Kaylee Jaymie Halstead

Making it right

Kaylee PoV
I went to grampas house and knocked on the door. Justin answered and I just gave him a hug
Justin: what's up tigger?
Kaylee: dad. He said that he might go back to the army
Justin: what now?
Kaylee: no potentially in the future
I walked in and sat on the couch and Justin sat beside me pulling me into a sideways hug
Kaylee: how can he go back to the place that put him through so much trauma? Does he forget how it got so bad that he was drinking really bad or that he nearly killed himself. I think it's selfish. Selfish that he'll put us through all that again
Justin: I understand that but he has a commitment to the army. If they need him then he has to go
Kaylee: but that's not fair
Justin: I know tigger I know
Kaylee: I didn't know you were back home
Justin: yep I got released this morning
Kaylee: grampa never told me. Where is he?
Justin: grocery shopping
Kaylee: oh okay
Justin: you wanna go out to eat?
Kaylee: can we go to the cinema?
Justin: sure come on then trouble

Jay pov
I just sat with my head in my hands until I heard footsteps
Zach: Mr Halstead
Jay: Zach you can call me Jay. What's up?
Zach: you were in the army right?
Jay: yeah why?
Zach: if someone is MIA does it mean they're dead
Jay: not at all. It could mean that he's gone AWOL which would mean he took off in the middle of his deployment without anyone knowing, he could be captured by the enemy. There's loads of possibilities. But what the army will do is they'll keep on searching. So what you should do now is just wait for updates. No news is good news
Zach: thank you. Where's Kaylee?
Jay: she just went out for fresh air
Zach: is she okay?
Jay: she's scared about the possibility of me going back to the army in the future
Zach: would you?
Jay: I signed a contract. I get deployed whenever they need me. The only term is that it's only in cases where no one else is available and im the last option or if I choose to.
Zach: did you explain that?
Jay: I did and deep down she knows that it's gonna happen but it's the memories that are scaring her. During combat missions, you see things that you can't unsee. So when I came home I was struggling. It got so bad to the point I was drinking heavily and I was suicidal. She's just scared
Zach: I've seen that with dad. When I was 7, he was deployed to Iraq. When he came home I was turning 10. I remember there was this one time, it was the 4th of July and the fireworks had triggered his PTSD. He had a really bad episode and it ended with mom tryna pry a gun from his hands. He was tryna shoot himself. He would say how it was his fault his friends died. He dissociated and it lasted hours. Mom had to send him away to get help. What would happen if they found dad alive?
Jay: they'd contact your mom and support you all in processing the news. If he is captured then he becomes a prisoner of war which means he is protected under law so they have to treat him well and allow him to access medical care when and if he needs it. The situation will be monitored and they'll continue to support you all. When he is released or rescued, it may be a while until he comes home. He'll need to be evaluated medically, debrief of what happened and counselling. He'll then be discharged and send home where he will receive further medical and psychological care.
Zach: you think he's been captured?
Jay: that's the most likely scenario but it's not as bad as it sounds. It's better than the alternative
Zach: thank you Jay
He gave me a hug
Zach: I should go. Tell Kaylee I'll call her
Jay: you want me to drop you home?
Zach: no it's okay. I'll see you later
Zach left and hailey walked in
Hailey: you okay?
Jay: yeah I'm fine
Hailey: Jay?
Jay: Kaylee is upset with me and I don't know how to fix it
Hailey: what happened?
Jay: well it started off with Zach. His dad is missing in the army so she wanted me to speak to him to kind of put his mind at ease. She then asked if I'd go back and I said not right now but possibly in the future. She didn't like my answer and said a few things and walked out.
Hailey: where is she?
Jay: I don't know. She's probably at the firehouse
Hailey: make it right with her Jay
Jay: I will
Hailey: I'm gonna start on dinner. I'm guessing Kaylee wants mac n cheese
Jay: mhm

Kaylee pov
We had just finished watching a movie. It was a strange film. I can't remember the name.
Justin: feeling better?
Kaylee: mhm
Justin: if you ever need anything call me okay. I missed enough of your life
Kaylee: yeah but it wasn't your fault. You were in jail
Justin: I know
We got in his car and he drove me home. We just sat in the car for a while
Justin: so what have I missed?
Kaylee: not much. I had surgery for my epilepsy. It sends shocks to my brain before a seizure to stop it
Justin: that's good
Kaylee: yeah. I should go. You wanna come in?
Justin: nah it's okay maybe another day
Kaylee: bye
Justin: see ya trouble
I got out and walked through the front door.
Kaylee: dad?
Dad: kitchen!
I went up and gave him a hug
Both: I'm sorry
Kaylee: im sorry for overreacting it's just that I'm scared of losing you
Dad: I know peach and I'm sorry for not thinking how you feel. I'll only be deployed if im the last option.
Kaylee: I know im just scared of losing you
Dad: you're stuck with me kiddo. You sorted things out with Zach?
Kaylee: yeah and thank you for talking to him
I walked into the kitchen and hailey was taking the garlic bread out
Kaylee: this smells amazing
hailey: your favourite
Kaylee: hailey can I talk to you?
Hailey: sure what's up?
Kaylee: how do i know if a boy likes me?
Hailey: Zach?
Kaylee: mhm
Hailey: strong eye contact is key. He looks for your reaction to jokes, what he says and what he does. He changes when he's around you. He wants to protect you
Kaylee: hailey I think he likes me
Hailey: well do you like him?
Kaylee: yeah
Hailey: what's the next step?
Kaylee: I wanna wait for him to ask me out
Hailey: that's okay. Right let's plate up dinner. You wanna help?
Kaylee: sure
We plated up dinner. We ate then I had a shower then went to bed.