In The Dark Of Return

If he had changed his mind about returning home, would he have gotten this chance to love and feel loved again? This thought and many more raced through his mind as he watched his girls dance under the moonlit sky.

His girls. Yes, they were his. His chest swelled, and his heart gave a little twinge as he consciously accepted that his late sister's kids had become his. As he gently rocked the chair, he let his mind flash back to the day a part of him had left.

He had just retired from his service as a U.S. Army officer. He had planned on starting a family with Joan and had happily raced to her home, only to find out that she no longer lived there. But Joan never mentioned relocating in all their letters, he thought.

"Who might you be?" asked a little old lady who seemed to live next to Joan's apartment.

"The place has been empty for ages since they got married," she said.

He frowned. Not possible, he thought.

"Cap—" he cleared his throat, "Cade Jenkins, ma'am. I'm here to see Joan... Joan Quinn."

The old lady walked up to his tall, sturdy frame with a stubborn look on her wrinkled face.

"Said she went and married that boy, Jamie. Now scurry or I'll call the neighbors on you for pryin'," she said, her squeaky voice raised.

A cold sweat dripped down his face. It had been two months since her last letter. She couldn't have moved on so quickly and gotten married in just two months.

In his confused state, he walked down the porch and had almost flagged down a cab when he heard the old lady call out. He looked back. She had gone into her house and come out with a photo in her left hand. She walked over to him and showed it to him. It was a wedding photo. The young bride looked beautiful and happy in her flowing white gown. Her smile shone brightly as she looked at the groom, who in turn held her in his arms.

"This her?" the old lady asked, showing him the photo.

"Joan—" he whispered. He felt dizzy all of a sudden. The tight knot in his chest tightened further, and he felt like his lungs were about to explode.

He forced a smile at the lady before hurriedly flagging down a cab.

"Home," he said to the driver.

"Huh?" The young driver peeped at his passenger through the mirror with a puzzled look on his face.

"Where's home?" he asked calmly after seeing the dejected look on Cade's face.

Cade took a deep breath, collecting his thoughts. "Take me to the nearest motel," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

The ride was silent, and the rain began to fall. The atmosphere grew cold, and the smell of loneliness filled the air. He could still hear her high-pitched laughter echoing off the walls of the old church building where they used to meet before he joined the U.S. Army. He recalled her words of love and the lovely moments they had shared. She had also warned him not to leave her, aware of the presence of other women in the service. He had laughed as she cried about him leaving, giving her words of assurance that he was hers and hers alone.

"But you left, Joan," he blurted absentmindedly, choking back the tears and rage that threatened to surface. The future he had envisioned was dashed to pieces in an instant.

That night in the motel, Cade couldn't sleep. The possibility that Joan could have been married long before her last letter hit him hard. He felt like he had been pranked. He sat by the window and stared out into the night, trying to make sense of his new reality. He decided to return to his family home in Alabama. It was a small town where he had grown up and had not visited in years.

The journey back home was long, but Cade felt a strange sense of calm as he neared his hometown.

He drove up to his family home, the familiar sights of his childhood town coming into view. It had been seven long years since he last saw his family. As he parked the car and approached the front door, he saw Eleanor, his mother, standing there. Her eyes were red, and her face looked tired, but a flicker of hope appeared as she spotted him.

When Cade stepped out of the car, Eleanor rushed forward, her arms open wide. “Cade!” she cried, tears streaming down her face. “You’re here! After all this time...”

Cade embraced her tightly, the weight of the years apart heavy in the moment. “Mom, it’s so good to see you,” he said, his voice breaking with emotion. “I didn’t realize how much I missed you.”

Eleanor held him close, her sobs muffled against his shoulder. “I missed you so much. I didn’t think you’d come back. Not now, not like this.”

They finally pulled apart, both of them visibly moved. Eleanor led him inside, and as they settled into the living room, they shared stories and caught up on lost time. The warmth of their reunion was bittersweet, with an undercurrent of unspoken sorrow.

After they had eaten, Eleanor’s demeanor shifted. She took a deep breath, her hands trembling as she looked at Cade. “Cade, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Cade’s smile faded as he saw the pain in her eyes. “What is it, Mom? What’s wrong?”

Eleanor struggled to speak, her voice quavering. “Your father... he passed away six months ago. It was a heart attack. I didn’t know how to tell you.”

