It came out of nowhere, a sudden and jarring event that sent Dalton's world spinning. He had come home one day to find the trailer empty, the lights off, and a note left on the kitchen counter. His dad had been taken into custody. The details were hazy—Dalton didn't know all the reasons why, but it didn't matter. His father was gone, and once again, Dalton was left to pick up the pieces.
The small trailer, which had once felt like a refuge, now felt empty. The silence pressed in on him, heavier than ever. Dalton sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the note, the weight of it all settling in. He had been trying so hard to hold everything together—to keep moving forward despite the setbacks, despite the doubts. But now, with his dad gone, the future seemed uncertain again.
Dalton knew he had Vanessa, knew she would be there for him, but the sense of loss was still overwhelming. He had no idea what came next.
The next few weeks were a blur of uncertainty.
Dalton tried to keep everything afloat, but it wasn't easy. Without his dad's support, he struggled to make ends meet. The trailer, once a place of escape, now felt like a burden—a reminder of everything that had fallen apart. The bills piled up, and every dollar Dalton managed to save went toward gas, just so he could see Vanessa.
He knew they were both from broke families—they were both struggling, scraping by however they could. But that didn't stop Dalton from trying to make things work. He spent what little money he had on gas, driving back and forth to see her, doing everything he could to make sure their relationship didn't falter. Even when he had nothing left, he found ways to make time for her, to be there when she needed him.
But it was exhausting. The weight of it all was crushing.
Dalton needed a job.
He knew that if he was going to keep things together—if he was going to keep seeing Vanessa, keep living in the trailer—he needed a source of income. But finding a job wasn't easy. Everywhere he went, it felt like the doors were closing in his face. No one wanted to hire him. He didn't have enough experience, or the timing wasn't right. He kept trying, but with every rejection, his frustration grew.
The family friend who had taken him in before his move had been kind enough to help out. They lent him money to get by, enough to keep the lights on and keep him going. It wasn't much, but it was enough for the moment. Dalton was grateful, but it wasn't a permanent solution. He couldn't keep relying on others forever.
And when his dad was finally released from jail, Dalton knew he would eventually be paid back. His dad had promised as much. But that wasn't the issue anymore. The real problem was something deeper.
Dalton faced a dilemma.
As the days went on, the reality of his situation became clearer. He couldn't stay here forever. The job prospects weren't getting any better, and as much as he wanted to hold on to everything he had built with Vanessa, something had to give. He couldn't keep living like this—scraping by, relying on handouts, barely getting by just to see her.
The fear of losing her was real. The idea of leaving everything behind terrified him. What if he made the wrong choice? What if, by leaving, he lost her for good? He had spent so much of his life trying to hold things together, trying to be there for her, but now... now it felt like everything was slipping away.
And that's when the decision hit him.
It wasn't a decision he made lightly. It was something he had thought about before, something he had even mentioned to Vanessa once, offhandedly, in a moment of desperation. But now, it felt like the only choice that made sense.
Dalton decided to join the military.
He needed to make a change.
The military wasn't just a way out—it was a way to provide. A way to give Vanessa the life she deserved. A stable life, where he could give her the security and support she needed. He knew they both came from families that didn't have much. But with the military, he could change that. He could give her more than just late-night texts and rushed visits between shifts. He could give her the future she deserved.
Dalton wasn't doing this just for himself—he was doing it for her. For them.
It was a sacrifice, but it was one he was willing to make. He was ready to give up his life for her—to build something stable, something real, even if it meant leaving everything behind for a while. He wanted to give Vanessa the things she needed, the things she had never had growing up. And if joining the military was the way to do that, then that was what he would do.
Telling Vanessa wasn't easy.
One evening, as they sat together in the trailer, the soft glow of the TV illuminating the room, Dalton took a deep breath and told her. He explained his reasoning—the need for stability, the desire to provide for both of them. He told her how much he loved her, how much he wanted to give her the life she deserved.
"I just... I need to do this.." Dalton said, his voice low but steady. "For us."
Vanessa sat quietly, her eyes wide with surprise. She hadn't expected this. For a moment, she didn't say anything, just staring at him as if trying to process what he had just said.
"But... why the military?" she finally asked, her voice trembling.
Dalton swallowed hard, his throat tight. "Because it's the only way I can think of to give us a real future. I want to take care of you, Vanessa. I want to give you everything. But I can't do that if I'm stuck here, barely making ends meet. This... this will give me a chance to build something. For both of us."
Vanessa looked down, her fingers twisting in her lap. "I don't want you to leave."
"I know" Dalton said softly, reaching over to take her hand. "But I don't see any other way. I love you, and I want to make sure you're taken care of. I want to build a life for us. But I can't do that here."
For a long time, they sat in silence, the weight of the decision hanging between them. Vanessa's eyes were filled with worry, but deep down, Dalton knew it was the right choice. He had to make this sacrifice, for both of them.
The enlistment process began soon after.
Dalton waited anxiously as the paperwork was finalized, and in the meantime, he learned about the job he would be doing. He was nervous, but also determined. The future was finally starting to take shape, and for the first time in a long while, Dalton felt a sense of control over his life.
He had been given his enlistment date: January 24th. That gave him a few more months—enough time to spend Christmas with Vanessa. He held on to that, clinging to the idea that they could enjoy their time together before he had to leave. He would make the most of it, knowing full well that things would change soon enough.
But as the days drew closer, Dalton couldn't shake a feeling of dread.
Something didn't sit right. It was like a shadow lingering at the edge of his thoughts, a creeping sense that, despite his best intentions, things might not go the way he planned.
If only things went that way.