This story takes place on day 5 in the morning hours before Michell is about to be in the car bombing.
LIFE IS SWEET
Story by : Terry Alleger 8/14/09
"Kaylee, do you want anymore to eat this morning?" Mom asked from the kitchen.
"No, I am full Mommy", I was playing happily in my room with my Barbies . I heard my mom and dad talking in the kitchen in soft tones. Life has been so good now that Mommy and Daddy are together again.
I remembered when I was 4 yrs old and Mommy and Daddy were fighting a lot. Daddy hated CTU, the place where they use to work. Daddy was acting weird and Mommy said he had to choose to get over it or she and I would leave because she couldn't live like this anymore.
When I was 5 years old. Mommy wouldn't let me visit Daddy much. That was hard for me. I was mad at her because I loved my Daddy so much. He was always happy to see me and hold me. Mommy was not the same either. She didn't smile anymore. She has a beautiful smile that makes me happy to be around her. The smile that tells me life is good. When I pushed to go see Daddy, she would snap at me.
Then out of the clear blue, two years ago Mommy picked me up from grandma's house like she did every night after work. She was smiling and happier than I had seen her in a long time. She said she had a surprise waiting for me at home and she couldn't wait to show me.
I remember it like it was yesterday. It was the happiest day of my life. I walked into our house and there was Daddy! I couldn't move to him as I was in shock. I had been begging Mommy to let me see him. She kept saying," not right now , Kaylee. Your Daddy is very busy." Then here he is, in our house , his arms open wide to me to come to him and embrace him! I finally found my legs and ran into the arms of my Daddy.
I had been dreaming of this day a long time. It was too good to be true. My heart was so full. I buried my face into the nape of Daddy's neck and silently sobbed.
Holding him like I never wanted him to go away again. Next thing I knew, Mommy's arms were around me and Daddy and we all held each other and cried.
Daddy showered us with kisses. He apologized for pushing us away. He told Mommy he couldn't live another day without her and his family. That we meant more to him than anything! He was sorry to have been such a jerk.
Then Daddy set me down and said that Mommy wasn't going to work for CTU ever again. He also explained that he had worked there the last 24 hours to help with a crises. That is when Mom was called in from Division to help at CTU.
She was asked to help until the crisis was over. Not knowing or dreaming in a million years that Daddy was temporally in charge until she arrived. They had to work together and were forced to work out their differences.
Daddy got into danger and mom thought he died. She realized then how much she really loved him. They decided to be together. To leave their jobs at CTU and get new ones. So they could be a family again. They didn't need the strain of the high stress job on their lives.
They are so happy now! We are even going to have a baby. I am going to be a big sister! I've always wanted to be a big sister. I want to help mom with everything!
Oh, no, did I hear CTU? Mom is talking about helping. I stopped playing and listen a little more closely from behind the kitchen counter. Daddy takes the phone from mom. My thoughts are screaming no, no, no, you don't. I will not let her go back to CTU. I quickly look for her keys. She usually keeps them in her purse. Yes, here they are. I run and put them behind my pillow. If she can't find hers then she'll ask Daddy for his. Now I hear Daddy say, "Michelle, please don't do this." I run and get Daddy's keys off his dresser in their bedroom. Then I hide them under my pillow also. "Mommy!" I yell and run to her and say please don't go Mommy.
Mom bends down on her knees and looks into my eyes and says, "I'll be back, Kaylee, Mommy just wants to do what I can to help a special friend of Daddy's and mine."
" Does this mean CTU, mom?"
"Yes, honey, it does."
" No! ", I say. "You can't go, you promised, Mommy! You and Daddy promised no more CTU!"
"This is different, Kaylee, It's just to help our friend." "No! I say. Daddy said no too, Mommy! "
"Well, Kaylee, Daddy knows we need to help. You'll be OK. Stay with Daddy, I'll be back."