The shock hit Cade like a tidal wave. He stood up abruptly, his face drained of color. “Dad? No... how could this happen? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“We tried to manage,” Eleanor said, tears streaming down her cheeks. “We didn’t want to add to your burden. And... Emily’s been very ill. She’s in the hospital now. The doctors don’t give her much time.”

Cade’s heart felt like it was breaking. “I need to see her. I need to be there.”

At the hospital, Cade hurried to Emily’s bedside. Seeing her so frail and weakened was devastating. He took her hand gently, tears filling his eyes.

“Emily,” he said softly, his voice choked with emotion. “I’m here.”

Emily’s eyes fluttered open, and she managed a weak smile. “Cade... I’m so glad you’re here. I needed you.”

“I’m so sorry I wasn’t here sooner,” Cade said, his voice breaking. “I should have been here for Dad... and for you.”

Emily’s voice was barely a whisper. “There’s no time left. Promise me... you’ll take care of my girls... and Mom. They need you now.”

Cade nodded, his eyes brimming with tears. “I promise, Emily. I’ll take care of them. I’ll make sure they’re safe and loved.”

Emily’s face relaxed into a peaceful smile. “Thank you. I knew you’d understand.”

For the next three days, he stayed by Emily’s side, reminiscing about their past and comforting her as best he could. Her passing was serene, and Cade’s promise became a solemn vow.

Returning to the family home, Cade looked around at the memories and felt the weight of his new responsibilities. The promise he made to Emily was now his guiding light, and he was determined to honor it.

He was jolted out of his reverie by a loud shriek from one of the girls. Half-blind in the dark, he dashed toward the sound, his heart pounding in his chest. The soft light of the moon cast eerie shadows as he moved swiftly through the yard, his mind racing with possibilities.

As Cade reached the edge of the clearing, he saw the girls huddled together, their eyes wide with fear, pointing toward the woods. He followed their gaze, squinting into the darkness, trying to make out what had frightened them. The trees swayed ominously in the breeze, and the usual serene night felt suddenly menacing.

“Girls, what is it?” Cade asked, his voice strained as he tried to keep calm.

“There... there was something out there,” one of the girls whispered, her voice trembling. “It was watching us.”

Cade’s blood ran cold. He stepped forward, scanning the treeline, every instinct telling him to protect them. But as he stared into the inky blackness, all he could see was the gentle rustling of leaves. Yet, the feeling of being watched, of something lurking just out of sight, was palpable.

“It’s okay,” Cade said, more to reassure himself than the girls. “Stay close to me. We’ll go inside.”

He ushered the girls toward the house, his senses on high alert. But just as they reached the porch, another sound echoed through the night—a low, guttural growl, sending chills down Cade’s spine. He turned sharply, peering into the shadows, but the noise had already dissipated into the night.

“What was that?” the youngest girl whimpered, clutching his hand tightly.

“I don’t know,” Cade admitted, feeling a knot of dread tighten in his stomach. He quickly got the girls inside, bolting the door behind them. The house felt safer, but Cade couldn’t shake the unease that had settled over him.

As the girls settled back into bed, Cade paced the living room, glancing occasionally out the window. The night was still, almost too quiet now, and the feeling of being watched hadn’t left him. Whatever it was out there, it wasn’t just a trick of the light. He could feel it, lurking in the shadows, waiting.

Suddenly, a faint tap came from the window. Cade froze, his breath caught in his throat. He slowly turned to look, but saw nothing beyond the reflection of the room inside. Still, the tapping continued, rhythmic and deliberate, sending waves of fear through him.

He moved toward the window, cautiously pulling back the curtain, but the night revealed nothing. No movement, no signs of life—just the oppressive darkness beyond. Cade’s mind raced, his thoughts fragmented as he tried to piece together what was happening.

Then, a single thought gripped him—what if it wasn’t just an animal? What if someone had followed him home? Someone who knew about the promise he made?

His hand instinctively reached for the gun he had kept hidden since his return. With a swift motion, he pulled it out, the cold metal familiar in his grip. Cade cocked the gun, the sharp click echoing in the silent room. His breath steadied, his senses sharpening as he prepared for whatever was out there.

But just as the tension seemed unbearable, another sound broke through the silence—a creak from the floorboards upstairs. Cade’s heart lurched as he realized it wasn’t just the wind outside that he needed to worry about.

Whatever it was, it was already inside the house.