Chaplain Manuela Ortiz – Thomas – KIA 8 June 2005

Fifth USMC Brigade
USMC, C/O MCCDC
Quantico, VA

4 July 2005

Dear Major Thomas,

It is with great regret that I advise you that your wife, Chaplain Manuela Ortiz-Thomas was killed in action on June 8, 2005. Words cannot express the grief that I feel or the emptiness that her passing has left in our hearts. The best words of comfort that I can offer are taken from the Word of God:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:1-2

I was there when she breathed her last breath on this earthly realm. Our unit was returning from a small skirmish in the Northern region and we came under fire. No one knew where the gunshots were coming from and we fired shots in every direction. Moments later, the area was silent. I heard a sound a few clicks away from our position and fired one shot in that direction.

Manuela ran in the direction of the last shot that was fired and picked up a small wounded child lying in a small ditch. As she headed back towards our position, additional shots were fired and our position was quickly surrounded. She carried the child back into the brush and I could notice that she was delivering what I believe to be the last rites to him.

I wasn’t a religious man and at that time I could not even determine whey she would choose to do this for the enemy. Nevertheless she continued, unmoved and undeterred by the bullets that whizzed by and the explosions that were closing in on our position. We had taken at least three casualties by that time and I called to her to advise her that we had to move out. She wouldn’t budge and we were faced with the tough decision to leave the area as the enemy approached from all sides.

I had gotten a few meters away from the area when a large explosion blocked my view of your courageous wife. I took a large chunk of shrapnel in my shoulder and face and lost consciousness. It wouldn’t be until about a week later that I lead a small team back into the region to determine her whereabouts.

There’s no other way to say this or put this mildly. I recognize your years of service with the Corps. And I must put it bluntly. The only things that we found were the cover of her bible, a small bit of DNA evidence and her wedding band – which is what we used to identify her remains.

Leonard, I am sorry. I know that I promised to take care of Manuela when we were deployed. I tried to keep her out of action but she would not neglect her duties as the Chaplain. I’ve witnessed her praying in the middle of the fiercest combat imaginable. If one of our own were struck down she’d be there before they’d hit the ground. It seemed as if she was bulletproof. She had such strong faith and she encouraged the men and woman of our company immensely.

I’ll be returning stateside in a few days and I will stop by then with her personal effects. I’ve just started to read the bible and things are different now. Manuela always told me to get into the Word and now I am.

Semper Fi!

Ronald C. Cowen
Captain USMC
Commander, K4

“Is that a letter from Mommy?”
The small voice took Leonard by surprise as he turned to face his son Mikal.

“Yes it is…”

“When is she coming home Daddy?”

Leonard wanted to tell him that she wasn’t coming home but he could not accept the cruel blow that fate had dealt to him. He was always a man of little words. He was one who expressed his emotion openly in spite of the situation. However, tonight he wasn’t strong enough to grasp and fully process the end of his own life when his wife died. Instead of the “talk” that Manuela and he had rehearsed to deliver to young Mikal should either one of them die, he treated this night as “business as usual.”

“I’m not sure son…you should be in bed! Give me a kiss and get back in bed sweetheart.”

Mikal ran over and embraced him and whispered into his ear, “It’s going to be okay Daddy, God is watching us.”

Leonard replied weakly, “Yes, He is.”

Mikal ran back up the stairs and called back “I Love you Daddy!”

Leonard replied; “I Love you too!”


Leonard stood up slowly and grabbed the cane that was propped up in a corner. He walked slowly into the kitchen and grabbed the largest glass that he could find and placed it on the counter. He reached up into a nearby cabinet and retrieved a full bottle of whiskey and filled the glass to the top. His hands shook as he tried to raise the glass to his mouth as he leaned on the counter.

He hobbled over to a chair and dropped down into the seat. He took large gulps of the liquor as if the alcohol would blot out the memories that were sure to come. Moments later he placed his head down on the table and started to sob uncontrollably. He drifted off to sleep as the memories of a lifetime spent with his wife faced the harsh reality that he was now a widow.

***
Leonard Thomas met Manuela Ortiz over seventeen years earlier while attending the United States Marine Corps. Officer Candidate School Platoon Leaders Class. Ironically, it was on July 4th. The male candidates were allowed to visit the female barracks on that day to tour their squad bay. Leonard focused on several pictures of various Marine Corps. Events that took place throughout history.

Leonard was focusing on a picture of the Marine Corps. Flag Raising at Iwo Jima. He became lost in the moment and imagined the glory of planting the American flag after a hard fought victory. He was proud to wear the same uniform that those brave men wore. He was surprised that he had made it this far in the program. When he left Connecticut over a month prior he didn’t know what to expect. But, nonetheless, he was on the road to adulthood and he felt as if he had definitely made the right decision. He was lost in the moment and he heard a small voice,

“Happy fourth of July Marine!”

He turned slowly and could not believe that such a beautiful woman was talking to him, of all people. He looked to his left and then to his right and yes, she was talking to him. He had spent several weeks being alienated by the other Candidates for various reasons and at times was on the verge of just giving up and going back home. But, she changed everything for him.

Leonard stuttered, “You…you too!”

She turned slowly and walked away, looking back at him with a look in her eyes that caused him to forget his manners and just stare at her as she walked away. She was the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen. She was small, perhaps about 5’2”. Her skin was slightly tanned and her long wavy hair was gathered into a neat USMC regulation “bun.” Her eyes were so kind and gentle. Her voice was beyond soothing. Yes, she was everything that any man would want, so of course, Leonard felt as if she was unattainable.

Leonard stood there, totally dumb-founded and later annoyed that he didn’t even ask her name or platoon number. On the next day after a sleepless night invaded by images of this beautiful woman, Leonard awoke to the daily wake up call consisting of banging trash cans, shouting, occasional “MOVE IT!! MOVE it’s” and other disturbing sounds of rampant chaos and disarray.

The entire company embarked on a very long bivouac a few days later. They were to go on a 5 mile hike out into the middle of nowhere, rendezvous with a chopper and be transported to the campsite. The weather took a turn for the worse and the ride in the chopper was cancelled. Therefore, there were x amount of miles to walk to get to their destination. It was going to be difficult but the candidates had just recently discovered the advantage of wearing Speedos under their uniforms to avoid the painful inner thigh rubbing caused by such a long hike. About 24 hours later the tired and filthy company marched out of the woods and assembled in front of the squad bay on the street. The entire company decided to walk through as opposed to around a large swamp and the men were caked in mud.

The men were ordered to strip down to their skivvies to get rinsed off. One by one trousers lowered to reveal a massive assortment of spandex Speedos lined up for review. At that time the female half of the company marched by and Leonard noticed her again. In an environment where everyone dresses alike and are groomed in one uniform fashion, it’s easy to mistake one person for another. But, it was her, he knew that she was there and he wanted to be next to her.

