One Tour Too Many*
a novel of ambition, survival and romance
by
R W Masters

Chapter 1 - One Tour Too Many

 It was a beautiful San Antonio summer day; it was Tuesday the 16^th of June 2009, a day I’ll remember forever. This was the day Esther and I had intended to go shopping. I had just finished getting dressed and the doorbell rang. This early?

 I opened the door and an Army Major was standing there in his dress blues. A sergeant was stranding just behind him.

“Mrs. McCormick, It is…”

I was on the floor before he got another word out of his mouth. I had had a dream that night about Roger stepping on a bomb and I saw his body floating up to Heaven. I heard voices – angels maybe? – singing and Esther and I were watching this but we were frozen in place. I awoke and was covered with perspiration. I was scared. It is only a dream I told myself.

When I was getting ready to go shopping with Esther I was thinking how foolish that dream was. Roger wouldn’t be walking around where there might be land mines. He was always so careful and he wasn’t directly involved in the combat anyway

When I heard the doorbell it never even occurred to me that I would be receiving confirmation of my dream. I’m not one to faint but I did and it was most embarrassing.

When I regained consciousness the Sergeant was standing over me. He had something in his hand that he hid behind his back quickly.

“Who may we call, Mrs. McCormick? You shouldn’t be alone at a time like this.”

“My cell phone is in my purse. Please hand it to me so I can call my daughter, Esther. She is expecting to meet me in about a half hour.”

The major found my purse and removed the cell phone. I had expected him to just hand me the purse. He handed the phone to the sergeant who handed it to me. Line of command, I guess. I dialed Esther and she answered on the first ring.

“Mom, is something wrong?”

“Yes, sweetheart. I need you to come immediately.”

“What is wrong, Mom?”

“I’ll tell you when you get here.”

The major and sergeant stayed with me until Esther walked in through the kitchen. When she saw those two standing in the living room and me lying on the sofa I guess she knew what had happened.

“Oh God! It’s Dad, isn’t it. He was over there for one tour too many. They keep sending our men back and back and back until they get killed.”

The major and sergeant let themselves out very quietly. The major had left a large envelope on the coffee table but Esther and I just let it lay there. Opening it wouldn’t bring Roger back.

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