An Unexpected Homecoming: Not the Welcome I Had Hoped For
Returning from deployment earlier than anticipated, I was eager to surprise my girlfriend with my early arrival. Armed with flowers and a heart full of excitement, I never expected the scene that awaited me at her apartment. “Pack your bags,” my commanding officer had said, “you’re going home tomorrow.” The joy of returning home 7 days early to see Mia was overwhelming, but the welcome I received was far from what I had imagined.