Thanks for all the nice reviews guys^^, well heres Chapter 2, I hope you
like it, it's kind of long..^^ please R/R,
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Cindy's apartment was silent in the morning hours, it was about eleven o'clock, the sun was almost vertical in the sky, shining down on the bustling city. Rays from the giant heat lamp shone into Cindy's apartment window and scattered through out her living room. Where little Faith sat watching her favorite morning cartoons flash on and off the big, plasma, television screen. She was sporting some pink, footed pajamas with a cute white bunny on the soft shirt. She had a sippy cup full of icecold apple juice in her hands. Every time her favorite character would pop up on the screen she'd clap her hands in delight, as her eyes lit up with joy.
T.V.: "Uncle Sam wants you! To Join the U.S. army!" the television blared out loudly, Faith was to busy sipping apple juice to pay attention to the adds. She walked over to the giant, crystal clear window on the side of her living room and looked down, below she saw the street and the entrance way to her apartment. Cindy was probably the ONLY one to live in such a divine place in her entire college. Faith heard a soft knock on her apartment door and skipped over to it, without thinking she opened the door up to whoever was knocking. She looked up. A tall man stood before her, he had beautiful hair, it was black as midnight. His playful dark brown eyes looked shiney. His deep olive skin made him look more handsome than anything. He was very tall. He looked down to her and picked her up and started to tickle her stomach.
Faith: "Hey!" she then started to giggle loudly because she was being tickled so much, she kicked her little feet hard until she was let go and put back down on the ground.
Nick: "Hey beautiful" he said as he spoke to Faith who now stood looking up at him in his raspy, handsome voice "Who said you could just open the door without askin' who it is huh?" "Be careful, there are creeps out there" He then looked over to the television and put his black leather jacket onto the counter. "So whatcha watchin'?"
Faith ran back into the living room from the kitchen, which was almost directly connected if the floor pattern didn't change from it's black marble to the white rug.
Faith: "Dora!" she shouted happily as she pointed to the T.V. screen as the cartoon hopped around talking to her animal friends in Spanish. Nick nodded with no real interest.
Cindy was walking out of her bathroom, wearing just a white bathrobe and a towel in her hair. She walked strait into the kitchen without thinking to look into her living room.
Cindy: "Sweetie, was somebody at the door? Because I thought that I hear-" she stopped short behind her kitchen counter when she turned to face the living room and was greeted not by a little girl watching television, but Nick half-smiling at her with a raised eyebrow.
Nick: "Love the outfit" he said with a small smile crossing is face
Cindy: "Nick!" "How'd you get in here?!" she said as she tightened her bathrobe and pulled it together, holding it with her hands where it opened at her collar bone.
Nick: "I walked in, how else?" "I can't walk through walls ya know" Cindy then took her attention off Nick and looked around him to Faith
Cindy: "Faith! Did you let him in?" Faith's eyes were glued to the screen of the television, she quickly looked to her mother and nodded as if she missed even a split second of her show she'd just collapse. "You know your supposed to come get me when someone comes to the door!" she shouted at her daughter not harshly, but a little overwhelmed because Faith frequently did things like that. She sighed knowing that her daughter was now back into the wonderful world of cartoons and blocking out her every word. She looked back to Nick. "Um..did you want something?" she asked with a strange look on her face.
Nick: "Yeah.um, I wanted to talk to you"
Cindy: "Oh?" she asked curiously, her eyes made their way to the clock over the fireplace and she gasped slightly and shouted to her daughter. "Faith! Run up to your room and get ready! We have to drive you to pre-school in twenty minutes or we're going to be late!" Faith looked at her mother again as if pleaing to stay home. "Hurry up!" Cindy insisted again. Faith got up from her spot and went off to her room. Cindy was about to walk away and get ready herself when she remembered Nick standing there waiting for her as she commanded her daughter around.
Cindy: "Nick?"
Nick: "Huh?.oh yeah" he responded, his attention had drifted elsewhere while Cindy was talking to Faith but now he was back on subject. "Yah..um I wanted to talk to you?"
Cindy: "Nick, I really can't, I have to be ready..in twenty minutes.actually nineteen now" she said as she spied the clock again.
Nick: "Well, it's okay.it's really quick" he said as he rubbed the back of his neck "Maybe you'd like to..umm..join me for dinner tonight?" he questioned nervously. Cindy was a bit surprised he asked her that, she replied uneasy.
Cindy: "Nick...no.I.I don't think so" she replied uneasily after a pause, "But thanks for the offer" then she started to walk to her bathroom. "You know your way out"
Nick: "Cindy wait!" he grabbed the back of her arm and made her stop. "Cindy..I know, I know with um.Jimmy in all you haven't really.like.dated in stuff, but..it's been three years since you've heard from him" "He's never coming back Cindy! Just face it and get on with your life" "I mean...I know you've been waiting for him, but..I've been waiting for you" Cindy was shocked at the what Nick had said, he had never acted that way before.
Cindy: "How dare you talk that way to me!" "I can wait for him as long as I want! You would feel the same way if the only person you've ever loved was taken away from you!" "And I know..I know he's still out there!" "So don't you ever tell me to just get over it!" "I can't believe you'd say something like that!" "Don't ever talk to me that way again!"
Nick: "Fine! "Jesus! I was just tryin' to ask you out and you had to go and spaz on me!" "Listen, call me if you ever grow up okay?" he said as he grabbed his jacket and left her apartment.
Cindy's expression was hard and angry but after Nick had slammed the door her face softened and became sad, then she started to cry. She put her head in her hands, she lifted it slowly, a tear or two trickling off her face, and her wet hair dripping onto the floor. When she lifted it she noticed her high school Diploma hanging on the wall. She walked over to it. She had remembered how fiercely Jimmy and her had competed for the title of Valedictorian, after months of hard work, the two that were in love found out Jimmy was the winner. Cindy got the spot of second in class. She had been feeling terrible, at graduation Jimmy had went up to her when they were receiving awards. He held her and whispered in her ear "Don't worry, you'll always be number one to me" then he kissed her forehead. Cindy closed her eyes and remembered the feeling of Jimmy's warm body up against her own.
Cindy then remembered she had to drive her daughter to pre-school and ran into her bedroom to get ready. In no less than ten minutes Cindy was ready, dressed, her hair done and her make-up on. She walked into the kitchen and grabbed a juice box and a cereal bar for her daughter she was Supermom, all she needed was her daughter.
Cindy: "Faith!" "Faith! Are you ready yet?" "We have to leave in five minutes!" she yelled up the stairs and heard no response. She sighed, and walked out of her kitchen and into her daughters bedroom, she saw that Faith hadn't even started to get ready. "Faith!" "Wh-Why haven't you even started to get dressed yet?" she questioned. Faith didn't respond to her question but simply walked over to her nightstand and took the framed picture of her father in her hands and slapped it on Cindy's lap. Cindy looked down to see Jimmy's smiling face and quickly looked back up so she wouldn't get too distressed from seeing him. "What does a picture of Daddy have to do with anything?" she questioned a little more soft and caring than she would have before, because the subject involved Jimmy.
Faith: "In a few months is bring your Daddy to school day....everyone's Dad comes into school and tells what kinda job they do with their kid..and were gonna talk about it today"
Cindy: "Oh sweetie" she gave her daughter a small hug. "Honey..I know that you want a father..and I know that you miss him, but I miss him too. And I'm sure that where ever Daddy is right now, he's thinking of us" "And maybe I can come into school for you instead?"
Faith: "But it's not the same" she replied stubbornly "I want Daddy to come in for me"
Cindy: "Honey, there is nothing that I can do" she said becoming a little agitated that her daughter was not getting the message. She thought quickly "Maybe if you don't want me to go in for you, then Grandpa Hugh can come in, would that be better? He is your granddaddy." "Plus, he is your Daddy's father too" Faith put her finger to her chin as if she was making a life altering decision.
Faith: "I guess that would be okay...but still not the same.but I like Grandpa Hugh" then she gave a small giggle "He's funny"
Cindy: "Oh yeah.he's just wonderful" she said sarcastically, dreading that she'd have to call and have him come over her house.
Faith: "And..um.since he's Daddy's.um..Daddy maybe he can tell me some stories about when Daddy was little?" she questioned hopefully
Cindy: "Oh I'm sure he will sweetie..Grandpa Hugh always has something to say" she said stressing her voice on the word always.
