Prompt's for 2019 - 1. Please Mr Postman

Kevin sat on the window seat looking out at the pouring rain. He sighed and thought how the rain matched his mood.

It had been months now since he’d seen Jeremy. Stupid military. Jeremy had given his notice that he wasn’t going to renew his contract seven months ago. One month later he was sent to Iraq with two months left on his contract. That was six months ago. There was a new excuse every time one of them asked when he was going to be released to return home. First, there was no one to take over his post. Apparently, his skill set as a tech was hard to find and so they asked him to hang on a bit. Then when a replacement was found he needed extra training to be able to do the specific job Jeremy is doing. Then the fighting in the area Jeremy was in heated up and transporting anyone in or out of the area was considered too dangerous.

Kevin hadn’t heard anything new in over a month and he was worried sick. He knew he was only emergency contact listed on Jeremy’s papers, so if the worst happened he would be informed. But that just made the worry worse. He jumped every time the phone or doorbell went. What if this call was the call? What if the person at the door bore bad news?

Movement caught his attention and Kevin saw the postman pause at his gate rummaging in his bulging bag of letters and parcels. the rain was pouring off the man’s waterproof hat and a thick coat bundled around him. He reminded Kevin of a blue Michelin Man.

Would there be news? Would he get another letter saying Jeremy was staying even longer? Or would he get the news he was waiting for, that Jeremy was coming home?

The rattling of the letterbox brought Kevin out of his spiralling worrying thoughts with a start. He jumped up and an for the door. Whatever the news the post brought, it would be better than the feeling of being in limbo he felt every day that he woke up to no news.

On the doormat sat three letters and a postcard that was just poking out from the bottom of the pile. Kevin pounced on the mail and flicked through until he reached the postcard.

When he revealed the picture he froze. The card showed the front of his house. The photo had obviously been taken in the summer. There were bright flowers in his window boxes and bushes of lavender around his borders.

Finally, Kevin flipped the card over and hi frown deepened. There was no stamp or address on the card. But in bold letters there was written:

Come outside I need to hug you.

It couldn’t be…he wouldn’t…he would have called…but what if?

Kevin lifted a shaking hand and turned the lock to the front door. He tried to push down the hoe that was rising within him. what if it was a practical joke of some kind? Maybe his cousin had paid the postie to put the card through. It was something his cousin would find funny. Maybe he’d go out there and find a toy soldier on his doorstep again—another of his cousins' pranks.

After a bit of a fight, the front door gave way and opened to reveal…the postman.

But it wasn’t the postman.

There, dressed in full postman gear, was Jeremy. Grinning like a loon and holding his arms open.

With a low cry, Kevin threw himself at Jeremy, heedless of how wet he was getting he wrapped himself around his husband and peppered his beloved face with kisses.

“How are you here? When did you get in? Why didn’t you call me? Where did you get those clothes from?” Kevin words ran over each other in his haste to ask everything he wanted to know.

“Calm down, love. I’m home now. I’ll explain everything, just let me signal Miguel that he can come get his bag and we can get inside out of this weather.

Kevin glanced at the gate to see his regular postman waving to them. Kevin waved back.

“Let’s get indoors.” Jeremy laughed and headed in.

Questions could wait for now. “Hmm, Yes, please Mr Postman.”