Chapter five

My mother and I were sitting with Kelly and her parents at Jamie's funeral. I was sitting near the aisle when a little girl, about two, climbs in my lap. "Dada," she murmurs in a tired whisper and falls asleep in my arms.

Tears fill my eyes and I look around to see if someone was looking for her. A woman across the aisle was looking at the girl in my arms with her hand over her mouth. I get up and bring the child over to her. She looks behind me and says in a choked whisper, "I'm Monica, Kelly's cousin. I didn't know she was in a relationship since Katie?"

"We can talk after the funeral," I say quietly and she nods. She tries to take her daughter, but she holds onto my uniform. "Why don't I just place her in her car seat after this is over?"

She nods lightly and says in a choked whisper, "You kind of look like her father. He was killed in Iraq a few months ago."

"Kevin Jones," I ask quietly and she nods vigorously. Tears fill my eyes and say, "I fought wi