Faith: "Actually no Mommy" she had changed her mind "I have a better idea" Cindy looked at her daughter strangely and wondered what she was up to.
Cindy: "What are you going to do?" she questioned curiously, her daughter was very intelligent for her young age and Cindy was very proud of her. But she always had to be cautious, she was half Jimmy's child, and if she was anything like him at all, she was always forming a plan in her mind.
Faith: "You'll see, its nothing big though" she replied
Cindy: "Okay fine...now your sure you don't want me to call grandpa? Your sure?" Faith nodded "Alright.now hurry up and get ready before your late missy!" she handed Faith a pair of clothes and instructed her to get changed. No more then five more minutes had passed before Cindy was brushing Faiths hair and trying to do it up neatly.
Faith: "That hurts!" she screeched as Cindy brushed all the knots and tangles out of her hair.
Cindy: "I know it does, but deal with it sweetie, lots of people are getting hurt far more than this right now" Cindy pulled her daughters tangle-free hair tightly as she did it into one beautiful perfectly shaped French braid. She reached into one of her dressers and pulled out a small red bow and put it on the end of Faith's braid. "There, you look like a princess" "Now hurry downstairs and grab your breakfast off the table, and get your coat on...I'll make your bed and be right down" Cindy barked out orders, but in a sweet motherly tone as Faith hurried to fulfil them. Cindy had no idea how she managed to have such a normal life. It was perfect, she had no troubles like many other young mothers did. She had a gorgeous home, a lovely daughter, a magnificent car, a perfect job, her life wasn't tangled up. She had a hole in her heart though, and that was one thing that many others didn't have. Cindy was good at covering up her emotions, it was easy for her to act happy when she was really depressed on the inside. Nobody ever knew when she was feeling sad. Even when she thought of Jimmy, and wanted to cry out for him, which was frequent, and let tears stream down her face in rivers, she didn't. She acted like all was well and good, but she knew on the inside that everyday without him was getting to be harder and harder for her. She quickly made her daughter's bed up then scrambled to get downstairs.
Cindy: "Let's go honey, shut off the T.V. and grab your coat" Cindy opened the closet near the door and pulled out her lightest white sweater, she put it on and grabbed her purse and car keys. Faith hurried to put on her own light spring jacket even though it was a few weeks into summer time. She grabbed her backpack and walked out of the apartment door and waited for her mother. Cindy walked out with her and turned to shut and lock her apartment door. "Come on" she grabbed Faith's hand and started to head towards the elevator. They got down into the lobby and went out into the street through the golden circle door in the front of the building. As soon as they got onto the sidewalk their heads were filled with the sounds of the city. Cars, people rushing around, music, sirens, airplanes, all kinds of things swirled in every direction. Cindy instructed the bellhop to get her car as she handed him the keys. After he had pulled up in her car she slipped ten dollars into his hand.
Faith: "Mommy, why'd ya do that for?" she questioned as she hoped into the passenger seat and buckled her seatbelt.
Cindy: "That's just something adults do Faith" "And don't say 'ya' it's 'you'" She said correcting her
Faith pressed the power button on the radio and it started to play out music. The car was a shining metallic-silver on the outside and the inside was beige leather with a finished wood pieced steering wheel, the envy of all Cindy's friends.
Radio: "Thanks for listening to WHKK this is your news reporter Leslie Banner with the latest...Today was the birth of the new World Trade Centers in the heart of New York City as the mayor of New York herself cut the red ribbon to mark the ceremonial opening. Also today the Laura McFall case is still on trial, her sentence to be told next week. News on the war consist of a harrowing 250 soldiers dead early this morning when they were massacred by the enemy forces by a surprise attack, 34 taken as prisoners of war and a theorized number of 34 Missing In Action. The nation is in mourning, let us pray for the brave men and women's souls, as the flag is held at half-mast today. And now for you weather is Jacob Free-" and with that Cindy shut the radio off quickly.
Cindy: "That's quite enough of that" she spoke quickly and shut the radio off. The knowledge of knowing more soldiers had perished made her queasy and angry.
Faith: "Why'd you shut it off? They were gonna play the national anthem" she inquired
Cindy: "I don't want you hearing about those kind of things" Cindy drove her car speedily along the roads and arrived at the school. She lead her daughter inside. "That's your classroom, head inside and I'll be here to pick you up when schools over, mommy loves you, bye" she said as she gave Faith a kiss on the cheek, Faith skipped off to her friends and then headed inside her bright and cheery classroom. Cindy turned and walked back to her car, she got in and started to drive home. Cindy had parked her car and was now entering the Lobby of her apartment complex yet again.
As she waited at the elevator she glanced over to the street through the huge windows that lined the front of the lobby. She looked outside and watched as a taxi cab pulled up in front of the door. She strained her eyes to see what the people that got of the car looked like since the Lobby was so big, and she was waiting at the elevator farthest to the opposite wall of the room. But her heart stopped when she saw two large men, one looked older and the other was young, probably only eighteen. They were dressed in army officials uniforms, the older one appeared to be in a higher rank than the younger one judging by his attire. She watched them get out, the older one had what appeared to be an envelope in one of his hands. Her eyes widened and she looked to the stairs, she tapped her foot violently waiting for the elevator. When it finally came she jolted inside and pressed the "close door" button about a thousand times. When she got to her floor she ran into her apartment and locked the door. She gasped for breath after running in the halls. She knew what that meant, when army men came to your door with a letter, it was about your husband, or son, or whoever, it meant they had died. Cindy never received one about Jimmy before so she prayed that he was still alive someplace. She had thought many times of the possibilities of him being Missing in Action, or a Prisoner of War, the thought made her shudder with despair. Maybe he had gotten lost and he was never found? And with every day he was struggling to survive on his own like many others, she thought. She knew that if that letter was for her than she would never see her beloved again. Ever.
Cindy peeked through the door hole and into the hallway. An echo of men's voices could be heard turning the corner of the hall. She closed her eyes tight as she prayed for them not to be coming to her. The sounds came closer and then they came into view. She watched them both trudge as they walked closer and closer to her. The younger one was about three feet from her door. She sat down on the floor leaning against her door, waiting for the fate sealing knock. Cindy had lost all hope, she was about to burst into tears. The younger one pointed at her door "Is this it?" he asked his superior. The man looked at the letter in the boy's hand and nodded a 'no' The letter wasn't for her?! Jimmy could still be alive?! She was so happy! She let out a relieved sigh and shed one tear of joy, a small smile came across her face. She was still waiting for him, he could still be okay. But one thing didn't cross her mind, she stalled from her joy and thought a moment.
Cindy: "If the letter's not for me.then whose is it?" she got up from the floor and looked out the peek whole again. She glanced as far left as she could, she heard a woman denying, then she heard her start to cry hysterically. She winced, her body was cold. The army men said their sympathies and then left the women to herself. She was crying and she left the door open to her apartment. Cindy opened the door when she was sure the army officials had left and ran to the woman in apartment 405.
Cindy: "Shhh.Shhhh..it's okay" she said as she walked up to her and hugged her tight. Her tears colliding with Cindy's shirt. The letter was still in her hand. Cindy closed her eyes, still comforting the crying woman.
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In a few months at Faith's School---1 PM
Cindy walked into her daughters preschool as many other couples strolled in to see their children. She walked silently as the bitter October chill set into her bones. She'd be graduating from college this year, she was excited for that, but even that she didn't look forward to these days. She walked along the hallways of the school, the city had the idea of intertwining Elementary School inter-city schools with Pre-school and Kindergarten. She paid no attention to anything else but she walked strait to the Faith's room. She was one of the last parents to arrive, mother and fathers stood together ready to see their prides and joys give their presentations. Cindy walked to the very back as the first child and his father walked to the front of the class.. Each child went up and told what kind of job their father did, with their dad beside them.
Boy: "This is my Dad" is a Lawyer, he lies for people in a place called a court and helps the bad ones win and then they don't go to jail" the boy smiled proudly, his father then explained what his son 'really meant'. Child after child went up each with their father's smiling proudly behind them. Faith watched with envy filled eyes as each of her friends giggled as their fathers kissed them after they had done a good job. Next it was her turn. She walked in front of the classroom filled with her peers and their parents eyes looking at her. They followed her every move. She had something in her hands which she pressed to her chest. She began to speak in a small, little girl's voice.
