Promise 2

UKNOWN POV

"Claire! Dinner!" my mom calls.

"Coming!" I yell back.

Finishing what I was doing I proceed down to the kitchen. Passing by a large photo hung on the wall I recall that he should be coming home within 1 week. My step brother that is... I can't wait!

My 21st birthday is also next week and he promised that he will be back with a nice surprise.

Oh no I'm tearing up a little just thinking about him.

Reaching the kitchen I sit down waiting for the food to be served. It smells good. Pasta? It's his favorite as well.

Mum calls out to me, "What's wrong? Looks like your crying a little. Did you get rejected by a boy?"

I grumble,"No...besides, I've never liked any other guy."

"Yeah yeah, besides Jase that is."

"Mum that's gross. But I was actually thinking that pasta was his favorite and that he'll back by next week."

"See? You're always thinking about him."

"Stop it. This is getting weird."

Jase is my so called step brother. He is 28 now and is Asian which is completely different from me as my parents and I are white.

It was around 8 years ago when he saved my father from a burning house. Dad invited him to our house to eat to repay him and it was then we learned that he was homeless.

Born not knowing his parents and soon after taken into an orphanage which shut down before he was of age. He began to roam the streets at 17 living by any means necessary.

So when he came to our house he asked my father whether he could have a place to rest so he could find work. Naturally my family agreed and he started to pay when work was found so he could stay in the garage.

It would be only 1 year later when we grew really close and my parents asked him to call them mom and dad. He cried... we all did.

It wasn't long after that he joined the military which brings us to now.

"I miss him." I say.

"We all do." My parents respond both at the same time.

I jinx them, "Jinx!"

"But we're under a roof dear." my dad responds.

*tch

"That's just a random rule you made up."

Laughing mum brings out the food, "alright let's eat."

...

"it's good." I compliment.

"Hehe of course. By the way Claire, are you doing anything for your 21st?" Mum asks.

"No. I was just thinking it should just be our family... besides Jase promised that he would give me a big surprise."

"Jase is one to keep his promise but that's no good, this is your 21st we're taking abo."

*Ding dong

The doorbell rings interrupting my mum mid sentence.

Getting up my mum goes for the door, "I got this, you guys keep eating."

I wonder who it could be?

"Good evening ma'am." I hear someone say faintly.

It was then I hear mum scream "No!"

Hearing this scream both my dad and I rush to the front. Reaching the door I freeze. What i saw shook me to the core.

Two military officers looking at us with pitiful faces. This can only mean one thing but... I refuse to believe.

Dad was the first to regain his composure, "Wha-What brings you here officers?"

The one on the left was the one to speak, "Mr and Mrs Pens, I'm sorry to say this but..."

"It can't be!" Mum interrupts.

"It's true ma'am, he jumped on a grenade for his team member. He is a hero."

My mum cries.

I'm paralyzed. My legs feel soft. I bite my lips wondering whether this is real. Placing my hands over my mouth I prevent myself from screaming. I can feel my tears touching my palms.

My parents look at me with tears in their eyes.

"Claire." Is all they could say.

I shake my head. No. He can't be. He wouldn't lie to me.

"But...but...h-he...promised right? We were told that he would be back next week!" I scream.

I can't stop, "He wouldn't lie! I just talked to him a few days ago...and he said...he said," my tears fall down even harder, "...that he would be here for my birthday..." I whisper.

The two officers could only look down and reply, "We're truly sorry for your loss."

Not willing to listen anymore I rush upstairs into my room locking it at the same time hearing my parents scream out my name.

"Claire!"

I dive into my bed as I gradually cry myself to sleep to cope with this pain that I currently feel.

*2 days later*

It's been 2 days since we got the news. I have not stepped out of my room since. My parents bring food ocasionally but it feels like I can't digest anything.

Currently looking through my album I go through the pictures of me and Jase. It seems that I have been doing this for one night already.

"This photo... was the day I last saw him." The picture was of me and Jase together before his departure. I remember the warmth when he hugged me.

'I wish... that I could feel that once more.' I thought feeling a tear dropping from my eye once again.

*knock *knock

"Claire are you up?"

It was my mum. Opening the door my mum walks in and sits next to me on my bed in silence.

We stay like this for a few minutes before my mum speaks.

"I miss him too. He was just like a child to me. So childish when playing around and scared when he thought he did something wrong...haha. To think that he was in his twenties when he's acting like that." As she talks I could hear her sniffling more often.

"Mum..."

"It was just a few days ago when he told me that he couldn't wait to come home and eat my food again...*sniff sniff...I also couldn't wait to see him... sitting there again. Claire, you were the closest one to him and I could see that he loved you dearly so I don't know what you are going through but please... don't leave as well otherwise... I wouldn't know what I would do."

"Mum, I'm sorry that I worried you but... I just...it hurts so much. I miss him so much so how could he leave just like that? I loved him so much but... he is gone now."

My mum just looks at me and just nods as if she understood. It was then that she pulled out a letter giving it to me.

"This letter is to you. It was found on Jase' body and all it has is your name on it so it would be safe to assume that it was for you personally. I'll leave you to it. I have to go now." She says as proceeds to leave closing the door to my room.

Looking at the letter I see that it has been scrunched a little with a blood stain on it on the bottom right hand corner. It was probably his blood. I touch it and it was obviously dry but... it's a part of him.

Opening the letter I begin to read it.

'Claire if you are reading this then it could only mean one thing. That I can't be here for you anymore.' I scrunch the paper a little. 'I'm writing because...I don't know... I just get the feeling that I should. The surprise that I got for you should be in the bottom of my underwear drawer. You should know because I've seen you check it.' Jumping out of my bed I rush to Jase's room whilst blushing a little. He knew?

Looking under all the underwear I was surprised to find a beatiful ring. This was an expensive ring that I wouldn't think to get in my whole life but...he did. I can feel my tears fall once again. He must've noticed that I was always looking at this ring whenever we would pass by the jewelry store. Just why would he get this for me?

'Happy birthday Claire. I'm sorry that I couldn't make it back but I did promise that you'd be surprised right? Be strong and take care.

I love you. See you on the other side.'

"sniff...sniff...I love you too...yeah see you on the other side."