Everlasting Love

Chapter Ten

After heading back and grabbing my car as it's got the booster seat we made our way to the school. I headed through to reception as Bone's followed behind me. "Daddy!" We both heard Izzy's voice and turned to see Izzy and the nurse coming from her office. Izzy ran straight past me and straight into Bone's arms. He dropped to his knees and held her. I spoke to reeption giving Bone's down as a point of contact and quickly spoke to the nurse. Izzy had complained of a sore stomach all morning and had refused to eat or drink during morning break. "Hey Missy, shall we get you home?" I went over asking bending down to her. "Can Daddy carry me?" "Of course Princess". He scooped her up in his arms whislt I grabbed her bag. I opened the door and she got into her booster seat. Bone's buckled her up and we headed home. "Izzy go get changed out of your uniform". She disappeared into her room leaving Bone's and I in the kitchen. "How am I gonna tell her when she's not feeling well?". His fists clenched onto the worktop. "Calm down. Just be with her for now and we'll tell her after dinner". "Am I staying for dinner?" "I hope so" I smiled turning away to get a glass of water. "Izzy, your Dad's staying for dinner" I said as she appeared beside us in her unicorn outfit. "Yaaay". The biggest smile appeared on her face. "Can we go play?" She looked up to Bone's and they retreated to her bedroom. I did a little bit of work on my laptop. Or I tried until the cries of laughter became unbearably loud. I made my way to Izzy's room which had exploded with cuddly toys. I stood watching her run around. Hmmm? "Ahem" I cleared my throat capturing both of their attention. "Isabella Grace McClyde?" She stopped running, looking sheepish as she knew she rarely heard her full name. Bone's looked at me curiously from his knees as he was knelt on the floor. "I thought you weren't feeling very well?" She avoided my eyes. "I.. I erm.. I feel better" I smirked, the wee monkey. "Well that's good. Shall we take you back to school then?" Her face dropped. "No Mummy. I-" I shook my head. "Did you pretend to be sick knowing you were going to see Daddy today?" It was a perfect moment for teaching her about honesty and the 'boy who cried wolf', or it could have been until Bone's burst out laughing. "Isabella?" I glared at Bone's unamused at his reaction. He stopped laughing but couldn't stop smiling. She was definetly his daughter right enough. "Daddy!" She dived on to his lap hiding her face from mine. I sighed, I couldn't stay angry knowing she was going to be without him for months. Bone's must have had the same thought as our eyes locked with empathy for her. I nodded. It was now. "Izzy, I need to tell you something. About work" Bone's pulled her off him so he could see her properly. I knelt down beside them as Bone's nodded for me as he struggled to find the words. First time I'd really seen him speechless. "Izzy, you know how Daddy is a soldier in the army" She nodded staring at us both. "Do you remember what I told you about what soldiers do?" She looked up thinking as Bone's and I exchanged looks. "Sol-jers stop bad people". We both smiled hearing her putting the detail in to say he word soldiers right and that she remebered what he does. "Yeah, that's right sweetie. And Daddy needs to go away for a bit to do that". "Go where?" Big puppy dog eyes appeared on her face. I looked round her room until my eyes locked on to her globe. I grabbed it and ushered her to sit in front of me facing Bone's. "So we are here" I pointed to the United Kingdom. "And Daddy is going-" I stopped myself realzing I didn't know where he was going. He scooted closer to us and spinned the globe. "All the way over here" Letting his fingers land on... I sighed. "Afganistan" He said looking at me. I looked away and hugged into Izzy tighter. I hated it when he had to go on these trips. "How long for? Will you be back soon?" I smiled at her optimism. "I don't know Princess". "But I don't want you to go!" She broke away from me and dived back on to him dropping the globe. She hugged him so tight as she cried and cried. We both tried to soothe her. She eventually silenced with exhaustion.

For the following few hours they didn't seperate. Bone's lay completely flat on the couch with Izzy lying on top of him watching cartoons. It broke my heart seeing them like this. His left hand gently rubbed her back, and every so often he'd sit up a little to kiss her head. A tear escaped my eyes, I wiped it away turning back to start dinner. Shortly after we sat around the table eating. "Mmm, I've missed your cooking" Bone's licked his lips looking at the food. After dinner I cleared up and pottered round whilst they two re-commenced on the sofa watching a movie. Good thing it was Saturday tomorrow so she could sleep in. I eventually stopped myself and collapsed into the armchair opposite zoning out watching the movie too.

"Hey, she's fell asleep" Bone's whispered as the titles rolled on the screen. I straightened myself up looking over. He carried her through to her room and gently lay her on the bed. I let him tuck her in and left him to it as I went and curled up on the sofa. A while later I eventually heard her door close as he came and sat on the sofa beside me perched on the edge staring straight ahead. "She's cute when she sleeps isn't she". He nodded smiling. "I just can't believe I've missed so much. Pregnancy, the birth, I don't even know what time or her weight was. Her first word, her first smile, steps. Eveything". I sighed as he was beating himself up. "She was born at 2234, 7lbs 4 oz, her first word was Nana. And you've gave her a memory of her 5th birthday, one that she'll probably remember. You were there for her first day of school. And you've got swimming and cycling to do. So stop, you've got so many memories to make with her". Bone's leaned back smiling looking to me. "Thanks. Suppose your right". "And anyways, you'll be there for first day of high school, first boyfriend-" I giggled, playfully nudging him. "Oh god- hope that day never comes remembering what we were like in school". I laughed slowly stopping watching him watch me. "I miss your laugh". His words caught me off guard. It felt like the air had been sucked out the room. "Do you think we could drop Izzy at your parents tomorrow night?" He eventually said breaking the silence. I looked at him confused. "I thought, maybe it'd be nice just you and me at this party tomorrow night?". "Fuck! I forgot all about it". "If you don't wanna-". I shook my head quickly. "No, no, I just forgot. Erm, but yeah. A night off and a night out sounds good" We both sat smiling and chatting for a little longer until he left. I made my way to my room opening my wardrobe. What the hell was I going to wear?