Faith: "This is my Daddy" she twirled around the object in her hands to show to the class, it was the picture of him that Cindy had given her. "He can't be here today ona counta he's out fighting in the war." "My Daddy's name is Jimmy Neutron, he is one of the bravest men in the whole wide world and he wants me and my Mommy to be safe and happy and that's why he went to fight." The parents in the room stared, they all felt sorry for Faith and her mother. The mothers looked around the room to find Cindy who was in the back leaning against the wall. They all thought to themselves how horrible it would be to have their husbands, brothers of older sons even to be taken away, this was happening everyday. Everybody was nervous to get the mail outside. Nobody wanted to see one of those horrible letters in their hands. Nobody wanted their loved ones to leave them. After the entire class had presented it was about time for the kids to go to home. Cindy walked along side Faith as they headed towards Cindy's car in the school parking lot.
Faith: "Did you like my project Mommy?" she questioned
Cindy: "Of course, I loved it, you did excellent" Faith smiled at her mother's response and begun to skip next to Cindy.
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That May
"Mommy!!!" "Wake up!" Faith screamed to her mother, who was fast asleep in her bed "Wake up wake up wake up" she chanted as she tugged on Cindy's sleeve
"Wha.wha?" Cindy rambled still half-unconscious.
"Mom!" she said on last time
"What is it sweetie?!" Cindy sat up in her bed, her eyes just opening, after her vision had cleared she stared at her daughter
Faith jumped onto Cindy's lap then started bouncing up and down on her big, luxurious bed.
Cindy: "Faith! Stop it! What do you want?"
Faith: "Today's the day you graduate college!!" she spoke excitedly, pausing in between words because she was jumping.
Cindy: "Faith." she glanced at her digital clock in the darkness of her room "It's four o'clock in the morning" she replied dryly "Go back to bed" she pleaded sleepily as she stuffed her face into her pillow
Faith: "But I'm not tired" she answer still jumping on the bed
Cindy: "Are you ever tired?" her muffled voice groaned from behind the pillow
Faith: "Nope!" she replied happily and fully awake
Cindy: "Faith if you don't let me go rest, I'm never going to get back to sleep and I'll be tired all day" "so please go to your room and ...I don't know..just stop bothering me.please" The rest of the night passed through and Faith eventually fell asleep on Cindy's bed.
Cindy awoke in the morning and got ready. She had Faith get into her cutest new outfit and she waited as her family members arrived to go to her college commencement ceremony. Faith was in the living room resting on the couch and Cindy was cooking dinner in the kitchen when the first knock on the door was heard.
Cindy glanced into the mirror, sliding a stray strand of her elegant blonde hair behind her ears. She extended her hand to open the door. She opened it and
Rhonda: "Cindy! Darling!" her mother exclaimed and she extended her hands openly and embraced her daughter lovingly. She kissed her once on each cheek and was dressed, ravishingly in a long white fur coat and a fine silk shirt and black pants. Her black beautiful hair shined in it's ornate French twist atop Rhonda's head.
Cindy: "Hi mom" she said returning her gestures
Rhonda: "Your father will be in in a moment dear, he's just giving the keys to the valet" "Now how is my favorite girl doing?" she spoke in a voice that poured wealth out of it's tone. "I can't believe my little Cindy is finally graduating College!" she said excitedly
Cindy: "I know, I'm really exci-" she stopped talking when her mother whipped her fur coat into Cindy's face. "Paauf!" she sputtered as she spit the fur that had gone into her mouth out. "You know, fur coats are cruelty to animals" she protested
Rhonda: "Oh please, Cindy" "You never cared about that before" her mother said over ruling her. Cindy sighed and put her mothers coat into the closet. "So we have to be leaving shortly if we are going to get there on time am I right?"
Cindy: "Yes mother" "We have to leave in a few minutes, I have to wake up Faith, she's sleeping on the couch" Her mother gave her a repulsed look. "Yes Mom! Of course we are taking her, she is my daughter remember?" Cindy replied annoyed
Rhonda: "Oh..yes" Rhonda had never been fond of the idea that Cindy had a child at such a young age with a man that was never there. She highly resented Cindy's stubbornness when it came to dating, she'd always suggest who she considered eligible and Cindy would never even go out on one date.
Michael: "Hello Cindy sweetheart" her father said as he opened up her apartment door.
Cindy: "Hi Daddy!" she replied enthusiastically and she ran up to him and hugged him. Her voice was much more full of excitement when she greeted her father, a more kindly soul than her mother.
Michael: "My princess is going to be a college graduate!" she smiled big at his voice
Rhonda: "Michael, we are going to be late for Cindy's ceremony, now lets hurry this along" "And grab the child off of the couch, Cindy and I will head outside.turn off the oven too" in some ways Rhonda reminded Cindy so much of herself, she was assertive and good-willed just like her. But in other ways they where so different. Cindy's mother tried to run her life, she wanted to make it on her own but her mother would always insist whatever she wanted. She wanted Cindy to be her copy, her twin. But Cindy wanted to be just the opposite though, her own person.
Michael: "Lighten up Rhonda" he responded but never failed complete all the tasks she had told him to finish.
They had gotten to the ceremony on time, Cindy was met there by Hugh and Judy who sat along with her parents and Faith as she graduated. Taking another step on the giant staircase of life. After she had received her diploma they had gone out for a delicious celebration dinner. They had said their good byes. Cindy went home and warmly tucked her adorable daughter in her bed from the long day, she walked over into the dimly lit kitchen with her diploma in her hand. She had put it in a frame and nailed a nail into the wall next to her high school diploma. She carefully placed her College Diploma on the wall. She stood back from it proudly, she had waited four years to get that piece of paper and now it was hers. How she wished Jimmy was there with her again! She would have climbed the highest mountain, and trailed the longest trek to get him back. She loved him with all her heart, she missed Jimmy immensely, she wanted to be loved again like Jimmy loved her, she wanted to be held and told she was beautiful. She thought carefully of how much Faith seemed to miss having a father figure around the house, she thought of how she missed having a boyfriend. Should she give up on Jimmy? She sighed and shook her head
Cindy: "What am I thinking?" she questioned of herself "I have to wait for him" but each day her hope dwindled smaller and smaller. Making her lonely on the inside. She yearned for Jimmy sometimes. But time passed and her love grew weak, she scarcely remembered how it felt to be in love anymore. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3 years later
Faith: "Mom!" she screamed out of her room. Faith had grown into an adorable little six year old. She was in first grade, and the smartest in her class. Her beautiful chestnut brown hair, was shimmering like always and her energetic blue eyes lit up the room. "I'm gonna miss the bus if Mrs.O'Brien doesn't take me down to the stop!"
Cindy : "Yes..No! Tell them to sell, I don't care what the advisors say.just do it!' she screamed as she pressed the end button on her cell phone after yelling at one of her employees. "What honey?!" she bellowed from her room, while sitting at her computer table. She sat vigorously typing away at her computer. "Oh.okay sweetie..just call her up in room..what was it? 405?" "Yah well, call her then she'll come down and get you.I have to go to work in a little bit any ways!" she yelled up to her daughter.
Faith: "Okay I'm ready" she appeared in the doorway and then slid out of view before Cindy could glance at her.
Cindy: "Hun come here so I can say goodbye" "Faith?"
Faith: "Bye" she said while reappearing in the doorway with a sigh. Cindy let out a small laugh.
Cindy: "No, no you can't wear that" she said still smiling, and looking at her computer.
Faith: "But mom!" "All the girls in my class are wearing them!" she begged
Cindy: "No honey I'm sorry, your only six years old, you don't need to wear a belly shirt" "where did you even get that?"
Faith: "Grandma.." She spoke downtrodden
Cindy: "My mother bought that for you?" she said raising her eyebrows and questioning with a very surprised tone
Faith: "No, Granny Neutron"
The doorbell rang and the chimes echoed throughout Cindy's apartment.
Cindy: "That's Mrs.O'Brien, go let her in" "But look before you open the door" she warned. Cindy was again typing, she worked hard and loved it. It kept her active and awake, she needed the pressure. It was the only thing she enjoyed. She was twenty-four years old and held a powerful position at a local corporation already.
