Prologue

How they met.

India- He was the tall boy, the quiet one, then.

Devin- She was the small one, always on time, then.

Misty- He was the bad boy the late one, then.

Chester- She was the good girl, always on time, then.

Jewel- Only best friends we thought, then.

Noah- I loved her, but I treated her like a friend, then.

Chapter 1

Chester

The Red Brick Bar. A small club on the corner in the big town of Chicago, Illinois. Where we decided what we were going to tell our wives and children. When we broke the news of war to them. Devan would leave India to tend to Carter, the 5-year-old. Noah would leave Jewel to the twins. Lucas would leave Alexis to Fields and Leaf, the 3 and 4-year-old.  Bob would leave Crystal to Shimmer, the 14-year-old. And Misty all alone with no children.

    “How are we going to tell them!” Devan complained well we were waiting in the back of the horse-drawn carriage.

    “We discussed this”

    His hand reaches back for the dark bottle in his satchel. I grab his wrist centimeters from it. Great.

    “Don’t go home all drunk on them.” he sighs and looks up a fearful look in his eyes.

    “Thank you, Chester.”

    The carriage came to a stop at our street and we pay our goodbyes and headed off towards our houses.

Chapter 2

ALL

India

    “Dear?!” I hear the door slam shut and heavy footsteps heading towards the bedroom.

    “Yes dear?” I look up and see him staring at Carter who seems to just notice him.

    “Daddy!” she cries and gives him a hug.

    “Carter go out and play with Fields and Leaf.” She runs out the door.

    “Dear what’s wrong?” I stand from the sitting position I was in the ground.

    I just barely come up to Devan’s chin. I stand on my tip toes and give him a light kiss.

    “Dear, I’m going to war.” I take a deep breath.

    He must. I knew it.

    “I understand dear, when must you leave?”

    “April 6th. And its May 30th we have some time.”

Misty

    “Miss Misty Pie.” I hear when I’m reading a book in the living room.  

“Yes Chess” I say while looking at the pages of my book.

 He walks in the living room and stares at me                          

I say, “Yes Chess” He just stares at me.

I say again, “Yes Chess” finally he opens his mouth as if to say something and just closes it back up.

I repeat, “What’s wrong Chess”

He sits by me and says, “Do you love me?” I look at him as if he was crazy or something.

“Yes, no matter what happens” I answer truthfully

He stares at me and says “Well, I’m going to the war”.

I stare at him and everything goes black and the last thing I hear is, “MIST-.” What did mist have to do with anything.

Jewel

“Sweetie” I hear while putting milk in the cat  bowl.

“Yes Noah” I say while petting the cat.

“Is Tidal-Wave ok?”

“Yes, why?” I say putting the milk away.

I turn around and see a black cat sitting in Noah’s arms.

“Why did you get this cat?” I say, surprise clear in my voice.

“Because I’m going to war and want you to remember me” I look at him and then the cat.

“What’s his name?” I question, still shocked. We didn’t have a lot of money. Barely enough to buy food for all of us.

“Romeo. Because I know you love Shakespeare.” that was true.

Tidal-wave hisses at Romeo. Romeo hisses back while jumping out of Noah’s arms.

“Ok when?” I say

“April 6th and it’s May 30th so we’re ok, right?” he asks hopefulness in his voice.

I shake my head “Yes”

He smiles and kisses me on the cheek. I look at Romeo and Tidal wave fighting, then I look at Noah and smile too.

Crystal

“Chris!” I hear while putting our clothes on the line.

“Yes Bob” I say and see Shimmer playing with Carter, Fields and Leaf.

He walks outside “I did not see you there.”

“Well I I’m everywhere” I chuckled.

Suddenly he yells, “Shimmer come here” I look surprised and looked at him.

Shimmer came up “Yes, sir?”

He says, “I need to talk to you and mom for a second”

“Okay?” Shimmer says, and looks at me. I just shrug.

I say, “About what?” He looks at me

“Let’s go inside and talk about it?”

“About what, sir?” Shimmer questions after we have gotten seat at the table

He looks at Shimmer “Something” he says a tint of fear in his voice

“Yes?” I ask standing up to start the oven using some of our firewood

“I’m going to the war” he says.

I look at him in surprised and said “Okay” I take a deep breath, “When?”

“April 6th.” I gasp Shimmers birthday.

“Yes, dear I know, but I’ll send a letter every day!”

Shimmer says nothing and goes to our room. He stands up and comes over to me I lightly peck him on the lips and head out the door towards, India’s.

Alexis

“Lexi” I hear while cooking lunch for the kids and me.

“Yes” I say while putting corn on the plates and beans.

I look at him and kids were all over him.

I chuckle and say, “Lunch is done”

The kids jump off of him and came and eat.

“Yes” I repeat from early.

“I’m going to the war” he says it so casually almost as if he doesn’t care.

I say to the kids “Are you done?”

“I’m done” they say in unison then laugh.

I take their plates and set them aside. I grab them and jump in a carriage to somewhere else then here.

Chapter 3

India

I hear a knock at the door, I opened it

“Hi, Crystal?” I said shock clear in my voice.

“Hi, can I come in?” She said that as fast as she could

“Yes?” she ran right passed me and sat down at the table.

Carter ran in and saw Chris “Auntie Chrissy!” Crystal smiled but didn’t quite meet her eyes.

Carter hugged her leg and ran off to play.

“Did Devan tell you? He’s going, right?!”

I looked up and said “Yes”

She looked at me and frowned. “Bob is leaving on Shimmer’s birthday” I looked up shocked. I had totally forgotten

“Are you going to do the party before he leaves?”

She looks up “I don’t know”

“You should”

I hear another knock at the door. I open it, It was Misty.

“Hi my sis wanted us to meet her somewhere”

Crystal and I looked at each we both shrugged and followed Misty.

I said, “Where is She?”

Before Misty could answer, we saw Fields and Leaf. Alexis was crying while watching the kids.

Misty ran over and said, “What’s wrong?”

I walked over with Crystal. I said, “Did Lucas tell you?”

Alexis nodded her head.

Crystal said, “You should spend time with him and your kids before he leaves”

Alexis wiped away her tears away and nodded, “Your-Your right I should.”

Chapter 4

Jewel

I look at my little wheat doll that my grandma made for me. Still thinking about how he is going to war and going to leave his two little girl twins behind I heard a knock on the door, I opened it, it was Alexis

“Yes?” she hugs me and I hug her back behind her was Fields and Leaf

We sit down while the kids play.

“What do you need Alexis?” Alexis looks at my stomach I know what she is thinking now, “It’s ok I’m fine”

She stares at me and says, “No you aren’t you need you hang out with your husband before he leaves”

I look at her and say, “What about you?”

She breaths and says, “I Am but I want to help you first”

She smiles and then I do to “Thanks”

She gets up and says, “Bye see you, Fields Leaf let’s go”

I smile and say, “Bye”

I go outside and see Noah looking at the ground. I go beside him and kiss him on the cheek. He looks at me and says,

“Are you ok sweetie?”

I look at him shocked “Yes, I will always be when you’re with me” He looks at me and smiles.