There is a coldness that is starting to settle over my heart in anticipation of what is about to unfold in this courthouse which I am terrified to set my feet in. From what I can gather as I am standing here on the stairs is that our dear Brendan has opted not to make an appearance. I guess the man is very confident that this will play out the way that he wishes it.
Thought the question is?
Does he think that I will back off and play into his hands?
Or does he think that he has gained the upper hand in bringing me down?
Well, I myself do not know which is the most terrifying prospect to face. All I know is that I am not going to change the man who I am to become something that I am not.
I am a Marine.
And I will stick to the oath that I have taken regardless if my career will be ending here today.
Looking back over the years, I have realized how far I have grown. I have been through some really rocky times in my life, yet somehow I ha
As I take what feels like the longest steps of my life, I look ahead and glance in the direction of a man that is sitting behind a table. A man whom I only but a few moments ago was told would not be here.Well, guess that I am surprised, shocked, and ya, a little bit pissed off.Meeting my fate having to stare a man in the face that I hate was not something I planned for when I left home with half of a confidence in my step. As for now, I have lost that determination that needs to carry me through.But yet, I need to remind myself what the difference between him and me is.Yet, does it make such a difference that I do not lack the strength or the will to push through what will be thrown in my way today?So as I look at this man and he is becoming closer and closer, I fight the urge to tell him what it is that my burning thought thinks of him. Though, I have been just told be play nice as my lawyer has seen my very intention."Yo
….Isabella POV…I am not going to say that the depths of Clayton's stupidity will end here today, for I know, and I have seen by the look on that face, that he is already plotting his next move.Now I really hope that he will not outmatch his latest stunt, but somehow I know that he will always go one step bolder than the one before. The man is truly his own worst enemy at times, but I will give it to him that he is more determined than any other person that I have ever known.And for this, I love him a great deal.He has, regardless of having the burden of one non-functional leg, been trying to live his life to the best he can under his current situation. And on top of pushing his needs, the healing that he deserves aside, he has been looking after our baby and me.So to say that I take my hat off him will be a gesture too simple, for I admire what he pushes himself through and does not once complain. Now here is where I am hoping ag
What was once a beautiful, peaceful smile has now turned into that of slight annoyance and a hint of fear. Isabella knows me far better than any other person in my life; if there is one person that knows that I am up to seven shits of no good, then it will be her.And it is the very her that has just caught me out…if she has not caught me out hours ago.So it is with great hesitation, and let me tell you, this Marine only ever hesitates and fears when it comes to his wife, but yes, I am fumbling for the words to tell her of the next great idea that I have come up with this time. Yet not an idea, more of a purpose.With a very confident smile, I plan my approach well before I execute, for I am within arm's length, and this girl is pissed, yet, "Boo, I am not going to join the Raiders anymore."There is a sigh of relief that sets over her body while the words comfort the tension that has build up in the room. And while she relishes in this thought an
…Isabella POV…Okay. Let's call this what it is.Completely and utterly fucked up.Having a Marine as a husband feels like you are always at odds with the universe.The Corps is his life, yet do I even dare say that the Corps is the 'other woman.'And it is the 'other woman' that is always going to get the best parts of him.Clayton has done some pretty fucked up things during our relationship, and yet now it is starting to grow over into our marriage. The most fucked up thing I have ever known him to do and the most fucked up thing I am going to experience…Leaving me now, now when I need him the most.He has chosen the 'other woman.'I don't need to tell him how destroyed I was when I found out. He is right here.He saw the moment my heart shattered.He saw my soul crumble.He watched me go from a tired but proud new momma to a broken and defeated heap of a woman.I watc
…Isabella POV…I never have since Clayton, apart from our wedding day, so happy the past few days. We have been going through endless catalogs ordering things for the boy's room. He is going beyond what is needed, but I am letting het do what he wants. He deserves this after everything that I have put him through with the uncertainty that laid over his head.I can say, and I honestly believe so, that our marriage is completely back to where it was before this mess. As for Luke, he seems to have completely disappeared out of our lives.I am happy; even though I am very ill, I am happy.…Clayton POV…I have never been so happy in my life before. Things between Isabella and me are back to where we were. It feels good to be a couple and almost a family.She has been getting very sick. She will tell you that it is not as bad, but it is. She finds herself in the bathroom at least every hour. She finds it hard to get out
