Kaliq Rain: Chapter 13

“DAAAAAADDDYYYY!”

It was just one of those days. Those days where you can’t catch a break. First I had my little trouble-maker and his friend doing everything in their power to torture Cait, who at this second was screaming her lungs out. And just when I got the twins down for their nap.

Down the hall, more screams. Cait had woken Pear and Penny up. Dammit!

“Daddy!” Cait screamed down the hall again, her voice was barely heard over the twins together.

I just need a drink. Yup, one powerful drink. Instead I screamed my frustrations right there in the hallway. Of course this had to be the day of all days Riddle had to take that interview with Ellen.

Cait stayed home from school, feigning sickness. Riddle and I knew it was both a lie, but she acted so well. Now, I was betting she was wanting to be at school with Jamie and Carter doing whatever it was that they were doing.

I went to Cait’s room first, since there was no point in putting the twins back to bed with Cait screaming the way she was. I walked in and found the room a mess. The boys destroying her toys, and Cait was at her limit with them. I looked at Cait and said, “Go get your Uncle Casey.” She ran out of her room, leaving me with the two little devils that have tormented her since they were born.

“Okay, monsters, time to leave Caitlin alone.”

“But we pwaying!” Jamie screamed.

I grabbed both their hands and walked them towards Jamie’s room that he now shared with Charlie (when the kid was here visiting). It turned out he was visiting this weekend. “Charlie can you watch the two boys while I check on the twins?”

“Do I have to?”

“Please? They’re torturing Cait, and I need a break. Just give me this, please.”

“Fine! But if they shit in their diapers I’m not changing them.”

“They don’t wear diapers, and don’t say shit. They’re four. I don’t need them copying your language.”

“Shit!” Jamie said.

I rolled my eyes and Charlie laughed, “Thanks kid, if Riddle hears that, I am blaming you.”

“Shit, shit, shit!” Jamie said again. Charlie just busted in a fit of laughter. Carter decided he wanted to be apart of Jamie’s triumphant swearing rant and started to say shit himself. Fuck me, this is going to be a long day.

“Boys!” I yelled, “That’s a no-no. We don’t say that word.”

“Shit.” Jamie said, just to prove to me he can.

“Jamie,” I said kneeling down to him, “that’s a grown-up word. You’re not to use it, understand. You say it again, its time-out.”

Carter and Jamie looked at each other and said, “shit.”

“Ah crap! Thanks Kal.” I heard Casey say behind me. Fuck me.

“Cwap!” Jamie and Carter both said.

“Thanks Case.” I said in the same exaggerated tone he used. “Just when I thought one word was enough.” Charlie was doubled over in pain he was laughing so hard. “Charlie! Stop that, or I’m gonna tell ma what you’re teaching her grandson!” That sobered him up just nicely.

I looked over to Casey, trying to ignore both boys saying shit and crap over and over again. “What are we gonna do now?”

Casey shrugged, “I don’t know. We could try separating them again and talk to them.”

“I need to get the twins.” I listened for a bit, but surprisingly I didn’t hear them screaming anymore.

“I took care of it. Just took a little bit of belly rubbing and they were out like a light.” Casey informed me. “You take Jamie and I get Carter.”

“No sh-er-really?” I laughed. I picked up Jamie and walked him to my room where we were going to have a big-boy talk. I sat him on the bed and looked down at him. He was just laughing and playing with his feet – already forgetting his new words. “Jamie, I’m going to have to put you in time-out.”

“Wha? Why daddy?”

“Because, you’re using bad words. Grown-up words. I need you to know you can’t use them. Okay.”

Jamie started to pout. “But I good boy.”

I laughed, “Jamie, you destroyed your sister’s things and you said bad words when daddy said not to, that’s not what good boy’s do.” And just like that I had a tantrum on my hands with Jamie crying and screaming. “You’re gonna have to sit here for four minutes and think about what I said.”

As I closed the door I could hear Jamie screaming for me. It was heart wrenching, but it needed to be done.

Just as I got out to the hallway, my phone went off. “Hello?”

“Isaac? It’s, uh, Ben. Riddle isn’t around by any chance? I’ve been trying to call her all afternoon.”

“Nope she’s being interviewed by Ellen today. Why, what’s up?”

“Crap.” He sounded bad, confused, frustrated, just bad. “Maybe it’s good I tell you. I just got a call from the hospital a few hours ago. It seems after this morning’s visit with Beck, that Story couldn’t take it anymore. She committed suicide.”

