Smile

Sorry. The other one wouldn't cope ^^'

She fell into his eyes, and yet at the same time, was confused as to why he seemed so distant these days. He would always stand by the window, staring out onto the city and sigh as he came back to her by the fireplace. It all started the day when he went out to receive the mail. And he returned with a drawl expression, and gave her a grim look.

“What troubles you, love?” She asked him, stroking his cheek gently.

“The world needs me again.” He sighed, and his face was weary.

She swallowed hard, and looked into the fireplace. “How long will you be gone for?”

He rubbed at his knuckles to pass time. “I’m not even sure if I’ll be lucky enough to return this time.”

Tears threatened the back of Katie’s eyes. “Please, do not speak as if you are greeting death kindly, Daniel.” She met his gaze. “You sound as if death is your sweet escape from the world. From me.”

Daniel shook his head, and wrapped his arms around her. “No, no. That’s not what I mean at all. I only know that war is a bloody mess.” He took a short pause. “Even if I do make it out alive, there’s a high chance I might lose something while trying to fight for the country I love. For your love.”

Katie gingerly placed his hand over her engorged stomach, and frowned. “The child still loves his father’s voice. What should I tell him when you don’t return?”

He looked at her straight in the eyes.“Give me two years. I’ll return home, and my boy will know his father.”

“But what of after two years?” She tried to hide the pain behind her tear streaked face.

“Then you must remarry.” He took her face. “I will not let you live alone in this world if I fall.”

Four Months Pass…

Katie bit hard on her lip as she maneuvered around the crowded tables in the mall. Her hair, sweaty and stringy, fell in little snag lines around her weathered face. Her emerald eyes did not have the same spark as usual today. Already she was missing Daniel.

Matthew was sound asleep in his seat, comfortably snoring beside her. He had his father’s hair-as she could see from the curly wisps which rested atop his head, dark ebony- and her eyes.

She rubbed sorely at the bags under her eyes and moaned when her throat felt dry. She reached for the bottle of water stashed in her diaper bag. Tacking a long drink, she glanced around the crowded mall.

A young man walked her way, paying no attention to her or her child. He carried a tray, with a burger, fries, and a large drink to top. To her surprise, and though he seemed sturdy, he tripped over his own feet, sending his tray to crash loudly against the tile floor.

Katie gave a nervous bite to her lip when the crash echoed over the room. Everyone stopped silent for a moment, all watching as he clumsily picked himself up. Silence drew on for a moment longer or so as he cleaned up his mess.

Matthew awoke from the sound, and opened his eyes slightly. When the bright light struck his eyes with painful, finger jabs, he cried, wailing. Katie, to avoid the embarrassment of watching eyes, unbuckled him and cooed him as she took him into her arms.

“I’m so sorry, m’am.” The young man apologized, blushing hard. “It is my fault your baby woke up.”

“Matthew will be fine.” She assured him, her words soft though her irritancy was sky rocketing. “He was only startled, no need to be sorry.”

Feeling absolutely ridiculous, he rubbed at his neck, dumped his tray and left the scene of the crime. She watched him go, trying to soothe Matthew. His wailing was no longer, but he still cried.

“You hungry?” She whispered against his cheek.

Matthew turned slightly and caught her chin in his tiny lips. He suckled gently, and Katie smiled kindly at her son. She tucked him under her shirt, and positioned him to drink.

She moaned softly when his lips found his food and gnawed at it hungrily. Her breasts were sore from this morning and still ached. And from the feel of him sucking her milk down quickly, she prayed that one day she could get him on a bottle instead. Would save her the pain and still fill overjoyed that her son was being healthily fed.

“You alright?” A warm, familiar voice asked kindly beside her.

She didn’t realize she closed her eyes. When she tried to open them up, it was like lifting up fifty pound weights up to see. She peeked up to see a smiling face on a dark skinned woman. The sight made her smile as well.

“Bianca.” Katie greeted. “Good heavens you’re here. I need a break from reality.”

Bianca chuckled, her dark hair bouncing on her shoulders. “You look exhausted.” She took a chair across from Katie at the table. “So how you holding up?”

