For nearly the whole two years he was away, all Soldier Jamie could think about was getting back home and seeing his wife and daughter. He had missed her growing up years and it was one regret that truly breaks his heart. However, it was his job to protect his country, so he totally understands. But it would not be the reunion he had dreamt of.
Because when he finally took his daughter in his arms again, she told Jamie that he had to come to meet her ‘new dad’. And when Jamie discovered who that was, his whole world collapsed around him. But who was Lauren’s ‘new dad’? Had Jamie’s wife betrayed him, or was something very different going on here?
Back in Iraq
While Jamie was still in Iraq, he received letters from friends and family on a weekly basis. And if he was lucky, his daughter sent him a drawing. The locker in his tent was filled with them, but this time, he received a drawing that surprised him. His daughter drew herself and her mother like she always did: herself wearing her favorite pink sweater and her mother with big earrings. This time, she even drew a dog as well.
Jamie couldn’t believe his eyes. He had been expecting to see a dog, but instead he saw a completely different man. He was confused and perplexed. He had no idea what was going on. He looked around, trying to make sense of the situation. He noticed that the man he saw was wearing the same clothes he had on when he left the house. He was also wearing the same shoes. He wondered if he had somehow been transformed into this other person. He felt a chill run down his spine as he contemplated the possibilities.
Not thinking it over.
But Jamie didn’t think much of it. He was trained to remain emotionally distant when he needed to, so there was no room for doubt in his mind. He quickly read his other letters and hung up the drawing of his daughter before going to work. He had been away from home for a while now and missing his family more and more each day. He thought of his daughter’s bright smile and the way his wife’s eyes lit up when she saw him. He wished he could be there with them, but he knew he had to stay focused on his job.
Monthly call home
Then arrived the best day of the month in Iraq: the monthly call home. Jamie made sure he was first in line and had twenty minutes to call his family. He asked his wife, Stacy, about the dog on the drawing, joking about how it should have been a surprise. But she got nervous and admitted their daughter must have meant a dog she regularly visited. What was she hiding?
Ignoring the signs
But Jamie allowed himself to be blind. He assumed the background noises of a man’s voice on the following phone calls were just the voices of friends and family. He managed to keep himself distant from the possible truth until the very last day in Iraq. But then, the day of the return arrived, and Jamie was in for something.
Back on American soil
The plane finally landed and the soldiers were taken to the lobby of the airport where their families were waiting for them. Jamie looked for his wife and daughter, but he could not find them. He was all alone, surrounded by other families that were joyfully reuniting. Was their new ‘dad’ keeping Jamie from seeing them?
Getting out of a car
Jamie saw Stacy and Lauren stepping away from a pick-up truck and waving it goodbye when it quickly drove away. They rushed toward the lobby, and they didn’t see Jamie at first. He looked at them and noticed how much his wife had changed. She looked extremely skinny, and he barely recognized her. What had happened in his absence?
Hugging it out
They finally saw Jamie, and he forgot about all his worries; they just stood there hugging for a couple of minutes. Lauren had grown enormously in his absence, but she still had the same beautiful eyes. Jamie asked Stacy who had dropped them off, but she, not knowing that Jamie had seen them arrive. Jamie was getting closer to the truth, but he didn’t want to press the issue.
He was just happy to be reunited with his family. The reunion was bittersweet, as Jamie was reminded of all the time he had missed with his family. He had missed out on so many of Lauren’s milestones, and he was determined to make up for lost time. He asked Lauren about school and what she had been up to, and she happily filled him in on all the details. Jamie was so proud of her and all that she had accomplished. He was also grateful to Stacy for taking such good care of Lauren while he was away. He thanked her for all she had done, and she smiled back at him.
Not trusting her
Jamie realized that Stacy was lying. But what should he do next? He had just left a warzone, and he didn’t want to enter a new one. He didn’t want to confront her just yet and told himself he’d ask friends and family about what happened in his absence. He hoped he could still trust them, even after not seeing them for so long.
