“Oh, thank you God!”
Meredith’s words came seconds after she picked up the telephone. Before Erica could ask what was going on, Sarah clutched her arm.
“Look,” Sarah said, inclining her head toward the television.
Since Linc had gone missing, as long as someone was awake, the television was always on, though the volume wasn’t always turned up. Most of the stories they aired were of the fact that Linc and his fellow Marines were still missing.
Like they’d done for Linc’s family, reporters were staked out around the nation at the homes of the families of the other Marines. It was how Erica learned who they were, not just as the Marines in Linc’s unit who’d gone missing with him but as people.
Mickey Simmons had been so named because his father proposed to his mother at Disneyland. Growing up, everyone called him Mouse and the nickname followed him to the service. Allen Anderson was a serious guy who liked to read and draw. Christopher Herrera was a father, one child and his wife had another on the way. The unfairness of that broke Erica’s heart.
“This was the scene just moments ago when United States Marines located what they’re calling a ‘suspected al-Qaida hideout’ in a town north of Baghdad. Acting on a tip from local civilians, the bodies of missing Marines; Lance Corporal Mickey Simmons, Private First Class Allen Anderson and Private First Class, Christopher Herrera were recovered along with the rescue of Private First Class Todd Lincoln, the sole survivor in their capture just ten days earlier.”
Erica stood transfixed as she stared at the television, not sure if she should believe the words she was hearing. They’d been found, but everyone was dead. No, not everyone. Linc was alive, the sole survivor.
Hanging up the telephone, Meredith approached. TJ was at her side, an arm around her and she clutched on to him as if she would fall otherwise. While TJ’s eyes shone with unshed tears, Meredith’s tears slid freely down her cheeks.
With Tyler in her arms, Mary moved in close while TJ picked up the remote to turn off the television. For once, Mary’s normally active child remained quiet as he watched his grandfather.
“They found him,” Meredith said. “He’s being taken to a hospital in Germany.”
“Did they say what injuries he has?” Sarah asked, still holding Erica’s arm.
“No, they couldn’t tell us over the phone,” TJ explained. “Depending on what those injuries are, he’ll either be there until he’s stable enough to be transferred to the VA hospital here, or he’ll remain there for a while. They gave us an eight hundred number we can call so that we can talk to him without having to pay for the international call.”
“Are we going to be able to go to Germany to see him?” Erica asked.
“Yes, if we need to,” TJ answered. “The military allows up to four qualified family members to be given orders to travel.”
Mary’s eyes widened. “And they pay?”
“Yes, they also pay for a hotel and give a daily food allowance, but we may not need it,” TJ said.
“The food allowance?” Mary asked.
“We may not need to travel to Germany,” TJ replied. “If Linc’s injuries aren’t too serious, he could get transferred home within a few days.”
“How do we find out?” Erica asked.
“We’ll call the hospital and speak to him, but there’s a nine hour time difference so we likely can’t speak to him tonight,” Meredith said. “It’s already eight o’clock at night there.”
“Even without the time difference, we might not be able to speak to him, depending on what the doctors are doing,” TJ added.
Erica didn’t know whether to be angry or relieved. Ten days she’d been unable to do anything but wait for word on Linc. Ten days she’d waited to see him again, to hear his voice. Now, some stupid time difference was going to keep them apart?
Letting go of Meredith, TJ reached for Erica’s hand. “I know you want to speak to him now. We all do, and we will when the time is right. For now, let’s just be grateful to God that Linc’s been found and he’s alive.”
Erica nodded. Whether she liked it or not, TJ was right. Linc was no longer a prisoner of war. He’d been found and was going to get treated for his injuries. All of that was more important than having to wait an extra day to talk to him.
Still smiling, TJ tightened his hold on Erica’s hand. “We should pray.”
Linking hands, everyone bowed their heads while TJ led them in prayer. As she listened to TJ thanking God for Linc’s safe return and asking that He watch over Linc and the rest of the men who’d been with him, it didn’t sound like enough. No matter what she or anyone else said, she would never be able to put enough gratitude in to the words.
“We need to tell Gabe,” Erica said when the last ‘amen’ was said.
Meredith looked up at the clock. “It’s almost his lunch time. The high school will be a zoo.”