He thought; her eyes are inescapable. She’s an angel. She’s beautiful and …

The Sergeant Instructor shouted out; “What’s with all of these sissy pants! Get out ‘a my sight!”

Obviously, the spandex under our trousers did not go over too well with the Sergeant Instructor. The company of half naked men in Speedos of absolutely every color imaginable ran into the squad bay and showered quickly and prepared for a class. Leonard laughed when he saw that same sergeant walking down the hall wearing a pair of light blue spandex and a fanny pack with his olive green undershirt on just a few hours later.

Leonard planned on going into town on weekend liberty to get away from it all. He planned on staying in a hotel to study for a large exam that was to take place first thing Monday morning. His time in training resulted in a weekly paycheck equivalent to a captain’s salary. However, he rarely spent any of this money due to the fact that a group of candidates “fixed” the night watch rotation so that he would rarely have a free weekend. Therefore he had thousands of dollars to spend and no where to spend it at.

Saturday arrived and Leonard packed all of his books into his duffel bag and headed out to wait for the bus to take him into downtown. He arrived at the hotel and checked in. He entered his room welcoming the frigid blast from the AC and the escape from the searing Quantico sun. After a quick power nap he grabbed a book or two and headed to a Pizza Restaurant for a quick bite.

Being on base was a surreal experience for him. Men and women walked or drove by in their uniforms. Blue pants with the red stripe and the beige shirts decorated with various awards, camouflage, some dress-whites. He felt like an alien wearing his civvies as he did each weekend but his high and tight haircut and clean shaven face still made him a Marine.

When his slice of pizza and glass of cola arrived, he slid them forward and continued to read his training materials. He didn’t notice that she walked in. He didn’t notice that she noticed him. He did notice, however, when she sat down across from him and placed her books on the table.

Leonard looked up slowly and could not believe his eyes. He was speechless and she uttered the first words.

“I’m Manuela Ortiz.”

Leonard stared into her eyes for a moment and was speechless. He thought; this must be a joke! There are so many better looking men all around in their top physical shape and she’s here with me?

She sensed his “disorientation” and continued; “So, are you ready?”

Leonard replied; “Ready for…?”

“The test! I have so much studying to do and I had to get away from the rest of those crazy women!”

Leonard began to feel more confident and replied; “I have a hotel room!”

“Are you making a pass at me Thomas?”

“How did you know?”

“That you were making a pass at me?”

“No, how did you know that my name was Thomas?”

She pointed at one of Leonard’s books.”

“It says it right there, Officer Candidate Thomas.”

“Oh, you are a detective!”

“Kind of!”

After laughing nervously, a tall marine in full MP uniform walked towards the table. Leonard was out of uniform but felt as if he should stand or salute, or something. Leonard was confused and just sat there quietly. He thought; easy come, easy go!

“Manuela!”

Manuela turned around and smiled as the man walked over. Leonard was visibly disappointed as he felt that he may have been her husband or boyfriend. He was taller, in better physical shape and obviously “gainfully employed.” He pretended to be wrapped up in his studies and tried to ignore the conversation between the two of them.

“Victor, this is Leonard Thomas!”

Victor extended his hand and Leonard stood and shook it.

“So you’re the guy that my little sister’s been talking about!”

Leonard felt a sense of relief, puzzlement and confusion.

“I…I…guess so?”
“Well, you be nice to her or I’ll have to come and lock you up!”

“Yes Sir!”

“At ease Thomas, I’m joking!! Well good luck on the test! See ya sis!”

He kissed Manuela on the cheek and pat Leonard on the shoulder and walked to the back of the restaurant.

“My Uncle Velazio owns this restaurant; he makes the best Pizza in all of Quantico! Actually this is the only Pizza restaurant in Quantico.”

“So, my meal is free?”

Manuela laughed and answered, “Probably not!”

Leonard managed to say, “You’ve been talking about me?”

Manuela replied, “Nope!”

She laughed and looked at Leonard’s sad face and stated, “You wear your emotions on your sleeve! I like that! I have an idea, we should get our food to go and go back to your room and get to it!”

“It?”

“Studying! What were you thinking about?”

“Studying…of course!”

Manuela and Leonard walked back to the hotel slowly talking about their experiences up until that time. Manuela was a young lady of Italian and Colombian heritage. Her family was small and almost all were stationed either in or near Quantico in various branches of the Corps. Or various government agencies. Her uncle Velazio Pagliano was her mother Maria Pagliano-Ortiz’s younger brother and chose to be a restaurateur as opposed to a marine.

Maria Pagliano met Juan or John Ortiz decades earlier as they were both attending the OCS program in the early 70’s. Their relationship survived the Vietnam War and other periods of conflict and resulted in a stable and strong relationship. This is the kind of life that Manuela wanted. One that would last a lifetime and grow stronger when far apart from each other for months or even years.

Leonard was from a totally different world. He was from Connecticut and he signed up for the Marine Corps. Platoon Leader’s class primarily to explore career options and to stay away from the streets which were becoming predominantly more and more dangerous. He knew that what he’d be doing would be far more dangerous but he wanted to feel that he had a purpose.

Leonard wasn’t looking for a relationship at that time. He felt that his independence and lack of a significant other would give him the freedom to explore several options for the direction that his life would travel in. He had been involved in a few temporary relationships but it seemed that there was always something that would cause a break up. He kept his heart secluded and protected from love with the fear that he would be heartbroken. It was at those times when he let his heart free and pursued a relationship that it would eventually fall apart for one reason or another.

He took a vow within his own heart to never let anyone else in, but this young lady, if her intentions were sincere and pure, would break through that wall with little or no resistance. With each step they were getting closer to each other until the conversation began to flow fluently without hesitance or nervousness. They arrived at the room and placed their books on the desk and sat on the bed.

“Yes! Now this is the life! A cool room, no crazy women complaining about absolutely everything!”

Manuela lay back on the bed looking at the ceiling, smiling.

“Shall we begin?”

Leonard opened the first of several books and they began to quiz each other on the material. The time went by slowly and the hot Quantico sun was replaced by a cool Quantico moon. The pair awakened at about 10 o’clock that night, each of them scanning the room quickly to get accustomed to where they were.

“Leonard, what time is it?”
“About 22:00”
“Oh Oh!”
“What?”
“The last bus already went back to the squad bay; I’m going to have to stay here!”
“You trust me to be a perfect gentleman?”
“Of course! You seem to be open and honest and you know that my brother carries a gun!”
“Point taken! So you’ll stay with me…to study?”
“What else would we do besides study?”
“Nothing else…”
“I’ll be happy to stay with you for as long as you can stand me!”


Leonard replied, “In that case, you can stay with me forever!”

***
“Daddy?”

Leonard awakened as Mikal poured the contents of the glass into the sink and threw the bottle of whiskey into the trash.

“What are you doing?”

