Prologue

Fourteen years ago

“Where’s your cross, Sunday?” the group of girls chanted, using my last name as a pun.

Shaking my head at their obvious lack of originality, I ignored them as I headed to my locker. Why, oh why, was I blessed with a surname that begged people to make fun of me? Sighing, I switched out books, closed my locker before turning around, and crashing straight into a hard, muscular male chest.

Looking up, I saw the senior that every girl in the school was panting over.

Jett Blake.

Star quarterback. Star of the cross-country team. He had so many athletic skills and commendations that he was being offered free rides to all of the major, top tier colleges. As if that wasn’t enough, he was smart as well, holding down a near-perfect grade point average despite all of his extracurricular activities. The only downside, as far as I was concerned, was his girlfriend. She was horrid, what my friends and I would classify as a ‘mean girl’, yet she had him snowed somehow, believing she was a caring, empathetic girl, which was a shame because she was anything but that.

His deep blue eyes looked down at me, and I said, “I’m so sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

“Don’t let them bother you, Sunday. They’re just jealous because they have nothing unique about them.” I knew my mouth was hanging open at his words. How in the hell did he even know who I was, for heaven’s sake?

“I try not to,” I softly replied.

He smiled at me, and was about to say something in response when his girlfriend, Stacey, came up next to him. “What are you doing, Jett? We’re going to be late!”

“We’re fine, Stace. I accidentally ran into Sunday, and wanted to make sure she was okay.”

I looked at him and couldn’t believe he was pretty much lying to his girlfriend, since it was me who ran into him, not the other way around. Then again, Stacey was a bit of a bitch, and if he had said what truly happened, she would have made my life a living hell. Where she was concerned, I preferred to stay way under the radar. Which has me confused, because we’ve all been convinced that he bought into her fake smiles and personality. Maybe he’s not as clueless as we thought? Maybe he saw her flaws but turned a blind eye to her rude behaviors.

“Well, I’m sure she’s fine since she’s still standing. I don’t see any bumps or bruises on her. Let’s go,” Stacey said, pulling on his arm.

“Sorry again, Sunday. See you around,” he said.

I watched them go, my mind still replaying his words as I wondered… what did he mean that I was unique?

Ten years ago

Graduation over, I prepared for basic training, getting all my ducks in a proverbial row. Thankfully, I was involved in several different extracurricular activities, so as far as the physical fitness aspect was concerned, I wasn’t too worried. I had chosen to do a delayed enlistment in the Navy, and received a significant scholarship for college that I planned to utilize, once I had honored my military commitment.

“Honey, are you sure this is what you want to do?” Mom asked, coming into my bedroom with a basket of my washed laundry in her arms.

“Mom, I want to be a nurse and going into the Navy, I can get a lot of experience as a medic that will eventually help me. I’ll be fine. Plus, I was going to get my clothes in a few minutes, you didn’t need to bring them to me, but thank you.”

“You know your dad and I will worry, honey. We’re not exactly at peace these days.”

“I should still be just fine, Mom.” I’d roll my eyes but knowing her, even though her back is turned, she’d still see me and it’s not worth the smack, that’s for sure. As a teenager, I learned the value of making sure to not to express what I was thinking, at least not where Mom could see me. We’ve got a good relationship, but we definitely butted heads when I was younger. The bottom line, though, is she loves me.

“Did you hear about Jett Blake?” she questioned as she started folding my clothes.

I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply. Being in a small town, I knew the gossip and tried to ignore it, but hell, everyone had known that he got Stacey pregnant right before they graduated. They ended up having a miscarriage shortly after they got married, according to the gossiping townspeople. I just remembered how kind he was any time I saw him at school, even though he was an upperclassman, and I was a lowly freshman. If memory served, they recently had a little boy, Dusty, but I wasn’t sure how old he was right now.

“What about him?” I finally asked.

“Well, apparently Stacey left town,” Mom replied, folding a pair of my socks, and putting them in a growing pile for me to add to my suitcase.