Katie winced some when Matthew gave a hard nibble. “Well,” Her voice was scratchy, “I’m working night shifts and day shifts. Mom watches over Matt while I work. I actually got today off, but it seems I still have work to do no matter how many days of vacation time.”

Bianca nodded solemnly. “I understand. But what I meant was how are you holding up without Daniel?”

Katie swallowed the lump in her throat, and used the excuse to steal a drink or two from her water bottle to kill time.“I’m not going to lie to you. It’s been rough. I can’t even imagine what Matt’s going to be like trying to raise him on my two jobs and the fact he doesn’t even know who is father is yet.” She sighed, rubbed at her face.

“Four months can snub you down and out.”Bianca took her friends hand and rubbed it kindly.

Katie’s eyes widened. “It’s only been four months?”

Concern pooled into the waters of Bianca’s blue eyes. “Honey, how long do you believe it’s been?”

Katie switched Matthew to her other breast to feed. “I-I’m not sure. A year perhaps? Maybe shorter…”

Her eyes darkened as Bianca gave her friend a quick look over. Her eyes fell upon her red tee with bleach stains and her torn up jeans. “How long have you been wearing the same clothes?”

“What?” Katie took a moment to let Bianca’s question settle into her mind. “I don’t really know…two, maybe three days?”

“Have you showered?” Bianca questioned.

“Two days ago?” Katie rose an eyebrow, and then they both furrowed in thought as she went back on the week. “I’ve been more focused on my job and Matt than myself; I really haven’t done much for myself these days.”

“The hard life of a mom.” Bianca grinned, her heart saddened behind it. “You just wait till he’s a toddler; they’re like little monsters that get into everything.”

Her comment made a short smile appear on Katie’s cracked lips. “He already does that now. I can’t leave the living room alone without him climbing onto the entertainment center.”

Bianca stared hard at her. “I have an idea.”

Katie wiped at her face. “And that would be?” She gently removed Matt and placed him into his baby seat. He was back asleep once more.

Her coco skinned friend softened her voice. “Lemme take him from you today. Allow you to shower, dress, and relax. You can trust me with your life. I’ve had four kids.”

That sparked a question in Katie’s mind.“So, how’s everything with you and James?”

A frown fell upon her face. “James out and left me two months ago. Took Emmy and Grace with him. Left me with Sophie and Logan.”

Katie gave her friend’s arm a warm squeeze. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

Seven more months pass…

November was a harsh month, filled with high chances of snow. Luckily Katie’s fireplace warmed and lit up her quiet home. Matthew lay asleep on the floor, surrounded by his word blocks. His blanket covered over his legs.

Katie sat on the couch, wrapped in a blanket as well. She sipped at her apple cider, and ran her fingers-with one hand- through her wet hair. She smelled of vanilla, and her hair of peaches. It was relaxing to feel clean and warm.

She kept the TV low and glanced occasionally to the news channel. The remote was beside her, under a pillow, but she felt too lazy to change the station. After all, why lift a finger to do anything when you were in your happy mood?

She indulged herself with another bite of her 100 calorie brownie. She was spoiling herself.

Sadly her relaxing moment didn’t last long when Matthew woke up. He stretched, turned on his side and stared at her in the eyes. He pouted at her, and rose to walk over to her.

He grabbed greedily at her brownie, pulling out a handful of chocolate into his palm where it was warm and became gooey. Katie sighed, and sat down her cider. She reached for his wipes, but they weren’t where she last had them.

Cursing under her breath, she rose, and left to the bedroom. She searched under her bed covers for them, but they weren’t there, as well as under the bed or on the shelf. She moved to leave the room, and found them beside her shoes, open.

She closed the lid, and entered the living room. Matthew was munching her brownie as she came towards him, and then tipped over her hot cider with his foot when she bent down to pick him up.

He screamed, hot cider pouring over his feet. They blossomed red, and Katie acted fast to recover her cup and soothe her poor son. She cradled him in her left arm as she leaned down to retrieve the cup and threw a hand towel from the kitchen onto the wet mess on the carpet.

“Its gunna stain…” She sighed to herself.

She bounced Matt in her arms as he cried, and made funny faces. But he kicked the air in pain. She brought him to the sink, and immediately turned the cold on full power.

