A short segment from a novel I started to write about three years ago
The bluish light from the TV set illuminated the Sorenson’s living room.
"All seems to be eerily quiet on the streets on Baghdad tonight. This is just hours after US President Sullivan’s promise to use nuclear weapons against Iraq should another biological weapon be released against any target. The first attack against Israel was only 12 hours ago and rumors are everywhere that a domestic US target is next. Unconfirmed reports have put Arabic Coalition militants on US soil with access to nuclear devices. I repeat however, these reports are unconfirmed. This is Justin Blakely reporting from Baghdad.
Jake Sorenson rubbed his eyes after staring at his watch wondering how many hours the family had been glued to CNN and the events going on in the Middle East. Removing his hands from his red tired eyes, he looked to his family around him.
Marie’s long blonde hair hung carelessly down over her shoulders partially hiding her face. Jake could still see his wife’s face sullen with worry, cheeks and eyes red from hidden tears. Their eyes met briefly, a silent message transmitted between them. They both strained to get up, bones aching from hours of inactivity and weary from the emotional strain the world events had brought upon them.
Marie turned to her two youngest children, Michael and Jennifer. She had to remind herself so often that they weren’t children anymore. Michael was about to graduate High School and had been accepted at Stanford University in the Fall. Jennifer was already a very mature 16 year old, her 17 th birthday coming up in two weeks.
The thought of a family birthday without John caused her eyes to burn yet again. Forcing herself to be strong, she starts fussing around the living room, cleaning up the empty glasses and half eaten dinners. "Come on kids. I think it is time we all called it a night." She managed to speak without the strain showing in her voice. I have to be strong she kept repeating to herself.
Jennifer, never one to let something remain unsaid, "Mom. Dad. Do you think John was stationed in Tel Aviv when the missile struck?" Silence hung in the room like a thick fog. Jake put his arm around his daughter, half for support for himself and half for her, his voice scratchy, "Well hun, we just don’t know. I am as scared as you are about where he was but I know this. John loves this country very much and would do anything to protect his country and us. He was willing to make a sacrifice if needed but John is too much like his mother..too damned stubborn. He isn’t going to let some germs bring him down. He needs to feel that we still believe in him and what he is doing over there."
His speech finished, Jake picked up some of the dishes off the table and went into the kitchen. He wanted to leave before his family really saw the terror in his eyes as he thought of his eldest boy surrounded with death over there. As proud as he was of his son, he longed to have him back home safe in the rural towns of northern Massachusetts.
Marie followed Jake into the kitchen, seeing him staring out the window into the dimly lit cul-de-sac. Her hands slipped around his waist and he turned into her hug. Not a word was spoken between them. After twenty years of marriage they knew each other’s feelings.