“Daddy, you don’t drink anymore! What would mommy say?”

Mikal walked over to his father and gave him a hug.

“Daddy, Mommy’s going to be okay. I just know it!”

“What are you talking about Mikal?”

“Daddy, I’m 8! I can read! We need to pray for Mommy! She always told me to ‘Give my impossibilities to Jesus!’ and I did. I know that you’re sad, I’m sad too, But the Lord will make a way out of no way!”

“Mikal, I love you! Mommy would be so proud of you! Let’s get you to school! I’m going to be okay, we’re going to be okay!! Mommy always told me that she’d never leave us and if she did it would only be for a little while…we’ll see her soon!”

“Amen!”

“You are something else little man!”

For a brief second Leonard envied his eight year old son for his faith and courage. Many years were spent instilling these values into young Mikal Thomas and Leonard wished that he had paid more attention to his own teachings so that he could persevere during these troubling times.

***


Later that afternoon Leonard was looking through stacks of photographs, letters and miscellaneous documents. He tried so hard to keep from crying but in spite of all of the faith that he had in God, he still had doubts. Mikal walked in and sat on the floor next to him.

“Daddy, when did you meet Mommy?”

“Over seventeen years ago.”

“Was it love at first sight?”

“Definitely!”

“Did you get married right away?”

“No, but we were made for each other!”

Leonard continued his trip down memory lane and began to tell Mikal about his past. As he relayed this information to his attentive 8 year old, an unedited version of his experiences flashed through his mind.

“Mommy and I graduated from OCS together in 1988. We thought that we’d never see each other again and we wanted to exchange addresses and phone numbers…”

***
In the weeks to follow after the night with Manuela, the couple had little or no time to speak with or see one another. Once again the isolation between the male and female candidates continued and the “fixed” fire watch rotation confined Leonard to the squad bay constantly. They would see each other again for just a moment before the graduation as Leonard stood watch outside of the chow hall while the rest of the platoon filed in for breakfast at 4 am.

Leonard stood silently as the orange Quantico sun broke through the night –time clouds. The rest of the platoon stacked the weapons in the appropriate teepee like formation and he stood watch. In the distance he could see another platoon approaching and when they were close he ascertained that they were the female officer candidates. They filed in as another walked towards his direction heading towards the supply room for the water containers.

Leonard stood there and did not move. On that morning he could have competed with one of the best of the Queen of England’s palace guards. He stood there but noticed that someone was approaching. When she was less that a meter away, a thin ray of sunlight reflected across her face. Seeing her made Leonard’s heart skip a beat and several other beats after. What she said to him would stay in his memories for many years to come.

She whispered, “Leonard.”

“Manuela…”

“Don’t talk, just listen, we don’t have much time…I meant all of those things that I said to you on that night that we spent together. I’m not into long distance relationships but I’ll give it a try for you. After the graduation, look for me. Don’t lose hope, just look for me and you’ll find me.”

She hugged him quickly, possibly breaking hundreds of OCS rules of conduct, and continued; “I’ll wait for you…please wait for me.”

Leonard replied, “I will…”

She kissed him on the cheek and walked away quickly as Leonard’s relief arrived.

At the graduation ceremony Leonard scanned the candidates in search of Manuela. After the crowds dispersed, a very disappointed Second Lieutenant Thomas sat quietly at the bus stop with his bags ready to return him to the airport for the flight back to Connecticut. He had spent the last few hours looking for Manuela. His heart ached and he felt lost without seeing her again or talking to her once more. Again he accepted defeat and was upset with himself for letting her in to his heart. Two busses arrived, one to downtown Quantico and another to the airport.

Leonard took the bus to downtown Quantico and walked into the Pizza restaurant. He placed his bags on the seat beside him and placed his bright white officer’s hat on the table. He sat there in a zombie like state for at least two hours. He was almost unaware as a glass was placed on the table. He prepared himself mentally for the long trip home and the lifetime of regrets created by losing a woman who was possibly the love of his life.
A familiar voice broke through his silent concentration.

“You’re going to have to pay for that lieutenant!”

Leonard looked up and replied, “But I didn’t…”

Manuela stared at him for a moment and sat down slowly.

“I almost thought that you left without saying goodbye Leonard!”

“Manuela, I looked for you everywhere. I was seconds away from getting on that bus to the airport when I decided to check here.”

“Good choice!”

“What, my choice to come here?”

“Definitely! Graduating from OCS is a big day for my family! My dad’s a general, my brother’s an MP, my mother’s a Major – we’re definitely a military family. I tried to escape and I tried to find you, but you know when the Marines go looking for you…”

“They will find you!”

Manuela agreed, “You’ve got that right!”

A brief and awkward silence passed before Manuela continued the conversation.

“Look Leonard, I am not usually this blunt but I have to let you know something. Ever since that day in the squad bay and our all night study session, I’ve been drawn to you. We spent that whole night together and you were a perfect gentleman. You didn’t force yourself on me, you were honest and you seem to be a nice guy, but…”

“But what?”

“Tell me, in all honesty, are you the man that you seem to be? I haven’t had too many relationships. I’ve never had a man that I can talk to like I talk to you. It’s as if I’ve known you forever…you just seem too perfect!”

With those words Leonard’s heart began to flutter uncontrollably.

“Manuela, I’m just…just not used to someone like you paying any attention to someone like me. You’re this exotic Latin Beauty and I’m this everyday African American guy. I’m far from perfect! I always feel as if I don’t deserve the good things that happen to me so that when they’re taken away I simply improvise, overcome and adapt. I am

the man that you see before you. I don’t have any emotional baggage or ties. I’m at the crossroads of my life now where the decisions that I make now may follow me for the rest of my life.”

“What kind of decisions are you talking about Leonard?”

“You know, life decisions…do I want to be a marine forever? Do I want to settle down? Do I want to risk my life and take lives?”

“Don’t overcomplicate things Leonard. Take each day one at a time and see where tomorrow will bring you. I’m not telling you to let anything happen, just let the good things happen, that’s all!”

“Where do you get all of this knowledge from?”

“Well, before being deployed, my Dad would sit with me and give me enough advice to last several years later. He never knew if his next mission would be his last and he didn’t want to leave any stone unturned. He’s given me so much advice in the past that he doesn’t know what to tell me next! By his estimates I’m all set until I’m about 35!”

“You know, your father seems to be a very nice guy! I hope to meet him someday! I know that I should take one day at a time but I’d still love to know where I’ll be say 20 years from now! But, like you said, I’ll take things one day at a time!”

Manuela laughed, “Exactly! So, where do you go from here?”

“I’m not sure; I haven’t received my orders yet. I was going to go home and relax with my family for the rest of the summer, but I don’t fit in there. I want to go somewhere and start all over. I want to go somewhere and grow up and make my own path in life. You know, I need a change! And what about you?”

