CHAPTER TWO: This is our Life
"Jaime? Jaime?" Caitie screamed as she ran frantically around the house searching for her six year
old. "Jaime?" She called again.
She lifted blankets and clothes on the floor, checked his room over and over again at least a hundred
times. She was crying, but also trying to be strong. It didn't last very long. Eventually she ran out of
the apartment. She searched the halls screaming his name. Checked by the pool, checked the
neighbor's, and finally ran out into the street.
"JAIME!"
She fell to her knees and placed her hands on her face.
Caitie shot straight up. She looked around. Where's Jaime? She thought. She jumped out of bed and
ran into the kitchen to find him sitting at the table with a bowl of cereal. There was a little milk mess
across the table.
Caitie sighed with relief, and sat down next to her son.
"Morning mama!" He greeted cheerfully.
"Good morning Jaime."
"How'd you sleep?"
"Fine."
"Can we go to the park today?"
"Hunny, mama's got to work. You know that. Your going to aunty Val's to play with your cousin
Tommy."
"I know, but I want to be with you today."
"I know baby. I'm sorry." She stroked his hair as he went back to eating. He looked sad and she
could tell he was trying to hide it. She hated leaving him, but she had to work since it was just her
and him.
Caitie had brought a few dates home. Mostly men she met at the bar where she worked. But after a
few painful experiences, she hit realization she would never find Jaime a good daddy there.
So she quit and became a waitress. It was a lot better because most of the time she could work
while Jaime was at school, and she made good tips because she was great with people.
After Jaime was born she had to change a lot. She became more responsible, and realized the best
survival skill was people. The more friends she made, the better off she was.
Many of her friends offered to help her out with money and Jaime. One of her closest friend's name
was Teresa. She worked at the restaurant with Caitie, and had 2 kids of her own.
So her and Caitie took turns baby sitting for each other so the other could go out at night.
Teresa new all about Billy and how he had come for Jaime. Caitie told her everything she had felt
while Jaime was away and how she wanted to kill him.
When Caitie and Teresa were both working, Val would watch Jaime for Caitie, and Teresa's Kids
were watched by Teresa's mother.
Caitie dropped Jaime off at Val's that afternoon. She watched him during her shifts in the summer
time when school was out. When she rang the doorbell, Tyler answered with his twins hanging on his
shoulders. They were 3. A boy and a girl. Ben and Anna. 4 year old Tommy ran up to Jaime and
they both ran up to his room to play video games.
"Bye Jaime, I love you." Caitie called out, but Jaime was already up the stairs.
The Connell home was huge. Tyler inherited all his grandpas money after his death right after Tommy
was born. He invested it in stock and it quickly grew.
Val and Tyler were married right out of high school. No one thought they should but they couldn't
wait, and after Tyler's inheritance they did great.
When it wasn't summer, Tommy would go to pre-school every day, and the twins went to day care.
Tyler went to medical school during the day. After a few years he graduated and became a
physical therapist for people who hurt themselves in sports. He had made this decision after he has
suffered his own injury in football that dis-allowed him to continue playing.
Val had changed her mind about being a doctor the day Tommy was born. They had enough money
so she new she wouldn't need to worry, but she had instantly made the decision she wanted to be a
full time mom.
So Tyler went to school, and Val stayed hone with the kids. When Tyler graduated from college, he
started work immediately. It paid very well. And with that money, and his money invested, Tyler and
Val lived richly and happily.
Val ran to the door and took Anna off Tyler's shoulder. "Hey Caitie." She greeted kissing her friends
cheek.
"Thanks again Val." Caitie said.
"Hey no problem. You know how much we love having Jaime over. Hey do you have a second?"
"Sure but only a second, I'm running late."
Val kissed Tyler and gave Anna back to him and he went back into the house and shut the door.
"Caitie," Val began, "Something's different about Jaime. He's not as happy as he used to be.
Sometimes he just sits on the couch for hours starring out the window. Is everything O.K at home.?"
Caitie looked down for a minute. "Val, Jaime's been having the nightmares again."
"About Billy?"
"Yeah. I still don't see how he could remember. I mean he was only 4. It doesn't make sense to me."
"Man. Caitie he gets scared sometimes, for no reason. He tries not to show it, but I have 3 kids and
I know all the mood signs."
"Val, he started this new thing. He doesn't want me working anymore, he's been sleeping with me
every night for the past 2 weeks. I don't know what to do. I can't quit my job."
"He misses you, and he wants you to protect him Caitie. Children always feel safer around their
parents. He needs you. And you know Tyler and I are here for you. We can give you any sum of
money you need. And we wouldn't mind at all. You know that."
"Val. You know I can't do that."
"Caitie, think of Jaime. For once, drop this pride thing and accept it. You need to take some time off
of work. Take him on a vacation. Spend some time with him."
"Look Val, I have to go. I'm really late now. I appreciate your concern, but it's not going to happen.
You've done enough. Thanks again for watching Jaime. I'll pick him up at 6." She kissed Val on the
cheek and took off in her old rusty car.