“What!” I screamed and felt my knees buckle. Story was. . . .dead? “Oh my, I am so sorry Ben. How-how-how did it happen?”

Ben sniffled, “Well I took Beckett over to meet her today. He’d been begging to meet her. He knows about her, always has. I even made sure he understood about his mom’s condition and how what she says aren’t actually lies, but more that her brain alters her memories so most of what she says she believes. Beckett knows his Aunt Riddle is alive and well, but I made sure that he knew his mother believed otherwise.

“It must have been too much. I don’t know. I thought. . . I thought I was doing the right thing for both of them. She was really happy to see Beckett and me. She even kissed me. But. . . I just. . . I don’t know. Sometime after we left she must have snapped. They found her about twenty minutes later, dead. She slashed her wrists, Isaac!” Ben started to sob hard over the phone.

“Ben, it’s okay man. What do you need? You know Riddle and I are hear for you.”

“I know. I don’t know what I need. Anya and Coke are on their way now. I just, I don’t know what I need. For ten years I’ve been trapped here being with her and loving her. I’ve been serving this country, and the police force after, just so she can have the best care available. Now, I dunno. I am so lost, man.”

“I know. Just let it out, Ben. Let it all out.”

“Tell Riddle for me, just don’t tell her how. She doesn’t need to know.”

“Trust me, I won’t be telling her that much. Look, Ben, I’ll send Riddle on a plane tomorrow. She’ll be there for you like you’ve always been there for her. Just stay calm, okay man. You’ll pull through this. We all will.”

“Thanks man. I owe you.”

“Nonsense. We’re family, brother.”

After hanging up with Ben I let Jamie out of my room and headed downstairs for the computer. I searched online for the earliest flight to Fort Sims and booked it for Riddle.

Riddle came home laughing and happy and it tore me up to see her. I was about to ruin her good mood. When will I see her smile again? I thought. She just looked happy, and I hated for what I had to do. I told ma and dad soon after I got the plane tickets. They made sure they would watch all the kids while I talked to Riddle.

“Hey baby!” she yelled and pulled me into a kiss. She must have notice that I wasn’t too involved with the kiss, because she pulled off of me and looked at me. “What’s wrong?”

“Riddle, sit down. I need to tell you something, and I need you sitting.”

“Why? What’s going on Kal?”

“Riddler, please. Sit.”

She did. “You’re scaring me, Kaliq.”

“Riddle, something bad happened today.” I said as I sat next to her. “Riddle, Ben called me today. I don’t know the best way to tell you this, but I have to. Riddler, baby, Story passed away this morning. I am so sorry.” Riddle stared at me in shock. “I am really sorry, Riddler.”

The flood gates opened as it sank in. I pulled Riddle into my arms and just held onto her. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t fight me. She didn’t argue and say that it wasn’t true. She just broke down into my arms and cried uncontrollably.

I held her tight and drew circles on her back until she stopped. She looked at me and her cheeks were stained with tears. “She’s finally at peace.”

“Yea, finally at peace. I’m so sorry.”

Riddle nodded, “I knew. Deep down this morning I knew. I just didn’t want to admit that it was true. I need to call Ben. And mom. And dad.”

“I’ve taken care of it. I got you a flight out tonight at midnight. Coke said he’d pick you up. They’re on a plane now Riddler. I had to act fast.”

“Thank you.”

“Only for you, Riddler.”

---

 

The door slammed on me again. Story had been gone almost an entire year, and Riddle was mourning her loss the only way she knew how, by lashing out. We’d been fighting on and off since she got back from Story’s funeral. Most of the fights were over frivolous things. Often we both laughed at how ridiculous we sounded arguing about soap or who’s turn it was to do the dishes. She’d apologize, and I would hold her, telling her it was okay, because it was. I knew it was hard for her, and I just wanted to be there for her.

However, tonight’s fight wasn’t frivolous, tonight’s fight started when I told her I had to go out of town for a book tour, and she didn’t want me to go. I slammed my fist at the door, “Riddle, dammit! Let me in!”

“Go away, Kaliq!”

“No. We’re gonna talk about this for crying out loud!”

“Daddy?” I heard Jamie asked from his doorway across the hall. He looked sleepy, and I felt guilty for waking my five year old up. “Daddy, what’s going on?”

I walked over to him and walked him back into his room, “Nothing, sport. Mommy and daddy are just talking really loud. Go back to bed, kiddo.” I tucked him back into bed and kissed him. “I love you.”

