Chapter 34

A horrible tragedy unfolds against my first love, and Liz saves the day.

While Ruth fussed around the kitchen, there was a knock on the front door, and Ruth excused herself and answered the door. Lissa and I were still eating when I heard someone crying. Picking Lissa up, I went down the hallway, and I could see a Marine officer and a Navy pastor, their hats under their arms.

“Oh no. Please, no, not Jason,” I cried before rushing to comfort Ruth, carrying her daughter in my arms. Ruth was the one I heard sobbing, and she was holding a piece of paper in one hand when I wrapped my right arm around her.

“Ruth! What happened? Is it Jason?” I looked at the two officers, looking very uncomfortable, standing by the front door.

The Marine officer held his hand out and introduced himself, “I’m Major Winters, and this is Commander Croft, and we’re stationed at Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia. Are you related to Mrs. Carter?”

“Related by blood, no, but we’re best friends, and in times of need, we help each other the best we can.”

Ruth took Lissa from my arms and wandered down the hall toward the kitchen.

“Major, can you tell me what happened?”

He glanced at Cmdr. Croft, who nodded, and the Major mechanically stated, “I just informed Mrs. Carter that her husband, 1st Lieut. Jason Carter, USMC, died last night when the aircraft...” And I drifted away, only hearing bits and pieces about the accident.

“ ... engine flameout ... couldn’t restart ... inverted spin ... aircraft recovery ... body ... notified.”

I turned and staggered away toward the kitchen. I wrapped both arms around Ruth and Lissa and began to cry. How long we stayed this way, I couldn’t tell you. The two officers must have let themselves out because we didn’t see them again. When we stopped crying enough to talk, I picked up Ruth’s phone and asked her, “Can you open your phone so I can call your mother?”

She used her thumbprint; I found Anna’s contact page and made the call.

“Hello Ruth, how’s my beautiful little granddaughter?”

“Anna, this is Marty. I had a problem, and I came to see Ruth, but something happened to Jason. Ruth needs you, Lissa needs you, cuz I shouldn’t be here. Please come help.”

“Oh my God. I’ll be right over.”

Anna came over, and I remember we ate something, and I tried to leave, but Ruth wouldn’t let go of my arm and begged me to stay. So after agreeing, I called Liz.

“Oh, Marty, please come home. I am so sorry for the way I acted. Please come home so we can talk.” Evil Liz must be gone.

“Liz, I’m at Ruth’s house, and she needs, um, shit.”

“Marty, what’s wrong?”

“Jason, her husband Jason, plane crash, dead.”

“Marty, where does she live? What’s her address?”

“Charlotte, that’s right, she lives in Charlotte, in a house with Jason and Lissa, their little girl.”

Anna took the phone out of my hand and walked into the living room, talking to Liz, with Ruth behind her, carrying Lissa. I sat down on the kitchen floor with my back against the wall, knees pulled up, my arms lying on top, and my head resting on my arms.

My mind was spinning as I thought, ‘Is someone or something keeping track of me? Why was I here right before they came to notify Ruth of her husband’s death? Did a higher power make Liz temporarily brain-dead, resulting in me getting pissed off and running to see Ruth? Do I even believe in human evolution anymore?’ I was still sitting on the floor, weeping and trying to figure out what happened, when Liz wrapped me up in her arms.

I think someone gave me a pill because I slept all night and woke up with Liz in a strange bed. Liz was awake, staring at me, and when I opened my eyes, she began apologizing, “Marty, please forgive me. I’m so sorry...”

“Stop, Liz, we can’t do this now. Ruth needs our support, and I need your help to keep me from diving into the deep end of an empty pool. I’m scared and confused, so before we can save our marriage, you need to help me save Ruth.”