specifically enchiladas, and I listen to a little of everything when it comes to music. I enjoy action movies, girlie TV shows like Hart of Dixie , and I have spent half of my life with my nose in a book.
Now it’s your turn. Tell me all about SFC Taylor Russell and what makes him tick.
Can’t wait to hear from you.
Love,
Maddie
Chapter Fourteen
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Sent: April 4, 2014 6:19am
Subject: RE: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Thanks For Your Service
I got another package from you yesterday. I was not expecting that one. How long did it take you to bake all of those? The guys almost forgave me for being such a dick with that dessert buffet. Everything tasted amazing!
My mom has never been a baker. She’s great at the motherly stuff, but only outside of the kitchen. We grew up fending for ourselves food wise most nights. In some ways, that prepared me for the Army at a young age. We can go days without a meal when we’re on missions. It’s why I have her send me endless pounds of jerky and protein bars. It’s what we live off of between mess hall trips.
Myself and ten others are stationed at a small building just outside the city with limited power. Sandstorms tend to knock out the electricity fairly easily, which makes our tiny college-dorm sized fridge useless. And while we have a coffee maker, we don’t always have coffee, so that’s pretty useless too.
I didn’t grow up with a lot though. My parents are third generation dairy farmers. We have hundreds of cows, chickens and goats across over ninety acres of property. While we always had milk, eggs and cheese growing up, there were many times when we didn’t have much else. Like most industries, farming and ranching - of any kind - has its good years and bad years. I can’t complain though. We always had the basics and never went hungry.
I have three brothers that drove me crazy growing up. I’m the seco nd oldest. My older brother, Travis, put me through hell and my younger brothers pestered the shit out of me. I couldn’t wait to get away. When the recruiter came around to our high school when I was sixteen, I signed up to be contacted. On my eighteenth birthday, I enlisted. Less than a month later I was on my way to basic training. I’ve been in the Army now for ten years. This is my sixth tour. I’ve got two years left on my contract and I think I’m done after that. You’ve got me thinking about something other than the military for the first time since high school. My mom will love you for that. She still hates that I ever joined.
My favorite color is green and my favorite food is steak; I like action movies too, listen to mainly rock music and, believe it or not, I read on occasion. I stick to mystery and thriller books without the mush though.
Damn. I haven’t written this much since high school. You’ve got me breaking my mold.
Take care, beautiful girl.
Love,
Tay
Chapter Fifteen
Three Months Later
Madelyn
My heart pounded in my chest. My palms refused to stop sweating. I was a fat girl in summer, swollen from the three-hour flight to the closest Kentucky airport and sweating faster than a greasy burger on a hot grill.
It all happened so fast. Six months ago I didn’t even know who Sergeant First Class Taylor Russell was. Now, I couldn’t function without knowing he was alright. There were many days I simply stared at my inbox, impatiently waiting for his e-mail to calm my worried soul, to assure me that, despite being in a political war zone halfway across the world, he was okay. His e-mail meant that I could carry on a few more days without buckling under the fear. Each one carried me through to now.
My flight landed six minutes ago, a little more than twenty-four hours after he arrived home. He knew what I looked like from that one lone picture I’d sent, but I didn’t know who I was looking for. He was always so coy. He was open,
Now it’s your turn. Tell me all about SFC Taylor Russell and what makes him tick.
Can’t wait to hear from you.
Love,
Maddie
Chapter Fourteen
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Sent: April 4, 2014 6:19am
Subject: RE: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Thanks For Your Service
I got another package from you yesterday. I was not expecting that one. How long did it take you to bake all of those? The guys almost forgave me for being such a dick with that dessert buffet. Everything tasted amazing!
My mom has never been a baker. She’s great at the motherly stuff, but only outside of the kitchen. We grew up fending for ourselves food wise most nights. In some ways, that prepared me for the Army at a young age. We can go days without a meal when we’re on missions. It’s why I have her send me endless pounds of jerky and protein bars. It’s what we live off of between mess hall trips.
Myself and ten others are stationed at a small building just outside the city with limited power. Sandstorms tend to knock out the electricity fairly easily, which makes our tiny college-dorm sized fridge useless. And while we have a coffee maker, we don’t always have coffee, so that’s pretty useless too.
I didn’t grow up with a lot though. My parents are third generation dairy farmers. We have hundreds of cows, chickens and goats across over ninety acres of property. While we always had milk, eggs and cheese growing up, there were many times when we didn’t have much else. Like most industries, farming and ranching - of any kind - has its good years and bad years. I can’t complain though. We always had the basics and never went hungry.
I have three brothers that drove me crazy growing up. I’m the seco nd oldest. My older brother, Travis, put me through hell and my younger brothers pestered the shit out of me. I couldn’t wait to get away. When the recruiter came around to our high school when I was sixteen, I signed up to be contacted. On my eighteenth birthday, I enlisted. Less than a month later I was on my way to basic training. I’ve been in the Army now for ten years. This is my sixth tour. I’ve got two years left on my contract and I think I’m done after that. You’ve got me thinking about something other than the military for the first time since high school. My mom will love you for that. She still hates that I ever joined.
My favorite color is green and my favorite food is steak; I like action movies too, listen to mainly rock music and, believe it or not, I read on occasion. I stick to mystery and thriller books without the mush though.
Damn. I haven’t written this much since high school. You’ve got me breaking my mold.
Take care, beautiful girl.
Love,
Tay
Chapter Fifteen
Three Months Later
Madelyn
My heart pounded in my chest. My palms refused to stop sweating. I was a fat girl in summer, swollen from the three-hour flight to the closest Kentucky airport and sweating faster than a greasy burger on a hot grill.
It all happened so fast. Six months ago I didn’t even know who Sergeant First Class Taylor Russell was. Now, I couldn’t function without knowing he was alright. There were many days I simply stared at my inbox, impatiently waiting for his e-mail to calm my worried soul, to assure me that, despite being in a political war zone halfway across the world, he was okay. His e-mail meant that I could carry on a few more days without buckling under the fear. Each one carried me through to now.
My flight landed six minutes ago, a little more than twenty-four hours after he arrived home. He knew what I looked like from that one lone picture I’d sent, but I didn’t know who I was looking for. He was always so coy. He was open,
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