Faith's ride entered the apartment and said hello to Cindy, the usual mother talk. Then her and Faith where off. Cindy only carpooled twice a week, Mrs.O' Brien did the other three. Mrs.O' Brien was really Mrs.Luke, three years before she has lost her husband to the war. Cindy remembered comforting her when she got her letter, she was the first to receive one in their apartment building, then followed many others. That was the day Cindy first saw the army men coming to their apartment and she ran upstairs fearing they where there for her. But Mrs.Luke remarried, and became the wife of Danny O' Brien, they had one child named Isabelle.
Cindy asked once if she ever felt guilty of remarrying another man. She never really got a strait answer from her so she figured it was best not to ask. "Bye Honey!" Cindy shouted from her office. Faith said goodbye back and then the apartment door clicked shut. Cindy had called Libby earlier that morning to go out for a short breakfast before she had to go to work. So she should have been arriving any time now.
Cindy concentrated back on her typing, she was filing a report for her boss. She had neat black business attire on, and a skirt with a suit jacket top, that complimented her slim figure beautifully. Her hair was down, a short length past her shoulders and glimmering in the light as usual. About an hour past, and the doorbell rang again.
Cindy: "Must be Libby" she thought out loud to herself. "One second!" she screamed to the unopened door. She grabbed her coffee cup off of her desk and clicked the computer program off her screen.
Libby had married Sheen in the three years that had past, much to Cindy's dismay . On the contrary, they were very happy together. Sheen had become the proud father of a baby boy, which they had named Nathan. He has been drafted himself to serve in the army just like he had suspected, but lucky for him he had broken his leg by tripping over his Ultra Lord collection in his room, so he would be no use to the army. He had ripped a piece of cartilage in the back of his knee cap when he fell, and now walked with a tiny limp because he refused to have crutches when he was healing. No army official would send him onto the battlefield. Cindy had often been jealous of her best friend for having a husband, but that jealousy never lasted for long. Her and Libby where friends until the end, and they always where close. She walked up from her desk grabbing her briefcase in one hand and her coffee in the other. She walked to her door and put the briefcase down beside it while she grabbed her coat from the closet.
Cindy: "I'll just open the door first" she said as she pulled open her apartment door. When she did she did not see Libby and her baby in front of her. But a man, he was tall and very good looking, his brown hair looked dirty and snarled. He looked as if he hadn't shaved. His face was dirty and he was dressed in an army camouflage outfit, he had a jacket draped over his right shoulder and looked up to her. His eyes were a majestic blue.
Man: "Hey stranger" was what he said. Cindy's eyes widened and she dropped her coffee cup, it shattered on the ground.
Cindy: "Jimmy?" her voice has small, her eyes where filled with tears. He nodded to her. "Jimmy!!" she started to cry as she leaped into his arms. He picked her up off the ground and hugged her tightly. He closed his eyes and tears streamed out of his as well. When they where finally done hugging each other they needn't speak any more words, Jimmy lead her into her bedroom, he pulled off her clothes and his own, they had a time greater than the night before he left. Then Cindy spoke, out of breath and tired, underneath the covers of her bed, with Jimmy lying next to her. ".wait" she said
Jimmy: "What is it?" He looked to her face with the deepest of eyes.
Cindy: "Why did you come back?" she questioned
Jimmy: "When your drafted into the army, you only have to serve six years, it's a United States law" he explained. Cindy nodded small. Then another questioned tapped at her mind.
Cindy: "Why didn't you ever write me again?" she asked more seriously
Jimmy: "I told you I wouldn't be able to write for a while.."
Cindy: "But six years!?" she asked him "Do you have any idea what I went through all that time!?" "Do you have any idea how it made me feel to know you might have been slaughtered by some enemy on the battlefield!?" "How I must have felt to know that you might not even be alive!?" "That I might have been waiting for somebody who was never coming back!?" she had become frustrated and was yelling and crying. Jimmy furrowed his eyebrows.
Jimmy: "Listen to me Cindy" he said pulling her face to look at his. "I know I did that and I'm sorry, I know I should have written you, but there was no time" "And don't you ever talk to me about how you must have felt, what about what I felt huh?!" "Do you have any idea the types of gut wrenching, horrific, terrible, cruel, unbearable things I saw over there?! Do you?" "The things that happened over there weren't human" "War isn't human..it's for crazy, psychotic beasts" "Every night I couldn't even sleep, everyday one of my friends would get killed, everyday.." "Everyday I would think of you, every second knowing you might have given up on me and married some other man." "I had to kill people Cindy!" "I had to shoot other human beings and kill them!" "How do you think I feel? I'm a murderer" then he quieted his tone down "But every time I had to fight.and saw someone come towards me.I told myself it was either going to me or him..and if I ever wanted to see your beautiful angel face again, then I'd have to make the shot.." "You have no idea the kinds of choices I had to make...you have no idea what it was like" his face became solemn and saddened, his expression fell into darkness as he reflected on the horrors of fighting in a war.
Cindy stared at him, she had stopped crying
Jimmy: "It was the most terrifying thing I've ever done, I thank god he let me live and come back to you.." "There were so many less fortunate than I" "But what's important is that I'm here, with you, from now until forever, and we can married just like we where going to"
Cindy stared Jimmy in the eyes like she was searching his soul. She reached her hand out and placed it gently on the side of his face.
Cindy: "It's like your back from the dead" she whispered. Jimmy looked at her strangely. "I've lived without you for six years of my life.and your back in it again" "I thought you were gone for good"
Jimmy then placed his hand on top of hers and pulled it off his face.
Jimmy: "I know.I know its hard to have me just waltz back in again, but Cindy I love you"
Cindy's heart skipped a beat. He loved her? He loved her? Oh how long she had waited to hear those words! All the emotions she had missed over the years flooded back towards her like a waterfall. She smiled back at him and answered
Cindy: "I love you too, were gonna make this work Jimmy" he smiled at her "I know you must have been through a lot..and I know some things are going to be hard for you" "But the important thing is like you said.were together again" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cindy stood along with Jimmy in the kitchen, he told her of how he first went to see his parents and their overwhelmingly joyous reaction to his return. He told her of how he had contacted her mother and father to find out where she was living.
Jimmy: "I thought your mom was going to faint when I said it was me on the phone.ha..it was funny" he chuckled lightly as he remembered the sound of her mothers voice. The handle on the door of Cindy's apartment started turning open, then it swung inside and a little girl walked in from her day at school.
Faith: "Hi Mommy.Hi---" she looked at Jimmy with a sinister glance "Who are you?" she questioned coldly
Jimmy stood silent, staring at her. He looked at her beautiful soft curled brown hair, and her deep, sky blue eyes staring up at him.
Jimmy: "Oh my god.." "Is that?" Cindy nodded to Jimmy as he stood awestruck watching who he knew was his daughter of whom he'd only had one picture of her, when she was just born.
Faith: "Mom..who is this guy?" she asked of her mother, confused. Cindy walked close to Faith and went behind her.
Cindy: "You don't recognize him?" she asked "Look harder" she instructed. Faiths eyes glided over Jimmy's features and along his face. She studied him and looked toward her mother still confused. "Faith...that's your father" Faith gasped.
Faith: "Daddy!?" "Your alive!!" she ran to him and sprang into his arms
Jimmy: "Oh my beautiful little girl, I love you so much, I love you, I love you" he said while squeezing her. After he had put her down. She looked up to him, her eyes where big and filled with happiness.
Faith: "You looked just like I imagined" she smiled
Jimmy: "Your more beautiful than I could have ever imagined in my wildest dreams babe" he said smiling, this was what he was fighting for, that's why he had not gotten killed, he had to come back to her. That's what kept him alive, the need to come back and see the two most wonderful women in the world and keep them safe and happy.
Cindy and Jimmy got married no more than a week later, Jimmy and Cindy were the happiest people in the world again. They had a perfect little family. Sheen and Carl, and Libby were overjoyed to know Jimmy was there again. Though Jimmy still had frequent flashbacks of the horrible memories of fighting, he was the luckiest man alive, as he considered himself to be with Cindy and his beautiful daughter again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Yay!!!! That chapters done!!!! I hope you all liked it.sorry it was kind of long.but I love to write so I can't help it! ^^ I think that might be the last chapter, but I was also thinking of making on more short chapter about how their lives are now that Jimmy's back, so I'll decide whether to do that or not later ^^ Please R/R ^^ I know this story is kind of sad in light of what's happening in the world today, but I wanted to express the point of a soldier who went to war through this story so I really hope you like it ^^ Please R/R * ~Cindy V.~*
Cindy's apartment was silent in the morning hours, it was about eleven o'clock, the sun was almost vertical in the sky, shining down on the bustling city. Rays from the giant heat lamp shone into Cindy's apartment window and scattered through out her living room. Where little Faith sat watching her favorite morning cartoons flash on and off the big, plasma, television screen. She was sporting some pink, footed pajamas with a cute white bunny on the soft shirt. She had a sippy cup full of icecold apple juice in her hands. Every time her favorite character would pop up on the screen she'd clap her hands in delight, as her eyes lit up with joy.
