The Guy In Uniform

It was a chilly winter morning and Christmas was on its way. She woke up earlier than her usual time. The only thing that could probably turn her off that early was the 'alarm clock'. Valarie was not a morning person, not at all, but somehow dragged herself to the kitchen and brewed a cup of coffee. She draped the curtains to one side, soaking in as much sunlight as she could, sipping coffee and reading excerpts from her father's diary. The usual winter morning ritual. Last few drops of glassy dew on the tall grass slowly melting off because of the heat - her chain of thoughts were interrupted with the sudden ring of cell phone. It was buzzing from some corner in the room. 
"Yet another Moron!" she sighed in frustration with no absolute haste to pick the call. The phone showed no caller id. The only people who rang her phone were either from the insurance company or advertising.
"There you are!" She kept staring at the number flashing on her screen, trying hard to make sense. A few moments of contemplation and she finally picked up the call only to realize that she had heard this voice before. The next few lines brought tears to her eyes.
It was him. HER MAN. Calling her after weeks of no communication. 

She hadn't been this happy in months, after all he finally called her. You know, the sub-conscious urge to express what we feel on social media instantly? That is what she did. Her statuses on all possible social networking platforms were changed from gloomy to cheery. Sudden story uploads of their pictures and how much he meant to her.
Above all 'he was coming home'. She was about to see him after six long months. In her exhilaration she forgot to change. She had a lot going on in her mind, the plans she had to make to get things in place for his homecoming; everything. Ever since they bid adieu at the airport all she could think about was embracing him in her arms again. She hurried down the flight of stairs as soon as the door bell rang. This was the first time Valarie had let her hair down carelessly, not caring about her 'bed-head'' look. In her pyjama and tee-shirt she rushed towards the door, bare feet, as if nothing else mattered. 
The voice behind the door said "Hi!''
He was finally here.
HER MAN IN UNIFORM.
She couldn't stand the thought that all these months people made her accept the fact that he left. Left the only woman in his life who was not just bound to him through the holy threads of matrimony, but with a much stronger bond, love.

The loud rambling voices of women woke her up. Yet again the same dream, but this time she didn't wake up screaming with teary eyes or a grief-stricken face. She felt numb, nothing at all. It was time for her to step into reality, to accept the truth life had to offer. She knew there was no running this time, no amount of alcohol or drugs could keep her sane anymore. People don't always stay, they don't, no matter how much you plead or cry. They leave. She got up from the bed, furiously looking through her stuff and made a promise to herself that day about never shedding a tear again.  She grabbed the pen lying on the side-table and with all that pain etched deep in her heart, she decided to write a note to her future daughter.

Dear future Daughter,

I want you to read and imbibe every single word I am writing here. By the time you open this letter, you would probably be celebrating your twelfth or fifteenth birthday.
The first lesson you need to learn is, that people don't always stay; they leave, without any prior warnings, with several unanswered questions, with hatred, and even a smile. Your heart will break, you will even cry. Just remember one thing, no matter what Mom will be there.
I will be the shoulder you need, I will be your pillar of strength, I will be your beacon of hope, I will be your everything.
I promise I will try.
Have the audacity to fight this world, make your own choices and become what you desire, not what the world expects you to be.
Things will trouble you a lot at times, you will pick up your cell phone in the middle of the night, trembling and all freaked out. You will stumble through names and yet there won't be a single person you can call. Remind yourself that moment, Mom is there, that Mom will always be there.
Fall in love or break a few hearts. Write your own fairy tale darling! Surprise yourself!

Love,
Mom

With tears streaming down her face, she buried this letter somewhere deep in her closet locked in a time capsule.