"Jaime? Jaime?" Caitie screamed as she ran frantically around the house searching for her six year
old. "Jaime?" She called again.
She lifted blankets and clothes on the floor, checked his room over and over again at least a hundred
times. She was crying, but also trying to be strong. It didn't last very long. Eventually she ran out of
the apartment. She searched the halls screaming his name. Checked by the pool, checked the
neighbor's, and finally ran out into the street.
"JAIME!"
She fell to her knees and placed her hands on her face.
Caitie shot straight up. She looked around. Where's Jaime? She thought. She jumped out of bed and
ran into the kitchen to find him sitting at the table with a bowl of cereal. There was a little milk mess
across the table.
Caitie sighed with relief, and sat down next to her son.
"Morning mama!" He greeted cheerfully.
"Good morning Jaime."
"How'd you sleep?"
"Fine."
"Can we go to the park today?"
"Hunny, mama's got to work. You know that. Your going to aunty Val's to play with your cousin
Tommy."
"I know, but I want to be with you today."
"I know baby. I'm sorry." She stroked his hair as he went back to eating. He looked sad and she
could tell he was trying to hide it. She hated leaving him, but she had to work since it was just her
and him.
Caitie had brought a few dates home. Mostly men she met at the bar where she worked. But after a
few painful experiences, she hit realization she would never find Jaime a good daddy there.
So she quit and became a waitress. It was a lot better because most of the time she could work
while Jaime was at school, and she made good tips because she was great with people.
After Jaime was born she had to change a lot. She became more responsible, and realized the best
survival skill was people. The more friends she made, the better off she was.
Many of her friends offered to help her out with money and Jaime. One of her closest friend's name
was Teresa. She worked at the restaurant with Caitie, and had 2 kids of her own.
So her and Caitie took turns baby sitting for each other so the other could go out at night.
Teresa new all about Billy and how he had come for Jaime. Caitie told her everything she had felt
while Jaime was away and how she wanted to kill him.
When Caitie and Teresa were both working, Val would watch Jaime for Caitie, and Teresa's Kids
were watched by Teresa's mother.
Caitie dropped Jaime off at Val's that afternoon. She watched him during her shifts in the summer
time when school was out. When she rang the doorbell, Tyler answered with his twins hanging on his
shoulders. They were 3. A boy and a girl. Ben and Anna. 4 year old Tommy ran up to Jaime and
they both ran up to his room to play video games.
"Bye Jaime, I love you." Caitie called out, but Jaime was already up the stairs.
The Connell home was huge. Tyler inherited all his grandpas money after his death right after Tommy
was born. He invested it in stock and it quickly grew.
Val and Tyler were married right out of high school. No one thought they should but they couldn't
wait, and after Tyler's inheritance they did great.
When it wasn't summer, Tommy would go to pre-school every day, and the twins went to day care.
Tyler went to medical school during the day. After a few years he graduated and became a
physical therapist for people who hurt themselves in sports. He had made this decision after he has
suffered his own injury in football that dis-allowed him to continue playing.
Val had changed her mind about being a doctor the day Tommy was born. They had enough money
so she new she wouldn't need to worry, but she had instantly made the decision she wanted to be a
full time mom.
So Tyler went to school, and Val stayed hone with the kids. When Tyler graduated from college, he
started work immediately. It paid very well. And with that money, and his money invested, Tyler and
Val lived richly and happily.
Val ran to the door and took Anna off Tyler's shoulder. "Hey Caitie." She greeted kissing her friends
cheek.
"Thanks again Val." Caitie said.
"Hey no problem. You know how much we love having Jaime over. Hey do you have a second?"
"Sure but only a second, I'm running late."
Val kissed Tyler and gave Anna back to him and he went back into the house and shut the door.
"Caitie," Val began, "Something's different about Jaime. He's not as happy as he used to be.
Sometimes he just sits on the couch for hours starring out the window. Is everything O.K at home.?"
Caitie looked down for a minute. "Val, Jaime's been having the nightmares again."
"About Billy?"
"Yeah. I still don't see how he could remember. I mean he was only 4. It doesn't make sense to me."
"Man. Caitie he gets scared sometimes, for no reason. He tries not to show it, but I have 3 kids and
I know all the mood signs."
"Val, he started this new thing. He doesn't want me working anymore, he's been sleeping with me
every night for the past 2 weeks. I don't know what to do. I can't quit my job."
"He misses you, and he wants you to protect him Caitie. Children always feel safer around their
parents. He needs you. And you know Tyler and I are here for you. We can give you any sum of
money you need. And we wouldn't mind at all. You know that."
"Val. You know I can't do that."
"Caitie, think of Jaime. For once, drop this pride thing and accept it. You need to take some time off
of work. Take him on a vacation. Spend some time with him."
"Look Val, I have to go. I'm really late now. I appreciate your concern, but it's not going to happen.
You've done enough. Thanks again for watching Jaime. I'll pick him up at 6." She kissed Val on the
cheek and took off in her old rusty car.