New Beginning

Chapter 4

"Mommy, are you okay?" Josie whimpers snuggling into my chest as I walk to the car though I barely hear her due to my heart racing. Tobias is here. He is in the same town. Same store. When I was talking to him all I felt was hatred. But when he started talking about not givingb up on me, I almost, just almost, gave in. How could I do that to Dale?

"Hey! I can buckle myself." Josie reminds me as I absent mindly put her in her seat.

"Sorry, hon." I smile gently and she frowns.

"You look sad momma."

"My chest just hurts baby, don't worry about it." I tell her. Shutting her door, I sigh and climb into the drivers seat, rolling down the windows in the stale hot car. I don't start the car, all I do is sit and wait for Dale to come out. The store doors ring and I quickly look over and my eyes widen to see a fuming Tobias.

"God.." He snaps kicking the side walk and running a hand through his untamed hair. My breath hitches when he looks at me and I roll up my window awkwardly.

"Mama its hot. Can we have the windows down please?" Josie whines and I shake my head.

"No. I don't want bugs coming in, I'll turn on the air." I compromise and she continues to play with her hair, twirling it around her fingers and singing the Doc Mcstuffins theme song. I close my eyes and lean back trying to ignore all the memories from years ago. There was a knock on my window and I jump.

"Dale, I can't bel-" I start rolling my window down and I frown at the blue eyes in front of me.

"Tris. I'm sorry how I acted in there." Tobias starts and I scoff.

"Go."

"Listen, can we be friends? Please?" He begs and Josie stops singing.

"Are you f- Listen Four. We can't deal with this now." I indicate at Josie behind me and I frown at the hopeful look in his eyes.

"Okay. Meet me tomorrow?" He asks smiling.

"Maybe. I may or may not be at the starbuck in town at 10 tomorrow morning." I reply coldly dismissing him and he nods winking.

"Bye Tris, Later Josie!" Tobias looks behind me waving at Josie and gets a returned goodbye. I sigh in relief when he finally leaves and Josie goes right back to singing.

"You okay babe?" Dale finally shows up with a look of concern.

"Sorry you had to leave work." I mutter and he leans his tall frame in the window making me face him.

"Of course. Don't ever apologize again for somthing like that. You know I would do anything for you girls even if it cost my life, right?" I nod and kiss him.

"I love you." And I say what I mean.

"I love you."

"What's in the bag?" I ask curiously at the grocery bag hanging from his wrist.

"Oh yeah." He grins and pulls out a tube of toothpaste.

"How did you know?" I exclaim taking the bag.

"Well, there's a little bit of toothpaste on your dress hon." Dale chuckles and I slap him playfully when I see white paste smeared across my yellow dress.

"This was a favorate!" I whine.

"Tris, everything is your favorate." He points out and I roll my eyes.

"And this is for my princess." Dale pulls out a two white cherry chocolate bars and hands them to the grinning Josie in the back.

"Yay! Thanks daddy!" She sqeauls already opening it.

"Alright loves, I have to go back to work." He tells us and I frown in dissapointment.

"Okay, see you tonight." I kiss his cheek and he blows a kiss to Josie before heading back to his car.

"Nice butt!" I yell watching him walk away and he turns around then winks.

"Okay Josie, let's go home so I can change, then we can go shopping, deal?" I ask and she nods stuffing half of the chocolate bar in her mouth. After going home and cleaning up Josie and I get in the car once again.

"Mama do you know what damn means?" My eyes widen at Josie's question.

"Thats a no no word." I tell her and she frowns.

"Then why did the store guy say it?" She points out and I know she means Tobias.

"Because he is not a nice person."

"Oh." She sighs. I look back at her disheartining pout and I frown.

"Hey, look! We are here!" I exclaim and she looks up grinning.

"Yay! I want new boots!" Josie tells me as I park and I roll my eyes. Of course she does. Josie has a fetish with shoes and always has to have a new pair. The first store we go into is Payless and she finds a pair of pink zebra print flats that she has to have. The next store I pick out a white dress to go with her flats and she picks out, yet again, another pair of flats.

"Mommy I'm hungy." Josie whines holding my hand as we search for another store. I check my phone and its already 4:38 so I decide to go get a snack from the food court.

"How about pretzels?" I ask her and she nods. I grab a cup of bite size pretzels from a pretzel cart and we take a seat at a small table.

"Still want to shop or are you done?" I question her popping the peice of heaven dipped in cheese into my mouth.

"1 more." She tells me holding up one finger and I agree. We finish the last of our snack and find a cute little girl store.

"Mommy!! I want dis!" Josie squeals picking up a pair of pink cowgirl boots and I chuckle.

"Okay babygirl, but no more." I give in and buy the boots. Dale doesn't have to know the cost of everything. It can be our secret. By time we get home it is a quater till six and Dale gets off at five so he should be here.

"Go put your new stuff in your room, I'm going to start dinner, okay?"

"Okay." She agrees as I open the front door and she runs to her room, obeying me right away.

"Dale?" I call out. That's weird, all the lights are still off and the T.V. is too. With no reply back I sigh and start turning on the lights.

"Dale?" I call out again walking into our bedroom. Just as I was about to leave I hear a sob and I freeze. I walk around the bed and my eyes widen at the sight of Dale with tears streaming down his face and arms wrapped around his legs with him curled up in a ball.

"Dale.." I feel myself start to tear up at the looks of him and I quickly drop to my knees crawling over to him. He wraps his arms around me and pulls me to his chest.

"I can't." He sobs out and it breaks my heart to hear him so broken.

"Can't what?" I ask and he cries even harding holding me. I pray Josie doesn't walk in and see her dad in this state. Dale looks up at me and my heart stops when I see his red eyes from crying and dark circles under his eyes. How long has he been here crying?

"I have to..." He trailed off and gently pushed me away. I need to know what's wrong, he is scaring me.

"Dale?" I try and get his attention as he just stares at the wall besides him. I reach out to touch him and he turns gripping my wrist.

"I have to go b-back." Dale whimpers staring me in the eyes and I feel like I have taken a blow because I instantly know what he is talking about. He has to go back into the army. The same place where somthing has happend that caused him to have panic attacks frequently. The same place that haunts him to this day.

"Oh Dale!"