T.V.: "Uncle Sam wants you! To Join the U.S. army!" the television blared out loudly, Faith was to busy sipping apple juice to pay attention to the adds. She walked over to the giant, crystal clear window on the side of her living room and looked down, below she saw the street and the entrance way to her apartment. Cindy was probably the ONLY one to live in such a divine place in her entire college. Faith heard a soft knock on her apartment door and skipped over to it, without thinking she opened the door up to whoever was knocking. She looked up. A tall man stood before her, he had beautiful hair, it was black as midnight. His playful dark brown eyes looked shiney. His deep olive skin made him look more handsome than anything. He was very tall. He looked down to her and picked her up and started to tickle her stomach.
Faith: "Hey!" she then started to giggle loudly because she was being tickled so much, she kicked her little feet hard until she was let go and put back down on the ground.
Nick: "Hey beautiful" he said as he spoke to Faith who now stood looking up at him in his raspy, handsome voice "Who said you could just open the door without askin' who it is huh?" "Be careful, there are creeps out there" He then looked over to the television and put his black leather jacket onto the counter. "So whatcha watchin'?"
Faith ran back into the living room from the kitchen, which was almost directly connected if the floor pattern didn't change from it's black marble to the white rug.
Faith: "Dora!" she shouted happily as she pointed to the T.V. screen as the cartoon hopped around talking to her animal friends in Spanish. Nick nodded with no real interest.
Cindy was walking out of her bathroom, wearing just a white bathrobe and a towel in her hair. She walked strait into the kitchen without thinking to look into her living room.
Cindy: "Sweetie, was somebody at the door? Because I thought that I hear-" she stopped short behind her kitchen counter when she turned to face the living room and was greeted not by a little girl watching television, but Nick half-smiling at her with a raised eyebrow.
Nick: "Love the outfit" he said with a small smile crossing is face
Cindy: "Nick!" "How'd you get in here?!" she said as she tightened her bathrobe and pulled it together, holding it with her hands where it opened at her collar bone.
Nick: "I walked in, how else?" "I can't walk through walls ya know" Cindy then took her attention off Nick and looked around him to Faith
Cindy: "Faith! Did you let him in?" Faith's eyes were glued to the screen of the television, she quickly looked to her mother and nodded as if she missed even a split second of her show she'd just collapse. "You know your supposed to come get me when someone comes to the door!" she shouted at her daughter not harshly, but a little overwhelmed because Faith frequently did things like that. She sighed knowing that her daughter was now back into the wonderful world of cartoons and blocking out her every word. She looked back to Nick. "Um..did you want something?" she asked with a strange look on her face.
Nick: "Yeah.um, I wanted to talk to you"
Cindy: "Oh?" she asked curiously, her eyes made their way to the clock over the fireplace and she gasped slightly and shouted to her daughter. "Faith! Run up to your room and get ready! We have to drive you to pre-school in twenty minutes or we're going to be late!" Faith looked at her mother again as if pleaing to stay home. "Hurry up!" Cindy insisted again. Faith got up from her spot and went off to her room. Cindy was about to walk away and get ready herself when she remembered Nick standing there waiting for her as she commanded her daughter around.
Cindy: "Nick?"
Nick: "Huh?.oh yeah" he responded, his attention had drifted elsewhere while Cindy was talking to Faith but now he was back on subject. "Yah..um I wanted to talk to you?"
Cindy: "Nick, I really can't, I have to be ready..in twenty minutes.actually nineteen now" she said as she spied the clock again.
Nick: "Well, it's okay.it's really quick" he said as he rubbed the back of his neck "Maybe you'd like to..umm..join me for dinner tonight?" he questioned nervously. Cindy was a bit surprised he asked her that, she replied uneasy.
Cindy: "Nick...no.I.I don't think so" she replied uneasily after a pause, "But thanks for the offer" then she started to walk to her bathroom. "You know your way out"
Nick: "Cindy wait!" he grabbed the back of her arm and made her stop. "Cindy..I know, I know with um.Jimmy in all you haven't really.like.dated in stuff, but..it's been three years since you've heard from him" "He's never coming back Cindy! Just face it and get on with your life" "I mean...I know you've been waiting for him, but..I've been waiting for you" Cindy was shocked at the what Nick had said, he had never acted that way before.
Cindy: "How dare you talk that way to me!" "I can wait for him as long as I want! You would feel the same way if the only person you've ever loved was taken away from you!" "And I know..I know he's still out there!" "So don't you ever tell me to just get over it!" "I can't believe you'd say something like that!" "Don't ever talk to me that way again!"
Nick: "Fine! "Jesus! I was just tryin' to ask you out and you had to go and spaz on me!" "Listen, call me if you ever grow up okay?" he said as he grabbed his jacket and left her apartment.
Cindy's expression was hard and angry but after Nick had slammed the door her face softened and became sad, then she started to cry. She put her head in her hands, she lifted it slowly, a tear or two trickling off her face, and her wet hair dripping onto the floor. When she lifted it she noticed her high school Diploma hanging on the wall. She walked over to it. She had remembered how fiercely Jimmy and her had competed for the title of Valedictorian, after months of hard work, the two that were in love found out Jimmy was the winner. Cindy got the spot of second in class. She had been feeling terrible, at graduation Jimmy had went up to her when they were receiving awards. He held her and whispered in her ear "Don't worry, you'll always be number one to me" then he kissed her forehead. Cindy closed her eyes and remembered the feeling of Jimmy's warm body up against her own.
Cindy then remembered she had to drive her daughter to pre-school and ran into her bedroom to get ready. In no less than ten minutes Cindy was ready, dressed, her hair done and her make-up on. She walked into the kitchen and grabbed a juice box and a cereal bar for her daughter she was Supermom, all she needed was her daughter.
Cindy: "Faith!" "Faith! Are you ready yet?" "We have to leave in five minutes!" she yelled up the stairs and heard no response. She sighed, and walked out of her kitchen and into her daughters bedroom, she saw that Faith hadn't even started to get ready. "Faith!" "Wh-Why haven't you even started to get dressed yet?" she questioned. Faith didn't respond to her question but simply walked over to her nightstand and took the framed picture of her father in her hands and slapped it on Cindy's lap. Cindy looked down to see Jimmy's smiling face and quickly looked back up so she wouldn't get too distressed from seeing him. "What does a picture of Daddy have to do with anything?" she questioned a little more soft and caring than she would have before, because the subject involved Jimmy.
Faith: "In a few months is bring your Daddy to school day....everyone's Dad comes into school and tells what kinda job they do with their kid..and were gonna talk about it today"
Cindy: "Oh sweetie" she gave her daughter a small hug. "Honey..I know that you want a father..and I know that you miss him, but I miss him too. And I'm sure that where ever Daddy is right now, he's thinking of us" "And maybe I can come into school for you instead?"
Faith: "But it's not the same" she replied stubbornly "I want Daddy to come in for me"
Cindy: "Honey, there is nothing that I can do" she said becoming a little agitated that her daughter was not getting the message. She thought quickly "Maybe if you don't want me to go in for you, then Grandpa Hugh can come in, would that be better? He is your granddaddy." "Plus, he is your Daddy's father too" Faith put her finger to her chin as if she was making a life altering decision.
Faith: "I guess that would be okay...but still not the same.but I like Grandpa Hugh" then she gave a small giggle "He's funny"
Cindy: "Oh yeah.he's just wonderful" she said sarcastically, dreading that she'd have to call and have him come over her house.
Faith: "And..um.since he's Daddy's.um..Daddy maybe he can tell me some stories about when Daddy was little?" she questioned hopefully
Cindy: "Oh I'm sure he will sweetie..Grandpa Hugh always has something to say" she said stressing her voice on the word always.
