All Chapters of Decisions I made : Chapter 151 - Chapter 160

252 Chapters

See You Soon

The weeks passed faster than either of them wanted.September seemed impossibly far away...Until suddenly it wasn't.Jack continued working construction with Frank every weekday.He never complained about the early mornings.He still grumbled every time Frank handed him a shovel."Another ditch?" Jack would ask with exaggerated disbelief.Frank would simply smile."Another ditch."Mike would laugh."You know, Ditch Digger, we're going to miss picking on you."Jack smiled."I'll try not to miss the trenches."But underneath the laughter, everyone knew the truth.Jack's last day on the job site was approaching.Lela tried to enjoy every moment they had together.Friday night dinners.Saturday mornings with Monica.Sunday afternoons watching football on Frank and Pamela's back porch.She memorized the sound of Jack's laugh.The way he absentmindedly reached for her hand whenever they walked together.The way he'd kiss her forehead before leaving for work every morning.Every little thin

Goodbye for Now

Lela didn't sleep.She lay awake staring at the ceiling, the little notebook Jack had given her resting on the pillow beside her.She had read the first page so many times she had almost memorized it.If I can't call you, write me. If I can't answer right away, keep writing anyway. I'll read every word.She traced the words with her fingertips."I hope you mean that," she whispered into the darkness.Downstairs, she heard Frank making coffee.It was only 4:15 in the morning.No one in the house had really slept.Across town, Jack stood in his bedroom surrounded by two duffel bags.One contained uniforms, boots, and paperwork.The other held the ordinary things that made a place feel like home.Photographs of Monica.A picture of him and Lela taken at Hotel Hershey.A small stuffed dinosaur Monica had insisted he take "so Daddy isn't lonely."His mother quietly appeared in the doorway."You packed?"Jack nodded."I think so."She smiled."You've checked those bags six times.""I know."

Letters and Late Nights

The house felt quieter than Lela remembered.Not empty.Just... missing something.When Frank pulled into the driveway, Lela looked at the front porch where Jack had stood just hours earlier.It was strange how quickly life could change.One minute he was sitting beside her in the truck, joking about ditches.The next...He was behind the gates of Fort Sam Houston beginning an entirely different chapter.Pamela unlocked the front door."Why don't I make some tea?"Lela smiled weakly."I think I'm just going to go upstairs for a little while."Pamela nodded."Okay.""If you need anything...""I know."Lela climbed the stairs slowly.She closed her bedroom door and sat on the edge of her bed.The silence felt enormous.She reached for her phone.No new messages.She laughed quietly to herself."He's probably still in-processing.""He's not ignoring you."She knew that.But knowing something and feeling it were two different things.She lay back against her pillows.For the first time in

Thirty Minutes

"Lela..."Jack smiled as he leaned against the wall outside the barracks."I've been waiting four days to hear your voice."Lela laughed through happy tears."I've been waiting four days for this phone to ring.""You've been crying."She smiled."Maybe a little.""A little?""Okay..."She laughed."A lot."Jack closed his eyes."I'm sorry.""No."She shook her head even though he couldn't see her."Don't apologize.""I'm proud of you.""I just miss you.""I miss you too.""So much."They both fell quiet for a second.Neither wanted to waste a single minute."So..." Lela asked."How is it?"Jack looked around the hallway."It's strange.""Strange how?""I forgot how organized everything is.""When somebody says formation is at 0500...""They mean 0500."Lela laughed."Sounds like the Army.""It does.""And my body remembers everything.""Even if my knees don't."She laughed harder."Your knees?""I'm getting old.""Oh please.""You're thirty.""I feel eighty."She smiled."I bet Dad wo

When Everything Fell Apart Again

Three weeks.Twenty-three days, to be exact.That was how long it had been since Lela had heard Jack's voice.She understood why.AIT was demanding.His letters still arrived every few days, each one dated a week or more before it reached her mailbox.He wrote about anatomy classes.Medical scenarios.Long days.Early mornings.Field exercises.Every letter ended the same way.I love you.I'm counting the days until I see you again.But there hadn't been another phone call.Not because he didn't want to call.Because he simply hadn't been given the opportunity.Lela reminded herself of that every morning.And every night.Still...There were moments when doubt crept quietly into her thoughts."Maybe he's too busy.""Maybe things changed."Then she'd open another letter.And his familiar handwriting would push those fears away.At least for a while.Saturday morning dawned cool and clear.The first hints of autumn painted the trees in shades of orange and gold.Lela tied her running sh

