This Walk of Life

Chapter 4: Call to Arms

3rd Person POV

Nicks truck swooshed down the city street heading towards Ella and Todds house, Nick looked in the rearview mirror at his kids they were looking out the window watching the scenery pass by. Nick loved his kids more than anything in the world and was doing his best to keep his what he called 'Evil' side at bay just for them.

Reaching the huge house, Nick parked the truck in the driveway and felt dread overwhelm him when he saw Todd walk out the door just to see Todd. Sighing he looked back at his kids, "Alright guys your home" he said, "But we don't want to go dad" Noah said, hearing his son say that made him think of when Ella took them away it broke his heart but it's just things were now. "It's okay buddy, you'll see me again next weekend I promise" he said stepping out the truck.

The kids followed and ran to Todd, the man said hi to the kids and ruffled their hairs ushering them inside he dropped his smile and looked at Nick. "Ellas not here, she's working get lost failure" he said firmly, Nick raised an eyebrow at the man, "Excuse me, I have a job, a house, and kids how am I failure?" Nick asked. "In case you forgot you're an alcoholic and probably a psychopath" Nick was getting mad and wanted to kill Todd right there, but he couldn't for obvious reasons, "Okay listen, I have it under control my drinking and mindset" Todd scoffed at the upset fireman, "Yeah right, it's only a matter of time before you go coo-coo" Todd said before closing the doors ending the conversation and leaving a hurt and beat down Nick.

Returning home, Nick looked at his dark and lonely home and headed inside. The silence every time he walked inside hurt him bit by bit, he remembered how his kid's laughter and screaming filled the house, his wife and him laughing and talking and playing with their kids. Walking to the kitchen he opened the sliding door leading to the backyard, there was a firepit with four lawn chairs around it, up against the house a grill for the summer when Nick cooked burgers and hotdogs, in the corner of the backyard a tool shed, and lots of grass that needed to be cut. Looking at the firepit and chairs butterflies ran wild in his stomach when he thought about his most memorable moment there.

3 Years Ago

The summer night was warm and comfortable, a feeling like no other. Currently the Rhein family was sitting in the backyard around a fire eating smores and talking as a family. Nick finished his smore and looked at Astrid who he hadn't heard speak for a while, all thoughts in his mind came to a pause when he saw Astrid sad at just 4 years old, she looked like a depressed teenager.

"Astrid honey are you okay?" Nick asked his question, making Ella with 2-year-old Noah in her lap look at Astrid. "Sweety what's wrong?" Ella asked her daughter, Astrid looked at her parents and started to weep, making Nick rush to his daughter and hug her like he always did. Stroking her hair, he held his daughter close while muttering loving words to her.

Cupping his daughters' cheeks, he knelt down to her level and looked at her. "Astrid what happened?" Nick asked moving a strand of hair from her eye, "At school, teacher asked what we wanted to be when we grow up, I said I want to be like my dad, a fireman, the other kids laughed at me" Astrid managed to say, Nick looked at Ella who looked shocked at Astrids words, thinking of a way to calm his daughter Nick had an idea come to mind it wasn't the best idea but it was worth a shot.

Breaking away from his daughter, which he hated to do, he walked to the table beside his chair with a speaker. Using his phone, he selected a song he sang to himself sometimes to encourage himself when he was younger. If I Can Dream by Elvis Presley.

The sound of trumpets came from the speaker making Ella look to her husband confused and Astrid looked at her dad curiously.

"There must be lights burning brighter somewhere"