Hawk Eye
Travis Garrison’s nickname wasn’t “Hawk Eye” for nothing.
His peers gave him the moniker while they were deployed in Iraq because Travis could always spot the enemy from a mile away.
That’s why when Travis finally touched down on American soil, his “Hawk Eye” instincts kicked in immediately when he got home. Something just wasn’t right.
His Duty
Travis hated the heat of the Iraqi desert. All he dreamed about was getting back home, away from all the death and despair that had consumed his life for over a year.
But it was his duty. And he was proud to be serving his country just as his father had done before him.
But he was far from focused on the task at hand. All he thought about was his wife, Kacey.
Kacey
It had been over a year since he waved goodbye to Kacey on the tarmac. He remembered turning back one last time to look at her. Tears were streaming down her face. She was scared.
All the army wives were. They didn’t know if their husbands would come back to them again.
It was very emotional on both sides, but they had no choice.
Tough
His country needed him, and he was ready to serve. But even though he had to be tough in the face of war, his heart was always sore, and he longed for his family and his beloved wife.
The letters they wrote made it bearable, but nothing came close to physical contact, and he could see how his peers wrestled with their own emotions.
Everyone felt the pain of being away from home.
Ending Soon
But luckily for all of them, their time in the blazing desert was coming to an end soon.
Travis and the rest of his team couldn’t be happier, and they all spoke about what they would be doing once the plane landed.
For Travis, it would be two things. “I want to hug my wife and then have a massive burger with all the trimmings,” he mused.
No Letters
But there was one thing that was weighing heavily upon Travis’ heart. For the past three months, he hadn’t received any letters from Kacey at all.
The only letters he received were from his mother.
He was very worried about Kacey, and he didn’t know what was going on back home. It was his first priority when landing.
Busy
He couldn’t stop thinking about why his wife hadn’t written to him in so long.
He guessed it could be that she was really busy with her new job. But didn’t she miss him like he missed her?
He hoped that everything was fine. His mother didn’t mention anything of significance pertaining to his wife, so he supposed she was doing okay. But something was still gnawing at him.
A Phone Call
Then, one evening, out of the blue, as the soldiers were playing a game of cards in their base, Travis received an unexpected phone call.
He rushed over, and when he heard the voice on the other end, he wanted to cry.
“Kacey, honey! How are you? I’ve been so worried about you,” he cried.
When Are You Coming Home?
But there was a long pause on the other end.
“Kace, are you there?” Travis asked. He could only hear static, and then, finally, a familiar voice broke through.
“Hey, how are ya? I hear you’re coming home soon, is it true? I just wanted to know exactly when it would be so that I can get everything ready for you,” Kacey replied.
Longing For Her
Travis wanted to cry by just hearing her voice. He had longed for her and now finally she called him.
“It’ll be on Saturday. So in a few days, we’ll be in each other’s arms. I’ve missed you so much!” he said.
However, he didn’t hear any excitement from her side. “Okay, great, I’ll make sure there’s food and beers in the fridge. I’ll see you then. Have a safe trip,” was all she could muster.
A Weird Feeling
After they said their goodbyes, Travis had a weird feeling come over him.
She didn’t say that she loved him or missed him. She sounded very distant, and he sensed that she was very distracted.
That night, he could hardly sleep. He was two days away from seeing his wife, and he didn’t know if she would even be happy to see him.
Feeling Uneasy
He had been so excited, but hearing his wife’s despondence only made him feel uneasy.
They hardly spoke for five minutes, and he didn’t even have a chance to ask her why she hadn’t been writing back to him.
He had sent countless letters to her, which he poured his heart into, but he had received nothing in return.
Something Wrong
Something was wrong. He could feel it. And as the day finally arrived for them to board the aircraft back to America, Travis wasn’t feeling so excited anymore.
While his peers were singing songs and talking nonstop, Travis just sat there thinking about what he would be coming home to.
A small part of him was afraid.
Finally Home
However, as soon as they landed and Travis felt the cool breeze on his face, he lit up with joy. He was finally home, and he knew his family was waiting for him.
He craned his neck over the tarmac, looking at all the soldiers reuniting with their loved ones.
And then he heard it. “Travis!” It was Kacey. She was waiting for him.
She Was There
Travis’ face lit up in an instant. He didn’t think that Kacey would be there after the strange phone call, but he was so glad that she was. She ran into his arms as he dropped his bags to catch her.
It was something out of a movie. The couple kissed and hugged each other and then made their way home. But Travis had no idea what he was about to discover.
Happy
When they pulled up the driveway, Travis was so happy to see his house in one piece. It warmed his heart. All he needed now was some food and an ice-cold beer to wash it down.
In all honesty, he just wanted to sit down and watch some TV. He just wanted a sense of normalcy back in his life.
But was that what he would be getting?
