Chereads / Love, Lust, Loss LIFE / Chapter 20 - Speeches of the Silent

Chapter 20 - Speeches of the Silent

Jin held Atticus close. He thought of him as a son... Atticus still hadn't spoken in weeks. Just an occassional smile or shrug. Jin before saying a word pushed back Atticus's red hair from his dad. And looked in his green eyes, he got from his mom. He whispered into Atticus's ear, "If there is anything you wanna say, just tug on my shirt. Its okay." Atticus nodded, as Jin spoke. "My name is Jin Cheng. I have known Daniel for 10 years. We met when I was 15 and he was 19. I had left my family behind in Japan and flew to Vietnam to join the military. Daniel was one of the men in my troop. And being that we were all pretty close it didn't take long before he found out I was writting his sister. Who was a few tents over. We kept it a secret up until he found my letters in my pillow. Yeah, sleeping I would role around and they would wake up to a crunch of paper." Everyone laughed. "So yeah ot wasn't long before he found them. He always was so serious, especialy when he told Aaron about me and their sister. Up until night time came. Then he was a joker. He used to kid on me for my wierd analogies. About 5 years ago I started to think of the people I knew as a deck of cards. Katlyn was my Red Queen of Hearts. The queen of my heart anyway. Aaron was the black king of spades. Mysterious, and never faded from his serious expression. And his girlfriend at the time, Peyton, now his Wife. Was the Black Queen of Spades. She was a mystery, as well, She was blind but she was very fisty. And to this day she picks on me a little. Now for the first year I only heard about Maya through letters and writtings from her to Daniel. She to me was the Red Queen of Diamonds, she wasn't quite a square to Daniel she was special, but still beatiful in his eyes. And Atticus." Jin Paused to look at the smiling Atticus in his arms. "Atticus was the small black joker. Mysterious as well but was a little buddle of joy. And Daniel was the Big Red Joker. Always joking around. I'll miss him. If it weren't for him I wouldn't have gotten through training camp. If I hadn't I probably would have never met my fiance, Katlyn. So to Daniel I say thank you..." Jin was about to step away when Atticus pulled on his shirt. He whispered something for the first time in weeks. "Uncle Jin? Can I say something?" Jin was shocked, then he clicked back into reality. "Oh... Yeah bud, of course... Here." He continued to hold Atticus and hand him the Microphone off of its small holder attached to the podium. Atticus looked up at Jin... "Its okay bud. Go ahead." Everybody was silent, Maya was shocked. But she still managed to tell Peyton what she was seeing, as everyone tuned in... "M-My name is Atticus Dàk..." Atticus looked over his shoulder to Jin. As Jin smiled and nodded. "I... I wanted to say something for my daddy... Before he left for Japan. He told me... To remember him for the good times we had. Not the tradgeties followed by his death... I didn't know what tradgeties were. But I think I do now... Tradgeties aren't sad expieriences. Their the greef and crying... And broken heart that comes with it... And I miss my dad... I tried not to be down about it. And I wanna be strong for him." Atticus started to cry. "I just miss him... And I wanted to say goodbye to him today." Tears rolled down everyone's faces. Maya just stared at her son in disbelief at what he was saying. She was crying, but she didn't make a face. Her mouth was slightly open and her eyes were on her son. "I keep wondering if my daddy is in Heaven. Or Hell... I think he went to Heaven. Nobody was a better man than my dad... He helped alot of people... I just wish he had stayed home. Even if he didn't kill the enimie... At least we would have each other... I miss him... But I understand. He explained how important his job is to the country... I just wanted to get to say goodbye to him... Bye dad." Atticus started to move his hand as if trying to wave goodbye. Everyone was shocked. Atticus was holding on to Jin tight, and cried on his shoulder as he took him to Maya. Who was crying... She reached out for him and held him close, and she rubbed the back of his small head... Atka was the one who broke the silence. She barked once from the podium... She had led Peyton up. And everyones head turned to her. She turned to the crowd. "I wasn't planning on speaking today... But after hearing what my nefew said I think its only right that I say a few words for my friend." Aaron walked over and whispered in her ear. "Its okay. You got this... In my eyes your the strongest person here." Peyton nodded and turned to the crowd as Aaron walked back behind her, and stood tall next to Katlyn. Both still like statues, in their uniforms. Backs strait. Hands behind their backs. A military sign of respect. "Alot of people may take me as a struggling person. Whoam has lost her sight. But I know I am not that but I am a strong woman. And I wouldn't have had this great opportunity of being a wife, or a mother if it weren't for my old friend Daniel... His birth parents were stationed in a base camp in Anchorage Alaska. That was where I first met him and Katlyn... You know you hear alot of stories about kids saying to eachother how they will be friends forever, and then they move away, or they fall out... I was lucky enough that when their parents died that they went to a good family. My husbands family. Then after a couple of years I then too moved down to Sanfransisco. And our families got together. Long story short we all started to hang out... He was the one who led me to my husband. And now we have a child on the way... About 6 years ago I was in the Trenches during the Japanese Base Boming... I was blinded up until 4 months later when my site came back. Then it went again after my mother... After my mother jumped off the bridge last year... I was counting on my husband Aaron to help me but I knew that he couldn't always be there.... And when my husband was sent into war, Daniel came over everyday to check on me with Maya. I trusted him with my life... And with Aarons... He saved Aaron. He was a great friend and a good brother to Aaron... If it weren't for him I don't k ow if my baby would ever be able to see their fathers face... Thanks to him he or she will... Thank you Daniel... I hope that you may rest in peace..." Peyton smiled as the tears rushed down her face... Katlyn came to help her down... As Aaron was about to make a speech from Daniel himself...