“Oh no, what about Dusty?”

“Honey, she left the baby too.”

“Are you kidding me? I always knew she was a bit of a witch, but how can a mother leave their child behind?” I questioned. There’s no way on earth I would ever leave my child.

“No clue, but he has moved back home with his folks, and is going to school to become a paramedic, I think. Although, the high school has approached him about becoming their head football coach, and with his experience, he’d be a fool not to take that offer instead.”

“That’s nice.” Why on earth was she sharing this shit with me? It’s not like I ever had any in-depth conversations with him. Most of our interactions were rather banal; the only thing is, I held each one, as well as every time he glanced at me, close to that secret place in my heart.

The admonishing one that said a guy like him wouldn’t ever want someone as average as me. I would never be able to compete with the likes of Stacey, so I never bothered to try.

“So, what time do we leave in the morning?” Mom asked, thankfully changing the subject.

“I have to be at the airport by seven for my nine o’clock flight.”

“Then we’ll leave around five, okay? Let’s get this wrapped up, so your dad and I can take you out to eat, since we have to be up so early.”

“That’s fine, Mom.”

Part of me was excited about my upcoming adventure, even though I knew it would be challenging, and probably harder than I was anticipating. Regardless, I felt like I was finally stepping into the adult world. I’d be making my own money, dealing with the consequences of my actions without parental involvement, and learning how to be a productive member of society.

Four years ago

“I love you, Sunday, will you marry me?” Jonas asked.

Looking at him, I smiled before answering, “Yes.”

“I know you still have this last tour, but maybe when it’s done, we can get married?” he questioned, the hopeful expression on his face nearly wearing me down.

“Jonas, are you saying you don’t want to travel around the world?” I replied. One of the best parts of my Navy experience so far, was that I had been stationed in several different countries, places I would’ve never likely been able to travel to on my own. The experiences I’d had, the people I’d met; all added perspective to my life, in some way or another.

“Well, no, not really, but if that’s what we need to do until you are out, then I’ll manage.”

I sighed before replying, “I had planned to possibly make the Navy my career, Jonas.” Which I had considered, since nurses were in high demand, so I could pretty much write my own path according to my commanding, and reenlisting officer. It hadn’t been easy juggling getting my nursing degree with my military commitment, but I’d done it, with a lot of my field experiences counting toward the clinical knowledge I had to have. I was proud of the fact I was an actual registered nurse, something I could carry into the civilian world when I was discharged.

“Yeah, but that was before you met me, right?” he inquired.

Damn, what an ego! It was definitely a detractor from his overall personality, and one I was coming to realize I might have a problem handling in the future if he kept pushing the issue. While I loved him, I had re-enlisted, so I had another four years to serve my country before I could even remotely think about whether or not I’d stay in, or resign my commission.

“I figure it’s something we can work out, and discuss,” I replied.

“You’re right. How about we celebrate our engagement?”

Two years ago

I looked around the base we were currently stationed at, and cringed. Going into the medical tent, I was glad to see that at least it was well-stocked. Doing a quick inventory, I then refilled my bag with the necessary supplies, including saline bags and IV kits, as well as gauze pressure bandages, in preparation for the patrol I was going on later in the day. Normally, I wasn’t assigned to them, but they were short a man, and I had the skills, so my commander had asked me to go, and I had said yes. I was always willing, as were most in the squadron I was with, to jump in when needed. That’s just part of who I am as a person, I guess.

“You ready to go, Cross?” Branch asked.

“Yes, sir. Just making sure I’m prepared,” I responded, grabbing a few more things before I zipped up my bag.

“Let’s hit it.”

* * *

I heard a click that sounded out of place, and without thinking, turned and yelled, “RUN!” to the five other men with me. The subsequent blast had me flying through the air, and I felt pain immediately start to radiate through my lower back, and hip region.

