Chapter 8

I walked into my parents’ home as my Dad held open the door.

“Mom came over and gave me a kiss and a hug, Then Dad followed her with the hug and slap on my back.

“It’s good to see you, Thomas,” Mom said.

“How are Lilly and the girls?” Dad asked.

“Can we go sit down for a minute?” I asked.

“Why?” my mother questioned.

“Because I have to talk to you both, and I want us all sitting down.”

“No. Tell me what’s wrong now.” Dad came over and stood beside her placing her arm around her waist.

“What’s happening Thomas?” He asked.

“A semi-truck ran a red light and hit the minivan Lilly was driving and all three of them were killed. I was working as the reserve deputy sheriff, and they called me in and told me.”

My mother fell into my dad “When did it happen?”

“A while ago” I replied knowing that the shit was going to hit the proverbial fan now. Mom was an even-tempered woman until she felt she was slighted, and this was more than just a slight in her mind and likely Dad’s too.

“When is the funeral?’ she asked.

“I had them cremated and dumped their ashes into the ocean a week afterward.”

“YOU DIDN’T TELL US!” she screamed at me.

“No, I didn’t tell you.”

She pulled away from Dad then and she reared her hand back and slapped my face hard enough to likely loosen some teeth and no doubt hurt her hand. “HOW COULD YOU DO THAT?”

I looked through tearing eyes from the emotional and physical pain. “Can we sit down now, or do you want to hit me again? You want shot to Dad?”

“Let’s sit down mama.” Dad helped her to the sofa, and I sat across from them in the chair. He went and got a box of tissues and came back.

“Why didn’t you call us, Thomas?”

“I was teetering, they took my weapon from me at the station when they told me. Katie took my backup from the house and the keys to unlock the trigger lock. She spent the days and nights with me until I came here today.”

“But why?” Mom asked as she started to cry.

“Because if you had come, I would have joined them.”

“What?”

“The emotions you are having right now would have set me off and I would have found a way to join them. I never saw them after the accident and had them cremated and dropped them from my hands into the ocean.” I just sat and shut up reliving the Station, being at Katie’s and all that happened after that. I don’t know how long I was out doing that I felt my father’s hand on my shoulder at some point as she shook it. My mother had gone from the room.