It was a nice Saturday. The leaves were falling and the sun was shining. Jack was taking a shower, and Rose was downstairs with Audrey and Max, coloring. Jack was walking downstairs from his shower when there was a knock on the door. He opened it, and saw a mail carrier with a telegram in his hand.
"Thanks."
"Hmm. Have a nice day, sir."
Jack closed the door, and opened up the telegram. It noted that Jack was to report to the hospital the next day for his physical to make sure he could go to war.
Rose came in with a smile on her face. "Who was that?"
Jack pursed his lips, not saying a thing. He handed Rose the telegram, and she read it.
"No!" Rose flung herself to Jack, and he held her tightly. "You can't go to war, Jack. You can't."
"I know. I wish I didn't either, but I have to."
"This is impossible, Jack. There must have been a mistake. Maybe it was sent to the wrong person."
"I don't think so."
The door then opened and Anna came in in tears with a telegram in her hand. "Scott's doing some errands, and only a few moments later the mail carrier handed me this. Saying that Scott has to report to the train station. I don't want him to leave."
"I know. Jack just got his, and it says the same thing."
The two women comforted each other as Jack watched them weep.
"I should go. I'll talk to you two later." "All right."
The door closed, and she stood there in silence as Jack crumpled up the telegram and placed his head against the wall. Max walked in and saw the scene of silence. He went over to his dad, and said, "Daddy, what are we doing?"
"We're thinking."
"About what?"
"Life."
"Oh. Can I think?"
"Sure." Jack held his tears back and hugged his son.
Audrey then crawled into the room and looked up. She made a noise and started to giggle.
Rose started to feel the tears well in her eyes, and she didn't want to explain to Max why she was crying right now.
"Max, can you take you and baby Audrey into the family room and show her how good you are at playing with your toys?"
"Yes, Mommy."
Max motioned Audrey to come with him and she followed. Rose went over to Jack and held him tightly.
"I don't want you to leave. Neither do the children." "I don't want to leave either, but you know that I have to."
"Oh, Jack."
Rose held him tighter, and they both started to cry silently.
