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Imogen Halstead (age 15/16)
Word count: 3031 🤯
Jays POV
I can't pretend this was an easy decision. Because my heart is in two pieces right now. But it had to be done. Voight, Hailey and I all know what I've done, between my reckless behaviour and corrupt police work over the past few weeks, and the final straw two days ago... I had to do this.
"You can't just leave..." hailey stares at me in horror and disbelief. A tear rolls down her cheek and I feel a slap of guilt strike my face. I look down, "it's not permanent, I'll be back before you know it. But I need this. It's black and white, right or wrong. I need that in my life again" I look down, grabbing her hands. She shakes her head, "I leave tonight..." I add. She lets out a choked sob and I have to look away, "does- Imogen know?" She sniffles. I shake my head, dreading to even think about her reaction.
"It'll only be for a few months" I place my hands on Haileys face, taking in every moment. She wipes her tears away, "I don't get it..." she closes her eyes, placing her forehead on mine. The sound of the door opening makes us both look over my shoulder, "I'm home... School was so boring..." Imogen stops her sentence when she sees the looks on our faces, "what's going on?" She walks over to us.
Imogen is my daughter, I had her when I was younger, and even though hailey isn't her biological mother... she always will be to Imogen. I just can't look at her right now. Imogen folds her arms, "you're scaring me" she frowns. Hailey places her arm around her and plants a kiss on her forehead, "I'm reenlisting into a narcotics unit in the army" I announce. Imogen looks up at me, "what?" She shakes her head, "wait- what?" She steps forward, "so, you'll be working from home? How will that even work?" She shrugs. I shake my head as her confusion pains me, "you're leaving?" She finally realises the reality of the situation.
"Only for a little while, and I'll be home before you know it" I sigh. She jumps up at me and practically squeezes the air out of my lungs, not even daring to let go, "you can't leave!" She sobs. I try to put her down, but I cannot budge her even in the slightest, "don't leave, dad. Please don't leave..." she cries into my shoulder. I set her down on the ground and force her to let me go, "it's only for six months, and then I'll be home again. I promise it'll all be okay, I can call you and write you letters..." I continue.
"Six months?!" She sobs. I look at hailey as she also stares at me broken eyed, "Imogen..." I call out as Imogen runs into her room crying her heart out. Hailey grabs my hands, "give her some time..." she looks down. I sigh, "I don't have time" I let out a short breath before walking over to Imogen's room and opening the door. I see her curled up on the bed with a pillow over her head, "hey kiddo, I know you don't want this, but it's something I have to do. They need me..." I sit down on the bed. She sniffles, "but I need you" she sobs. I place a hand on her back, "it's only for six months immy, and I'll be home before you know it. We can face time every day, it's like I'll have never left" I explain.
"When do you leave?" She rolls over to lay her head in my lap. I sigh, "tonight" the word barely leaves my lips. She looks up at me, "tonight?" Her face drops. I nod, wiping my own tear away as hailey walks into the room and lays down on the other side of Imogen. We all stay silent for a few minutes, "what if you get hurt?" Imogen sniffles. I look at my wife, "I won't, I promise. It's not like last time..." I admit. Imogen sighs, "Will you be happy out there?" She sits up. I sigh heavily, "I'll miss you guys like crazy, but yeah... I'll be as happy as I can be out there" I smile weakly and wipe her tears away, brushing her hair behind her ears as I savour every memory.