“You know… the same thing. My whole family’s in Quantico or D.C. They don’t have any time to spend with me during the summer. I’ll spend my summer alone, on the beach, relaxing…”

“Next to me!”

“What are you talking about Lieutenant Thomas?”

“I’ll stay here with you…”

“Are you sure?”

“I have no place else to go for the moment!”

“Then it’s settled, you’ll stay with me!”


***

Mikal stared intently as Leonard continued his story.

“Mommy and I stayed together until our orders came through. I was stationed in Parris Island and she was sent to California.”

“How did you meet each other again?”

“Well, I lead a small team of “Operators” in to Iraq in the early nineties. There wasn’t much combat activity at that time but we were responsible for gathering intelligence and getting it to the appropriate location. Well, what happened then was unfortunate but one of the best days of my life.”

“We were returning from one of our operations and one of my men stepped on a mine. I placed my foot next to his and took his place on the mine until an engineer could arrive to diffuse it. We were not “officially” there at that time and by giving our whereabouts to an engineer we would effectively divulge our location. Well, one thing lead to another and someone had a brilliant idea to strap a bunch of protective clothing on to me, place a large rock on top of the mine and pull me away. Well, I awakened hours later lying in the hospital minus one foot and very upset. The surgeons worked for hours trying to fix the damage, they did a fairly decent job but the pain was still there and most of the bones in my foot were fused together with rods and synthetic materials."

"I signed up for Sniper School and ignored the pain and stiffness in my foot to complete the training. I ended up in Quantico again and I felt drawn to go to your great Uncle’s pizza shop. I walked in and there she was, sitting at our table, reading the Bible. I sat down as if I had just returned from the rest room or something and cleared my throat. She was still beautiful and we were so happy to see each other again."

"We sat together and got reacquainted. So many things had happened over the years and we had so much to talk about. She was training to become a Chaplain and I spoke briefly about my new occupation. She was training to give life and I was training to take it. I felt ashamed of myself, but she understood why I made that choice. We were both stationed in Quantico for the next few years. In 1997 we were married. I taught a few courses on base until I was deployed to Albania just after you were born.

I provide evacuation support during that time although the military will deny it. After that mission your mother and I returned to Connecticut. In 2003 I was recalled for one final mission. My work resulted in a Purple Heart for several injuries that I sustained and this pretty little cane that I carry at all times to keep from falling!”

Mikal asked, “What do you do now, you’re always writing stuff?”

“I write training manuals and I’m a consultant. I may not be able to do the things that I did before, but I can tell someone else how to!”

The phone rang at that very moment causing a wave of nervousness to pass over Leonard. Mikal grabbed the cordless phone and handed it to his father and sat down to watch him.

“Hello?”

“This is Major Thomas, I’ll accept the call!”

“Hello Cowen! Yes, you can stop by – we’ll be here all evening! Yes and God bless you too!”

Leonard turned off the phone and handed it to Mikal.

“That was Uncle Ron, he has to stop by and drop some things off.”

“Mom’s things?”

“Leonard paused and then answered, “Yep!”

***
Leonard walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. As he sat on a small bench he scrutinized his malformed foot and scarred knee. He closed his eyes and thought about his last time in action.

In a vast mountainous region surrounding a small clearing, he could see the choppers idling as they were being loaded with evacuees from the area. He had been entrenched in the same area for more that 18 hours with his eye glued to the crosshairs of his scope. While in this position he scanned the surrounding area making sure that the evacuees made it onto the chopper safely.

The predetermined go ahead would be an almost undetectable movement that only he and the other four snipers would recognize. Upon receiving that signal he would have approximately 15 minutes to get to a small airstrip for extraction.

He received the signal and crawled slowly through the brush as he descended the mountain. Four leaf covered mounds slid slowly towards a shallow swamp and once out of the swamp they assembled on the banks momentarily. The “Operators” picked up the pace and ran towards the extraction point as the sound of a chopper could be heard nearby. The four men charged towards the site as the chopper landed. Leonard looked back and noticed a small flicker in the woods. He pushed his men onto the chopper as bullets snapped through the leaves, some pinging against the chopper.

Leonard motioned for the chopper to liftoff as he crawled back into the bush undetected by a group of ten enemy soldiers who concentrated their fire on the chopper. Moments later the aircraft was out of range and the group dispersed into the woods in search of the lone marine.

Leonard knew that he wouldn’t be left behind for long and his mission was to destroy his enemies before they could find him or jeopardize the rescue mission. He retreated into a tall tree and remained still until nightfall. He checked his ammunition and he had 9 bullets left. He remained on his perch as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. In the distance he could see the flicker of a match and a small campfire.

He repositioned himself several branches higher in the tree and waited patiently for his shot. He lined up his targets in his scope, made a few minor adjustments and squeezed off four shots and descended the tree quickly, sprinting to a perch slightly closer to the enemy camp site. As the enemy soldiers arrived at his previous location, he dropped 3 more and began to descend the tree when a bullet passed through his knee cap. He stifled his scream and slid off into the woods.

He then realized the seriousness of his situation. He had 2 bullets and 3 hostiles closing in on his position. One of the three appeared to be the leader as he shouted instructions to his men and they ran off and flanked his position. He was determined to survive this incident and had to think fast! He removed his ghillie suit and placed it on top of a small bush. He rolled into a nearby ditch and targeted the leader, taking him down with a head shot. He slid back deep into the bush and waited for his next target.

Another soldier spotted his ghillie suit and dropped down and crawled towards it. He was less that 6 feet away from his target and readied his handgun. Just as he was about to squeeze off his shot he was struck down by Leonard and he crawled forward to retrieve the fallen handgun. He grabbed the handgun just as the last enemy soldier approached and he rolled over and fired. The man dropped to his knees and fell forward.

Leonard lost conscious momentarily and when he awakened, he tied off his wounded knee with a shred of his ghillie suit and crawled to the warm campfire. He helped himself to the water and other provisions left behind and drifted off to sleep under his ghillie suit with his rifle across his chest and the handgun in his hand. At least he thought that he was sleeping when in all actuality he passed out until the extraction helicopter was heard in the morning. He awakened in the infirmary and his wife was there smiling as he opened his eyes.

He climbed into the shower after reliving those painful memories. The most painful memory being that of seeing his wife’s face, looking at him when he was in pain. He would have taken a dozen bullets in exchange for being there for her when she died.

***


Leonard sat in the living room looking out if the bay window waiting for his guest to arrive. At eight o’clock in the evening a dark blue government vehicle pulled into the driveway. Captain Cowen exited the car holding a briefcase and walked to the front of the vehicle. He wore an eye patch indicative of the injury that he had sustained almost a month earlier. A chaplain also exited and Cowen shook his head and he sat back down in the vehicle. Leonard stood and walked over to the door assisted by his cane. He placed his cane next to the door and opened it quickly.