Faith: "Actually no Mommy" she had changed her mind "I have a better idea" Cindy looked at her daughter strangely and wondered what she was up to.
Cindy: "What are you going to do?" she questioned curiously, her daughter was very intelligent for her young age and Cindy was very proud of her. But she always had to be cautious, she was half Jimmy's child, and if she was anything like him at all, she was always forming a plan in her mind.
Faith: "You'll see, its nothing big though" she replied
Cindy: "Okay fine...now your sure you don't want me to call grandpa? Your sure?" Faith nodded "Alright.now hurry up and get ready before your late missy!" she handed Faith a pair of clothes and instructed her to get changed. No more then five more minutes had passed before Cindy was brushing Faiths hair and trying to do it up neatly.
Faith: "That hurts!" she screeched as Cindy brushed all the knots and tangles out of her hair.
Cindy: "I know it does, but deal with it sweetie, lots of people are getting hurt far more than this right now" Cindy pulled her daughters tangle-free hair tightly as she did it into one beautiful perfectly shaped French braid. She reached into one of her dressers and pulled out a small red bow and put it on the end of Faith's braid. "There, you look like a princess" "Now hurry downstairs and grab your breakfast off the table, and get your coat on...I'll make your bed and be right down" Cindy barked out orders, but in a sweet motherly tone as Faith hurried to fulfil them. Cindy had no idea how she managed to have such a normal life. It was perfect, she had no troubles like many other young mothers did. She had a gorgeous home, a lovely daughter, a magnificent car, a perfect job, her life wasn't tangled up. She had a hole in her heart though, and that was one thing that many others didn't have. Cindy was good at covering up her emotions, it was easy for her to act happy when she was really depressed on the inside. Nobody ever knew when she was feeling sad. Even when she thought of Jimmy, and wanted to cry out for him, which was frequent, and let tears stream down her face in rivers, she didn't. She acted like all was well and good, but she knew on the inside that everyday without him was getting to be harder and harder for her. She quickly made her daughter's bed up then scrambled to get downstairs.
Cindy: "Let's go honey, shut off the T.V. and grab your coat" Cindy opened the closet near the door and pulled out her lightest white sweater, she put it on and grabbed her purse and car keys. Faith hurried to put on her own light spring jacket even though it was a few weeks into summer time. She grabbed her backpack and walked out of the apartment door and waited for her mother. Cindy walked out with her and turned to shut and lock her apartment door. "Come on" she grabbed Faith's hand and started to head towards the elevator. They got down into the lobby and went out into the street through the golden circle door in the front of the building. As soon as they got onto the sidewalk their heads were filled with the sounds of the city. Cars, people rushing around, music, sirens, airplanes, all kinds of things swirled in every direction. Cindy instructed the bellhop to get her car as she handed him the keys. After he had pulled up in her car she slipped ten dollars into his hand.
Faith: "Mommy, why'd ya do that for?" she questioned as she hoped into the passenger seat and buckled her seatbelt.
Cindy: "That's just something adults do Faith" "And don't say 'ya' it's 'you'" She said correcting her
Faith pressed the power button on the radio and it started to play out music. The car was a shining metallic-silver on the outside and the inside was beige leather with a finished wood pieced steering wheel, the envy of all Cindy's friends.
Radio: "Thanks for listening to WHKK this is your news reporter Leslie Banner with the latest...Today was the birth of the new World Trade Centers in the heart of New York City as the mayor of New York herself cut the red ribbon to mark the ceremonial opening. Also today the Laura McFall case is still on trial, her sentence to be told next week. News on the war consist of a harrowing 250 soldiers dead early this morning when they were massacred by the enemy forces by a surprise attack, 34 taken as prisoners of war and a theorized number of 34 Missing In Action. The nation is in mourning, let us pray for the brave men and women's souls, as the flag is held at half-mast today. And now for you weather is Jacob Free-" and with that Cindy shut the radio off quickly.
Cindy: "That's quite enough of that" she spoke quickly and shut the radio off. The knowledge of knowing more soldiers had perished made her queasy and angry.
Faith: "Why'd you shut it off? They were gonna play the national anthem" she inquired
Cindy: "I don't want you hearing about those kind of things" Cindy drove her car speedily along the roads and arrived at the school. She lead her daughter inside. "That's your classroom, head inside and I'll be here to pick you up when schools over, mommy loves you, bye" she said as she gave Faith a kiss on the cheek, Faith skipped off to her friends and then headed inside her bright and cheery classroom. Cindy turned and walked back to her car, she got in and started to drive home. Cindy had parked her car and was now entering the Lobby of her apartment complex yet again.
As she waited at the elevator she glanced over to the street through the huge windows that lined the front of the lobby. She looked outside and watched as a taxi cab pulled up in front of the door. She strained her eyes to see what the people that got of the car looked like since the Lobby was so big, and she was waiting at the elevator farthest to the opposite wall of the room. But her heart stopped when she saw two large men, one looked older and the other was young, probably only eighteen. They were dressed in army officials uniforms, the older one appeared to be in a higher rank than the younger one judging by his attire. She watched them get out, the older one had what appeared to be an envelope in one of his hands. Her eyes widened and she looked to the stairs, she tapped her foot violently waiting for the elevator. When it finally came she jolted inside and pressed the "close door" button about a thousand times. When she got to her floor she ran into her apartment and locked the door. She gasped for breath after running in the halls. She knew what that meant, when army men came to your door with a letter, it was about your husband, or son, or whoever, it meant they had died. Cindy never received one about Jimmy before so she prayed that he was still alive someplace. She had thought many times of the possibilities of him being Missing in Action, or a Prisoner of War, the thought made her shudder with despair. Maybe he had gotten lost and he was never found? And with every day he was struggling to survive on his own like many others, she thought. She knew that if that letter was for her than she would never see her beloved again. Ever.
Cindy peeked through the door hole and into the hallway. An echo of men's voices could be heard turning the corner of the hall. She closed her eyes tight as she prayed for them not to be coming to her. The sounds came closer and then they came into view. She watched them both trudge as they walked closer and closer to her. The younger one was about three feet from her door. She sat down on the floor leaning against her door, waiting for the fate sealing knock. Cindy had lost all hope, she was about to burst into tears. The younger one pointed at her door "Is this it?" he asked his superior. The man looked at the letter in the boy's hand and nodded a 'no' The letter wasn't for her?! Jimmy could still be alive?! She was so happy! She let out a relieved sigh and shed one tear of joy, a small smile came across her face. She was still waiting for him, he could still be okay. But one thing didn't cross her mind, she stalled from her joy and thought a moment.
Cindy: "If the letter's not for me.then whose is it?" she got up from the floor and looked out the peek whole again. She glanced as far left as she could, she heard a woman denying, then she heard her start to cry hysterically. She winced, her body was cold. The army men said their sympathies and then left the women to herself. She was crying and she left the door open to her apartment. Cindy opened the door when she was sure the army officials had left and ran to the woman in apartment 405.
Cindy: "Shhh.Shhhh..it's okay" she said as she walked up to her and hugged her tight. Her tears colliding with Cindy's shirt. The letter was still in her hand. Cindy closed her eyes, still comforting the crying woman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~
In a few months at Faith's School---1 PM
Cindy walked into her daughters preschool as many other couples strolled in to see their children. She walked silently as the bitter October chill set into her bones. She'd be graduating from college this year, she was excited for that, but even that she didn't look forward to these days. She walked along the hallways of the school, the city had the idea of intertwining Elementary School inter-city schools with Pre-school and Kindergarten. She paid no attention to anything else but she walked strait to the Faith's room. She was one of the last parents to arrive, mother and fathers stood together ready to see their prides and joys give their presentations. Cindy walked to the very back as the first child and his father walked to the front of the class.. Each child went up and told what kind of job their father did, with their dad beside them.
Boy: "This is my Dad" is a Lawyer, he lies for people in a place called a court and helps the bad ones win and then they don't go to jail" the boy smiled proudly, his father then explained what his son 'really meant'. Child after child went up each with their father's smiling proudly behind them. Faith watched with envy filled eyes as each of her friends giggled as their fathers kissed them after they had done a good job. Next it was her turn. She walked in front of the classroom filled with her peers and their parents eyes looking at her. They followed her every move. She had something in her hands which she pressed to her chest. She began to speak in a small, little girl's voice.