“I’ll find him,” Erica insisted.
“We probably should tell him, Dad,” Mary said. “We don’t want him to hear it from some reporter or something.”
“And we don’t want him to hear the wrong thing. Three of the guys with Linc are…”
Erica paused, her breath catching. “They’re not coming back. We can’t have him hear that from someone else and think Linc is one of those guys.”
Meredith wrung her hands together as she looked to TJ. “I hadn’t even thought of that.”
“I don’t think any of us did,” TJ conceded. “Erica, I think you should pick him up from school. We all need to be together as a family.”
“I’ll go with her,” Sarah offered. “Maybe help distract the reporters.”
“Gosh, they’re going to be all over us, aren’t they?” Mary said.
“I’m sure they are going to want a statement,” TJ agreed. “Erica and Sarah, you girls go to the school and get Gabriel. After you leave, Meredith and I will make a statement to the media on behalf of the family.”
That was fine with Erica. She didn’t want to talk to the reporters that had been camped out along their street for the last ten days. The only person she wanted to talk to was Gabriel.
“Those reporters aren’t really following us, are they?” Sarah asked.
Erica glanced in her rearview mirror. They were being followed by at least one local news van. Not that it surprised her after the way she and Sarah were ambushed as they tried to make their way out of the house.
“Do you think they’ll follow us onto the campus?” Sarah asked.
“Probably, unless they’re not allowed to do that.”
“I hope they’re not.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“How are we going to find Gabriel?”
“I don’t know. Maybe we’ll just go to the office and they can find him.”
“I just hope no one else says anything to him before we get there.”
“Yeah, times like these make me wish I had a cell phone.”
“After this, I think we should all seriously look in to getting them. They can’t be that expensive anymore,” Sarah said. She was quiet for a moment before adding, “It doesn’t feel real yet, you know?”
“What doesn’t?”
“Linc being found. I know it’s true and I know we saw him on TV, but it seems so surreal.”
That was the way Erica had been feeling since they found out Linc was missing, like nothing was real. Until she saw him again, and saw for herself that he was alive, she didn’t expect that feeling to change.
Erica pulled her car into the parking lot that faced the school, blanching when she saw the news van behind them do the same. Turning her head over her shoulder, she saw there were two more news vans pulling alongside the school, all of them local.
“Maybe we should make a run for it,” Sarah suggested.
Erica gave a wry smile. “You mean try to outrun the reporters?”
“What? I’ll bet we could.”
“I don’t know about that. Aren’t reporters used to chasing down their stories?”
“I think that’s a figure of speech.”
“Maybe, but I know those camera guys have to run a lot with all that heavy gear on so I seriously doubt we stand a chance.”
“Yeah, well, whatever we do, it better be quick,” Sarah said. “The longer we sit here, the more time we’re giving them to come strolling up to the car so they can pounce the second we open the doors.”
“You’re right. Let’s go.”
“Wait, are we making a run for it?”
“No, we’ll just walk really fast.”
“Okay, on three.”
Sarah did a quick count to three and they emerged from the car. Erica didn’t bother locking her doors, or even checking to see if Sarah was keeping up with her, as she scurried to retreat from the reporters.
“Erica, wait.” Huffing for breath, Sarah grabbed her arm. “Look.”
Erica stopped to look behind her. Rather than giving chase, the reporters remained on the sidewalk, waiting for their cameramen to set up their equipment.
“Maybe you’re right about them not being allowed to come on the campus,” Erica said.
“Thank God,” Sarah said, smiling at her. “By the way, did you run track in high school? You were running like the devil himself was on your heels.”
It kind of felt that way too.
“What’s the news doing here?”
“I don’t know.”
“Oh my God, what if it’s about Gabriel Lincoln’s brother, you know the missing soldier.”
Marine; Erica made the correction automatically in her head. Marines were not soldiers. The Army, those were the soldiers. Wait, what am I thinking? They know Gabe.
“Excuse me,” Erica said, turning her attention to the group of girls behind her. “Do you know Gabriel Lincoln?”
“We’re not friends or anything, but we know who he is, everyone does.”
The girl had a hint of an attitude, reminding Erica so much of Cory that she had to smile.
“Do you know where we can find him?” Sarah asked. “We’re his sisters.”
