The Middle of Love

Chapter 12: Winter Holiday

Katie:

Axl laughs and we stare at each other for a moment finally I quickly make a snowball and throw it at him he ducks and we're having a snowball fight. My brothers come out of the house, I guess all our laughing and noise finally got to them. They immediately join us laughing along with us.

"Heads up!" An all too familiar voice sounds over the noise of our snowball fight.

"Jacob!" I freeze and get pelted by a couple snowballs. "Jacob." I race over to him slipping a few times on the icy ground. I throw myself into his arms he slides back a bit but wraps his arms around me. "Jacob."

"Hi Kath," His voice is soft. I cling to his uniform just to ensure he's really there.

"What are you doing, you've still got a month and a half left. Are you okay?" I ask him.

"Medical leave. One of the guys in my troop was killed. I got sent home to talk to his family. He was my best friend, and my responsibility."

"Jacob." I gasp.

Jacob's clothes soon change to regular civilian clothes and he's on crutches. "Jacob!"

"Katie." Jack's voice is distant even though he's only a few feet away.

"Jacob!" I cry out again.

"Katherine!" Jack says again, he shakes my shoulder and I blink I see my room when I blink. "Katie." I sit up and look around. "Katie, it was a nightmare."

"Jacob."

"He's still overseas," Jack says. "He's fine." I can't stop shaking. The dream was too real. Jack wraps me into his arms and rocks me to calm me down. "I'm talking to Jake right now. Do you want to come to say hi?"

I nod and grab my housecoat. I let Jack walk me to his room. Jacob is on the screen and he looks fine. "Jacob." I sigh in relief that he looks fine.

"Are you okay Kath?" He asks me. "I heard you screaming."

"I had a nightmare that you got hurt," I tell him. "You got sent home early because someone died and you got hurt."

"I'm not in danger right now Kath, I'm in London with the State's liaison."

"Are you sure?" I ask him. He nods and looks to me. "When are you coming home?" I ask him.

"Two months. End of February." He promises me.

"I love you."

"I love you too Kath." I sit on Jack's bed while they talk at his desk. Listening to Jacob's voice is reassuring and they talk about sports and work, I let Jacob's voice lull me back to sleep.

_-_-_-_

"Hey," Axl stands at the front door covered in a light layer of snow. "My mother thought you might like to come to pick out a tree with us."

"Really?" I ask him excitedly. "I've never gotten to pick out the tree before, my mother has the trees brought in every year, the largest tree from five different forests, one for the parlor, one for the living room, one for the family room, one for the dining room. Then she has one brought in for the foyer. Then she has professional decorators decorate them."

"Come on, we're meeting my family at the lot." he offers his hand and I take it excitedly calling over my shoulder that I'm leaving and that I'll be home by curfew.

"I'm glad you could make it Katie." Mrs. Heck says I take it all in the smell of the trees, the trees lining rows and rows, the wreaths, the holly, everything. I watch everyone walking along each row to find the perfect tree. "Where should we start Sue?"