Captain Cowen saluted and Leonard half-heartedly returned the salute and he entered the house.

“Leonard, I wish that I had dropped by for a regular off the record visit. But, you’ve delivered a few of these yourself…”
“Not many!” Leonard’s tone was cold and firm.

“I stand to be corrected Sir. I know that you’ve only lost one or two men while in command…”

“Captain, I’ve lost no men who were under my command!”

“Okay…you know, we…tried to stop her…we tried to stay, but our position was almost overrun…”

“Almost overrun, but not overrun! When I completed my last mission, I was in command of the unit and I stayed behind while my men got away safely. I stayed in those woods for one night and my men were back there at first light to extract me!! It took you almost one week to return? What were you doing during that time?”

“Leonard, I tried to get back there but I couldn’t get the authorization to return…you know there’s paperwork…there’s…”

Leonard walked away from the conversation and into the living room as Captain Cowen stood there speechless.

“Uncle Ron!”

Mikal ran over and gave the Marine a big hug.

“What’s up Mikey?”

“Nothing, just waiting for Mommy to come home! And don’t be mad at Daddy, he’s just mad about everything that’s happened but God said that it’ll be alright!”

“Yes, it’ll be alright!”

Cowen walked over to the couch and sat down in the chair next to it. He handed Leonard an envelope and he promptly opened it. He pulled out the ring first and then the charred cover of his wife’s small bible. He fought back the tears as he pulled out a stack of photographs and started reviewing them one by one. There were several photographs of the surrounding area and a final photograph in a sealed envelope marked “CLASSIFIED.” There was a photo of his wife’s dog tag and another of a portion of her finger with the wedding band still on it.

Leonard dropped the envelope and photographs and tried to hold back the tears. He was silent for a moment and then he looked directly into Cowen’s eye.

“I know that it’s not your fault. I said a few things out of anger but nothing that I can say can bring Manuela back home to me. You can go and we’ll be okay – trust me, I’m not going to do anything destructive, I know that she’d want me to live again, although I don’t know how that’s possible.”

“Leonard, I know that you’ll be okay, but I’m also here off the record to make a proposition. We are in need of your services.”

“What do I have to offer? More training manuals? A little consulting?”

“No Leonard, we need you out in the field. The photographs…”

Cowen picked up the photos and went through them and presented a few to Leonard.

“Do you recognize this area?”

Leonard took the photographs and sat down on the couch again.

“Yes, in the nineties I gathered intelligence in this region. There used to be several structures in a village just over this ridge. Man, just give me some time and I can gather my thoughts and draw up a map. Don’t they have the original maps that I submitted back then?”

“I wish that it was that easy, but those missions were classified, you were never really there. I’ll do some digging and see what I can find.”

“But what’s the point, none of this will bring Manuela back!”

“Leonard, we’ve been getting ambushed in that same area almost every week and we’re sick and tired of it! We need to know where the insurgents are coming from and how they seem to disappear at a moment’s notice. They’ve got something going there and we need to find out what it is. Look, just call me in the morning if you want in on this. I’ll understand if you want to distance yourself from this, but the truth is, we need you! To date you are one of the best non-deployed operators and you have a familiarity with that area. We’ve tried twice unsuccessfully to enter that area to gather intelligence but those guys always seem to find us and chase us away.”

“I’m all that Mikal has at this time and I don’t want him to be an orphan…”

“Daddy, we can go to Quantico! Don’t we have family there?”

Leonard smiled at Mikal and looked at Cowen.

“I’ll call you at zero six hundred hours to let you know.”

Cowen smiled at Leonard and shook his hand. Leonard pulled him close and embraced him.

“Thank you for stopping by!”

“No, thank you Leonard for letting me in. God Bless! See you later Mikey!”

“Bye Uncle Ron!”

Captain Cowen walked out of the house and the vehicle pulled out of the driveway.

“Alright Mikal! It’s bedtime!”

***
That night Leonard tossed and turned as his dreamscape filled in with various memories. The Iraqi terrain, the village, a door in the ground…all images that did not make sense at the time. Leonard was awakened suddenly and he went down to the kitchen. While drinking a bottle of water he walked over to the couch and sat down. He organized the photographs of the terrain on the top of the table. He looked at the gruesome picture of his wife’s finger. He examined the inside of the bible cover, reading the inscription to himself.

"Give Your Impossibilities to Jesus!"

He sat on the couch staring at the photographs until 6 o’clock in the morning. He picked up the phone and called Cowen.

“Cowen, we need to get to Quantico!”

***
Several hours later a government vehicle arrived at the front door of the Thomas residence. Leonard and Mikal got into the vehicle and they were whisked away. Less than 20 minutes later they arrived at a small airport and boarded a military helicopter.

“Cowen, meet me at the Pizza shop! I have something to show you!”

He then dialed another phone number and waited patiently for it to be answered.

“Hello, General – It’s Leonard; we’re flying in this afternoon. Yes, I took the mission. If Manuela is out there, I promise to bring her home! Yes, Mikal can’t wait to see you. Yes Sir, I’ll be at Velazio’s place by thirteen hundred hours! I look forward to it too Sir, I mean Dad, I’ll see you soon!”

At exactly one o’clock Leonard and Mikal arrived at the pizza shop and Mikal ran to his great uncle and gave him a hug. Leonard greeted his extended family and excused himself as Cowen sat in a booth wearing his civilian attire. He leaned into his cane and walked towards the table.

“Major…I mean Leonard; I’m glad that you’ve agreed to this!”

Cowen extended his hand and Leonard shook it.

“You knew that I would!”

“Actually, I did…”

“Good, I have a theory.”

Leonard placed the photographs on the table and started speaking.

“When we were in the area last I remember a gate near the border of the village. It was always under heavy guard. Well, I made it over there one day and looked down from the tree line. There was a hatch on the floor and every so often a group of men would enter or exit this hatch carrying several weapons. Well, being the good Marine that I was, I slipped into that hatch one night and it ran for about a quarter of a mile and do you know where it ended?”

Cowen shrugged his shoulders and replied, “The head?”

“No, it ended up right here!”

Leonard tapped one on the photos and Cowen picked it up.

“That about where I last saw Manuela!”

“Precisely! What if she made it through that tunnel?”

“But the DNA evidence?”

“Look at the photo – do you notice anything strange?”

“Not really!”

“The finger is not burned and it’s a clean cut I estimate from the tip of the ring finger. She always had problems taking that ring off and my theory is that it was deliberately cut off!”

“By who?”

“By Manuela! You know how she was, she was selfless, and she’d sacrifice her own finger to save her wedding band from falling into the wrong hands.”

“This is kind of a long stretch? Isn’t this almost impossible? What you’re talking about is beyond all reason!”

“Ronald, give your impossibilities to Jesus! It’s not over until God says that it’s over! I need a week to get back into shape and then I’ll be ready to go!”

