Preview: The Silent Storm

"Ready or not, here I come!"

I hold my breath as I hide behind the door to my bedroom.

"Rumi," Taliah giggled as she saw me. I raised my index finger to my lips gaining a massive eyeroll from my beautiful wife as she continued ironing my buttond down shirt for the dinner.

The sound of little footsteps has me frozen in place as Daniel enters the bedroom. I pull the door to me as my four year old baby boy explores.

"Mommy, have you seen daddy anywhere?" He asked as he looked under the bed. Taliah paused her ironing and put a hand in her hip just as the door started to creek. My boy turned right around catching me in the act and came running for me.

"Found you!" He squealed and ran straight into my arms little did he know he was walking straight into a tickle attack. I picked up my baby and gently dropped him on the bed. Finding joy in his sweet giggles as I tickled him until he pleaded for me to stop.

My large handed rested on his small chest as he panted from the pain. Daniel's smile as he peered up at me is one I could never get enough of. His big gray eyes and soft brown curls only added to his cuteness.

"You need a haircut huh buddy?" I commented as I kissed his big forehead.

"I told you that last week but you didn't wanted to wait," Taliah commented as I felt her soft presence beside me, handing me my shirt.

"Fine, I'll take him tomorrow then sweetheart," I reassured her and she kissed my bare shoulder. I wrapped my arms around her shoulder as I slipped on my shirt and kissed her soft lips.

"I know you will honey, now let's get going before we're late," she sighs as she walks over to the bench at the end of our bed wearing a beautiful red dress that fit all her curves just right. God, when did I get so lucky to have her as my wife?

She puts on her favorite high heels as I button up my shirt and little Daniel watches his mother and father eagerly before the three of us head out.

"Hey Roo, can you grab the baby's sippy cup from the kitchen?" She asked and I willingly went, fixing my tie as I crossed the hall and walked into the large kitchen. Grabbing the Daniel's sippy cup as I did so.

But when I did, I noticed a small pink bottle of pills that weren't there before.

"OH! WAIT RUMI!" she cried out from the bedroom but it was too late as I read the bottle just as she reached the archway.

"When were you going to tell me?" I smiled as I shook the little bottle plot prenatle vitamins and she laughed.

"I was going to surprise you but I guess the cats out of the bag now," she said and I took her into my arms, hugging her fragile body.

"Mmm, I'm still just as excited, how far along are you?" I asked, gently pecking her pouted lips.

"Just 5 weeks, nothing to be impressed by but enough to have a little poppyseed," she smirks and I laughed at her description.

"I love you," I sighed into her lips as I kissed her again.

"Ewww, gross," Daniel comments as he stood ready to go to dinner at my parents house. Wearing his favorite shirt reading 'Proud Air Force Nephew' for his uncle Nakoa, who was coming home today on leave from his deployment.

"Arrrg," I growl as I picked up my giggling Daniel and threw him on my hip to carry him to the car with Taliah following behind me.

I kissed his soft head of curls after I buckled him into his carseat and got into the driver seat. It was a little later in the evening and the sun was just starting it's slow fall to the earth over the California coast.

The drive was one I had made many times before and it wasn't long but it wasn't a breeze either as I drove down a thin winding road, with Taliah and Daniel singing the itsy bitsy spider...

I blinked.

I only blinked.

But in that small fraction of a second everything went dark.

Then it was bright again.

I opened my eyes and quickly realized I was no longer in a car, my wife and child no longer singing beside me, the road no longer ahead of me.

I was in a hospital bed.

"Shh he's awake!" I heard my mother scream and it was strange to hear his voice. He wasn't in the car with me...

"Rumi?" A gentle voice questions and my brothers Nakoa's face came into view.

"Koa? What happened?" I asked and he bit his bottom lip.

My badass pararescueman brother had been through so much shit that he never shed a single tear since we were younger.

But he was crying now.

"Rumi," I heard my papa's voice wavering as he came into sight and held my cheeks in his hands.

"Do you remember anything?" He asked and I tried to shake my head but I couldn't.

"No, I was just driving to your house...what...where's Daniel? Where's Taliah?" I asked and his ocean blue eyes were spilling over with tears.

What the fuck is going on?

Is this a dream?

A nightmare of sorts?

"Mika Ji, get the doctor." I heard my father say and my Papa let go of me so he could wipe the tears from his face.

My mother came into view next, his soft hazel brown eyes boring into mine as he kissed my forehead.

"I'm so sorry baby," he cried and fear struck my very being.

"Sorry? Sorry for what? Where's Taliah and Daniel! Where's my wife and child!" I screamed and my father gently squeezed my mother's shoulder.

"Rumi Jackson, I have some news for you..." the doctor started as he came forward.

"You were in an accident with a drunk truck driver. Your wife and son were killed on impact. You are the only one who survived,"

*****

Sorry to annoy you, this is the last preview.

The next one published will be the next chapter