War On Love

Chapter 1: The Big Move

Soooo Dad.... What's for dinner? I asked while he studied his GPS.

How about tacos? he replied.

Ok that's fine, I said as we drove a few more miles before we passed a near by Taco Bell.

After we ate, we got back on the road for our last 50 miles to get to Florida. It was 2 am when we made it but it was going to take another 4 hours to get to Pennsacola, so I asked could I drive the rest of the way until he rested up some. I put my earbuds in and took my time driving. By 6:20 am we made it to our new hometown and 10 minutes away from our home. I pulled over to get gas and to wake up my Dad. When he got up I switched seats while he got gas.

Well Jasmine..we're here now to get to our new house and get some shut eye, my dad said. I agreed and he got back in and we drove off. We drove up to a gated community called Cherry Creek Lane and it was beautiful but it struck me to be quite odd. Very odd but I couldn't put my finger on it..... Yet I felt like I had been here in a dream once before... Maybe. My dad was in awe but ehh it'll do for now. We soon pulled up to our new home and it was big. Since my dad was a judge and he never bought expensive things, this was something to ease the pain since mom had always wanted a bigger house.

We got out and grabbed our air beds and headed into the house. We took a tour of the house and I found that there was a basement and 3 other bedrooms in the house. Daddy can I make the basement my new room?!? Pleeeaaasssee!!!!, I said with my lip poked out.

Ok ok ok yes sweetheart you can, he said while laughing. I'm going to regret it one day but anything to make my princess happy and comfortable, he continued. We went our separate ways to get our much needed rest.

I blew my air bed up and put a sheet on it. I was happy that he said yes because I didn't want to be upstairs. I wanted him to have his alone time plus my room has a bathroom just like his so I was good. My dad texted me and said we'd get up around 5 p.m. to get the light things out so I placed my phone on the charger and went to sleep.

~Next Morning~

We ended up sleeping well over into the next day due to our lack of sleep during the big move and dad was ok with that. When I finally got up the next day we went outside to get some stuff out of the moving van but I got distracted by this guy. I wasn't what you'd call a girly girl and I was cool with that but alot of guys that I had a crush on didn't but still I found him attractive.

Hey sweetheart focus I don't want to hurt somebody's kid on our first day here, I heard my dad say from the inside of the van.

I just laughed and took the box in. We unloaded all the light stuff within 2 hours but took us half the time to put everything up. After we did that and got our showers in, we went to get something to eat. The town looked pretty at night but I wished we were back home. When we got back home we said goodnight and went to bed. I knew I didn't want to be there but I also knew my dad needed a fresh start. He and mom were a match made in heaven and he took it way harder than her own family when she passed away. I knew it was hard so who was I to demand to stay in a house... A city... that held so many memories for him? I could still remember it like it was just yesterday when it happened. I was on my way home with my cousin from school when my dad told me that my mom had a heart attack while driving home. My world just fell apart. I blamed dad for it but I knew it wasn't his fault but my emotions were everywhere and he knew it.

They were like two kids in love. He was the perfect gentleman to her and I loved seeing them show affection to one another. It showed me that my future husband should make me feel the way my dad did to his wife. Now he's alone without her and some nights..... I can still hear him crying for her and it hurts to hear that. I prayed for him even harder on those nights because he lost his bestfriend that day. I want him to find love again but not anytime soon but only when he gets ready.

My mom was the woman of his dreams. I could still hear them laughing late at night while talking about the good ol days and I wished he could have that again. She had the most flawless pretty brown skin and with long hair. I was told she was mixed with Cherokee and Black Foot as well as African American whereas my Dad was this tall 6'2 slim Irish-American, Canadian man that had the prettiest blue eyes that I could never stop staring in as a kid. I think that's why mom fell in love with him but she would tell me that he was always so sweet to her but I still say the eyes.

So I was genetically set for life. She was very kind but at the same time her temper could get the best of her. She would always tell me that no one is perfect so love them regardless and she did exactly that and made sure that we loved each other truthfully. I was told that they met in high school but bumped heads alot until their first year of college... Then BOOM!!...I was made!!!!

17 years later.... 17 years of laughter, of smiles...tears...love.... Gone.

Yet....the day she was taken away from us was the hardest day we've ever had. No laughter.. More tears... Less smiles... My Dad doesn't like talking about it but he does it to try to cope with it. He didn't make it to her in time... He was right there but he was too late... I was too late. During the first two months he would have night terrers and I thought he won't make it. I could hear a faint howling sound some nights but that's how I remembered each night he would cry. So I shut out everyone around me and stayed there for my Dad. I stopped playing basketball because it reminded me so much of her. She was always there..... My #1 supporter when things got hard. She was there for me regardless.

People never understood the bond her and my Dad had even when work got the best of him yet she was there. They have been there for each other and that's what I wanted. To be loved even when it hurts.... To be shown that our fire will never die even when it was so low. They made me want what they had in my own way.... But not losing them at the wrong time.

Love was a curse and a blessing to see between the two...