Past and Present Lives
Chapter 10-Past Life
Mike searched. He hired investigators. Friends searched, but Christine, Katie and Hannah had just disappeared into thin air. Despite cheating that one time, Mike never looked at another woman. He felt he owed Christine his celibacy. If he couldn't have her, he didn't deserve anyone.
For the most part, work occupied him. It kept him from grieving. But late at night, rather it be in his quarters, a hotel room or his apartment; he hurt. Every birthday, anniversary, and important day; he stopped in his tracks. He missed his kids. Despite the issues with Christine, he missed her, far more than he thought possible. On those late nights, Mike would find himself bargaining with God.
If he could just find Christine and the girls; he would be more content with the wife who had loved him without question for twenty years. He would retire. Never look at another woman. He would spend time with his daughters and be the father they deserved. Not distracted and mad. He would be satisfied.
The guilt concerning Christine and even little Elijah was what hurt the most. On one of his trips to Virginia, Mike visited Elijah's grave. The stone had been placed and it was beautiful. Mike wished that Christine had been able to see it. It did give him a sense of peace, not that he had much of that. At least one family member got a proper burial. Lucas, Christine, Katie and Hannah hadn't been so lucky.
Mike was deployed to the Med due to a famine. It diminished any hope he might have about Christine and the girls being alive because food was hard to come by. He didn't count on getting stabbed and drugged. Even once he got back to the James, he was still having dreams, specifically about Christine. He was glad to have the privacy of his own quarters to grieve. One night, he was tossing and turning just before another dream started.
Mike walked through the house, smiling at the smell. Christine was baking something. In the kitchen, she was standing in front of the stove, wearing a sundress and was heavily pregnant. Mike walked up behind her and kissed her neck. Christine turned around and gave him a long kiss.
"You're home!" Christine said.
"For good." Mike replied. It had been his last deployment. There was some stuff to tie up but he was done. He felt her stomach and smiled when the baby kicked in response.
"She is going to play soccer, I think." Christine remarked.
"Probably. What's this?" Mike asked, pointing at the stove.
"It is a chocolate cake with chocolate raspberry ganache. Katie picked the recipe out thinking you'd like it, and made the chocolate cake. She was just nervous of the ganache, afraid it would seize up." Christine explained. Mike smiled. His sweet tooth was legendary.
"That sounds amazing." Mike replied before giving Christine another kiss.
"This chocolate is going to actually seize up if you keep distracting me. Go see the kids." Christine ordered.
"Aye, aye." Mike answered before giving her another passionate kiss. The issues from the year before long forgotten. Elijah was still painful for both of them and Christine had forgiven him for cheating on her. The new baby had been conceived during a couple's weekend and Mike was thrilled to not miss any of the baby's childhood.
Mike woke up and immediately teared up. It had been a happy dream, but it was still painful because it was a reminder of all the things that were impossible now. He would give anything for that dream to be reality. Anything, even his career.