You're Not Alone

77: The Call

OWENS POV
I was scrubbing out of my third surgery for today, I had one more in an hour and then I could go home to my girls. Amelia was working the night shift tonight, and I felt bad for her because she always gets the night shift. I know she hates it but she won't say anything. She's almost 7 months pregnant and I want her to reduce her hours but she doesn't want to, but I think work is putting too much stress on her body. I can see it. I was walking down the hallway to my office to start some paperwork. I opened the door and sat down at my desk and started detailing post op charts. My phone started to ring and I looked over and my heart stopped. It was my Sargeant.
"Hello?" I said.
"Hello, is this Major Hunt?" My Sargent said.
"This is," I said.
"Great, Major Hunt, we request your service for a 6 week tour in Pakistan, it's a very urgent need. We would like to thank you for your time, and if you have any questions or concerns, please email me directly," he said.
"Thank you Sergeant," I said. He signed off and I felt like I couldn't breathe. I couldn't go overseas. I couldn't leave Amelia at 7 months pregnant. I couldn't leave Ellie and Kamryn. I grabbed my laptop and sent my Sargent an email to have a meeting about my time. I knew he definitely wasn't going to give me the time off, but I had to try. I had to try for the girls. I looked at the clock and my next surgery was soon. I couldn't do it. I paged April to push it and I had to go home. How would I tell Amelia? How would I leave? I couldn't do that. I ran out to my car and sped home. I unlocked the front door and Amelia and Ellie were playing in the living room. I smiled.
"Hey you're home early," Amelia said.
"Yeah uh," I said, "Yeah my surgery got pushed."
"Oh okay," she said, "we were just going to go outside."
"Hi daddy," Kamryn said as she came out from the hallway.
"Hi," I smiled and gave her a hug.
"Okay Kammie can you help your sister put her shoes on while I say hi to daddy?" Amelia said.
"Sure," Kamryn said. She held Ellie's hand as she walked down the hallway, they were adorable.
"Hey," she smiled and kissed my cheek, "how was work?"
"We need to talk," I said.
"Okay," she said, "what's up?"
"Not here," I said, "upstairs."
"You're scaring me," she said. I felt awful. We walked upstairs and I closed the bedroom door.
"Owen what's going on?" Amelia asked.
"Sit," I said. She sat down on the bed.
"So," I said, "today I got a call from my Sergeant." She looked at me and I could see the tears in her eyes.
"So um, how long are you going to be gone?" She asked as her voice shook.
"6 weeks," I said.
"Owen I'm seven months pregnant!" Amelia said crying, "you can't leave!"
"I know, I know, I'm trying not to, I set up a meeting with my Sergeant tomorrow to see if there's anyway I can make up my time later," I said.
"Do you think it'll work," she said crying.
"I hope it does," I said.
"Owen," she said.
"It might," I said.
"Okay," she said. I brought her into a hug and she kept crying. I have no idea how I could leave her or the girls. I couldn't. I couldn't be a sea away from them, especially with Amelia pregnant with Noah.
AMELIAS POV
I'm not okay. Owen just dropped this bombshell that he might get deployed for a few weeks. I feel like I can't breathe. I can't do this without him. He can't leave. I felt so nauseous thinking about it. We didn't tell the girls until he gets a definitive answer.
"Mama?" Kamryn said.
"Yeah?" I said.
"Can Ellie and I go outside now?" Kamryn asked.
"Oh yeah," I said, "sure." I forgot about everything before Owen dropped the news. I was trying not to show how upset and distraught I was, but it was so hard. Owen was worse. He hasn't left the bedroom. I told the girls he was asleep after work but I knew he didn't want to lie to them. I don't either.
"Mama can Ellie ride the swing next to me?" Kamryn asked, breaking me out of my thoughts. I lifted Ellie into the baby swing and pushed her for a little while, which was quite difficult with a 7 month baby belly but I managed. The girls played outside on the swings, the sand box, and in the mini playhouse for a little while and then we went back inside.
"Hey I'm gonna go check on daddy okay?" I said.
"Okay," kamryn said, "can I have a snack?"
"Sure, just grab something small in the pantry," I said.
"Me too?" Ellie said.
"I'll cut it in small pieces I promise," Kamryn said.
"Wait for me okay? I don't want Ellie to choke on the small pieces," I said.
"Okay mama," Kamryn said. I walked upstairs and opened the bedroom door open. I looked at Owen and he was writing stuff down on a piece of paper.
"Hey," I said.
"Hey," he said.
"Whatcha doing?" I said.
"I'm writing what I'm going to say tomorrow," he said.
"Okay," I said.
"Yeah," he said, "how are the girls?"
"We just came inside," I said.
"Nice," he said.
"Can you be honest with me?" I said.
"Yeah," he said.
"Do you think talking to the Sergeant will work?" I said. He sighed and looked up from the piece of paper.
"Honestly?" He said.
"Yeah," I said.
"No," he said, "I don't think it's going to do anything but I have to try."
"I love you," I said.
"I love you too," he said and got up. I wrapped my arms around him and held him tight, never wanting to let go.