In The Blink Of An Eye

Party Of Six

When I woke up in the morning Jake was gone. He wasn't next to me in bed and the minute I opened my eyes I was filled with fear. He couldn't already be gone, it was too soon and too fast. I don't know why that was the first thing that crossed my mind. I jumped out of bed and just as I was about to open the door I heard his voice. He was talking to my brother, sister and Lilli. Wait...how long have I been asleep? The relief I felt when I heard them was something that just never seemed to go away. No matter how many times I heard their voices, I constantly felt relief that they were still actually there.

I opened the door and entered the living room. When they saw me, they turned and looked at me with a smile on their face.

"Good morning sleeping beauty" said Jake.

"Good morning guys" I replied.

"Hi mama, I missed you" continued Lilli.

"I missed you too sweetheart, come here."

I opened my arms wide as she ran up to me and hugged me. I knew she was with my sister all night and that she was safe but I still worried as if she was with God knows who. It's not that I didn't trust my sister, because I did. It's that I was so used to having her sleep with me where I could turn around at any given moment and see her right next to me and know that she was safe.

"What are you guys doing?" I asked.

"We were actually thinking of where we should go to celebrate today?" Said Aileen.

"I read great reviews of this restaurant not too far from here. I think we should all go tonight" continued my brother.

"That sounds great. We can definitely do that. It's time we all did something nice as a family" I exclaimed.

"I completely agree," stated Jake.

"How does it feel to know you're a fiance?" Asked my sister.

"Hehe normal I guess. I mean I'm excited and extremely happy but I don't think the reality that we're getting married has hit me just yet."

"When are you guys planning on having the wedding?" Asked my brother.

"Soon, I don't want to wait any longer!" exclaimed Jake.

"I actually don't know. I want to get married and if it was up to me I'd do it today but I don't want to get married while we are in the middle of all this craziness and mess."

"Wait, what are you saying?"

"Jake, I don't want to get married and be scared the whole time that someone is going to come and blow us all up, or come in shooting."

"I mean she has a point!" exclaimed my brother.

"We don't know if we will ever catch them, or when any of this will end" continued Jake.

"I know that but we can get married whenever we want. It won't change anything between us if we don't get married right now. Honestly, I just want to focus on finding who they are and ending it all. I can't focus on planning a wedding and being happy and celebrating our love when in the back of my mind all I would think about is when one of us will die."

"You're right, I'm sorry. I don't want you to be scared or worried on our special day. I'm not in a rush. I will marry you either way but we do have to find the people behind this first."

"And how exactly are either of you planning on doing that?" Asked my sister.

"I don't know, all I know is that the longer they are after us, the more we risk one of us getting hurt" I exclaimed.

"I have an idea but I don't think Jake will ever be okay with this" said my brother.

"What are you talking about? What idea?" I asked.