“Alright Major Thomas, welcome back!”

Leonard stood and walked towards the front of the restaurant. Ronald noticed the cane still propped up against the side of the table. He picked it up and ran towards Leonard.

“Leonard, don’t forget this!”

He handed the cane to Leonard and he took it, looked at it and broke it across his damaged knee. He looked Ronald in the eyes and stated:
“Isaiah 53 and 5 says; He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. Ronald my friend, I am healed! Let’s go! I have to make up for lost time!”

Leonard spoke to Uncle Velazio briefly and his wife came out of the kitchen holding Mikal’s hand. Mikal walked over to Leonard and offered words of encouragement to him.

“Daddy, remember Psalms 18 verse 29 to 50!”

“What does it say?”

“Read it and you’ll see! I’ll be okay; Auntie Gladys is going to show me how to make a pizza! I’ll make one for you and Mommy when you get back! Isn’t that cool?”

Leonard looked at his son’s confident face and struggled for some words to tell him should he not return safely. His instructions were simple.
“Mikal, listen to your grandparents and your aunt and uncle, pray for us often and read your bible.”

Mikal replied; “I understand Daddy. I love you and I’ll see you soon. Now, go get Mommy!”

The two hugged for several moments and Leonard left the restaurant and got into Cowen’s car. Moments later they arrived at a heavily guarded gate, entered and preceded to a large building tucked away in the corner of the complex. Minutes later Cowen and Leonard exited the building carrying large duffle bags and wearing their battle dress.

“Tell me Cowen, how many good snipers do you have on hand?”

“About twenty…”

“Any that I would know?”

“Yes, there are three that you may recall.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, you worked with them a few years ago and they’re perfect for this next mission.”

“What are their names?”

“Bustamonte, Brown and Kelley!”

“I trained those guys! What have they been up to?”

“They train snipers! They learned from the best!”


“And they have twenty trained men?”

“Yes, they had twenty-five men but five of them went down when their chopper was shot down recently. It was rough for them because those 5 men were the best of the best.”

“How many of us are going in this time?”

“Ten!”

“Ten? This is going to be fun!”

The men boarded a jeep and sped off across the complex and reached a gated restricted area. They were granted access and they walked down a long overgrown path.

“So, where are they?”

“You tell me! I believe that they’ve planned a little welcome back party for you!”

Leonard stood still and surveyed the area. To the naked eye they were merely surrounded by nature, rocks, bushes, trees and other naturally occurring elements. Leonard quickly spotted the men and called them out.

“The marine in the tree at eleven o’clock, in the bush at three o’clock, behind the rock at nine o’clock, two at five o’clock, one behind the dumpster and one on top of the squad bay at twelve o’clock, come on out!”

Seven men in their various pieces of camouflage exited the woods and stood at attention.

“Major Thomas, you’ve located seven of eight, you’ve got one more to go!”

“Do you want me to point out those within the gate, beyond the gate or both?”

“Both!”

“Okay, in that case, Bustamonte, in the tree at six o’clock, come on down!”

A marine in full gear rappelled down the tree, unclamped and ran over to the men and stood at attention.

“At ease! You guys are good! But can someone tell me who wrote the book on sniping?”

The men shouted in unison; “Major Leonard Mikal Thomas Sir!”

“Very good, now, let’s get to work!”

The men walked into the squad bay for a quick round of bottled water. As Leonard was talking to his 3 men who had last served with him before his career ending injury another marine walked over carrying a large briefcase.

“Major Thomas, there’s one more old friend that you should get reacquainted with!”

Leonard opened the case and removed his last service weapon. An M40A1 – the rifle that he trained with and mastered over the last few decades.

“Gentlemen, what’s fourteen and a half pounds, 44 inches long and a Marine’s best friend?”

“The M40A1 sir!”

“Yes boys, this baby was hand made and hand rolled in Quantico like a fine Cuban cigar and it won’t give you cancer! Allow me to demonstrate!”

The men followed a rejuvenated, resurrected and renewed Major Leonard Thomas out onto the rifle range. Leonard loaded the magazine and snapped it into place. A target was loaded and sent several meters away until it disappeared into the distance.
“Sir, we have 1000 yards!”

“Good, send it out about 500 more!”

Bustamonte interjected; “Sir, the effective range is only 1000 yards!”

Leonard, with his eye glued to his sight while making a few adjustments, quipped; “Who told you that?”

Bustamonte answered, “Well, you did sir!”

Leonard squeezed off a single shot. The target was reeled in and the men gathered around to take a look at the large hole in the exact center of the target.

“I’m sorry Bustamonte, but, I lied!”

The men were amazed and full of questions as they busied themselves trying to duplicate that impossible shot at that impossible distance. Leonard spent the entire day running the field and totally free from the pain that he suffered for the last 2 years. His team received textbook training from books written by Leonard and now they were privy to training from the author which included the things that he was not allowed to write.

They spent hours assembling, firing and disassembling a vast array of weapons at record speed until they could do this blindfolded. They continued to train into the night and throughout the next morning, taking brief breaks to eat quickly and then return back to task.

Captain Cowen stood in the background watching Leonard Thomas in action and said out loud; “Give your impossibilities to Jesus!”

***
Five days from Leonard touching down in Quantico the team was off to Iraq. After they arrived on the airstrip they quickly loaded onto a smaller Black Hawk helicopter and flew towards the landing zone. The mood was always somber prior to a dangerous mission. Leonard pulled a small bible out of his pocket and turned to Psalms 18, verses 29-50.

He began to read aloud;

“For by You I can run against a troop,
By my God I can leap over a wall.
As for God, His way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

For who is God, except the LORD?
And who is a rock, except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength,
and makes my way perfect.
He makes my feet like the feet of deer,
and sets me on my high places.
He teaches my hands to make war,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

You have also given me the shield of Your salvation;
Your right hand has held me up,
Your gentleness has made me great.
You enlarged my path under me,
So my feet did not slip.

I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them;
Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed.
I have wounded them,
So that they could not rise;
They have fallen under my feet.
For You have armed me with strength for the battle;
You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
You have also given me the necks of my enemies,
So that I destroyed those who hated me.
They cried out, but there was none to save;
Even to the LORD, but He did not answer them.
Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind;
I cast them out like dirt in the streets.

You have delivered me from the strivings of the people;
You have made me the head of the nations;
A people I have not known shall serve me.
As soon as they hear of me they obey me;
The foreigners submit to me.
The foreigners fade away,
And come frightened from their hideouts.

The LORD lives!
Blessed be my Rock!
Let the God of my salvation be exalted.
It is God who avenges me,
And subdues the peoples under me;
He delivers me from my enemies.
You also lift me up above those who rise against me;
You have delivered me from the violent man.
Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the Gentiles,
And sing praises to Your name.
Great deliverance He gives to His king,
And shows mercy to His anointed,
To David and his descendants forevermore.”