“He usually hangs out at—”
Before the girl could finish her answer she was cut off by one of her friends. “Hey, look, there he is.”
Erica spun around. Though Gabriel stood several feet from them, flanked by his friends, she could see his wide-eyed look of panic. Realizing he probably thought the worst, Erica sprinted toward him.
“What are—”
“They found him. They found Linc.”
Disbelief mingled with the hope in his eyes as he bit down on his lower lip.
Erica gripped his forearms. “He’s alive, Gabe,” she whispered and then threw her arms around him. “He’s alive and he’s coming home.”
As they clung to each other, Gabriel shook in her arms.
“Have you talked to him?” Gabriel asked.
“Not yet, but we will soon,” Erica assured him, finally releasing her hold on him. “We came to take you home if you can leave.”
Gabriel nodded. “Yeah, let’s go.”
“There won’t be any avoiding those reporters,” Sarah said.
“There’s not much we can do about it,” Erica conceded.
With Gabriel sandwiched between Erica and Sarah, the three of them walked toward Erica’s car. Erica was aware of the cameras trained on them, capturing their every move. She could see the reporters gearing up to pounce, but she kept her focus on getting to the car.
The sidewalk seemed to be the dividing line. As soon as they crossed from the grass to the concrete, they were surrounded. Cameras were aimed at them while reporters held microphones in their faces, entreating them to make some sort of comment, answer at least one question.
In those few seconds, different scenarios flitted through Erica’s mind. Flipping them off, telling them to go to hell, calling them vultures that only cared about a story all seemed like good ideas. Then a different thought occurred to her.
It was because of these people, and their constant coverage, that Linc’s story stayed in the forefront of everyone’s minds. It probably got more people praying for Linc’s safe return, making the prayers so many and so loud that God had no choice but to answer. If nothing else, Erica owed the rest of the country a thank you for not giving up.
“What are you doing?” Sarah whispered when Erica paused.
Erica shoved her keys at her sister-in-law. “You guys get in. I’ll be right there.”
“I’m staying with you,” Gabriel said.
“If you’re staying, I’m staying,” Sarah said.
Erica looked at the crowd gathered around them. “Thank you. To everyone around the nation who prayed for our family and for my husband’s safe return, there are not enough words to say what a difference you’ve made in our lives. Because of you, and the faith you shared with us, my husband is alive and he’s coming home.”
More questions were directed at her as well as at Sarah and Gabriel, but none of them answered. They’d said all they had to say.
By the time Erica and Sarah made it home with Gabriel, the reporters were all gone, as if they’d never been there in the first place. With Linc found, and their family having made its statement, there was no need for the press to linger. They were free to revel in their joy without being under the media’s watchful eye.
As it had been in the early days following news of Linc’s capture, the Lincoln’s house was bursting with people. Sarah’s husband waited for her, holding their child. With tears in her eyes, she went into their arms. Mary and Dylan stood, each holding one of their children, as they spoke to their parents.
Erica’s eyes widened at the sight of her mother and Hank talking to her father who stood in a group that included not just Aaron and Kristy but Cory and Veronica. Seeing her friends again brought tears to her eyes. Both women rushed forward, nearly knocking Erica over as they embraced her.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” Erica said.
“We came the second we heard the good news,” Veronica told her. “We wanted to come sooner, but Cory thought it would be better to leave you alone so you could be with your family.”
“You agreed with me,” Cory huffed.
Erica smiled. “I’m just glad you’re here now.”
When her friends stepped aside, Erica moved to trade hugs and share in tears of joy with her family. There was no shortage of either as she made the rounds. The scene was overwhelming, so different from the somber mood that hung over the room just ten days ago. As good as it felt, and as relieved as Erica was, it wasn’t complete. Not yet. That would come when Linc was home where he belonged.
“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I could stand to eat,” TJ called over the noise of several different conversations.
“Yeah, I could eat,” Gabriel said.
“No shock there,” Mary teased and everyone laughed.
“I say we order about a dozen pizzas and have ourselves a celebration,” TJ said. “Of course, it won’t be a proper party until Linc can join us, but this news is too good not to share over good food with friends and family and the blessings of our Lord.”
Erica didn’t care as much about eating or celebrating as she did thanking God, and she couldn’t think of a better way to do it than with the people that surrounded her.
