Now and Forever

Chapter 1

"To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish till death do us part."

Funny how Christine was reflecting on those words so long after her wedding. She had filed for divorce after Mike left for the Arctic. Her marriage was over. Mike wouldn't leave the Navy. They had drifted apart and the kids deserved a happier home. To Christine, that was a separate home than wherever Mike lived.

Lucas had died. Then Christine and the girls went on the run. They weren't able to stay at the safe zone after Mike had called. Christine conveniently forgot to tell him they were no longer married. She blamed him for Lucas' death and her and the girls being in danger.

Then she just wanted to hide. Not necessarily from Mike but from the world. And the girls were willing to go with her out of fear. She found a small farm in Missouri and they stayed hidden in plain sight. Years went by, and Christine could tell the girls were getting restless. One day, Hannah came home from school and plopped her bookbag down.

"Mom, why did you change our last name? I know who Dad is and you made it hard for him to find us. He was always a good dad." Hannah questioned.

"I didn't want the media to find us." Christine answered. Truthfully, she was a bit ashamed that she had ended her marriage without Mike knowing or giving him a chance to fight for it.

"I wrote Dad a letter." Hannah remarked.

"HANNAH!" Christine scolded.

"Mom, you didn't give Dad a chance. You made the decision for Katie and I, that Dad would not be part of our lives. I read a report that he honestly thinks his family died. That is unfair. So, in the class where I tutor little kids, they are writing letters to the Nathan James crew, so I wrote one for Dad." Hannah explained.

"He won't ever read that, Hannah." Christine answered.

"He might. And I'm not going to stop trying to find him." Hannah yelled before running to her bedroom. Christine shook her head, thinking about how easy Katie had been compared to Hannah. Katie appeared in the kitchen and studied Christine for a long moment.

"She's right, you know? Dad might have been gone a lot but when he was home, he was a good dad and he tried to be a good husband. Its one thing for you to decide your marriage was over, but you didn't get to decide that Dad wasn't our father anymore. I think the reason you've kept us here all these years is that you're ashamed for what you did to Dad." Katie said.

"He was never home." Christine insisted.

"He was out serving his country. He made it to where you didn't have to work and had a nice home, but it was never enough. Then you cheated on him. He was willing to forgive that, but you filed for divorce as soon as he left. And yes, Mom; I know about you cheating on him! I'm glad that Hannah had the courage to write to Dad and I hope and pray he reads it." Katie answered before she walked back out the door.

Christine sat down at the kitchen table and put her head in her hands. She knew the day would come. The girls would want their father to walk them down the aisle or to attend a graduation. She just didn't imagine it quite so soon or from both of them. She also didn't know that Katie knew about the affair.

"We have to decide what's next." Mike said.

"Next? Its pretty obvious what's next." Christine added as she got ready for bed. She was a bit surprised Mike was still standing in their former bedroom. A room where they had conceived Lucas. A room where they had made love many times before. And a room where they had become increasingly more distant with each other.

"Not necessarily. We could stay together." Mike answered. He was standing at the end of the bed, picking at his hand.

"Mike; what kind of man are you? You caught me in bed with someone else and yet, you want to stay together. You remind me of a loyal dog." Christine said.

"Thanks." Mike answered before walking out the bedroom door.

It was not one of her finer moments. And now, the girls were taking her to task for what she had done to their father. They had had a good marriage at one point, but Christine had wanted a husband who was home. One who would give her a better, more expensive life. There was nothing wrong with the life Mike had given her but she had wanted something more, at the time.