The Worst Possible Joke

Lela had only been home for a few hours.Her knee was wrapped heavily, immobilized, and propped on a mountain of pillows Pamela had arranged around her.An ice pack rested over the dressing.Pain medication sat on the nightstand beside a glass of water.Her entire body felt exhausted.But sleep wouldn't come.She stared at the ceiling, thinking about everything that had happened.The fall.The hospital.The MRI.The surgeon telling her she needed emergency surgery.The operating room.Waking up groggy and confused.And now...Home.Again.She reached for the little notebook Jack had given her.She opened it to the first page.If I can't call you, write me. If I can't answer right away, keep writing anyway. I'll read every word.She smiled sadly."Where are you, Jack?"She closed her eyes.Then her phone rang.Lela's heart jumped.Jack.She immediately reached for the phone."Hello?"His voice came through the speaker."Heyyyyy..."Lela immediately noticed something.He sounded strange

The Letter

Jack didn't sleep much that night.He tried.He lay down.Closed his eyes.Turned onto his side.Turned back.Nothing worked.Every time he started drifting off, he heard Lela's voice again."I just had fucking emergency surgery on my knee and you want to do this to me?"He winced."I know..."He whispered into the darkness."I know."He had apologized.He had called.He had texted.But none of it felt like enough.At 2:17 a.m., he finally sat up.He turned on the small lamp beside his bunk.His roommate was asleep.Jack reached into his duffel bag and pulled out a notebook.He stared at the blank page.A text message wasn't enough.A phone call wasn't enough.He needed her to have something she could hold.Something that couldn't be misunderstood.He uncapped his pen.And began writing.Lela,I don't know if you're ready to hear from me yet.Honestly, I wouldn't blame you if you weren't.But I need to tell you something anyway.I'm sorry.Not the quick "I'm sorry" I said on the phone

The Flight to San Antonio

Lela spent most of the afternoon staring at the open suitcase on her bed.She had made three different packing lists.The first was too much.The second wasn't enough.The third somehow contained four pairs of shoes for a trip that was only supposed to last a few days.She sat on the edge of the bed and laughed quietly."What am I doing?"Her knee was still healing, which made packing more complicated.She needed her brace.Her medications.A small ice pack.Comfortable clothes.A few nicer outfits.And, after staring at the suitcase for another minute, she added the dress she had bought months ago and never worn.She wasn't sure why she packed it.Maybe because graduation deserved something special.Maybe because she secretly hoped she and Jack would have a special evening afterward.Or maybe she just wanted to feel like herself again.A knock came at her bedroom door."Come in."Frank stepped inside.He had a grin on his face."What?"Lela immediately became suspicious."What did yo

Welcome to Texas, My Love

Lela couldn't believe her father.She had known Frank was a little ridiculous when it came to taking care of her.But this?This was something else.Her seat was the very first seat on the plane.She had practically stared at the boarding pass for the entire flight."First Class was one thing," she had muttered to herself."But first seat?"She shook her head."My father has lost his mind."Still...She had to admit it.She was comfortable.Very comfortable.Her injured leg was stretched out comfortably, and she hadn't had to worry about anyone bumping into her knee.She'd even managed to get some sleep during the flight.As the plane began its descent, Lela looked out the window.The Texas landscape slowly came into view.She smiled.After everything that had happened...She was finally here.The pilot's voice came over the intercom."Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. We're beginning our final descent into San Antonio. On behalf of the entire crew, welcome to San Antonio, Texas—t

The Dinner

Lela was still staring at the ring when they finally made it outside the airport.She held her hand up to the Texas sunlight, turning it from side to side."I still can't believe you did that."Jack laughed."I told you I had been thinking about it.""You didn't tell me you were planning a whole production."He grinned."That was the point."She shook her head."You had soldiers singing at an airport.""Technically, they volunteered.""Did they?"Jack laughed."Some needed convincing.""Lawrence!"A voice came from behind them.Lela turned.One of the soldiers raised his hands."Hey, she knows now!"Everyone laughed.Jack shook his head."Come on."As they walked toward the parking garage, Lela suddenly stopped."Wait."Jack turned."What's wrong?""My dad."Jack's expression changed."What about him?""He knew."Jack smiled."What makes you think that?"Lela narrowed her eyes."The First Class ticket.""The special airline accommodation.""The fact that you were waiting at the gate."

...

14 15 16 17 18

...

SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP