Mine

PROLOGUE“Hey, Dad. Good morning.”Kimberley greeted her dad while making pancakes for breakfast as he walked into the kitchen, the soft sizzle from the pan filling the quiet morning air, the rich scent of batter and butter wrapping around the space like a warm embrace.“Morning sweetie.” Her dad replied kissing her on her cheek before sitting on one of the breakfast stools, his presence instantly bringing a sense of comfort that Kimberley had always known and cherished.“Here you go,” Kimberley said placing a plate of pancakes, bacon, and fried eggs with a cup of coffee before him, the meal carefully prepared with love.“Thanks love.” He thanked her and then began eating, clearly appreciating the effort she put into even the simplest things. Minutes later she joined him with her breakfast, settling into the quiet rhythm of the morning beside him.Kimberley stole glances at her dad while they ate in silence, her eyes lingering just a little longer each time as if trying to read the emo

   Kimberly was literally exhausted by the time her shift was over but what kept her going was the fact that Ian was returning that day and she was the one to go pick him up from the Naval Base which was an hour and a half's drive from the hospital. Staring at the letter of leave of absence in her hands, she couldn’t help but smile to herself. She would have her fiancé all to herself for the next two weeks, without having to worry about anything as regards to her work. Just the thought of having her fiancé back after more than half a year of being apart made her smile grow wider. She felt like squealing like a teenager but held herself back so she doesn’t attract some unwanted attention to herself. She decided not to waste any more time daydreaming about Ian and tidy her desk since her shift was already over and she had a long drive ahead of her. Once she was done tidying her desk, she left her off

 “Home sweet home!” Ian breathed as Kimberly parked in the driveway after gulping down the rest of his coke. He got out of the car, taking in his surrounding once again after being away for so long. Kimberly climbed out of the car and was about going to the trunk to get Ian’s suitcase when she noticed his outstretched arms. He was standing in front of the car, waiting patiently for her. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. “What about your suitcase?” she asked, not entirely sure if he wanted her to take his hand at the moment. “We can get that later.” he replied with a wide smile. Kimberly couldn’t help but smile back, his smile was contagious. She quickly interlaced their fingers as they walked to the porch. She unlocked the door and they went in. “I had the whole plac

   Kimberly couldn’t help but laugh at Ian who was repeatedly grumbling about the welcome party his mom mentioned earlier. “Babe, please finish your meal.” she said stiffling a laugh. “You don’t understand. I told her that a party wasn’t necessary since I'll be leaving soon.” he replied with a frown. “It’s okay, babe.” “It’s not okay! She never listens to me!” he yelled making Kimberly flinch. Ian noticed her reaction and felt bad for frightening her with his unnecessary anger. “Baby I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” he apologized, taking her hand in his, placing light kisses on her knuckles. “I understand.” she quietly replied, stabbing her food with her fork, suddenly losing her appetite. 

   Kimberly cried her eyes out in the kitchen. She couldn’t tell how long she had stayed there because she didn’t want to face an angry Ian. After what felt like hours, she left the kitchen, walked passed the living room and went upstairs to the bedroom. When she got into the bedroom, did she realize that Ian wasn’t home. How did she not notice when he drove out? She guess she must’ve been too engrossed in her thoughts and tears to notice anything. With that conclusion, she peeled off her clothes which was currently soaked in tears and sweat and went into the bathroom because she desperately needed a warm bath. While running the bath, she wrapped her hair in a messy bun and wiped off her makeup before getting into the bathtub. For the first time in forty eight hours, Kimberly hated the fact that she took a leave of absence. If she hadn’t taken that leave, she would’ve gone to the hospital to take care of some