Fated Love (BWWM)

1970's - 8

"For the murder of Ricardo Madeira in the second degree, we find the defendant Nathan Daniel Carter....guilty," the juror announced, making a lot of people groan. "Due to the high demand in males between 17 and 39, we sentence the defendant to draft for the ongoing war in Vietnam."

"What?!" Jessica screeched as she stood up. "No! No, you can't do that!"

"Order in the court!" The judge hammered his gravel.  "Nathan, due to US government's need of more soldiers in Vietnam, you're being drafted as your punishment. Would you prefer this or spend a minimum of ten to fifteen years in a state prison?" The judge asked.

"Prison! Prison! Pick prison!" Jessica was in hysterics.

"Miss Perez, I'm not going to ask you again to calm down!" The judge said again. He then looked over at Nate. "Nathan?"

Nate stands up tall and says, "I'll serve."

Jessica gasps as the judge bangs his gravel again and dismissed the court, declaring Nate on probation until basic training. Jessica just watched in pure horror as his family surrounds him, not believing what was happening.

Could things get any worse?

A sudden wave of nausea hits her stomach and just as Nate turns to make eye contact with her, she runs off, heading toward the nearest bathroom. "Jessica?" Her mom worryingly calls out as she watched her leave in a hurry. Her mom looks back at Nate before hurrying after her.

Jessica was puking her guts out in the nearest toilet bowl, while her mom rushed in and helped pull her hair back. "Jessie, are you okay? You've been so sick these past few days," her mom rubbed her back soothingly.

"It's the freaking stress of it all," Jessica replies when she was done. "I've been worried sick about him. Wondering if he'd survive jail," she said as she cleaned herself up at the sink."now I️ gotta worry and wonder if he'll survive war," she almost started tearing up again. "They're sending him off to some faraway place to fight some bullshit war and I'm...mama I'm so scared," she wailed, falling into her open arms.

"One thing I️ know about that white bot is that he's a survivor. He may have been born with a silver spoon in his mouth but my God he's overcome so many struggles. And Jessie I️ believe, as long as you two got love for each other, you two will always come back to each other."

Jessica nodded and finally left the bathroom, putting on a brave face as she walked down the corridor. She finally spotted Nate and although she was happy to see him without handcuffs, she also remembered why he was free. "Jess!" He exclaimed, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. That's when the waterworks started again. "Aw Jess, don't cry," he pulled back and made an effort to wipe the tears off her face. But it was all in vain because they just kept falling.

"How could you be so stupid?" She shoved his chest. "I'd prefer visiting you through glass than this!" She scolded tearfully.

"Trust me, you'd rather fight in a war than stay in prison too," he tries to reassure her. "If the war ends in a year or two and I'm still alive by the end of it, then we can be together," he tells her, his finger hooking under her chin to make her look at him. "This is our chance. I'm just taking it. Way better than getting out in fifteen years," he promised.

"But what if you die Nate?" She stressed. "That's the point I'm trying to make. You're gonna leave me alone-" another wave of nausea hits her, and she takes a couple of deep breathes before continuing. "You're gonna leave me after everything we've been through?" She looked up at him with sad eyes.

Nate took her hand in his and slowly got down on one knee, making everyone around them gasp and whisper.

"Jessica, you've been with me through thick and thin. Never once thought about giving up on us even though you had plenty of chances to, and well, I️ also think you're foxy as hell," he said as she stared at him with wide eyes. "You're my soulmate babe, no doubt about it. And I️'d be an idiot not to marry you," he says. "Jessica Eve Perez, will you do me the honor of being my wife?"