“Love you too, daddy.” I headed back out of the room, and his voice stopped me. “Daddy will I like school?”

I sat down next to my nervous little boy, “You are going to love it, Jamie. You and Carter are going to be classmates and have so much fun. Your going to be the big boy on campus, and you know why?” He shook his head, “Because you’re not going to let anyone tease you, and you’re going to befriend those that get teased. Because you and Carter are going to be the kids everyone loves.”

“You’re silly, daddy. I love you.”

“Love you too, now go to bed.”

I closed the door and went back to my bedroom. Outside the door was a blanket and a my pillow, with Brewster lying on top. “Brewster, shoo. Go on, go back to your own bed.” It only took me a second after he left the irony of the situation Brewster made, he had made a home in my bedding as I was being put into the proverbial dog house. I picked up the pillow and blanket and made my way downstairs. It was going to be a long night.

I walked down only to see the lights out back on. Dad was sitting at the bar nursing a glass, the vodka bottle sat within reach. “So, I take it that Riddle doesn’t want you to do this book tour?” His words were slurred.

I shook my head. Riddle had been adamant that she didn’t want me gone for so long. I understood, sort of. I’d be gone for about six months going all over the world. This was huge for me. I just finished the last of the Delta Nine series with the biography called, Delta Nine, the real Spy. Dad and I had worked on it for over a year, and now I can’t even get the praised that I deserve!

“Well, she’s not the only one that doesn’t want us to go.”

I winced, “Ma didn’t take to you exposing yourself like that?”

“Nope. She’s afraid I’d jump the wagon, or that I’d meet up with some old friends who want me dead.” Dad sipped his martini, “She’s wrong about one thing, I won’t be jumping off the wagon, when there’s no wagon to jump off.”

I felt bad. Dad had been doing good not drinking with a bar full of liquor. He probably was up at about five years without a sip? I’m not sure. What I do know is that even at sixty dad fought his demons the only way he knew how, with a vodka martini – shaken not stirred.

“Did Riddle give you a reason not to do this book tour?”

“The kids. She doesn’t want me to be gone away from them for so long.”

Dad nodded, “See that I understand. Now, your mother – I don’t. She thinks now that I’ve hit old-man status, that I am somehow fragile, or less strong, or whatever. I’m still me. Still the same tough son-of-a-bitch, and that’s a literal translation.” He winked.

“Ma’s going to kill you, seeing you here with a martini. You’ve been dried for five years dad.”

Dad laughed, “If only. I’ve snuck a drink here and there since I’ve moved in. Remember, Kaliq, I’m a spy. I know how to make my presence hidden.”

Dad and I drank the rest of our drinks in silence. He seemed to lose himself in thought. I found myself thinking about the book tour and what it would mean to go on one. I never have, and I so wanted to. Riddle spent months at a time away on set every so often filming a movie or two, so I didn’t grasp the double-standard. That’s what made her lash out when we started to argue. She thought my argument was saying that I despised her as an actress, when really that’s not what I meant at all.

I finished my beer and walked back into the house, saying goodbye to my dad as I left. Sleep took me once I put my drunken head on the couch.

In the morning I felt a lick to the face. “Mmmm, Riddler, that feels nice.” More licking. When did Riddle’s tongue get so big? I opened my mouth and let her explore, and when I opened my eyes, I freaked and shot off the couch. GROSS! It was Brewster. “Dammit, Brewster, that is so gross.”

I heard laughter from the kitchen and looked to see Riddle smiling, “Morning.”

“You let him lick me like that?”

“Ooh aren’t we in a mood today.”

“You would be too, if you’re wife kicked you to the sofa for no fucking reason.” I glared.

“I had my reasons, Kal.”

“Bullshit.” I stood. We were going to finish this now. “Dammit, Riddle. All I am asking is a few months. This is important to me. How is it, that I can let you go all over the world to film a movie, yet I asked for one thing and it seems I’m asking for the world that you can’t give.”

“Maybe, because, its different. Maybe I don’t want you to go and leave! Maybe I don’t want to lose you!”

I stammered back. Lose me? What the hell did she mean by that? “Riddle, I’m not going anywhere. Why would you think that?”

“Your dad left you! Your grandfather left him! It’s in your blood! And I can’t be alone! I can’t! NOT ANYMORE! First Story, and now if you leave, I’ll be all alone.” Riddle collapsed onto the floor and started to cry. I should have known this was coming. “Please don’t leave me, Kaliq.”