…Isabella POV…This morning when I woke up, you had already left for training with the boys. I so wished that you just had stayed one little while longer so that we could figure this thing out that is hanging in the air between us.How is it that there is always something throw in our way of happiness?Yes, being a Marine brings you joy, but can you not see that just wanting to be your wife is something that I also crave. I love being the wife of a Marine, but between you and me…I love being just a normal wife the most.And what I would want the most is being for us to be normal parents. I would love for my child to have a dad, not the dad that is the Marine.I know that if I say this, then I am being selfish and what I am about even to ask, yet, even more, say is perhaps being worse than plain damn nasty.As you left this morning, I began to think about the way things were when we first met. We were so much in love; the
Seriously, fuck you. I have had enough.Imagine me coming home from training with the boys, in a very upbeat mood, and looking forward to seeing my wife with our little baby bump.But ya…All I find is a little note saying that she has left.I am tired of losing Isabella.Around every corner, there is a hole that I need to trip through…and…I have had enough.I once believed I knew what love is.Isabella Jackson…I was satisfied with a mediocre life, a mediocre relationship. You know, the same old, same old – "He cares about me, I care about him";"I will never find anything better than this." stuff.All that fucking bullshit.I actually thought that I had found my 'forever after.' The person I'll eventually end up with.Isabella came into my life and changed my whole existence from its core. From the very first moment our eyes met, I knew there was something
I am sitting with my back against the door, just having read a note that Isabella left."If you are reading this, it means I am not here."Well, ya that I can damn well see.And what else I can damn well do, is not breathe.So I crumple up the note and toss it into the bin. My heart is ripped away in shatters as I burst into tears. But then behind me, I hear a loud…BANG.…as someone is kicking at the door. Well, I hope that they have a good reason for banging around here at this time in the morning.So as I take my time to go to answer the door, the banging only but becomes more persistently. Now I have no idea if I should be crying or be mad at the present moment. With one last wipe from the sleeve of my shirt, I dry the tears that are still threatening to come.Then, slowly but utterly angry, I fling the door open."What do you…Huh? Why are…?" my words only but mumble as I try to make
"Dear Clayton…I know that if you are reading this, it must have taken you days to get to that decision. I really do not blame you for hating me as much as you are hating me right now. And if it has taken you the time that I think it must have, then I know that you are somewhere near Baghdad and that you will be heading off into the unknown.Now I know that no part of you are going to believe this, but I really wish you good luck and for your safe return. Braydon needs you more than ever, for god knows he does not need his mother, not after the stunt that she has pulled.But if you give me just five minutes, then I want to tell you what and however stupid it might be, but I need for you to understand why I had to walk away and perhaps that you will understand. But before I lay my misery upon you, I want to say that I really did not intend for any of this to happen. I did not want to leave you or Braydon, but I had to; I had to give you two boys a better f
"I told you to stop phoning me, Clayton."With nothing but a huff, I clench the phone tighter, and without trying to sound too annoyed, I speak once again, "But, I just wanted…""No buts, Clayton. You have phoned six times already, and it is only 10:00 am. Do you not have something better to do?""Not at this very pressing moment. So please can I…?""No, I said no. You are not waking him up again just to say hello.""But mom, come on…""I said no!"With the vibration of her voice still ringing in my ear, my mom drops what would be the fifth call I have made unnecessary down in my ear. The phone finds its way very firmly to the other side of the ops tent, only but barely missing the head of Galland."Hey! What the fuck, man? Do you want to kill me?"I only but grunt at him as I catch the returning phone, "My mom does not want me to speak to Braydon.""Well, perhaps because you have phoned her l
07:30I have just watched two Humvees from our group swerve off the road and crash as they attempted to avoid the incoming fire from the enemy. Galland is desperately trying to make contact to confirm if all is alive.Right now, everything looks bleak as we are surrounded by more enemy than what we can handle.But as I look past Clark to the other side of the road, I can see a truck that has been crushed by one of the enemy's tanks. There I can sadly say, if they were not fast enough to get out and avoid enemy fire as well, then they are all gone.There seems by the radio that does come in and from what we can see between the chaos around us, only three remaining vehicles.We are sitting ducks.And this pond is far too big for us to navigate around in.Is this how it is going to end for this small group of Marines?Were we, in fact, too arrogant and too at ease when we set on this mission?This is not how I w
