Trying To Hide the Obvious

Chapter 11 War

When I get home, I go into my bed room.  Dr. Kaleb told me a bunch of stuff I would need to do to get the babies to a healthy size.  She also made me another doctor's apointment for in two weeks.  That Saturday.  I hope Dad's not home by then.  I should probably video message him.  I pull out my lap top and message him.  His face appears on the screen.  He looks worn and tired.

"Hey, Dad."  "Hey, Cassidy."  "What's wrong?"  "Have you heard about the war going on between Iraq and us?"  "Yeah."  "They are shipping me off to fight in that war."  "What?  No!"  "I don't have a say in it Cassidy, or else I would stay."

I start to cry.  Dad can't leave me.  Not now.

"You can't leave me, Daddy."  "I'm sorry, sweetie.  I don't have a say in it."  "You can't leave me."  "We can still video chat.  And I'm not leaving for another month.  I still have to go through training."

I shut my lap top, the eqevalant of hanging up a phone.  Dad can't leave.  I need him.  I need him to be there for me.  For me and his grandkids.  He can't leave us alone.  I call Mike.  He answers and hears me cry.

"What's wrong, Cassidy?"  "Dad's getting sent off to Iraq."  I have to force the words out between sobs, I'm crying so hard.  "It will be okay, Sweetie.  Do you want me to come down?  We are on Spring Break right now."  "Please."

He hangs up.  I feel a little better knowing he is on his way.  His mom likes me.  As long as he pays for the gas, she will let him come down.

I go sit on my bed and cry.  I cry myself to sleep.  I never really got over that whole really exhausted thing.

When I wake up, Mike is sitting beside me, rubbing my forehead.  It feels nice. I don't open my eyes.  I just lay there.  I know Imust have been asleep for a while.  I'm still exhausted.  My lap top starts to beep which means someone is trying to video chat with me.  I groan and sit up.  My head starts to spin as I do.

I groan again, and then I open my lap top.  Dad's face is looking back at me.  I imagine I look horrible. 

"Hey, sweetie.  Hey, Mike."  Mike says hi, but I don't say anything.  My head is killing me.  I rub my forehead with the tips of my fingers.

"You know I don't want to leave, Cassidy."  "I know.  And, I'm not really that mad at you.  I'm just sad."  "You look mad."  "I don't feel good."  "Oh.  Listen, I gotta go.  Love you."  "Love you, too. Bye."  "Bye."

The screen goes black.  I start to cry again.  Mike pulls me into a hug.  I fall asleep like that.