I got down on the ground with her and held her as she continued to cry, “Riddler, I’m never leaving you or the kids, okay? I promise.” I forced her to look at me, “Riddle, look at me, I promise you. I will never ever leave you. I will always be here.”

“She promised.” Riddle cried, “She promised me she and I would always be together.”

“Riddle, she’s been gone for over ten years. Story’s never been the same since the collapse. I know you know this. Think of it this way, she’s with her Riddle now.” I held Riddle close to me, as tight as I could. “Riddle, she’s in a better place. She didn’t leave you, no, she went to be with you.”

Riddle cried for what seemed like forever. Both Cait and Jamie came down for breakfast, and when they saw their mom they looked scared. “She’s okay, she’s just missing Aunt Story. You guys go get grandma to make you breakfast upstairs.” I assured them.

“Is she going to be okay?” Jamie asked. “Did you do something?”

“Everything is fine, Jamie. Please, just go upstairs.” I said in a soft tone. I wasn’t about to answer that second question.

“Mommy?” Cait asked, with concern.

“Just listen to daddy,” Riddle whispered. Both kids looked at me and headed back upstairs. “Kaliq, please don’t go on this trip.”

I looked into Riddle’s eyes, her fear of me leaving was strong. She had good reason, none of the Rains have stuck around much from what I’ve heard. Dad was gone before I was out of diapers, and my grandfather was the same. I’m not sure about my great-grandfather, but I knew I wasn’t going to make the same mistakes. I love my kids more than life, and my love for Riddle grew stronger by the day. If she didn’t want me to go, I wasn’t going.

I kissed her strong and with all my heart. I wanted to show her that I still loved her, and that there was nothing to be afraid of. I whispered onto her lips, “Okay, Riddler, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll call my agent and get him to cancel the tour.”

“Thank you.” She pulled me closer and gave me a deeper kiss. “I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you too, Riddler. Always.” She nodded and we kissed.

Within a month of the date I should have started my book tour, my family got the shock of a lifetime. I was watching the news, sulking a bit, wishing I had gone on the tour. Riddle knew that I wasn’t happy staying, and we hardly talked about it. I started to drink here and there, and I gave up on my writing. What’s the point if I couldn’t be the famous author outside the house like I wanted?

I was watching the news, when I popped out of my stupor and found my eyes going wide. “The actor, Jacob Right, was found in his home today, by friends. The eighty-two year old actor died in his sleep late last night. Jacob made his break when he was in his late twenties. . .” I stared dumbstruck.

“DAD!” I shouted. “Dad, can you come here a second!”

Dad came out of the security room, “What’s up. . . .” I heard his voice trail off as he watched the montage of Jacob Right on screen. “Damn.”

“Didn’t you just talk to him last week?”

“Yeah, he and I were going out to lunch this week to. Damn.”

I looked behind me, dad just looked tense, as if he was holding his emotions all in. I was sure that he would eventually go and drink the entire stock of vodka we have out at the bar, and soon. “You okay?”

“No, but I’ll be fine. He was a good guy, hell of a better man than me.” I tried to disagree, but he wouldn’t have it. “He would never have left his family. He tried getting my old man to see his wrong, and I know he wished I hadn’t followed dad’s footsteps. So, yeah, he was a better man.” Dad let some of his emotions go, “Fuck!”

Dad’s cellphone rang, interrupting his emotional outburst. He quickly went into his professional mode, pushing his emotions to the back of his mind. “Nine Security Systems, where we personalize your safety, this is Parker . . . Yes, I’m Parker Rain. . . Yes, he was my uncle, well, great-uncle. . . Uh-huh. . . I see. . . No, no, that’s fine. . . Thanks.” Dad hung up the phone, “That was Uncle Jake’s lawyer, apparently Jake contacted him after he found out I was alive. Jake changed his will, and this lawyer dude needs to see me come Monday.”

“So, what does that mean?”

Dad shrugged, “I have no idea.”

It turned out that dad was listed as the sole survivor of Jacob Right. Dad had to make arrangements, luckily Hollywood helped with that, and his memorial was paid for as well as the burial. Our family went to the public memorial service, and dad even made a small speech on “the family’s behalf.” He talked about his dad and Uncle Jake mostly and how my grandfather saw Jake more as a brother than an uncle. Dad ended the speech by telling how much he wished he could have been a better man for both men. In my heart I knew he was.

After the funeral and a few months later we received a check from the same lawyer as well as a letter.

