Mama and father were still fast asleep while Jackie was pouring her cereal into a bowl. Cole, on the other hand, was attempting to build a miniature airplane, which was not exactly working out for him.

     "Cole, don't you want some breakfast?" Jackie asked, "You must be starving."

    Her beautiful brown hair, that was not pulled back into a french braid for once, was swinging freely as she walked amongst the kitchen, swiftly grabbing a spoon, bowl, milk, and a glass of orange juice. Once she was done, she held up the box of Cheerios for Cole to see.

     "Not really." Cole shrugged returning back to his airplane model that was now starting to look like an airplane and not a submarine, "can I have a glass of city juice though?"

"Can you just say water, Cole?" Jackie groaned as she pulled a cup from the cabinet.

     Jackie sighed to herself, shrugged her shoulders, and sat down at the table to eat her breakfast all alone.

     Finally, Mama and Father came down about a half an hour later. Mama was wearing her mint green crocus 'Ava' Tea Dress. This was not any ordinary dress, it was one in which she wore in special circumstances. Clearly, the children had received the memo, and it made them both quite anxious.

After a few minutes had passed,  Father came down the stairs in an extremely formal outfit. As father made his way towards his family, a sad frown came upon Mama's face which made Jackie confused.

     "Mama, what is wrong?" Jackie inquired, looking worried for her mother.

She glanced over at her father than back at Mama.

     Mama and father whispered for a bit then father finally called Cole over to sit at the table with them.

     "Alright children, your mother and sister have been meaning to tell you both something for a while now," He paused, creating a cloud of suspense to hang over their heads, "Jackie, Cole. . . I have been chosen to be in this war. I was drafted somewhere in Eastern Poland." Father declared breaking the silence between the family.

      It became so silent again that you could hear the most petite pin drop onto the floor.

     "No, no, b-but father!" Cole stuttered as he dropped his model airplane which made an ear-piercing crash.

Jackie's eyes widened in complete and utter astonishment that Cole had not been phased by the fact that he had just dropped his precious new toy onto the ground.

     In contrary, Cole glanced down moments after, sighing in relief that it had luckily remained in one full piece.

     Jackie's eyes swelled up immediately as she thought about this.

     My father was chosen to be a soldier?

     She thought as her pulse began to race rapidly. Depressing and terrifying thoughts were beginning to enter her mind.
 
     "Father, how could you just be chosen?" Jackie questioned.

     "Jackie, my dear, there is this strategy called the selective service system. In the system, you have a number related to your birthday. Along with your birthday comes a number, which is how you are picked. For example, I am number three, which means that I will be drafted immediately into war. For others, they could be in the 300s, which means they will be drafted sometime in the future."

     Jackie nodded in acknowledgment as she absorbed her father's words. After a few moments of thinking, she turned to him again with disappointment in her eyes.

     "Father, why do you have to go?" Jackie asked trying to fight back tears and sound confident in this tough situation.

     "Jackie, it is truly just for the best. . ." Father convinced as he got up the put his large and firm hand on her shoulder," Poland needs me. Just remember I am doing this for you and everyone else here in Poland."

     Jackie locked eyes with her father, a sad expression spread across her face. Jackie continued looking at the two of them, Mama then Father and then back again.

     She let out a sad sigh and stood up. She nonchalantly brushed her dress and pushed in her chair, preparing to head upstairs.

Once she had made it past the barrier that blocked anyone's view from the kitchen to the staircase, the tears that were once being held back, were released. She trampled up the staircase, uncontrollable tears rolling down her rosy cheeks. Eventually, she made it up to her room. Jackie yanked off her shoes and her stockings and threw herself onto her bed.

     "Why does it have to be my father? It could have been anyone else's father instead of mine!" Jackie wailed into her pillow as she slammed her fists against the side of her mattress,"why?" she squeaked, the last bit of despair spat out.

Little did Jackie know that she had just cried herself to sleep.

###

     Jackie, Cole and Mama were silent and disappointed for the whole rest of the afternoon. Jackie was dumbfounded that she had managed to cry herself to sleep. She had never done that before, nor did she have the desire to do so.

The evening continued and before the Cluglsglots knew, Father would be on his way in less than an hour. He began to pack all of his things and then began waiting for General Walter to come and pick him up.

     Jackie slyly opened her door, praying that it would not creak. Fortunately, her prayer had been answered. She slipped her stockings and shoes back on and made her way across the hallway.

Her heart leaped at the sight of her parent's bedroom door opened. She glanced every direction to make sure nobody was watching. Continuing to be as stealthy as she could, she grasped ahold of the door and took a deep breath.

    The door creaked a bit, but finally opened enough for her to get a full view of the inside. Everything that was father's was gone and already packed away, probably tucked underneath his clothes. Who knows? They could be anywhere actually.

     Wait, what if he threw them away? What if he hates us and just decided to get rid of them instead? Oh no, I need to check the trash this instant, or else!

    Jackie's mind was full of crazy thoughts bubbling around in her head like a cauldron. She rocketed down the creaky steps and soon ended up in the kitchen.

     Jackie pivoted and looked into the trash, there was nothing that would lead her to think he threw out something valuable to his family relationships. No evidence of broken glass or wooden beams from the frame lay on the trash.

     Jackie let out a sigh of relief as she continued to think about what could have happened to the beloved pictures he once had on his dresser.

     Finally, after a good ten minutes of worrying about the photos, she came to a solid conclusion. Father must have taken the pictures with him, he had to have taken them and packed them away in his suitcase. Jackie laughed and the thought of herself panicking about something so silly.

     Just then, Jackie began to reminisce everything that had occurred in the past with her family. For instance, the picture of baby Jackie and Cole playing in the sand when they visited Venice, Italy. Along with another picture of Cole and Jackie; their faces were covered with a thick layer of Mama's famous pure white frosting. In the background, Aunt Betty was laughing, most likely at one of Uncle Calvin's comical jokes. Which might I add, where not as funny as the Clugsglot's thought they were.

     Even the rock from the creek that Jackie and her dad had found together. . . he probably took that too. Jackie's heart leapt in realization when she remembered that he would never ever forget Jackie, Mama or Cole.

     Then, the doorbell rang, the loud ding echoing throughout the house. Jackie stopped in her tracks. Father was leaving, and there was nothing she could do about it.