…Isabella POV…
In the deep of the night, I pace my way barefoot up and down the camp. My hair is getting soak, and my toes are disappearing deep into the mud. Why on such an evening does it have to rain so hard. The same hardness the thoughts are pounding through my mind. Is Clayton okay? Why? Why now did they have to do it" If it were not raining so hard, I would have felt better, or is that even the truth. What if I did not walk myself into trouble? Would this have happened? There are so many what-ifs.
Then I feel a hand come from behind and rest on my shoulder. As I spin around and nearly slide off my feet, I see Harrison, showing for me to come in from the rain. I have been doing it for hours. As I finally step out into the dry tent, he hands me a towel and a hot cup of coffee.
"You are going to drive yourself crazy out there; the boys are fine, don't let your head tell you any different."
"How, how can you be so sure?"
"They have
As I look at her with a world of questions whirling in my eyes, the very thing that comes to mind, are we in danger again? Do we need to get ready to head out again? Well though I do not mind being prepared to go again so soon, I would not have mind to spend time with her and just unwind. But this is not home, and there exists no such thing."Boo, tell me what is wrong?""Soldier, they are calling us back home.""What? Why?""They have signed a peace treaty. They said not all of the squads are needed here anymore. There will be a few that will remain behind for at least another three weeks."I pause for the moment to take it all in. Did I just hear her, right? "So, I guess that we are going home," I ask her, not knowing if I should be happy or relieved. I did not think we would be going home so early. "Boo, how do you feel about it?""Soldier, I don't think I even need to answer that.""You know, I say let us go home. In some crooked
Isabella has not been herself cheerful self for the past few days. At first, I thought that she must be nervous to see everyone again. But then it started to become more serious, getting sick so often. Now it seems that she has been hiding something from me as well. We promised no more secrets; even if I say it is fine, it does make me slightly mad."Boo, what are you not telling me? Are you not deploying with me again?""No! No, soldier! I can't go!""What do you mean you can't go? Everything was fine; why have you changed my mind."My mom, along with Matty, tries to excuse themselves from the kitchen, "I think we will leave you kids alone. Come, Richard, I think we could do with a walk.""What makes you think I want to walk Denise."Matt drags my dad by the arm towards the door, "Dad, you just like to have a bit of good gossip to listen to. Sometimes I think you worse than that old Betty."Isabella is standing in dead silence.
I could have sworn I just fainted; a big ass man like me has dropped like a little bundle to the floor. Did I just hear right? Did I just hear that Isabella is pregnant? I think if I open my eyes, I will soon find out. But I am scared. Am I ready to be a father? Am I even the father type kind of man? I am so not prepared for this; then again, I am a soldier, I need to be ready for the most unexpected things.I feel as Isabella tugs at my shoulder, "Soldier, soldier, are you okay?"Then Dr. Roberston joins her, trying to get me out of my stupid spell of darkness. "Clayton, can you hear me?"As I slowly open my eyes and wait for it to adjust to the light, I see Isabellas staring worriedly at me. "Soldier don't give a woman a heart attack so early in the morning!"She starts shaking me furiously. I can hear the urgency in her voice as she calls out my name. "Soldier! Soldier!""Aahhh boo, I am awake; slow down on the shaking.""Don't you ever d
When I stepped off the bus this morning, I never knew and could hardly ever have imagined that I would find out that Isabella is pregnant. Now I can't say it is a complete surprise, for, well, I kind of could not keep it in my pants. This was bound to happen sooner or later, and I can honestly say that I am grateful that it did not happen at camp. Well, it sort of did, but at least she is not pregnant and deploying.The mere thought that I, half a broken man, am becoming a father brings another accomplishment to mind. I am still a boy, learning to be a man, but now I am going to be a man that needs to learn how to be a father. This is terrifying; I can take a mission head-on but put a little life in my arm. I am about to learn a whole new meaning to life.Now there is only one life that has become important to me, apart from Isabella's, that is. I might not be holding my child in my hands, but I know exactly what Harrison means. Yes, Isabella cannot deploy anymor
We have not even been back home for a day and things are already running a riot. Isabella is pregnant, and I am going to become a father. That is wonderful news for all around, but we had to make the decision as to where Isabella is going to stay. I am deploying in a little less than a week again, and I need to know that wherever she is going to be, she will be safe. So we have decided that she shall stay in Pendleton and we will raise our child there. We are making the decision on what is best for the baby. Yes, I know that my family, most of all my mom, is going to be disappointed."I think everyone needs to go sit down for this one," I playfully laugh to ease the seriousness of the situation."Son, she is already pregnant; what else have you done?" My father asks, "With him, anything is possible." Matt adds."Matty, you better run.""What are you going to do, soldier boy?"I catch up to Matty that is walking ahead of my mom, and give him one sla
I have just shattered my mom's heart, and I fear this time it is beyond repair. It is not that we planned for this on purpose; it is just what is best for our son. Yes, I am being rather ambitious, but I do believe that this is a boy. Yesterday my biggest worry was what would happen if we get back to base camp. Today my only worry is for the future of my child. I just hope that everyone shall see it that way.Now my dad has come up with an idea, and to say that I am not curious would be a lie. But we all know that my father and his plans never end up well. That is why I am even too scared to ask, and to make things worse; he is going to have to run it past my mom. And right now, she is not doing well at the receiving end of any news.So I am waiting patiently for my dad to tell me what this idea is that he has, "So what is the plan?""Well, I don't know how well your mom is going to take this.""If it is going to break her heart, then I am guessing not we
A deafening silence has settled over the room as each one of us is playing it all over and over in our heads. I could have just sworn my father suggested that they sell up and follow me on over to Pendleton. Now he is either completely drunk or gone insane, for my father in all my living years has refused to step his feet out of this town, let alone leave it.If my mother was mad at my dad before this, then I have no idea from just looking at the expression on her face what she is now. I do not know if she is crying from anger or if she is, in fact, laughing in my dad's face. Her words are mumbled and coming as strangled stutters as they leave her lips.What seems like almost ten minutes have passed, she finally manages to compose herself. "Richard, this is not funny. The kids are having a baby, and they are leaving. Do not mess around like this.""Denice, I am serious; I am getting tired of Betty and all these people that cannot stay out of your face.""
They say that sometimes you do not realize the value of a moment until it becomes a memory. The day I look back at this moment, I will remember the day that my family made a sacrifice and followed me so that I can follow my dreams. To say that I am not humbled would be a lie. I have never experienced so much joy in my life as what I have experienced on this single day. The best memory by far shall be when this boy became a real man.So it seems like the Jacksons are moving to California. Well, not all of them are definitely sure. Matt seems to have some doubts about making this move with the rest of us. What I do find hard to understand is what is keeping him here. The future here in this town holds nothing for him.Seeing the confusion on his face as he struggles through this decision does pain me a bit. In a way, I do feel that I am a slight bit selfish. I am asking a man to pack up a life he feels comfortable with. I will not push him even further; this is a decisio