" No! "
"Kaylee that is enough," Daddy said. "You go to your room and cry. Mommy will be back." I run to my room. I watch Mommy through my window go to her car. She is not able to find her keys. Here she comes.(it worked ,I thought)
She blames Daddy and she said," Tony, do you have my keys? "
"No, I don't."
"Come on , Tony, this isn't funny! You know I need to do this."
"I don't have them, Chelle! Here, I'll get mine." Oh no, Daddy isn't going to be able to find his keys either. They are going to be mad!
"They are not here, Michelle. My keys are gone, too."
"This isn't a coincidence is it?" They exchanged glances and........here they come.
"Kaylee- have you seen Mommy's and Daddy's keys? " Mom says. I don't say a word. Into my room they come. I am pretending like I have been playing with my Barbie dolls all along. Mom sits on my bed. OH..so close to the keys!
"Kaylee, come here please. Did you take my keys out of my purse?"
"No, mom."
"Kaylee, I know you didn't want me to go. Do you have my keys?"
"No~ I do not"
" Kaylee~ what about my keys," Daddy said, I then look up to Daddy in the doorway of my bedroom.
"No Daddy."
" Kaylee, I will ask you once more."
"No, Daddy, I don't have yours either."
"OK, OK," said mom , frustrated as she gets up off my bed. "I will just go look on line for someone to come and open my car as I have a spare key inside the car."
I continue to play in my room. Dad and mom are talking in the kitchen in low tones again.
All of the sudden I hear them talking about dropping me off at uncle Danny's house as grandma is at the beach house. Then they can go help at CTU together. What! No! I don't like uncle Danny's house. How can this day get any worse?
All of the sudden I hear a noise out the window. I see a van with a big key on the side of it, pull up to mom's car. I hear mom yell to Daddy," they are here, Tony."
Just then a big explosion hits. Mom's car is on fire. I run out in the living room and mom and dad are on the ground surrounded with glass. The explosion blew out our front window. Dad and mom yelled at me to go back to my room and stay there. Not to come out until they get me. We are going to see what happened. They run out the door.
I go to my room and get the keys and put them into my pockets. I sit on the bed afraid. Thinking...did I do this. Is this my fault? I began to cry.
All of the sudden, I hear someone in my doorway. I look up and it's a stranger.
"Who are you?"
"I'm looking for Kaylee Almeida, is that you?"
"Yes, I said."
"Good, come with me." He looked scary.
"I'm not suppose to go with strangers, I don't know you. My Mommy and Daddy said to stay in my room until they came to get me. They are down stairs."
"I know," said the man with a sinister smile.
"I can't go, until my Mommy and Daddy come back up."
"Not this time girly!" He lunged toward me and grabbed me and started toward the kitchen. I screamed, "Daddy, Mommy! YOU'R NOT MY DADDY!" I'm really scared now and crying. Just then mom and dad come into the house through the front door. Dad moves mom behind him and pulls out a gun. Now, this is something I have never seen Daddy do before. I look to Mommy with tears streaming down my face, she looks so scared too.
"Put her down!", Daddy says.
"One more move and I will put a bullet in her," the scary man says.
All of the sudden I felt something hard and cold against my ear. I yell,"Daddy!" I'm still crying.
"Tony, " Mom cries as she runs her hands nervously through her hair, afraid for me. I see it in her eyes.
Then in comes CTU agent and friend, uncle Jack. He has a gun too. He yells at my Daddy, "Tony don't do it."
"No use talking, Jack~ I don't work for CTU. No one is going to tell me I can't protect my family. They are mine, Jack, and my responsibility!"
"Tony," Jack said. "These people are here to kill you and your wife and daughter. They are out to kill all of us, even me. They are responsible for the murder of president Palmer today! Think~ Tony. CTU want us to come in. They will protect your family while you and I interrogate this SOB. Please Tony!"
"Jack, he has my baby. Put your weapon down mister."
"No! I got her and I will kill her if you try to pull the trigger." I looked into my Daddy's eyes. They are locked and cold. Then all I hear is another …. explosion.