As I slowly flutter open my eyes, I can hear the distinct sound of chatter of excited Marines outside of my tent. Today is the day; for the past few days, we have been building up to this moment. These are the days that all Marines train and most definitely live for.It is the 23rd of March.04:45I have chosen to sleep in just for fifteen minutes. Just the fifteen minutes that I need to get my head into the game. Harrison has begged me not to go out with the squad this morning, but he knows that it is futile to even argue.This will be my last deployment for a while, and god knows I want to make it count. That means sitting on the sidelines and listening to the action coming through on radio is definitely not an option. I want, when I tell my son why I was not there in the early stages of his life, I want to tell him that I was out there making a difference. I need to do this not only for me but for him.Though, definitely not for his
Days seem to be moving faster than we have anticipated, with the imminent mission lying around the corner. We will be moving out tomorrow just before the crack of dawn as we will make our way up to Baghdad. Now to say that I am shit scared for what might happen is clearly evident in the pacing I have done in the past half hour. Much to Harrison's annoyance, he has sent me out of the ops tent to find something else to keep my mind occupied.I am fucking scared that I am not going to make this one home this time. I have come so close to death these past two missions that I am now asking myself what the fuck am I doing here. My son needs me, and I am here in the middle of goddamn no man's desert going off my head.My mom has even told me to stop phoning her more than four times a day, for I am driving her right there insane with my constant checking on Braydon. I never knew that there would come a day that I would rather be anywhere else than the place I used to love bein
It is early morning on a rather miserable Thursday that we are heading towards camp south of Nasiriya on this 20th March. To say that we are anxious and rather unsettled would be a blatant lie. We are nearing the end of what will be the major of our attempt to take over the forces in the City.I have been looking forward to this mission for a great number of days, but since the departure of Isabella, there is no other place that I would rather be than home at this present moment.We have been told this should be a quick in and out and should not last beyond two weeks, but we are preparing ourselves for a month as things never seem to go as planned when it comes to the forces in this Country.But I am set to get this mission over as fast as I possibly can with as few casualties as we had in Fallujah. My only true mission is that little bundle of smiles that is waiting for me when I get back home. This will, but I am not going to say that rather adaman
I remember the day when I was about to leave the Hospital when my dad just woke up from that horrible nightmare that he was facing. That day when we all knew that our love and faith had been tested. A time that we will never forget that should have taught us all a valuable lesson.Now, if I can recall almost exactly, I told myself that the next years would be difficult for me. I would stumble. I would fall. There would be heartbreak and failure. I would pick myself back up and start again. That there would be more heartbreak to follow.Well, if I now remember back to that day, I wish I could have kicked my own ass for predicting my future in such a bleak way.Yes.That night, that was the last time that I saw Isabella walk away, for the next morning when I went to go wake her after she had a very much-needed rest, I only but found the bed cold and empty, nearly like she had never been in it at all.So it has been a week.A week since Isabell
If my mind thought it was deceiving it, my eyes are telling me that I surely am not.Isabella has just arrived on our doorstep again. Why she has not entered the room, that I do not know. There is a slight hesitation about her which I am sure anyone would feel after what we have been through these past few days. I will not question her, for right now, I do not know what her intention is, and I damn well do not want another argument either.So it is with a tiny jolt of energy back into my bones that I can barely stop myself from smiling. As my eyes leave hers, I find the only thing that really matters in this world. Yes, I know that I need to say that Isabella is along there somewhere. But right now, I am reluctant to open myself to that possibility again.Yet, I do have to admit, "You have no idea I am happy to see you and Braydon." I pause for a brief moment as I rush over and place a tiny peck on the little man's forehead, then I continue again, "Isabella&hell
…Isabella POV…To say that I have not hit a new depth of stupidity in these past few days would be a total understatement. From bursting into Harrison's home and attacking Galland's girlfriend to taking Clayton's child away from him and sacking up in some small hotel room. That can easily be described as the most insane thing that any woman can set her mind to, regardless of which world it is that she finds herself in.Now, should I want to try and find the most logical answer for doing any of them, I cannot come to one single one.Why do I hate Clayton so much?Even more important…why is my Bipolar back with such a great force?Why do I want to hurt Clayton so bad?Well, I guess there is only the truth that needs to be told.And as I try to bear the pain that is consuming my body, try to make sense of this fucking crazy that is brewing inside of me.I've run out of reasons to run away from Clayton. I've tr