Chapter 2

Mark finally ended his call, the one about Chloe's new allergy-free bedding.

He walked towards Leo, who was now sitting stiffly on the floor with his building blocks.

"Hey, sport! Daddy's back!" Mark said, his voice too loud, too cheerful.

He ruffled Leo's hair.

Leo flinched, almost imperceptibly.

Sarah saw it.

Mark didn't.

Sarah watched her son.

Leo's eyes, usually bright, were clouded.

He tried to smile for Mark, but it didn't reach them.

Mark launched into a story about his training exercise, full of noise and action.

Leo nodded, but his gaze kept drifting to the worn-out toy soldier in his hand.

The one Mark had promised to replace months ago.

"And guess what, Leo?" Mark said, leaning in conspiratorially. "When I get back from this next trip, we'll finally go to that big amusement park. The one with the giant rollercoasters."

Leo's eyes lit up for a second.

Then the light faded.

He'd heard that promise before.

Many times.

It always got replaced by something Chloe "urgently" needed.

A special tutor. A new pony riding helmet. A trip to a specialist doctor three states away.

Mark turned to Sarah. "And you, Sarah. We need a date night. Just us. When I get back."

Sarah looked at him.

His eyes didn't meet hers for long.

She knew that promise too.

It would evaporate the moment Jessica called with a crisis, real or imagined.

"That would be nice," Sarah said, her voice carefully neutral.

Dinner was macaroni and cheese from a box.

Leo picked at his food.

Mark looked at the meager meal.

"Is this all we have?" he asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"It's what was left after the grocery money went to... other things," Sarah said quietly.

Mark frowned. "Right. Well, I'll make sure to leave you more next time. Before I go."

Sarah knew "next time" meant after Jessica's needs were met.

There was never enough left over.

The phone rang.

Mark answered it immediately.

"Jessica? What's wrong?"

His voice was instantly full of concern.

Sarah could hear Jessica's tearful voice on the other end.

"Oh, Mark... Chloe's asthma... it's acting up again. The doctor said she needs a new, top-of-the-line air purifier for her room. It's terribly expensive... but it's for her health..."

"Don't worry, Jess," Mark said, his voice soothing. "I'll transfer the money right now. Get the best one they have. Chloe's health comes first."

He hung up and immediately started typing on his phone.

Chloe's health.

Leo had an ear infection last month. Mark had told Sarah to just use the generic drops from the base clinic because they were "tight on funds."

That night, Leo crawled into bed with Sarah.

He was quiet, just holding her hand.

Rain began to fall outside, a soft patter at first, then growing stronger.

Sarah lay awake, listening to the rain and Leo's soft breathing.

A sense of dread filled her.

The premonition felt closer than ever.

The next morning, Leo woke up with a raging fever.

His breathing was shallow. He cried when she touched his ear.

Mark was already gone.

He'd left a note: "Early start. Jessica needed me to drive Chloe to a special allergy clinic appointment. Left some cash on the counter. Love, M."

Fifty dollars.

For groceries, bills, and now, a sick child.

Mrs. Peterson, their neighbor, knocked on the door.

"Sarah, dear? Is everything alright? I saw Captain Olsen rushing over to Jessica's house at dawn. He looked so worried. Said Chloe was having a terrible asthma attack."

Sarah's blood ran cold. Chloe's "terrible asthma attack" that required Mark's personal attention, while her own son burned with fever.

"Leo needs a doctor, Mrs. Peterson. Now."

The rain was a downpour now, a full-blown storm.

Just like in her premonition. The day future Leo died.

No. She wouldn't let it happen.

She wrapped Leo in a blanket, grabbed her purse and the emergency credit card.

The fifty dollars wouldn't cover an urgent care visit.

"I have to get him to the clinic. I can't wait."

She remembered the dream: Mark dismissing her pleas, Leo dying.

"Not this time," she muttered, her jaw set. "Not my son."

She ran out into the storm, Leo clutched tightly in her arms.

The wind whipped her hair around her face, rain stinging her eyes.

Her car, old and unreliable, was parked down the street.

As she fumbled with her keys, her hands shaking, a car pulled up beside her.

A man rolled down the window.

"Ma'am? You look like you need help. Is the boy okay?"

He had a kind face. Mid-thirties.

"My son is sick. Very sick. I need to get him to a doctor."

"Get in," he said. "My bookstore is closed due to the storm. I can take you. I'm Michael Vance."

At the base clinic, it was chaos.

The storm had caused power outages, and staff were overwhelmed.

They finally saw a doctor. A severe ear infection, and his fever was dangerously high.

He needed strong antibiotics, and the doctor wanted to observe him.

As Sarah was filling out paperwork, her emergency credit card already swiped, she saw Mark rush in.

He wasn't looking for her.

He was with Jessica. Chloe was on his hip, looking pale but not distressed, holding a new teddy bear.

"Doctor," Mark was saying urgently to a nurse, "My niece, Chloe. Her specialist said her asthma is critical. She needs immediate attention."

The nurse looked flustered. "Captain, we have many sick children..."

Jessica started to cry. "Please, my Chloe is so fragile..."

Mark put his arm around Jessica. "She's a priority."

He saw Sarah then. His eyes flickered to Leo, then back to Chloe.

"Sarah? What are you doing here? Leo just has a cold, right? Take him home. Chloe is genuinely sick."

Sarah felt a rage so cold it burned.

Her wedding ring felt heavy on her finger.

She twisted it off, her movements jerky.

She walked over to the admissions desk, where a harried clerk was talking about co-pays.

"My son needs his medication now," Sarah said. She held out the ring. "This is gold. It's valuable. Take it as a deposit. Just help my son."

The clerk looked shocked. Michael Vance, who had waited, stepped forward.

"That won't be necessary," he said gently, placing his own card on the counter. "I'll cover this."

Mark stared, speechless, as Michael stood by Sarah's side.