Stripping him down, she tried to multi task and grab ice cubes from the freezer. When she opened the door to it, Matt shivered, goose bumps arising over his flesh. She sat him in the filled, cold water, sink.

She dumped the ice into it as well, trying to cool off his slight burn from her cider.

“One more year.” She sighed, and brushed the hair from her face. “You better return home safely, Daniel.”

The year goes by…

“I can’t do this.” Katie pulled nervously at her hair.

But she knew she had to. As promised, if Daniel did not return, then she had to remarry. She hated the thought, cursed it each day of leaving her precious Daniel to be something used and then forgotten. But no…

He was something more to her than that.

“Of course you can.” Bianca tugged lightly at the curves of Katie’s wedding dress. “It’s just the cold feet talking.”

“It’s the cold everything!” Katie blurted and faced her friend. “This just doesn’t feel right, Bianca. I love Daniel, and I always will.”

“But you promised.” Bianca reminded, fixing the blue, bridesmaid dress she wore. “I’ll go check on your mom and Matt.”

Without another word, Bianca left the room, and Katie was alone. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, and gave a groan. She couldn’t go on with this. It would break her heart. Perhaps even His heart.

She shook her head sadly as wedding music played in the back ground to introduce the flower girl, Sophie, and the ring boy, Logan. They crept down the aisle slowly, Logan patiently waiting for his sister to flicker rose petals across the floor.

Cameras flashed, while woman and men smiled at the adorable children. Bianca, followed by three other woman, came behind them, all dressed as bridesmaids. They smiled, bowed and greeted the families warmly.

Katie’s legs shook so badly she couldn’t stand fast enough to reach the toilet. Instead, she spun around-which made matters worse- and heaved into the trash beside her. She rested her head on the lid and moaned, holding her head.

“Will all rise for the bride?” The pastor questioned the families.

All rose as to his word.

A wide hand patted Katie on the back and she turned to see her father. “Come now, Katie. Let us walk down the aisle.”

Katie wiped at her tears with a tissue and kindly took her father’s hand as he guided her out the door. A painstaking feeling pierced her heart as she stared down the aisle at Felix.

He stood proudly at the altar, arms behind his back in his dark grey suit with a white tie. His wild, brown eyes stared hard into hers as she gulped and linked arms with her father.

“Who will hand over this woman to this man?” The pastor asked.

“I will.” Katie’s father bowed gracefully.

He stood back, joining Katie’s mother at a seat.

Katie held back the tears she had, staring at Felix. She had begun to love him, but not as deeply and passionately as Daniel. No, never as much as Daniel. He was her soul compliment. The two fit like a glove.

Everyone sat down, and stared at the couple. Some cried happy tears, while others snapped photos of them. Katie tried to block some of them from seeing her, but it only made matters worse.

“Katie, are you alright?” Felix rubbed at her cheek.

“I-I’ll be fine.” This was a lie.

“Before we begin, is there anyone among us who has any word of which these two should not be wed?” The pastor spoke up, eyeing the people. “If so, speak now.”

Katie was sweating bullets for two minutes as everyone spoke amongst each other, and then all gasped, jumping at the sound of the church door banging against the walls as it smacked it.

Light filtered through, and a man stood in the doorway. He huffed, catching his breath as everyone stared. Even Katie couldn’t take her eyes off him. Her legs buckled underneath her to keep her up.

“I object!” He bellowed across the aisle.

“Daniel?” Katie whimpered. “Daniel!”

She ran down off the altar, and into his arms. She threw off his hat, and he removed her veil. Both stared into each other’s eyes for what seemed eternity. And in that moment, they were the only ones they could see, touch, smell, hear. Only them. Everyone else disappeared.

“I’m sorry I’m late.” Daniel whispered against her forehead. “I love you, Katie.”

“Oh, Daniel.” She squeezed herself against him, and felt his every muscle align with hers. “It was hell without you.”

“I’m here now.” He smiled. “Don’t cry anymore. Smile. I will never leave you again.”

“But their happy tears.” Katie tried frantically to wipe away her tears as they streamed down her face. “I waited so long. It felt like forever.”

And they kissed, long, sweet and warm. Katie wrapped herself into his thick, marine suit, and smiled at the warmth of his beating heart singing with hers.

“Come here.” She took his wrist. “You have a son to meet.”