Despite the excruciating agony coursing through me, I was able to assess my teammates, and with Branch’s assistance, got IVs started with saline and used every single one of the pressure bandages I brought. Branch insisted on treating me as well, despite my insistence that I’d be fine; but I saw the look on his face, one of pity and terror, as he was doing what he could to take care of me until help arrived. Considering he was the toughest, most no-nonsense person I had ever met, his expression prepared me somewhat for what I would hear once we were safe and being treated.

Later in the hospital, lying flat on my stomach due to the injuries I had sustained to my low back and hip, as well as my upper thigh on the left side, I cried, letting out all the fear and terror I felt during the long ninety-minute wait I’d endured before the next troops arrived, bringing us much-needed help as they got us transferred to the hospital. Thankfully, none of us were killed, but in reality, we were all hot messes with burns and broken bones. Mine were, unfortunately, some of the worst based on what the doctor had described.

My parents, and Jonas had flown in as soon as they were able to get a flight, and keeping positive in the face of Mom’s tears and Dad’s stoic expression wore me out. They had just left to go back to their hotel, but I saw the revulsion on Jonas’ face when he saw where I was injured, and I knew in my soul that it was only a matter of time before he broke off our engagement. It wasn’t as if I was exposed to the room or anything, but the specialized bandages they had covered my left side in, from my waist to my knee showed enough to where it wasn’t too difficult to imagine the possible damage that I’d incurred.

“Cross? You okay?” the nurse asked as she walked into the room to take my vitals, and swap out my empty IV bags for full ones.

While my pain meds were injected straight into my IV, I had bags hung for the fluids and antibiotics I was being given to stave off any infection, and keep me as hydrated as possible. I wasn’t all that thrilled having a catheter, but realized the impracticalities of me being up and down to go to the bathroom, so I dealt with it. It wasn’t like I was awake all that much; the doctors had decided against a medically induced coma, but they were keeping me ‘under’ more often than not to aid in the healing. The longest I’d been awake since we arrived was today when my parents and Jonas were visiting.

“I’ll be fine,” I replied, wiping the tears from my face.

To prevent bedsores on the front of my body, and blood clots from inactivity, the nursing staff would get me upright, give me a shot of Lovenox in my abdomen which helped prevent clotting issues, give me a sponge bath, then gently lay me on the clean bedding. I was ‘covered’ in the sense they’d rigged up a blanket that enveloped me without touching my skin, and to say I was always chilled was definitely an understatement. The one thing driving me absolutely crazy besides the damn catheter, of course, was the inactivity I was facing, but I understood the reasoning since the skin grafts already done needed a great deal of time to heal. The whole situation sucked balls, but this was the hand I was dealt, and at the end of the day, all of us were alive, so I’d suck it up, and make the best out of an absolutely shitty situation.

“How’s your pain level?”

“On a scale of ‘oh I stubbed my toe’ to ‘holy shit a bear is trying to tear me apart’ I think I’m at the bear level, possibly two bears at this point,” I admitted.

Nurses and healthcare workers make the worst patients, and I knew that from the years I’d been in the field, but in this instance, I was doing what was asked, and definitely taking the pain meds because holy fuck, did I hurt!

“Let me get you some more pain meds then. You’ve got another surgery scheduled in the morning.”

“Great. Can you hand me my phone, please?” I asked, trying hard to keep the sarcasm out of my tone. It wasn’t her fault I was here or injured; no, the blame lay solely at the feet of a bunch of terrorist fuckers who didn’t value any human life.

The nurse handed me the phone that had been just out of reach, and I checked my messages. Seeing one from Jonas, I took a deep breath.

Jonas: Sunday, you deserve more than I can give. I’m sorry, but I can’t do this anymore.

Sunday: I’ll send the ring back with my folks.

Jonas: No, keep it. I’m sorry.

I took another deep breath, then another, while I chanted to myself to take the high road. I knew why he was breaking it off. My injuries would leave me permanently scarred, even with surgery, and he was all about the appearances. I knew that about him way back when, so part of the heartache I was feeling right now was on me.

Sunday: Take care of yourself. Please don’t come back.