There was never a doubt

“ My Dearest Lily Dale. I hope this email finds you well. I’m sorry to have to tell you this. I have fallen in love with a woman here on the base in Afghanistan. She is so much like you. She is a strong and loving woman. Understand I slept with her during a time when I was drunk. I was depressed about being away from you. I don’t want you to hate her or me. I won’t tell you her name, she asked me not to. Anyways, she has informed me that our one-night tryst has resulted in her becoming pregnant after a long talk about what we should do. I chose to do the right thing and marry her. So, the baby would have my name. I know this is the right thing to do despite the fact that it’s killing me to lose you. I can’t imagine how much this is hurting you. I can’t even tell you how sorry I am. I will not be coming back to Rosewood, Texas, to live. I will be going to live in her state of Virgina. Please understand I never meant to hurt you. I wouldn’t want to hurt you in a thousand years. I know what I have done will make you hate me. I hate myself for doing this to you. I’m so very sorry. It isn’t that I don’t love you. I love you more than I can even express. I love you enough to let you go. I have known you for most of my life. I have been in love with you since childhood. I want you to know I will always love you. I just feel I need to do the right thing and marry her and give this child my name. Please don’t try to contact me. I have blocked you from my accounts. She has asked me not to speak with you. She told me the only way she would marry me is if I cut all my ties to you. It has to be this way, babe. Darling, Lily, please understand how much this is killing me to write this, and I hope you will forgive me someday. I will always be blessed that you loved me once and that you were once in my life. You will forever be in my heart. Sgt. Luke James Patterson.”