Despite the relief that came from the news of Linc’s safe rescue, sleep didn’t come easily for Erica. Not when her thoughts were consumed with the promise of being able to speak to Linc the next morning.
Shortly after six, when it was still dark outside, Erica gave up on trying to catch any more stolen moments of sleep and rose from the guest bed. When she entered the kitchen, she found she wasn’t alone in her plight. Meredith and TJ sat at the kitchen table, neither one speaking as they sipped from their coffee cups.
“Good morning,” TJ greeted her first.
“Morning,” Erica echoed.
“Didn’t you sleep well?” Meredith asked as Erica took a seat at the table.
“I kept waking up hoping it was morning,” Erica admitted.
TJ smiled. “I imagine you are anxious to talk to Linc.”
“Yeah, I am,” Erica said. “Do you think he’s all right?”
TJ looked thoughtful for a moment. “I suppose we’ll know soon enough.”
They would, but the sooner she spoke to Linc, the better Erica would feel. Last night, they’d agreed everyone would meet at the Lincoln’s house at seven the next morning. It would be four in the afternoon in Germany, which was still strange to her, but it meant they could all have a chance to speak to Linc before they had to be at work or school.
Last night, that seemed like a reasonable plan. Now, Erica found her fingers itching to pick up the phone and call him.
Still dressed in his pajamas, Gabriel wandered into the kitchen. “Can we call Linc now?”
Erica smiled at her brother-in-law for having the guts to say what they all had to be thinking.
“We should wait,” Meredith said. “We told the girls we’d wait for them to get here.”
Gabriel shrugged. “Or you could tell them to call him when they get here later.”
“I think we can wait a few more minutes,” Meredith said.
Erica didn’t want to wait a few more minutes, and she could see her thoughts reflected on Gabriel’s face.
“Maybe we should call now,” TJ said, and Erica and Gabriel traded wide-eyed glances. “Asking him to talk to all of us at once might be a little much. Maybe if we space out the calls, it’ll give him a chance to get more rest.”
“I didn’t think of that,” Meredith conceded.
TJ patted her hand. “None of us did. You know what they say about hindsight, but I do think expecting him to be able to talk to all of us at once is going to be overwhelming, especially after yesterday’s excitement.”
“You’re right.” Meredith took a deep breath. “Let’s give him a call.”
TJ rose from the table. After retrieving the cordless phone from its base, he returned to the kitchen. The toll free number for the hospital in Germany had been written in large numbers on the whiteboard that hung on the refrigerator.
Erica’s heart beat hard and fast as she waited. TJ punched in the number and then held the phone to his ear. There was a moment of silence before he asked to be connected to Linc’s room. Expecting TJ to talk to Linc first, Erica’s eyes widened when he held the phone in her direction.
“Go ahead, Erica,” TJ said with a kind smile.
Her fingers trembled as she took the phone from TJ. Erica pressed it to her ear just in time for Linc’s voice to come through the line loud and clear.
“Hello?”
“Todd?” Erica whispered as tears welled up in her eyes.
“Hey, Rikki. You okay, baby?”
“I am now. What about you?”
“Been better,” Linc admitted. “The drugs help. Got me on some good stuff, babe.”
Erica’s heart pounded. “Why do you need them?”
“Gotta couple injuries, nothing too bad.”
“I’m coming to Germany.”
“Nah, don’t need to. Gonna be transferred out by the end of the week.”
“Do you know where?”
“VA at home, still need some PT.”
Erica thought of the sling she’d seen around his arm when they showed him on television and wondered if that was his only injury or his worst injury. Even if he didn’t sound out of it, thanks to the pain medication, she wasn’t sure she would have asked him to detail his injuries over the phone.
“Whatever you need, we’ll take care of it,” Erica assured him.
“Just need you,” Linc said and Erica smiled through her tears. “You and home, no one else. Love you, Rikki.”
“I love you too, Todd, but I’m going to let you speak to your parents now.”
“Okay, for a second. Drugs are making me sleepy.”
From the way he was slurring his words, Erica didn’t doubt that. With one final ‘I love you’ and a promise to call again tomorrow, Erica passed the phone back to TJ.
Linc was coming home. All she had to do was wait a few more days.