Love is Everlasting

Chapter Two: Jace

Chapter Two

Jace

    It's insane how ten years can change your life. In a second what you know and love could be gone. But, through everything I learnt that even when it looks bleak you can still find something to hold onto. When I was overseas that thing was my beautiful wife and child. Then, in an instant everything changed and I was thrown head first onto a path I never choose.

    We were in a convoy headed to secure an area when the vehicle in front of us hit a road side bomb. I remember the flash and the boom. Next thing I know our vehicle is coming off the ground. Then, I wake up seeing a smoky sky and screams and chaos around us. My military instincts kick in and I try to get up to help my fellow men. Only I cannot move. I'm stuck, no trapped. I look to my side and see one my best buds spread on the ground beside me. I look down to my lower half trying to figure out how to get free. When I look down my breath goes ridged. There was no way I was going to be able to free myself. As I stare at the top of the jeep crushing my lower half. My eyes blur from pain and my eyes roll in the back of my head and I pass out.

    I had to have many surgeries in order to rebuild my hips, leg and plates in my back. My career in the military was gone in the blink of an eye along with the lives of ten men who were like my brothers. The PTSD pegs my life every day since the accident. My wife and I spilt, so now all I have left and hold onto is my perfect angel getting into the car beside me.

    Zoey's brown curls are blowing in the wind that is caused by the window being down. She gets in her seat and fastens her seat belt. I smile at her, I created that beautiful, little human.

    "So babygirl, where do you want go for dinner?" I ask her as I start the car.

    "Can we go to the Restaurant?" she asks me with her doe eyes.

    "For you princess, of course," I tell her with a smile and point the car in the direction of our destination and she leans over and turns on the radio. Some bad comes on and she sings along and dances in her seat as I drive us.

    Finally, I pull the car into the parking lot of Daylin's Restaurant and park. This place is still amazing as it was before I knew the owner The fancy writing on the front window with the name, the at home, warm vibe that it gives off with the roses out front.

    Zoey quickly unlatches her belt and jumps out of the car. I quickly follow her the best I can. When I get out and see her head across the parking lot I yell, "Zoe be careful!"

     She throws her hand up giving me a thumbs up and continues to the door. I follow after her, gritting my teeth as some pain from my legs shots through me. My injury has it's good and bad days, today is a bad one and I would be using my cane but I don't want my princess to worry about me.

    I open the door and see my daughter sliding into a booth. I smile to Chase the bartender behind the fancy bar and make my way over to join my kid.

    "Well lookie here, if its not my favorite two people around," our waitress says with a smile as she places our menus in front of us. She has a short brown bob, baby blue eyes, and a dazzling white smile that runs in her family. Rayne is wearing a button down white blouse and black dress pants with a red apron wrapped around her waist. She sure has grown up from that six year old girl to a lovely sixteen year old.

    "Auntie Rayne!" Zoey says cheerfully as she smiles at her aunt.

    "How was school?" I ask her as I open my menu.

    "Ehh same as always, you know. So chocolate milk for the two of you?" She says with a shrug of her shoulders and then produces a pen and notepad from her pocket.