Marrying the Depression Master
CH-157 Asa last

Ara looked at the mirror in front of her, looked at her growing belly then rubbed it slowly. The age of her pregnancy has been 3 months more into the 4th month, she has started to feel there are pulses in her stomach even though it has not been tight.

“Honey, sorry Mom for not being able to give you affection from your Dad from the moment you started growing up, Mom,” she said as she rubbed her stomach again. If there was a Jack, of course her husband would be more often rubbing the baby in his stomach.

He looked at the mirror, his body also seemed to have turned fatter with his pregnancy.

“Jack, you see me now, my body is getting fatter,” he said.

Then Ara stepped foot into the wedding photo on the wall. Looking at her beloved husband.

“Jack I'll come to the welcoming location of your troops, even if you're not among them. Because I left hope there, after that I'll go home. I don't want to give birth alone here,” she said, taking the photo to talk.

 “I don't want to see our sons playing by the fountain alone without you accompanying him. No Jack, I wasn't expecting that!” said Ara again, sighing for a moment.

“While I don't know where you are, me and your baby will always be waiting for you to come home,” he said, with a chest that starts to cramp, not bored of staring at the photo, because that was all that made him feel there was hope Jack heard what he said.

*************

Jack stared at the firearm that was pointing at him. One shot would instantly take his life. The shadow of his wife smiling as she welcomed him home appeared in his mind, a smile that he might never see again.

Then the figure of his wife appeared again welcoming him in the state of a bulging stomach.

“Finally you're home too! Me and your baby are tired waiting for you from earlier,” said Ara with a smile.

The shadow of his imagination, living in his home in Paris with his two children playing in the park near the fountain, immediately sprung up in slow motion.

Her daughter was crying. Jack came up to her and carried her around, comforting her and kissing her cute cheeks.

“Honey, don't bother your dad!” the voice of his wife approached him.  His wife took his daughter, carried her, and led her son away, leaving her standing by the water.

“Sign goodbye to your Dad!” his wife said, continuing to walk away while looking at him and smiling.

The son and daughter did the same thing waving their hands.

“Drug..Father.” The son and his daughter turned to him and waved his hand, away, he could only silently look at them.

His shadow changed on his father's soso who had just returned to duty.

 “Jack! Dad's home!” his father exclaimed, crouching in front of him and putting his hat on his small head.

“Daddy bring your General!” his father said again, showing the soldier's miniature toy box.

Jack's eyes glazed over, the tightness of his chest burst out, the shadow of his loved ones sprung up as well as his dreams. This was the last second of his life and death. His hope of escaping his death was no longer there. No, he didn't want that to happen.

 Jack blinked his eyes when he heard the sound.

The truck! The sound of the man's wand. His eyes looked at the three feet, instantly something flashed across him. It's the last one, if it's lucky he's alive otherwise he's dead.

The man in front of him smiled, guns pointed at his head Jack, “During the General's stay!” he said, then opened fire.

But before that happened, before the bullet went through Jack's head, Jack's leg kicked the chair near his leg with all his might, one shot thrown at Mr. Ferdi, who does not stand with one hand holding his staff.

Brakk! Dor's!

The chair hit Mr. Ferdi's wand, but to his surprise, he also lost his balance when the wand came off. Shots erupted at random, and the weapon slipped out of his hand as his hand had to reach for his detached stick. But the stick fell to the floor making him unable to hold the balance of his body which eventually fell to the floor.

Brugh!

Mr. Ferdi was surprised to see his weapon come out of his hand. He shifted his body trying to take the weapon on the floor but before he managed to take it, Jack's body was rolling on the floor to take the weapon with the position of the hand that is still tied to the back, at first glance it is difficult to do that but because he is trained for all kinds of conditions.

With his hands tied back, and his body lying on the floor, Jack's hands held the weapon tightly and fired the weapon on instinct, quickly over and over again. A very emergency shooting.

Dor's! Dor's! Dor's! Several times the eruption sounded so fast.

Jack fired the weapon without knowing the exact target he was targeting, because the weapon was behind his back, especially with his body lying on the floor. He only knew Mr.Ferdi was lying on the floor not far from him.

Clamps! Clamps! Jack tried to fire again the gun turned out the bullet was up.

After that it was quiet no one spoke anymore.

Jack tried to check his weapon, and did not fire any shots, meaning the bullet was already out.

“Master! Sir!”

Jack heard a man's voice calling out which was definitely not to call him.