Something In The Trash
He walked over to the refrigerator to grab a cold one while Kacey was preparing some food. But as he flung the bottle cap into the trash, he noticed something.
There were some discarded fast food boxes in the trash. However, it looked like there were far too many for one person.
Travis’ “Hawk Eye” instincts kicked into gear.
Investigating Further
Travis couldn’t shake the odd feeling that something was off.
He decided to investigate further, discreetly making his way to the trash can while Kacey was busy in the kitchen.
He shifted aside the takeout containers, and his heart sank as he found more evidence: two sets of chopsticks, empty noodle containers, and a receipt for a meal for two.
Asking Her
He decided to ask her directly if she had been alone.
“Hey Kace, did you have anyone over lately? A get-together or a girl’s night?” he asked.
She turned around and looked at him in confusion and then replied, “Um, no. Not recently. I’ve been so busy with work that I haven’t had time to see anyone.”
Not The Truth
Travis’ heart sank. He knew she wasn’t telling the truth at that point. Unless she had developed a very big appetite, there were definitely takeout containers for two in the trash.
His heart was beating so fast now. What was Kacey doing behind his back?
He was well aware of army wives who chose to move on while their husbands were stationed. Was this the case with them?
Not Alone
Dread settled in the pit of Travis’s stomach. He couldn’t ignore the overwhelming evidence any longer.
His instincts, honed on the battlefield, had served him well again.
He realized that Kacey had not been alone during his year-long deployment; someone else had probably been sharing their home, their meals, and perhaps even their bed.
Making Sense
With trembling hands, Travis tried to make sense of it all. He recalled the strange phone call and Kacey’s distant behavior. The missing letters that had gone unanswered now seemed like ominous silence.
The room suddenly felt smaller, the air thicker. Travis knew he couldn’t confront Kacey about his suspicions right away. After all, he had just returned home, and he wanted a peaceful reunion.
Instead, he decided to bide his time and observe a little longer.
Watching Her
Over the next few days, Travis carefully watched his wife’s actions. Kacey was affectionate and attentive as if trying to make up for something, but it only deepened Travis’s unease.
One evening, he couldn’t hold back any longer. He broached the subject gingerly, “Kacey, while I was away, did you have anyone else here? I noticed some things that seemed… off.”
Kacey’s eyes widened, and her face paled. She stammered for a moment before finally admitting, “Travis, I… I had a friend over sometimes. It was just for the company, I promise. You were gone for so long, and I was lonely.”
Skeptical
Travis’s heart sank even further. He wanted to believe her, but the evidence in the trash was hard to ignore.
“A friend? Just for the company?” He couldn’t hide the skepticism in his voice.
Kacey began to cry. “Travis, please, it was nothing more than that. I missed you terribly, and I was just trying to cope. I promise there was nothing… romantic.”
Time To Think
The tension between them was palpable. Travis knew he needed to sort through his feelings before they could move forward. He asked for some time to think and left the house, taking a long walk to clear his head.
As he walked, Travis thought about his commitment to his family, his love for Kacey, and his duty to his country. It wasn’t an easy decision, but he decided he needed more concrete answers.
He would hire a private investigator to look into the matter discreetly.
A Revelation
The investigation uncovered more than Travis had expected. Kacey had indeed been seeing another man while he was away, and their relationship had gone beyond mere companionship.
The revelation shattered Travis. He confronted Kacey with the evidence and the painful truth, leading to a tearful and heated confrontation.
The marriage that had once been the foundation of his life was now crumbling beneath him.
A Decision
In the midst of their emotional turmoil, Travis had to decide whether he could forgive and rebuild the trust that had been broken or if he would walk away from the life he had once known, facing a future that was uncertain and filled with heartache.
At the back of his mind, he knew that if he forgave her, she would do it again once he went back to Iraq.
The trust was gone.
Painful
With a heavy heart, Travis made the difficult decision to end his marriage with Kacey.
It was a painful and emotional process, but he couldn’t ignore the fundamental breach of trust that had occurred during his deployment.
The life he had envisioned with Kacey had been forever altered, and he knew it was time to move on.
Getting Support From Friends
As he started the process of separating their lives and shared belongings, Travis leaned on the support of his fellow soldiers, who had become a second family during his time in Iraq. They offered him camaraderie and advice, helping him through this challenging period of his life.
Travis’s return home, which had initially been filled with hope and anticipation, had taken an unexpected turn.
He faced the difficult task of rebuilding his life and finding a way to move forward after the heartbreak and betrayal he had experienced.
The Path Ahead
While his time in Iraq had taught him to be tough, he would need a different kind of strength to navigate the difficult path that lay ahead.
In the midst of this turmoil, Travis found solace in the support of his family and friends back home. He channeled his energy into his work, rekindling his sense of duty and patriotism.
As he began to heal and rebuild his life, he realized that some wounds ran deep, but time had a way of helping them mend, even if the scars would always remain.