Alana's Birthday
Alana is dead, but why shouldn't there be a reason that we would not celebrate her.
Written from Jason's point of view.
Chapter 1
It was Alana's birthday. And I had two choices: 1. stay at home, drink all day and be miserable or 2. celebrate the women I love with my whole family.
So I decided it would be best to invite everybody over for a barbecue. So I picked up my phone and informed them to come to my hour in the afternoon and bring everybody with. The more the merrier.
So the whole day was going by in a blur. Shopping, preparing and all the while there was something nagging in the back or my brain. Some weird feeling that something was going to happen today. Something bad. But I pushed the thought down; it made no sense dwelling on them. You could drive yourself crazy or you could be ready and prepared. I'm a SEAL and a Tier 1 Operator at that. So I'm quite confident that I'm prepared for most situations. How wrong I was.
Mikey, Emma and Mom were all in different stages of coping with Alana's death. Same as me. But at least we were talking about here more often nowadays. Which I thought was healthy. Emma approached me and ask " Dad, is it ok it I go to Jenny for a while? I promise I'll be back in time for the Barbecue" " Of cause darling. Have a lot of fun". And with that my beautiful girl ran giggling out the front door.
Around 1500 the guys with their families started showing up. There were a lot of hugs and I felt positive that this would be exactly what we all needed today. Everyone has brought something, even when I had told them that it wasn't necessary. I had to stifle a lough when Sonny showed up with a keg of German beer. O boy this would be a real BRAVO Party.
An hour later I got a text massage from Emms, she would be here shortly but asked me to send Clay and Ray to the front to help her with a surprise. Ah ok, I hate surprises. I think that comes with the job, but I would do anything for my little girl. So I asked Clay and Ray to get a move and help her. Mikey, Mom and Naima also stood up and followed. Clearly everybody was in on that surprise.
Unable to stifle my curiosity I went to the front and used my best stalking tactics to be as low-key about it as possible. But of cause I was spotted by my teammates within seconds. In truth they had known that it would be impossible for me to hold myself back. Both Ray and Clay grinned from one ear to the other. And I grinned with them. This was a good day after all.
Emma had parked her car a little down the street on the other side. She was opening the back and I spotted something that clearly looked like a very big cake. I think I will have to let my brothers run some extra hills for that thing. But I'm sure it's worth it.
Clay started forward to help her carry the surprise. That when it happens. Times slowed down as it usually only does during a fight. Seconds would be minutes, minutes would be hours. There was a car speeding down the road. It was way too fast and it was wallowing from left to right and back. The driver must have lost control or maybe he was drunk.
My blood run cold in my veins, no not again. That can't be happening. Not here, not today, not now, not ever. The car bear down on Emma and I only stood there. Frozen in time and space. A small scream tore out of me and I watched in horror as the event's unfolded before my eyes.