Background info chapter:

Sophie and Jack

Year: 2022
Sophie Age: 17
Jamie's Age: 24
Mom (Melisa): 45
Dad (Daniel): 45

Background: Jamie and Sophie's parents.

I honestly don't know much about the army and there rules but I did some research while writing this background, if any of it doesn't really fit with what actually happens int eh real world, sorry I just don't know any better.

Melisa and Daniel began going out in their sophomore year of high school in 1995. Melisa was interested in the new rising field of Digital media and Daniel had always had his heart set on joining the army. They had always clicked perfectly, they were class couple, danced all night at prom, they were both completely and 100% in love. When Dan turned 18 he signed up for the army and left high school for basic training, just before he left though he proposed to Mel and they agreed to be married when he returned.

After they got married, even though Mel's parents disapproved, they went off to North Carolina where Dan was stationed at Fort Bragg. Mel became pregnant after a few short months and gave birth to Jamie just before Dan got drafted to fight the war in Iraq. Dan served his term and signed up for another. Mel struggled to put herself through school while Dan was gone and take care of their child Jamie, it took her 5 years but she eventually got a degree in digital media and minored in business affairs.

Being states away from any family, Melisa became close friends with another woman whose husband had also been deported. They took shifts watching their children while they both tried to complete school. After 7 years Melisa got terrifying news, Dan had been hurt badly in battle and was coming home. He pulled through, but his left knee was damaged pretty bad and he now had a limp; the army wouldn't let him back in because of it. Dan tried to go to school but just couldn't find interest in anything else but going back to the army, he was also far more distant towards Melisa and even Jamie. Mel tried everything she could but nothing made him happy anymore, he had changed so much from that happy go lucky 16 year old she fell in love with. Mel, who was now working for CVS as a graphic designer, pulled enough money so that Dan could get a surgery on his knee that would hopefully fix it. Three attempts later his knee was good enough to go back, and Mel was pregnant with their second child, a girl named Sophie. Dan left just 2 months after Sophie was born, a month later Melisa received a letter. It read:

My sweet Mel,
I'm sorry, I really am, but we both know it; I've changed. The war has
changed me, and, well you saw how I was back home, I couldn't handle
it. The things I've seen, and no one understands except for everyone here.
I can't come back anymore. I love you, but I don't anymore. And I know
you feel the same my love. It's not fair to either one of us, or Jamie, or
Sophie. I can't be a proper dad like I should be, so find someone else,
someone more fit, someone who'll raise them right. I'd just mess them
up. When my term ends, I won't be coming back to you, no holidays,
no breaks, it will just be me because… I don't know how to be around
people anymore. I'd ask for you to forgive me, but even I can't forgive
me for doing this to you. You'll be a fantastic mother.
You're beloved,
Daniel Bennett

Melisa couldn't believe it, but she had seen it coming, he was right, he was no longer the same man. Mel couldn't handle telling her children the truth, so she lied, she told Jamie that their father had died a noble death in battle, that he loved him very much and he wished he could stay, but he couldn't for god needed another angel. What Melisa didn't know was that while the 25 year old was asleep on the chair, Jamie read the letter clutched in her hands. At that moment, 7 year old Jamie decided to protect both his mother and his sister as best he could. He was the man in the house now.

The family packed up and moved back to Melisa's home town, Burgess in Pennsylvania to be with her parents who greeted her with open arms even though they warned her from the start. Melisa got a job working at Future Media Concepts Inc. and slowly began working her way up to be Head Designer in three short years while her mother watched the kids during the day.

And now we shall proceed to the story :D