Ch 8
Same disclaimer applies. Liliyofth valley, this is for you!
On the ride home, neither Ronnie or Cassie said much. Rae curled up in Cassie's lap in the van. Ronnie looked down on mother and child. They looked so peaceful, so serene. Somehow he didn't feel right. Like he was infringing on something.
He looked down at his shoes.
Cassie never even told him she was pregnant when she broke it off with him. She dissapeared to her parent's house. She wouldn't return his calls. He tried to go down and see her but her parents turned him away. It was only after Rae was born that she saw him.
And told him the truth.
::"The baby's not yours, Ron..." She said as she cradled her daughter tighty.
He stared at her.
"It's Jake's"::
The words slapped at him like a wet towel. They still did
Jake's...of course...the perfect war hero.
The rest of the animorphs had gone on rescue mission to save Ax the Andalite. They hadn't been seen or heard from since the last time She and Ronnie had seen him, hiking in the forest. He didn't know how or when it happened. Shucks, it could have happened after the breakup. All he knew is that the woman he cared for had another man's child.
He almost felt justified checking out other women...in every way....
He couldn't believe it. But his emotions for her...and the fact that the crew of The Rachel were now presumed dead....
He didn't think it was a mistake to get back together with her. After Rae turned 1, she moved back into her house in Berkeley. They decided to raise her daughter together. They were going to get married in a couple of months. Life was good.
But I didn't count on him coming back...
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When Jake woke up, the sun was already bright in the sky. His mother was sitting at the side of his bed, her eyes puffy. He could tell she had been crying.
"Wha..what..where?"
"Hey Jake," she smiled a sad smile. He didn't know if she was going to burst into tears again or not.
"How are you feeling?"
"Tired," he creaked out.
She held his hand
"Just rest then, just rest," He leaned his head sideways on the pillow He almost didn't expect his parents to be here at all. Why did the come?
They feel sorry for me. They pity me. Just like everyone else.
"Where's Dad?"
"Your father is meeting with your doctors to see what might and might not work in terms of your recovery, including medication and rehabilitation-"
She was cut off by Steve entering the room with Jake's team of doctors.
"Hey son, it's good to see you up." He took a seat next to his wife.
"I've been talking to your doctors and it seems that they have you on a very good program of meds, and you'll be on track with a great rehabilitation program once you are medically discharged from the Army.But the most important thing is that we get you well again, both physically and mentally."
"With the differently abled, they recover much quicker in a loving, caring environment." one of his doctors added.
"We want you to come home Jake," his dad said."We want you to come stay with us. You'll have access to the best doctors, the best care, and it would be no problem for us to modify the house, and to turn the den into a bedroom"
Jake wanted to scream. His parents literally disowned him ofr the past few years, and now they wanted to treat him all nice because he was paralyzed? They wanted to be afamily again?
NO way. They were probably putting on a show for the doctors. He knew what was going to happen once they left the hospital. Cold stares and an icy relationship.
"I don't want the best care, I just want my legs." Jake said plainly, with a hint of sadness in his voice.
HIs dad patted him on the hand.
"Son, we're going ot do the best we can."
Jake sighed and looked towards the bright sun. Unfortunately, it did not reflect his feelings.
Everyone tries to do the best they can, but they don't know I'm dying inside...