Chapter 2
Lochlan James
The explosion lifts me off the concrete and drops me about twelve feet from the building. I don’t know how but I’m suddenly back in Afghanistan.
Bloody hell, I don’t want to be here.
“You okay, bro?” Henry slaps me on the back and Jasper follows suit.
Fuck, no. Nothing’s okay. You both died.Or maybe not. At this juncture, I can’t be sure of anything.
Our Humvee lies on its side, wheels spinning, the inside blown-to-bits. Confused as hell, I sit and ponder on the edge of the road.This happened years ago, didn’t it? I’m pretty sure I’m not supposed to be here.
Babies cry, the Humvee transforms into a school bus and in the blink of an eye, I’m inside. I was in charge, I was supposed to keep them safe. This is all my fault.
One by one, I pick up infants and place them gently outside in the sand. Thick smoke chokes my lungs, I cough, and check my watch. The bus will explode in five minutes. However, the more babies I bring out, the more there seems to be.
“You shouldn’t have left them.” My third-grade teacher, Mrs. Gardner, stands behind me. She never liked me. She said I was a smartass and she was right.
“Please, please help me.” I hand her a crying baby girl but when I turn, she’s morphed into Suds, and we’re back in front of the Humvee.
Thank God. I’d much rather die with soldiers than infants. I count the bloodied faces, all guys in my unit. I remember now. I was thrown clear of the blast and survived. None of the others, except Suds, was so lucky.
I never liked my nickname but it serves to remind me of those I left behind. A thought nags at my foggy brain.
I need to be someplace else.
On command, a beautiful smile appears under a pink hat. Snow falls on blond eyelashes and this gorgeous sheila shoots me a grin. It says come and get me. I’m yours for the taking and I do.
We’re in bed, making love which is confusing. In the service, I don’t make love, I fuck. I do it so well no one even knows, except me, but this is different. She’s different.
I need to be someplace else.
My cock enters her sweet core and she screams out my name. “Lucky! Oh God. I need you so much.”
I’m married. She’s my beautiful wife and she’s got my baby growing inside her.
Babies.
I’m back in the school bus, again surrounded by infants and I don’t know which one is mine. I need to save them but the smoke is so thick I can’t find them.
I fucked up.
The thought permeates all and is so heart-wrenching I gasp and struggle for air. When I open my eyes, I’m surrounded by debris.
Callie?“Callie!” I run to what used to be a front door.
Below street level, the building is destroyed and smoke pours out from a crater.
No fucking way.
“Callie!” I scream and try to figure a way down. Maybe she’s under the rubble. I need to find her.
Part of my brain registers she’s gone while the other half is in complete denial. Fuck, no. We were just getting started. Our baby. My God, it can’t be.
I lost them both.
On my knees I sob, staring into the burning wreckage where baby shower pieces float down onto the wreckage like pink snow.