The men responded; “Amen!”

Leonard continued; “Gentlemen, the job that we do is not a pretty one or an easy one. We take lives from men when they least expect it and without warning. I know and you know that there is only one being that has the authority and power to do this and that’s God. God fights our battles for us! He determines if we should dominate the battle field or die on it. What I wish for today is that we can accomplish our objective without taking a human life unless it’s absolutely necessary. I know that this is a tall order but I know that through Christ Jesus, all things are possible!”

Cowen interrupted, “Yes men, all things are possible!” He removed the patch from his eye and opened it in spite of the swelling and bruising. “I believe now more than ever, today we shall be victorious! OO-RAH!”

The men shouted; “OO-RAH!!”

Over the intercom the pilot shouted; “okay Marines, get some!!”

The men rappelled out of the black hawk and into a wooded area. Their faces obscured by earth tone grease paints and their eyes hard and focused. They rolled across the ground in their ghillie suits to pick up leaves and branches from the area. Leonard ascended up a steep hill and the ten men lay across the ridge overlooking a clearing. The village was in the distance patrolled by a small group of men carrying AK-47’s and M16’s. From their current vantage point they could have dropped the entire group of men to avoid any resistance, but Leonard didn’t give the signal. The men lay prone until the sun went down and descended into the village entering at every angle to gather intelligence. They returned to the ridge moments later to discuss their findings.

Cowen reported; “the houses are occupied mostly by women and children.”

“I counted ten armed men to the east of the village carrying 9 AK-47’s and one Tabuk”; added Bustamonte.

Leonard reported; “I found a large weapons cache in a cargo truck directly across from the tunnel. We’ll take care of that before we leave.”

“Sir?”

“Yes Brown.”

“You might want to check out that cluster of houses in the northwest corner of the village. It seems to be an infirmary of sorts.”

“Excellent! Anything else?”

“Well Sir, I haven’t brushed up on my Arabic lately but I heard someone praying in Arabic with a strong Spanish-American accent in one of those houses!”

Leonard’s first instinct was to charge in and see if Manuela was there. He had to restrain every fiber of his being but the Holy Spirit within him caused him to stand still and formulate a plan. He was silent for a minute and then he began to map out a plan, a very ambitious and impossible plan, but a good plan nonetheless.

“We will wait until about zero three hundred hours and go back into the village. You are to disassemble every weapon that you find rather it be in someone’s hands or lying on the ground. You are not to be detected! After a day in the hot desert heat the guards will fall asleep and let their guards down. If you are detected, use non-lethal force to restrain and silence any individual who may jeopardize this plan! Use lethal force, preferably hand-to-hand combat should any problems arise that need to be handled in that manner. Understood!”

“Aye Aye Sir!”

The team waited patiently until Leonard looked at his watch and gave the signal. The team descended quietly into the village and busied themselves at the task at hand. Under the cover of the night the marines worked as if it were day. Leonard worked his way across the village and arrived at the house in the northwest corner. He moved towards the back of the house and peered into a small window. He noticed someone lying on a cot with a bandaged hand reading a small book.

Leonard pulled himself up and into the window, landing quietly on the floor. He crawled towards the cot and rolled underneath it. The person continued to read and he had to push past the adrenaline rushing through his body and focus on the voice. It was a female voice and she continued to read. Leonard looked up both sides of the bed until he was able to ascertain her blind spot. He reached up blindly and covered her mouth and stood quickly.

There she was.

Leonard felt faint, she was…alive. Manuela was alive and so was Leonard. For the first time in weeks, he was alive. He looked down at her and kissed her. He took her hand that was wrapped in a large bandage and kissed it. At that moment, the adrenaline and the power that coursed through his body multiplied.

She embraced him and said; “Honey, I’m so sorry! I had to help that little boy…”

Leonard was silent. He placed his finger to his mouth and retrieved one of Manuela’s uniforms from his back pack. She dressed quickly and Leonard flung his rifle onto his shoulder.

“It’s okay honey! There’s so much that I want to tell you and ask you…but we have to get out of here.”

“How are we going to do that? We can’t just walk out of here undetected. The villagers are harmless, it’s those armed gunmen who terrorize their own people by using this peaceful village as a go between from the desert to the safety of this area. We have to help these people!”

“We will sweetheart! I have a plan!”

Manuela and Leonard rolled out the front door. Manuela was on top of his back as they crawled under his ghillie suit and back towards the base of the ridge. Once there, Cowen helped Manuela reach the safety of the ridge. Leonard and five men infiltrated the village once again and shifted the weapon loaded truck into neutral and pushed it towards the base of the tunnel, placing wooden chocks under the rear tires to prevent it from rolling into the tunnel any further. Leonard placed a live grenade wedged in between two large crates of ammunition and walked away slowly.

One of the guards awakened and pointed the AK-47 at the men and tried to pull the trigger. But, there was no trigger to pull. The men quickly subdued them and ran through the tunnel. A light started to strobe the area and an alarm sounded. Manuela looked on in horror as a large group if men armed with various knives, clubs and machetes gave chase through the tunnel.

Manuela cried out; “Leonard! Ron! That’s almost every man in the village chasing after them!”

Cowen said; “I hope so, it’s all part of the plan!”

Cowen placed the scope of his weapon to his battered eye, selected his target and fired. The bullet traveled a distance that fell just shy of 2000 yards and splintered the wooden chock that was holding the truck into place. The truck moved forward and into the tunnel. Seconds later a violent explosion rocked the tunnel and it collapsed into the earth. Secondary explosions and additional implosions occurred rendering the go between totally useless.

The five remaining men and Manuela left the area and walked for several miles until they arrived on a long dirt road on the other side of the ridge. The men formed a protective circle around Manuela and walked until they came to the smoldering sinkhole that was previously the tunnel. Manuela panicked briefly as the sun rose but there was no sight of her husband or the other men. She stood and surveyed the entire area as they continued slowly down the road. While her back was turned Leonard and the other men slipped out of their hiding places and silently joined the rear of the formation.

Manuela looked back at first not noticing that the five men had miraculously turned into ten. At the second glance she noticed and ran back and jumped into her husband’s arms.

“How dare you scare me like that!”

“Scare you? After the explosion, the severed finger, the letter, the pictures and your obituary…me scare you? I’m not letting you out of my sight again Manuela Thomas!!”

“Hey folks?”

Bustamonte answered; “What’s up Captain?”

“You notice anything different? This is the first time in years that we’re able to walk down this road and not get shot at! For now, problem solved!”

The beating of the blades of a black hawk could be heard in the distance and seconds later the helicopter appeared over the horizon. The team ran to the helicopter and were lifted off to safety.

***
While sitting in the aircraft carrier’s cafeteria , Manuela spoke to Mikal and her parents by phone. Leonard reclined in a chair with his palms behind his head watching her intently. The rest of the men were exhausted and enjoying the variety of foods served on a 21st century aircraft carrier. A Colonel walked in and the men stood at attention and saluted him.

