This is your day. You just relax.”

Cami stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Elaine’s neck, resting her chin against Elaine’s hair. “Mom, I hope you know how much I love you.”

She choked. “I know.”

“
And I’ll miss you so much.”

Now the tears flowed. “I’ll miss you too.”

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