With sweat pouring down his body, Jack tried to get up and sit with difficulty while turning his body. He was shocked when his eyes saw the man. The man was bleeding on the floor.

Jack was silent, looking at his stepfather was lifeless. His shot of throwing a bullet turned out to hit the man. Something he didn't expect.

“He's dead!” said the man who touched Mr. Ferdi's body, then turned to his friend. Then they looked at Jack.

“Don't waste time killing me because he's dead and won't be able to pay you guys!” said Jack.

They were silent, what the general said was true, who paid for them to be shot dead. There is no point in killing the general if they are found out they will be punished severely.

Jack took a long breath. Looking at his stepfather's body again. He had absolutely no intention of killing her, but if he did not do that, then he would die. All because luck was on his side.

Jack looked at the door. He also inched slowly trying to get out of the room, leaving Mr. Ferdi's body lifeless.

**********

Today is the day of welcoming the return of GIGN troops to France.

Ara was getting ready to leave. Uncle Favier's been waiting for him downstairs. Before leaving her room she looked at the wedding photo. Every time he passed by her every time he looked at her. Smiling anywhere.

“I will attend the welcome home of your troops Jack, although you will not come, I will still come,” he said.

She had to watch as her husband was not among them.

Never satisfied to look at her husband's face. It was all he could do to always feel his presence. She will be on the show even though she knows Jack won't be coming, at least she can see where her husband should be coming home. After that she will return home, even if only alone with the baby in her womb.

Ara let out a deep breath and then walked out of the room. Uncle Favier was waiting for him.

 “Are you ready?” ask Uncle Favier.

Ara nodded. They came out followed by Beni.

Ara felt the journey felt so long and the road felt so long as it had no end. His empty heart filled his days now.

Until they arrived at a very large airport. Military airfield.

Ara looked around, it turned out that so many cars were fully covered, the men in uniforms had already lined up to form her row. He also saw many women with their small children and adolescents, coming with joy. Maybe they were the families of the soldiers who were to come.

Ara's heart was getting slashed to see him. They came to greet the husband and the father of his sons, but he came only to see the shadow of his husband among the soldiers who came.

Wanting it to feel she was crying but no, she promised to be firm, steadfast in accepting the bitterness she got.

Uncle Favier seemed to be talking to someone who seemed to be of high rank, as his clothes were different from those of other warriors.

 The man with Uncle Favoer approached Ara.

 “It's nice to meet you Mrs.Delmar, we're sorry your husband can't go home now, but we're trying our best to find your husband,” the man said.

Ara could only nod, her mouth locked up unable to speak anything or she would cry for it.

Not how long the car started. Ara was in the line of women who rejoiced with their children. He only smiled when someone greeted him, especially he did not speak French so he did not understand what they were saying.

He didn't pay much attention to the show. She just daydreamed and pondered, longing for her husband, only occasionally rubbing her bulging belly.

There was a sound on the microphone in French for what it meant, Ara didn't know. It was just that he saw from a distance a low-flying aircraft let out a noisy voice.

Ara can see the reaction of the joyful faces on the field. Not with him, because he knew Jack wasn't among the soldiers on that plane. While the others were so enthusiastic about seeing the plane landing in the distance, he just stood staring at the plane.

As the plane stopped and opened its doors, enthusiasm grew from their faces. The women and children ran towards the plane as the soldiers came down the stairs from the door.

Shouts, calls, sounds so crowded. The soldiers who saw the presence of his wife's children immediately accelerated the path so that they quickly met his family.

The women scatter with their children when they see the husband and father of their children visible. They hugged and kissed each other, also held their children, letting go of their longing. They're very happy.

Arapun walked closer to the crowd. Look at every soldier who came out of that plane. Is Jack among them? And the answer is no, the man is not among them. His heart felt so sad, bowing his head withstanding the cry that immediately wanted to spill.

Until the whole army was all down and the door of the plane closed again. Ara just stood staring at the plane. Her husband was not on the plane, her husband was left behind in the country of people, somehow his fate.

Someone patted his shoulder, making him look.

“Create your heart, Son,” said Uncle Favier.

Ara looked at Uncle Favier then nodded.

“All the soldiers have come down, are you not going home?” ask Uncle Favier.

“Iya, I'll go home, I'll leave Paris, I'll stay with my family, and I'll wait for Jack there,”.

Uncle Favier looked at his wife Jack's face, he understood how he felt.

Uncle Favier hugged his shoulder Ara invited him home.

***********