Dad read the letter out loud three times. “He knew,” dad choked out. “He knew and tried to protect everyone.”

“He was proud of you,” I tried to comfort. I couldn’t believe my dad was holding a letter from my grandfather after all this time. It gave me the chills. “What’s this money?”

“It’s a trust fund dad started when he left me. My grandpa forced him to do this over the whole child support thing. When I was old enough I was given the money. I bought Hana and I house with some of it. Anyways, my paycheck went to Hana when I left, always did. I kept this trust a secret from SIA, you know, just incase. Dad must have been spooked and closed it, giving the money to Jake. I can’t believe the old man kept the money, and that he put it in a savings bond. It’s worth more than what I had when I left.

“I don’t deserve this money, Kal. You do, your ma does, I don’t.”

“Dad-”

“No, I can’t take this money. I got them killed, Kaliq! Me! I’ll never forgive myself for leaving everyone like I did. I know it was the right thing to do, but I got them killed because of it! No, this money isn’t mine. I forfeited that the day my parents took their last breath.”

“So, what are you going to do with it? Give it away to some charity?”

Dad shook his head as he continued to stare at the check. “No, I’m going to give it to my grandkids. Just like my grandfather started it for me. Dani, Cait, Jamie, Pear, Penny, they all get this money.”

My heart warmed at the sentiment. It wasn’t like we were poor and worried about our children, or anything, but Riddle and I often wondered about our kids well-being when they grew up. This was a lot of money, and dad was giving it to them. “You don’t have to you know, but thank you.”

“I do, though.” Dad signed the check over to me, “Make sure your sister gets a fifth of this, Kaliq. Dani gets some of this too.”

“I promise.”

---

Time went on after that, and I still wallowed in self-pity for not being on that tour. Yet, I shouldn’t have. For me, life couldn’t get much better around the house. The twins were growing up fast, as were the other two.

Pear and Penny drove us all up the walls the moment they learned how to walk. We just couldn’t keep up. They stuck to their grandfather like glue, and poor dad couldn’t keep them away. Despite what he claimed he loved every minute of it.

“Kaliq!” Dad called from his office. I was working on my latest novel, and I was suppose to babysit the twins while everyone else was out. It was just dad and I and the twins. Riddle and ma were at Cait’s dance practice, Jamie was at Carter’s for a sleep-over, Charlie did whatever Charlie did. He wasn’t my responsibility, so I’m not exactly sure what my brother does. So, dad and I were alone in the house with the twins, and dad asked me to watch them for a while. Guess I wasn’t doing such a good job.

I walked in and found Penny climbing on dad, while Pear was banging on his keyboard while standing on dad’s lap. I laughed, “Problem?”

“Please, get him off me,” dad said in a higher voice than normal. I just smiled. “Kal, please.”

I walked over and grabbed Pear, “Come on kiddo, time to give grandpa a break.”

“Puter!” he screamed, and tried to reach dad’s computer from my arms. Penny crawled right into dad’s lap, and he just sighed – ready to give up.

“Penny, you too.”

Penny looked at grandpa with her puppy-eyes, “gwampa?”

“Go with daddy, princess.”

Penny shook her head and glared at me before saying her favorite word, “no.” I put Pear down, who immediately tried to climb back on dad. I grabbed Penny off of dad, dad stood up and scooped up Pear. “Lets get them upstairs, before they cause anymore problems,” dad said. I agreed.

We sat down the kids on the floor of their room and told them to play and to stay inside. They both glared at us. “Maybe you should read them a bedtime story, grandpa.”

Dad sighed, “Is that what you two want? A bedtime story?” They nodded. “Okay, a bedtime story it is. Then both of you have to stay in your cribs until morning. No screaming for daddy or grandpa.”

“Otay,” Pear said, not even bother looking at us.

Dad grabbed a book from their bookcase, and sat them with him. Pear cuddled up against grandpa, while Penny was content to just be in grandpa’s arms. “I’ll meet you downstairs, dad.”

“Kay. . . There’s a monster in here, what should I do?. . .” Dad started as I walked out. The kids loved that children’s story.

Downstairs I was just getting ready to read Coke’s latest book when the phone rang. “Hello?”

“Kaliq, hey, is your dad there?” Scott asked.

“He’s upstairs, kind of busy with the twins. What’s up?”

Scott sighed, “I just got home from the hospital with Sean, mom had a heart attack. She didn’t make it.”