Faith: "This is my Daddy" she twirled around the object in her hands to show to the class, it was the picture of him that Cindy had given her. "He can't be here today ona counta he's out fighting in the war." "My Daddy's name is Jimmy Neutron, he is one of the bravest men in the whole wide world and he wants me and my Mommy to be safe and happy and that's why he went to fight." The parents in the room stared, they all felt sorry for Faith and her mother. The mothers looked around the room to find Cindy who was in the back leaning against the wall. They all thought to themselves how horrible it would be to have their husbands, brothers of older sons even to be taken away, this was happening everyday. Everybody was nervous to get the mail outside. Nobody wanted to see one of those horrible letters in their hands. Nobody wanted their loved ones to leave them. After the entire class had presented it was about time for the kids to go to home. Cindy walked along side Faith as they headed towards Cindy's car in the school parking lot.
Faith: "Did you like my project Mommy?" she questioned
Cindy: "Of course, I loved it, you did excellent" Faith smiled at her mother's response and begun to skip next to Cindy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That May
"Mommy!!!" "Wake up!" Faith screamed to her mother, who was fast asleep in her bed "Wake up wake up wake up" she chanted as she tugged on Cindy's sleeve
"Wha.wha?" Cindy rambled still half-unconscious.
"Mom!" she said on last time
"What is it sweetie?!" Cindy sat up in her bed, her eyes just opening, after her vision had cleared she stared at her daughter
Faith jumped onto Cindy's lap then started bouncing up and down on her big, luxurious bed.
Cindy: "Faith! Stop it! What do you want?"
Faith: "Today's the day you graduate college!!" she spoke excitedly, pausing in between words because she was jumping.
Cindy: "Faith." she glanced at her digital clock in the darkness of her room "It's four o'clock in the morning" she replied dryly "Go back to bed" she pleaded sleepily as she stuffed her face into her pillow
Faith: "But I'm not tired" she answer still jumping on the bed
Cindy: "Are you ever tired?" her muffled voice groaned from behind the pillow
Faith: "Nope!" she replied happily and fully awake
Cindy: "Faith if you don't let me go rest, I'm never going to get back to sleep and I'll be tired all day" "so please go to your room and ...I don't know..just stop bothering me.please" The rest of the night passed through and Faith eventually fell asleep on Cindy's bed.
Cindy awoke in the morning and got ready. She had Faith get into her cutest new outfit and she waited as her family members arrived to go to her college commencement ceremony. Faith was in the living room resting on the couch and Cindy was cooking dinner in the kitchen when the first knock on the door was heard.
Cindy glanced into the mirror, sliding a stray strand of her elegant blonde hair behind her ears. She extended her hand to open the door. She opened it and
Rhonda: "Cindy! Darling!" her mother exclaimed and she extended her hands openly and embraced her daughter lovingly. She kissed her once on each cheek and was dressed, ravishingly in a long white fur coat and a fine silk shirt and black pants. Her black beautiful hair shined in it's ornate French twist atop Rhonda's head.
Cindy: "Hi mom" she said returning her gestures
Rhonda: "Your father will be in in a moment dear, he's just giving the keys to the valet" "Now how is my favorite girl doing?" she spoke in a voice that poured wealth out of it's tone. "I can't believe my little Cindy is finally graduating College!" she said excitedly
Cindy: "I know, I'm really exci-" she stopped talking when her mother whipped her fur coat into Cindy's face. "Paauf!" she sputtered as she spit the fur that had gone into her mouth out. "You know, fur coats are cruelty to animals" she protested
Rhonda: "Oh please, Cindy" "You never cared about that before" her mother said over ruling her. Cindy sighed and put her mothers coat into the closet. "So we have to be leaving shortly if we are going to get there on time am I right?"
Cindy: "Yes mother" "We have to leave in a few minutes, I have to wake up Faith, she's sleeping on the couch" Her mother gave her a repulsed look. "Yes Mom! Of course we are taking her, she is my daughter remember?" Cindy replied annoyed
Rhonda: "Oh..yes" Rhonda had never been fond of the idea that Cindy had a child at such a young age with a man that was never there. She highly resented Cindy's stubbornness when it came to dating, she'd always suggest who she considered eligible and Cindy would never even go out on one date.
Michael: "Hello Cindy sweetheart" her father said as he opened up her apartment door.
Cindy: "Hi Daddy!" she replied enthusiastically and she ran up to him and hugged him. Her voice was much more full of excitement when she greeted her father, a more kindly soul than her mother.
Michael: "My princess is going to be a college graduate!" she smiled big at his voice
Rhonda: "Michael, we are going to be late for Cindy's ceremony, now lets hurry this along" "And grab the child off of the couch, Cindy and I will head outside.turn off the oven too" in some ways Rhonda reminded Cindy so much of herself, she was assertive and good-willed just like her. But in other ways they where so different. Cindy's mother tried to run her life, she wanted to make it on her own but her mother would always insist whatever she wanted. She wanted Cindy to be her copy, her twin. But Cindy wanted to be just the opposite though, her own person.
Michael: "Lighten up Rhonda" he responded but never failed complete all the tasks she had told him to finish.
They had gotten to the ceremony on time, Cindy was met there by Hugh and Judy who sat along with her parents and Faith as she graduated. Taking another step on the giant staircase of life. After she had received her diploma they had gone out for a delicious celebration dinner. They had said their good byes. Cindy went home and warmly tucked her adorable daughter in her bed from the long day, she walked over into the dimly lit kitchen with her diploma in her hand. She had put it in a frame and nailed a nail into the wall next to her high school diploma. She carefully placed her College Diploma on the wall. She stood back from it proudly, she had waited four years to get that piece of paper and now it was hers. How she wished Jimmy was there with her again! She would have climbed the highest mountain, and trailed the longest trek to get him back. She loved him with all her heart, she missed Jimmy immensely, she wanted to be loved again like Jimmy loved her, she wanted to be held and told she was beautiful. She thought carefully of how much Faith seemed to miss having a father figure around the house, she thought of how she missed having a boyfriend. Should she give up on Jimmy? She sighed and shook her head
Cindy: "What am I thinking?" she questioned of herself "I have to wait for him" but each day her hope dwindled smaller and smaller. Making her lonely on the inside. She yearned for Jimmy sometimes. But time passed and her love grew weak, she scarcely remembered how it felt to be in love anymore. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3 years later
Faith: "Mom!" she screamed out of her room. Faith had grown into an adorable little six year old. She was in first grade, and the smartest in her class. Her beautiful chestnut brown hair, was shimmering like always and her energetic blue eyes lit up the room. "I'm gonna miss the bus if Mrs.O'Brien doesn't take me down to the stop!"
Cindy : "Yes..No! Tell them to sell, I don't care what the advisors say.just do it!' she screamed as she pressed the end button on her cell phone after yelling at one of her employees. "What honey?!" she bellowed from her room, while sitting at her computer table. She sat vigorously typing away at her computer. "Oh.okay sweetie..just call her up in room..what was it? 405?" "Yah well, call her then she'll come down and get you.I have to go to work in a little bit any ways!" she yelled up to her daughter.
Faith: "Okay I'm ready" she appeared in the doorway and then slid out of view before Cindy could glance at her.
Cindy: "Hun come here so I can say goodbye" "Faith?"
Faith: "Bye" she said while reappearing in the doorway with a sigh. Cindy let out a small laugh.
Cindy: "No, no you can't wear that" she said still smiling, and looking at her computer.
Faith: "But mom!" "All the girls in my class are wearing them!" she begged
Cindy: "No honey I'm sorry, your only six years old, you don't need to wear a belly shirt" "where did you even get that?"
Faith: "Grandma.." She spoke downtrodden
Cindy: "My mother bought that for you?" she said raising her eyebrows and questioning with a very surprised tone
Faith: "No, Granny Neutron"
The doorbell rang and the chimes echoed throughout Cindy's apartment.
Cindy: "That's Mrs.O'Brien, go let her in" "But look before you open the door" she warned. Cindy was again typing, she worked hard and loved it. It kept her active and awake, she needed the pressure. It was the only thing she enjoyed. She was twenty-four years old and held a powerful position at a local corporation already.
