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Sgt. Henderson’s case is concerned, it was neither the easiest nor the most difficult case I’ve ever seen. I’ve performed nearly a hundred procedures identical to his and all outcomes were positive. It’s a time-consuming procedure, but the failure rate is exceedingly low. Unfortunately, the reason we’re so good at these surgeries is because we get a lot of soldiers coming back with these same sort of wounds, but it doesn’t change the fact that we’re damn good at it by now,” said Dr. Williams confidently, but with a certain solemnity in his voice.
    Relief washed over me. This was the first time all day that anyone had said anything that really reassured me things would be ok. I felt like hugging Dr. Williams right there in the elevator. Instead I turned my face up to him with a huge smile and simply said “Thank you.” But inside I could barely contain my joy. Darren was one of the lucky ones, quite lucky indeed to be under the care of a doctor as confident and competent as Dr. Williams.
    The elevator doors opened. Dr. Williams waited for me to exit then led me to Darren’s room, walking briskly down the hall to room 1095. When we got there I hesitated outside the door. Dr. Williams stopped to look at me.
    “I know this can be emotional time, but really, he’s fine. Come on in.”
    If only the doctor had known what was really on my mind. He had no idea how long I’d been waiting for this moment, how many letters had passed between Darren and I over the months spent anticipating his return. Then the letter from Paul and the sudden shock of Darren being wounded in combat. The days worrying as he was transported back to the States. And those final hours spent sitting in the waiting area, desperate for news of a successful surgery.
    I had to brace myself for what was about to happen next. I had built this reunion up in my head for so long and now it was happening, albeit it in a hospital room and not in a terminal at the airport. But I kept these thoughts to myself, taking a few deep breaths before following Dr. Williams through the doorway into the small hospital room.

CHAPTER 15
———
    When I entered, I found Darren lying back in his bed with his eyes closed. His arms were tan after those long months under the hot Middle Eastern sun, but his face was pale. A grimace was on his face, clearly he was in a great deal of pain despite all the medication. His arm itself was heavily bandaged, primarily around his bicep and his elbow.
    “The location of shrapnel around the elbow made this a particularly time-consuming surgery to perform, but by all indications we should expect a full recovery,” said Dr. Williams quietly to me.
    I nodded.
    “Sgt. Henderson, how are we doing?” asked Dr. Williams, announcing our presence to Darren.
    His eyes slowly opened, and I held my breath for that instant, searching for the reaction in his big blue eyes.
    “Good Doc,” he said weakly. Then his eyes lit up. “Lauren!? What are you doing here?”
    Suddenly energy had returned to his voice and a big smile made its way across his face.
    “Your friend Paul sent me a letter after you were wounded. I finally tracked you down to this hospital.”
    “Well, I’ll be damned,” said Darren contemplatively, still smiling and seemingly in awe at the situation.
    “I’ve got some things to go over with the patient, but that can wait. I’ll let you two re-acquaint yourselves and come back a bit later if that’s alright.”
    I nodded and mouthed “thank you” to Dr. Williams, watching as he exited the room. He closed the door behind him, leaving Darren and I alone for the first time in—well, I couldn’t remember exactly how long it had been since we’d been alone together like this.
    Darren waved me over to his bed with his good arm. I dropped my purse on the spare chair in the room and walked cautiously over to him, feeling awkward and, now that I was finally in front of him, having no idea what to say. What was there to