First

Chapter 47

Once Jace and I got home, things slowly went back to normal. I went back to school and Jace went back to work full time. We didn't know when the next call would come, calling him back out overseas so we spent as much time together as possible. We spent time being a couple, being a soon to be married couple. We hadn't set a date yet because of the looming tour that could come at any moment. We both decided that if or when he got called out we would set the date for a year from that date. But even though we didn't have a date, that didn't stop us from planning. We went and looked at venues that summer, debating and arguing over which one we liked better. We never actually came to a decision; it was simply fun being able to finally do things like this together.

Those months between tours were probably the best ones of my life. Laughing and loving with Jace, planning the beginning of the rest of our lives. We spent a lot of time talking about the future. Talking about the dream house we would one day build, the kids we would raise—Jace coaching soccer or football and me running the girls to ballet. All of it. I could see it all laid out in front of me. It was everything I had ever wanted and it was finally coming true with the only person I could imagine by my side. And soon I would be tied to him in all ways possible.

Butour summer of bliss was called to an abrupt halt when that dreaded call cameonce again just like we knew it would. Jace packed up his bag and I took him tothe airport. No matter how many times I had had to do this now it never got anyeasier; if anything it only got harder. We kissed goodbye at the airport and Iwatched the plan launch into the sky with a pit in my stomach. This was justanother tour and so far nothing bad had happened. I knew you could never counton safety when he was overseas but everything had been so good lately. And itwas a routine tour; troops were being drawn out slowly, Jace was just there tohelp with the clean up. So why did I feel like everything was about to change?