Faith's ride entered the apartment and said hello to Cindy, the usual mother talk. Then her and Faith where off. Cindy only carpooled twice a week, Mrs.O' Brien did the other three. Mrs.O' Brien was really Mrs.Luke, three years before she has lost her husband to the war. Cindy remembered comforting her when she got her letter, she was the first to receive one in their apartment building, then followed many others. That was the day Cindy first saw the army men coming to their apartment and she ran upstairs fearing they where there for her. But Mrs.Luke remarried, and became the wife of Danny O' Brien, they had one child named Isabelle.
Cindy asked once if she ever felt guilty of remarrying another man. She never really got a strait answer from her so she figured it was best not to ask. "Bye Honey!" Cindy shouted from her office. Faith said goodbye back and then the apartment door clicked shut. Cindy had called Libby earlier that morning to go out for a short breakfast before she had to go to work. So she should have been arriving any time now.
Cindy concentrated back on her typing, she was filing a report for her boss. She had neat black business attire on, and a skirt with a suit jacket top, that complimented her slim figure beautifully. Her hair was down, a short length past her shoulders and glimmering in the light as usual. About an hour past, and the doorbell rang again.
Cindy: "Must be Libby" she thought out loud to herself. "One second!" she screamed to the unopened door. She grabbed her coffee cup off of her desk and clicked the computer program off her screen.
Libby had married Sheen in the three years that had past, much to Cindy's dismay . On the contrary, they were very happy together. Sheen had become the proud father of a baby boy, which they had named Nathan. He has been drafted himself to serve in the army just like he had suspected, but lucky for him he had broken his leg by tripping over his Ultra Lord collection in his room, so he would be no use to the army. He had ripped a piece of cartilage in the back of his knee cap when he fell, and now walked with a tiny limp because he refused to have crutches when he was healing. No army official would send him onto the battlefield. Cindy had often been jealous of her best friend for having a husband, but that jealousy never lasted for long. Her and Libby where friends until the end, and they always where close. She walked up from her desk grabbing her briefcase in one hand and her coffee in the other. She walked to her door and put the briefcase down beside it while she grabbed her coat from the closet.
Cindy: "I'll just open the door first" she said as she pulled open her apartment door. When she did she did not see Libby and her baby in front of her. But a man, he was tall and very good looking, his brown hair looked dirty and snarled. He looked as if he hadn't shaved. His face was dirty and he was dressed in an army camouflage outfit, he had a jacket draped over his right shoulder and looked up to her. His eyes were a majestic blue.
Man: "Hey stranger" was what he said. Cindy's eyes widened and she dropped her coffee cup, it shattered on the ground.
Cindy: "Jimmy?" her voice has small, her eyes where filled with tears. He nodded to her. "Jimmy!!" she started to cry as she leaped into his arms. He picked her up off the ground and hugged her tightly. He closed his eyes and tears streamed out of his as well. When they where finally done hugging each other they needn't speak any more words, Jimmy lead her into her bedroom, he pulled off her clothes and his own, they had a time greater than the night before he left. Then Cindy spoke, out of breath and tired, underneath the covers of her bed, with Jimmy lying next to her. ".wait" she said
Jimmy: "What is it?" He looked to her face with the deepest of eyes.
Cindy: "Why did you come back?" she questioned
Jimmy: "When your drafted into the army, you only have to serve six years, it's a United States law" he explained. Cindy nodded small. Then another questioned tapped at her mind.
Cindy: "Why didn't you ever write me again?" she asked more seriously
Jimmy: "I told you I wouldn't be able to write for a while.."
Cindy: "But six years!?" she asked him "Do you have any idea what I went through all that time!?" "Do you have any idea how it made me feel to know you might have been slaughtered by some enemy on the battlefield!?" "How I must have felt to know that you might not even be alive!?" "That I might have been waiting for somebody who was never coming back!?" she had become frustrated and was yelling and crying. Jimmy furrowed his eyebrows.
Jimmy: "Listen to me Cindy" he said pulling her face to look at his. "I know I did that and I'm sorry, I know I should have written you, but there was no time" "And don't you ever talk to me about how you must have felt, what about what I felt huh?!" "Do you have any idea the types of gut wrenching, horrific, terrible, cruel, unbearable things I saw over there?! Do you?" "The things that happened over there weren't human" "War isn't human..it's for crazy, psychotic beasts" "Every night I couldn't even sleep, everyday one of my friends would get killed, everyday.." "Everyday I would think of you, every second knowing you might have given up on me and married some other man." "I had to kill people Cindy!" "I had to shoot other human beings and kill them!" "How do you think I feel? I'm a murderer" then he quieted his tone down "But every time I had to fight.and saw someone come towards me.I told myself it was either going to me or him..and if I ever wanted to see your beautiful angel face again, then I'd have to make the shot.." "You have no idea the kinds of choices I had to make...you have no idea what it was like" his face became solemn and saddened, his expression fell into darkness as he reflected on the horrors of fighting in a war.
Cindy stared at him, she had stopped crying
Jimmy: "It was the most terrifying thing I've ever done, I thank god he let me live and come back to you.." "There were so many less fortunate than I" "But what's important is that I'm here, with you, from now until forever, and we can married just like we where going to"
Cindy stared Jimmy in the eyes like she was searching his soul. She reached her hand out and placed it gently on the side of his face.
Cindy: "It's like your back from the dead" she whispered. Jimmy looked at her strangely. "I've lived without you for six years of my life.and your back in it again" "I thought you were gone for good"
Jimmy then placed his hand on top of hers and pulled it off his face.
Jimmy: "I know.I know its hard to have me just waltz back in again, but Cindy I love you"
Cindy's heart skipped a beat. He loved her? He loved her? Oh how long she had waited to hear those words! All the emotions she had missed over the years flooded back towards her like a waterfall. She smiled back at him and answered
Cindy: "I love you too, were gonna make this work Jimmy" he smiled at her "I know you must have been through a lot..and I know some things are going to be hard for you" "But the important thing is like you said.were together again" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cindy stood along with Jimmy in the kitchen, he told her of how he first went to see his parents and their overwhelmingly joyous reaction to his return. He told her of how he had contacted her mother and father to find out where she was living.
Jimmy: "I thought your mom was going to faint when I said it was me on the phone.ha..it was funny" he chuckled lightly as he remembered the sound of her mothers voice. The handle on the door of Cindy's apartment started turning open, then it swung inside and a little girl walked in from her day at school.
Faith: "Hi Mommy.Hi---" she looked at Jimmy with a sinister glance "Who are you?" she questioned coldly
Jimmy stood silent, staring at her. He looked at her beautiful soft curled brown hair, and her deep, sky blue eyes staring up at him.
Jimmy: "Oh my god.." "Is that?" Cindy nodded to Jimmy as he stood awestruck watching who he knew was his daughter of whom he'd only had one picture of her, when she was just born.
Faith: "Mom..who is this guy?" she asked of her mother, confused. Cindy walked close to Faith and went behind her.
Cindy: "You don't recognize him?" she asked "Look harder" she instructed. Faiths eyes glided over Jimmy's features and along his face. She studied him and looked toward her mother still confused. "Faith...that's your father" Faith gasped.
Faith: "Daddy!?" "Your alive!!" she ran to him and sprang into his arms
Jimmy: "Oh my beautiful little girl, I love you so much, I love you, I love you" he said while squeezing her. After he had put her down. She looked up to him, her eyes where big and filled with happiness.
Faith: "You looked just like I imagined" she smiled
Jimmy: "Your more beautiful than I could have ever imagined in my wildest dreams babe" he said smiling, this was what he was fighting for, that's why he had not gotten killed, he had to come back to her. That's what kept him alive, the need to come back and see the two most wonderful women in the world and keep them safe and happy.
Cindy and Jimmy got married no more than a week later, Jimmy and Cindy were the happiest people in the world again. They had a perfect little family. Sheen and Carl, and Libby were overjoyed to know Jimmy was there again. Though Jimmy still had frequent flashbacks of the horrible memories of fighting, he was the luckiest man alive, as he considered himself to be with Cindy and his beautiful daughter again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Yay!!!! That chapters done!!!! I hope you all liked it.sorry it was kind of long.but I love to write so I can't help it! ^^ I think that might be the last chapter, but I was also thinking of making on more short chapter about how their lives are now that Jimmy's back, so I'll decide whether to do that or not later ^^ Please R/R ^^ I know this story is kind of sad in light of what's happening in the world today, but I wanted to express the point of a soldier who went to war through this story so I really hope you like it ^^ Please R/R * ~Cindy V.~*