My stomach dropped, everyone was dying it seemed like. “Rose is dead?”

“Afraid so. Kaliq, I know he hates me, but I really had to call and tell him.”

“Yeah, I know.” Just then the door open and Charlie walked in. “Shit.”

“What?” Scott said over the phone, Charlie looked over at me confused.

“Nothing, just Charlie walked in the door.”

“Shit. Look, Kaliq, I’m barely hanging on by a thread. I know none of you were close to mom like me. But you’re gonna have to be there for Charlie until I pick him up. Well, unless your dad drives him for the funeral.”

“Did you want to tell him?” I looked over at Charlie, who was still just staring at me.

“Can you? He was close to her, and I don’t want him to hear it over the phone.”

“Yeah, yeah. I can. Look, take care of yourself, and if you or Sean need anything Scott, let us know.” Scott said goodbye to me and I could just tell he was holding it all in. I looked over at Charlie, “That was your dad.”

“Okay?”

“Charlie, sit.”

“No, no, I’m cool. Just spit it out, Isa.” Charlie shuffled his feet. He knew what was coming and it was hard for me to do this.

“Rose, er, Grandma Rose just had a heart attack. I’m so sorry, Charlie, she didn’t make it.” Charlie looked at me, his eyes were watery. He just nodded. I opened my arms to him and he came right into them and I hugged my brother as he let out his pain. “I’m so sorry, Charlie. I really am.”

A cough behind us, made both of us jump. Charlie and I turned to see dad standing by the stairs. We both just looked at each other. How the hell were we going to tell dad his mother passed away? “You two okay? Charlie?”

Charlie wiped his eyes, “Isa, I. . I can’t.” He ran off upstairs. Great my brother left me to do this all alone!

Dad looked up the stairs, “What the hell was that all about?”

“Dad, we need to talk.” I gestured to the sofa, dad didn’t budge. “Scott just called while you were reading the kids a bedtime story. Dad, Rose passed away tonight.”

Dad’s eye went wide, “What!”

“She had a heart attack, must’ve been quick from what Scott said.”

Dad barely made it to the couch before he collapsed, “I can’t. . . I can’t. .  .Fuck, why the fuck am I crying? The woman wasn’t even a part of my life!” Dad wiped the tear off his cheek. “She never wanted me, she gave me up so my mom could adopt me, and look at me I’m fucking crying!”

“Dad, she was your mom. It has to hurt. It’s killing me inside, just like Charlie. I may have not been close, but the woman was my grandmother.” I gulped and tried to keep my emotions at bay. It wouldn’t be good if both dad and I broke down. “Dad, you have got to know, what she did was out of love.”

He laughed and glared at me. He wasn’t sure what emotion to bring with that statement. “Look, she gave you up for adoption, because you asked for it. Or at least that’s what she told me. You wanted a real mom, she gave you one. She loved you. She may not have wanted to be your mother when she was sixteen, but she did love you. She always talked about her son, Parker, whenever the two of us were together.”

Dad shook his head, “Wish she could have said something to me. Anything! She left me, never cared for me, and now I am fucking mourning her death when I didn’t even cry when I found out about my parents!”

“How did you find out about them?”

“Fucking Fournier.” He cringed, “He had the fucking assassin tape the whole thing. Fournier’s Russian friends that held me in prison, dragged me out and used the video as an interrogation technique. They played it repeatedly. I never backed down, and I never cracked. I watched as dad and mom took a bullet to the head while they were making love, over and over again.”

“Fuck,” I blurted out. “That’s just sick.”

“You telling me,” dad looked over at me. “What’s worse is that when I was finally out of Russia, I went back to Bridgeport and I never even found where they were buried. Never cried, never mourned. I just left for another mission. I only stayed in the city those years just long enough to get my orders.”

“Dad, maybe you should mourn all three of them now. Go back with Charlie to the funeral and mourn them with your family. Hate to break this to you, but you have two brothers that need you.”

Dad nodded, “Thanks Kal. You’re probably right. Look, I’m going for a walk with Brewster and call Scott. Tell Hana where I am.” I nodded and watched dad leave the room, heartbroken. I sat there after he left and broke down myself. Grandma was gone, Story was gone, Jake was gone. I just hoped that no more would leave my side.

---

Author’s Note:

First off, thanks to StyxLady for letting me use her pictures from A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss. as well as a couple of her sims. Also. the children’s book Parker reads to Penny and Pear was a book I wrote for a Children’s Literature class, called There’s a Monster in Here.