“At ease! I’m here to speak with Captain Manuela Thomas!”

Manuela walked forward and stated; “Yes Sir!”

“As you were Captain, we’re all proud of your conduct during this trying situation. I want to hear from you, your own account of what occurred out there between June 8, 2005 and July 14, 2005.”

“Yes Sir! I was traveling with Kilo Company, fourth platoon on June 8, 2005 when we came under attack from an unknown direction. We returned fire in an attempt to suppress the enemy. Within moments, it was quiet. There was some movement to the west of our position and a single shot was fired in that area. I observed a small child crawling towards the road and ran over to render assistance. He was not seriously injured but he was in shock. I attempted to bring him back to our convoy but we came under attack once again.”

“I carried the child, his name is Abdul, back into the brush. I could hear footsteps approaching from an underground tunnel just beneath a concealed trap door. At that time I could see that the platoon could not hold the position much longer and I made the decision to remove my wedding band so that it wouldn’t be stolen. As the footsteps in the tunnel were getting closer to my position, I panicked and tried to remove the ring in spite of the fact that it was stuck on my finger. I unsheathed my knife and sliced the finger off just as the trap door opened. I removed the cover of my bible and dropped it on the ground along with my dog tag to serve as a clue to my whereabouts.”

“I was pulled into this underground tunnel and a man, who I later found out was Abdul’s father Ahmed, carried him as I was assisted by two women who helped me back to the village. Just as the door closed an explosion occurred a few feet away. I awakened in a small hut in the corner of the village. They bandaged my wounded hand and took good care of me. Some of the enemy fighters would question the villagers as to who was in that hut and they were told that I was a leper. Not the cleverest answer but an effective answer nonetheless. They took care of me but were afraid to tell anyone of my survival so that the enemy combatants would not use me as leverage or just simply execute me to set an example.”

“I stayed in that small shack for over a month. It wasn’t the most luxurious place for me but I felt safe there. I stayed until this group of brave men extracted me without incident.”

“Very well! As you all know, none of this ever happened. Due to a clerical error you were listed as KIA and your rescue team – never left Quantico! Understood?”

“Yes Sir!”

“Very well! And, by the way, you’re all up for promotions!! You accomplished an impossible objective in spite of all of the cards bring stacked against you. Once we get back to Quantico we’ll discuss the details of your promotions. Lady and Gentlemen, this was an outstanding day in the history of the corps!! OO-RAH!”

The Colonel saluted, turned and exited the room.

A resounding “OO-RAH” echoed throughout the large cafeteria. Leonard sat on a couch as Manuela snuggled close to him.

“So, what’s with the leg? You’re not using a cane and your running all over Iraq fighting evil…A lot has changed in the last year!”

“Yes, it has! I believed that I was healed and it was so. You tried to teach me about the bible and at times I refused to accept what I read. After I thought that you were gone, the Bible and Mikal were all that I had left. Do you know how smart our little man has become? He was the one who kept me going! He never lost faith in the fact that you were okay and that you’d be home. Not once did he shed a tear or lose hope. He gave me scripture to read and even quoted scripture to me! He’s going to do great things when he’s older! Do you think that he’ll join the corps.?”

“Why, you want him to be a sniper?”

“No, I think that he’d make an excellent Chaplain!”

“Or a chef!”

“What?”

“He made his first pizza by himself this morning! He’s a natural! He says that he has a surprise for us when we get home.”

“What home? Quantico or Connecticut?”

“You know Leonard, I’ve been thinking about that. We moved away from Quantico after you were injured because you were bitter about your injuries. I think that it’s time to go back and turn things around. I’ve been dreaming about starting our own church on the base. You’re more than qualified to continue training young men to become snipers or anything that you’d want to teach. I miss the base and I miss my parents. Let’s go back to the beginning and start over again. We have a chance to live again and make changes in our lives for the better. Our Marines need prayer and guidance and I know that we can do this together! “

Leonard was silent.

“Think about those cool Quantico nights on the base and trips to Virginia beach. Wearing the uniform again, free food, new recruits being run off of the bus when they arrive on base….unlimited use of the firing range?”

Leonard smiled at that

thought.

“So what do you say Lieutenant Colonel Leonard Thomas?”

Leonard replied, “I’ll say that this is an outstanding idea Major Manuela Ortiz-Thomas!”

***
Later the next afternoon the team boarded a helicopter and traveled the final miles back to Quantico. They landed on a small airstrip and their “hero’s” welcome took the form of a handful of concerned family members waiting for their chance to hug their loved ones again. Manuela and Leonard walked towards the armory and Leonard turned in his weapon after giving it a quick kiss.

Throughout a quick debriefing – which, based on United States Department of Defense records – never really occurred, Leonard and Manuela were eager to see Mikal once again. Their individual thoughts converged on the history of their relationship and their only child. They had traveled so far individually and then collectively and now it was time for the next chapter of their lives together.

They borrowed a car from the motor pool and headed towards Velazio’s place. As they traveled down the roads Leonard noticed several Candidates, Officers and enlisted men traveling along the neat and groomed streets of Quantico. They arrived at the restaurant and Leonard opened the door and his wife entered first. Leonard entered to the sound of applause and they were surrounded by family members. They scanned the room with the hope of spotting their son as they were lead to their special table.

They sat across from each other and moments later the kitchen door opened and Mikal walked out carrying a large pizza as his great aunt and uncle looked on proudly. He placed it on the table and sighed – relieved that he didn’t drop the pie. Leonard and Manuela hugged him tightly and neither one of them wanted to let go. After minutes of embracing the family sat at the table and began to eat Mikal’s delicious creation.

While eating, a candidate with a handful of books entered and sat in a table across from them – which was the only vacant table at the time. He looked at the military couple wearing their sharp uniforms adorned with medals and pins from missions that “didn’t ever happen.” He walked back to the restroom as a female officer candidate entered, carrying a larger stack of books, looking for an empty seat in the crowded restaurant. Manuela made eye contact with her and pointed to the seat previously occupied by the male officer candidate. She was seated and the other candidate returned and noticed her sitting there. Leonard gave a covert thumbs-up and he sat across from his surprise guest.

She started to stand and he motioned to her that it was okay. Seconds later they introduced themselves to each other and shook hands. Not skipping a beat, they opened their books and started to quiz each other.

“Manuela Ortiz Thomas, you were trying to hook those two up?”

“Why Leonard Mikal Thomas, what makes you say that?”

Mikal smiled and said, “You two are made for each other!”

Leonard looked into Manuela’s eyes and stated, “Son, you are absolutely right!”

The End.

Impressum

Texte: ©2006 Tyrone Vincent Banks
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 23.12.2008

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Dedicated to God and all of His children called to serve.