The cab ride was painfully quiet, and Jamie’s daughter could sense the tension. She asked her dad to tell her some stories about his adventures, but Jamie knew he couldn’t tell her everything. He decided to stick with the small, insignificant stories about his colleagues and the food. He told her about the time he and his colleagues went out for dinner and the waiter brought out a huge plate of nachos. Everyone was so excited to dig in, but Jamie’s daughter was most excited of all.
Home again
Jamie arrived at his home again and automatically forgot about all his worries; he had missed all of this! Sure, many things changed around the house, but it still had the same smell and nostalgic feeling to it. After having lunch with his family, he laid down for a little nap, but when he woke up several hours later, the house was empty.
Confused and still a bit sleepy, Jamie called for his little girl to come snuggle. But when she failed to do so, he grew worried. He searched the entire house, but there was no sign of them anywhere. Where could they have gone? But he didn’t want to get angry just yet. He decided to take a look outside. Jamie stepped out into the cold morning air and looked around. He saw nothing but the trees swaying in the wind. He was about to give up when he heard a faint giggle coming from the nearby woods.
Where did they go?
Jamie walked around the house, looking for his daughter and wife. He had slept way longer than he had wanted to and blamed it on his jetlag. He had just arrived from a long flight and was still adjusting to the time difference. He figured they must have told him where they were going earlier, and he forgot. He searched the kitchen, the living room, and the bedrooms, but there was no sign of them.
Calling a friend
Jamie realized he wouldn’t be able to sleep for hours due to his jetlag and decided to call an old friend, Ben. He thought about inviting him over to have a few beers and catch up on old times. He dialed Ben’s number and waited for him to pick up. When he did, Jamie heard a woman and a little girl in the background. He suspected that it was Ben’s wife and daughter and he was right. Jamie told Ben that he should come over and Ben agreed.
Jamie was excited to see his old friend and catch up on all the things that had happened since they last saw each other. He was also curious to meet Ben’s family and see how his life had changed since they were last together. He quickly tidied up his apartment and waited for Ben to arrive. When he did, Jamie welcomed him with a warm hug and a cold beer.
Jamie had a plan
Jamie’s heart raced as he drove to Ben’s house. He was filled with a mix of emotions – excitement, fear, and anticipation. He had no idea what he was going to find when he arrived. Would his wife and daughter be there? Would Ben be the ‘new dad’ Lauren had told him about? He had so many questions, and he was determined to get answers.
As he drove, Jamie’s mind raced with possibilities. He had been suspicious of Stacy’s behavior for some time, and he was sure that this was what she had been lying about. He had to find out the truth. He had to know if Ben was really the ‘new dad’ Lauren had mentioned. He had to know if his family was safe. He had to know if his family was safe. He had to know if Ben was really the ‘new dad’ Lauren had mentioned.
His blood was pumping.
The car ride to Ben’s house was short but long enough for Jamie to rile himself up. His blood was pumping, and he got angrier by the second. How could Ben betray him like this? Even though it wasn’t confirmed yet, Jamie knew he was right about it. But was he really? Jamie entered Ben’s house without any hesitation and started looking for his wife and daughter. He entered the living room and saw a woman with a little girl, but they were not his family!
Still, Jamie was sure about his suspicion and asked them where Stacy was. They told Jamie how they hadn’t seen his wife for ages… Was Jamie losing his mind? He had to find out the truth. He searched the house, but there was no sign of Stacy or his daughter. He was starting to panic. He had to find them. He had to know the truth. He searched the house again, but still nothing. He was about to give up when he heard a noise coming from the basement.
Apologizing and leaving
Jamie apologized to the woman and her daughter after discovering they were Ben’s sister and niece and left to go back home. He seriously doubted his own mind after being away for so long. He was filled with a sense of dread as he walked away, seriously doubting his own mind after being away for so long. He had no idea what he would find when he returned home, but he was determined to face whatever was waiting for him.
Jamie stepped out of his car, feeling a little apprehensive. He had no idea what Ben wanted, but he was determined to face whatever was coming his way. He slowly walked up the driveway, his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel the sweat dripping down his forehead. He had no idea what Ben wanted, but he was determined to face whatever was coming his way.
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