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Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Jacob’s face twisted in pain, his eyes brimming with grief.
“Why? Why didn’t you give him a proper burial?“]
“They say you rest in peace when you’re laid to rest.. but you didn’t even let our son keep his body intact.
“How is he supposed to find peace like that?”
I cradled Ethan’s framed photo against my chest, gently brushing my fingers over his baby–soft cheeks.
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“He was never happy living here. I’m taking him home.”
Jacob stared at the photo in my arms, his voice thick and low.
“I don’t get it…. I worked my ass off, risked my life in the military, all to give you two a better life.“]
I let out a bitter laugh and shook my head.
“A better life? And what exactly does that mean to you?”
“Did you ever ask what Ethan and I actually wanted?”
Jacob held my gaze, but there was something in his eyes I couldn’t quite read.
“I gave you a roof over your head, food on the table.”
“never let you go without.”
“What more could you want?”
I looked past him, toward the sky outside the gate.”
“My voice drifted, almost lost in memory.
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“Back when Ethan and I were living out in the country, sure, we were scraping by… Sometimes we split a single biscuit for dinner.“]
“But we were content.”
“Ethan loved sitting with me on the porch, watching that jujube tree you planted in the corner of the yard.”
“Every time it bloomed, he’d get so excited.”
“He’d run circles around me saying, When the tree’s full of fruit, Daddy’s coming home!”
“Whenever you did come back, he’d pick the ripest ones and share them with the neighbor kids, all proud like-
“My dad planted this! He’s coming home real soon!”
Jacob’s eyes softened. [
He could almost see Ethan again–tiny, beaming, shirt bundled up like a basket full of fruit.]
I pulled my eyes back to the red brick walls around the compound, my heart hollowing out.
Then you said you missed us and asked us to move here with you.“]
“We were so happy, thought we’d finally be a real family.”
*But when we got to the base, we didn’t know anyone.“]
“All we wanted was for you to come home and spend time with us.“]
Instead, your missions kept piling up, and you barely had time to eat dinner with us, let alone talk.
“We tried making friends, but no one understood our small–town accents.”
Even the kids ignored Ethan, called him a hillbilly.
You didn’t know all this. I never told you–didn’t want you to worry.
I turned toward Jacob, pushing down the ache in my throat.
“We tried so hard to adjust, and Ethan he never made a single friend.
That one game of tag–the eagle and the chicks–was the first time the base kids ever invited him to play.“]
“No one wanted to be the eagle, so even though Ethan didn’t like it, he still stepped up.
He was just so happy to be included.
“But then you showed up.”
“And the first thing you did was scold him.
You turned him right back into the outcast he was before
Jacob clenched his fists tight, whispering like he was trying to convince himself]
F
That’s not what happened… I didn’t mean to not that day-
I looked down, unwilling to give him an ounce of comfort.]
Jatent doesn’t matter. Hurt is hurt.]
And Liban carried that pain till the end
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Chapter 6
“I told him once school started, everything would be different. He’d finally make friends.”
“But he never got the chance.”
I looked up, staring Jacob down through the blur of tears.]
“Do you know what Ethan said to me the day we registered for school?
Jacob’s eyes filled with regret and dread.]]
“He said he knew you were working really hard.“]
“He said he’d study hard and be brave like his dad.”
“That one day, he’d be a hero too.”
Jacob looked over at the brand–new backpack he had bought, now sitting beside him.
His shoulders shook
He couldn’t hold back the tears anymore.]]
I picked up my suitcase, gave the house one last look, and walked away.
