Authors Note: I have to give a big thank you to my partner on this story TragicTales!She was a huge help and couldn't have done it without her help!
Denise was in the nursery trying to get a very fussy Molly to sleep when she heard someone knocking on the door making Molly who was almost asleep fussier. Denise sighed and went and opened the door without looking to see who it might be. When she opened the door she almost lost her balance. Two CAO officers were standing at her door. Denise knew already why these men were here and it wasn't good. "C...Can I help you?" she asked, her voice involuntarily breaking already.
The one on the left stepped forward. Denise's mind raced, in a small selfish way she wished it was someone else family member but she knew otherwise. "Ma'am we regret to inform you that your son fell in action." Of course the words didn't go through her head. Again her selfish thoughts said that the news wasn't for her.
Somehow she managed to keep it together enough to talk "Thank you" she said quietly. Even though she wanted to shout at them to get out, that they were lying she knew better. Frank had taught her that no matter what always be a lady with these people.
Yet out of all the times she wasn't lady, for some reason, acting out right now could have been the worst. She knew better, yet she's always known better but now wasn't the time. In the seconds it took her to close the door she thought of the all the things she would never say.
She went back and picked up her baby girl and started sobbing, she couldn't believe Jeremy would never meet his little sister. Meanwhile Frank was on a plane from Afghanistan with his son's casket, all he could think about was his wife, he knew she must be torn to shreds and he wasn't even there to comfort her, it would be a whole day of flying before he got to see her.
It was As if Molly knew her brother died. Molly cried softly then after. She closed her little eyes and tears came as if the just floated down.
Denise cried and held her baby "It's okay Molly, mommy's got you" she said gently rubbing her baby's hair. In a small way Denis held her as if in her mind she was holding herself.
Molly finally closed her little eyes and Denise put her in her crib and went to the living room. She looked at all the pictures of her baby boy and the grief because too much and she snapped, she began grabbing picture frames and throwing them around the room.
The smashed glass awoke Molly. With her little eyes opened wide she watched. Grandma's vase, smashed. Auntie's frame, broken. Cousin Joanne's priceless coffee table from England destroyed.
Denise didn't even hear Molly crying or the front door open. She was still sobbing and throwing everything she could get her hands on. Claudia Joy stood at the door shocked, she had heard about Jeremy and came over to comfort her friend.
Denise now with tears in her face stared at Claudia Joy. Neither moved or did anything for a good ten seconds. That in Claudia Joy's mind was endless.
"Denise I'm so sorry" Claudia Joy said choking up herself. Denise had said that very same line to may army wives in her lifetime but never in her life did it sound as pathetic as it did now,
"I'm sorry won't do anything" she said so calmly it sent chills up Claudia Joy's spine.
Claudia Joy stood still not saying anything for a moment but finally spoke "I know it won't" she said "Have you heard from Frank?"
"Yes, in last two minutes of getting the news he called. OF COURSE NOT!" Claudia Joy knew that kind of painful anger all too well.
She didn't know what else to do so instead of speaking she simply went and hugged the grieving mother. Denise fell into her arms like a child. She remember once as little girl just being hugged until she stopped crying and somehow the same would happen
Claudia Joy held her and let her cry until she made herself sick then held her hair for her and got her something to ease her stomach. There was nothing worse than losing a child and Claudia Joy knew first-hand what that kind of pain felt like.
Now it's no question that Claudia Joy was like a goddess of class and sophistication and to hold up such standards she cried only softly to herself when her own daughter died. However inside she felt like Denise. Tattered and broke, very much like the house.
"Denise maybe we should try to get a hold of Frank" Claudia Joy suggested, she knew he would be able to help his wife better than she could.
Denise nodded slowly but didn't speak, she felt like she was going to fall over at any moment. She went over to the phone but couldn't dial.
laylabranson27: Claudia Joy helped Denise get to the couch and sit down then took the phone from Denise's shaking hands and tried to reach Frank, but it only went to voicemail.
"I hate them Claudia Joy."
"Who honey?" she asked, already half knowing the answer.
"The bastards who killed my son. I want them dead. I want them all dead. I want that damn country burned to the ground!"
"Denise calm down, I know your upset but that's all you don't mean that" Claudia Joy said trying to calm her.
"I do I do I do!" Denise got up. "Claudia Joy why? Why my son?"
"I wish I knew Denise, I wish I knew what to say to make this all go away" she replied, and she meant it.
"Claudia how do you move on?"
"You don't" she admitted honestly "It gets easier with time but you never truly move on"
Denise walked towards the couch and threw herself on it. Molly cries finally reached Denise's ears
Denise got up quickly and went to her daughter she picked her up and swayed from side to side slowly trying to settle her down.
Claudia Joy went into the kitchen to get Molly a bottle and Denise a cup of coffee
She brought both back and Denise gave her a small smile "Thanks" she said and started feeding Molly who was only whimpering softly now.
"Denise would you like me to stay here tonight?"
"No that's okay I'll be fine" she said, the truth was she just wanted to be left alone.
"Denise, you don't need to be alone in this"
"I said I'm fine" Denise snapped
"Fine. But I will come tomorrow." Claudia Joy said calmly not losing her temper, not once.
"Fine" she said not looking at Claudia Joy, only at her baby girl. Claudia Joy left the house and Denise spent the rest of the night in that chair holding Molly tight wishing more than anything that this was all a bad dream she would soon wake up from.
She got no sleep. In fact she had been sitting there all throughout breakfast and it was almost lunch when she heard the door open
"Dee" she heard her husband's voice, "where are you honey?"
Denise didn't respond. She had come to the conclusion that she wasn't dealing with anyone today
Frank searched the house and finally found her in the nursery with the baby, he could tell she had been up all night "Hey, why didn't you answer me?" he asked gently trying to keep his tone light and not upset her.
Denise said nothing. "I'm here." She said in a whisper so soft he could barely hear
"Come here Dee" he said softly, he wanted nothing more than to hold and comfort his wife.
She fell softly into his chest. He held her tight as she started sobbing again, her knees buckled and she would have hit the floor if it had not been for Frank holding her up.
Frank felt her knees give out and instead of standing there he picked her up and carried her to the couch and sat her down and once again tried to hold her but this time she wouldn't let him "Don't" she said somewhat angrily
"Denise what is wrong with you?" Frank asked shocked that she was acting this way.
"I just lost my son!" Denise nearly shouted. She got up off the couch and started pacing the room "This is your fault you know?!"
Frank didn't even argue the truth was he felt it. He felt the pain. He did want to blame himself and for that weak moment he did.
"Damn it Frank say something!" Denise screamed she didn't know why she was behaving this way toward him, he hadn't done anything to deserve it she was just angry.
"Calm down Denise." He had nothing else to say
Denise stayed silent and looked at him "I let him reenlist" she said after about five minutes of just staring at him.
"Denise it's not your fault. He was ambushed." He said, he knew this would happen, she had regretted giving their son permission to reenlist from day one.
"Frank I gave him permission to go back!" she said tears welling up in her eyes again.
"Denise," he went over towards her and he hugged her. She fell onto his chest
"I can't take this Frank" she said and broke down sobbing.
"Go to sleep Denise, you need to rest"
"I can't" she said "I can't even close my eyes without hearing Jeremy screaming for me to help him."
"He died in action quickly" he said hoping to ease her pain and fears.
"Doesn't matter how he died, still doesn't make it hurt any less" she said and pulled away from him and walked into the bedroom leaving him staring after her.