*I don't know how Craig's mom died, so this is just my best guess. This is before the whole Ashley-Craig-Manny thing.
Craig hated this time of year. He wished somehow, that they could skip from summer straight to winter. Cut out all the autumn months. Cut out all the months filled with pain. Yet every year, they came. And every year, they were horrible.
He was certain that this year would be better. Actually, he was determined for this year to better. And it was, all because of Ashley. She was what was going to make this fall miraculous.
"Joey, I'm going to school!" Craig called down the hall as he handed Angie a piece of toast that popped out of the toaster, "Later Ang," He patted his little sister on the head, and maneuvered his way to the door through all of the toys on the ground.
He walked down the street toward the school. As he walked, he checked his watch to see if he'd have time to walk with Ashley to school. 7:30.* Good, I have enough time to get there, and make it to school without being late.* As he looked back up, he noticed he was at an intersection. He waited for the signal to cross the street, and while he waited, he saw a jeep run a red light, and almost collide with a small green car. Suddenly, the memories came flooding back.
It was 8:30 at night when the phone rang. Craig reached over the back of the tan leather couch to grab the cordless phone behind him, never once taking his eyes off the TV screen.
"Hello?"He answered groggily. Craig waited for a voice on the other end of the phone to reply, but when nothing came, he sat forward and repeated a little louder, "Hello?" Soon sobbing noises were audible on the other end. Craig reached for the TV remote and hit 'mute'.
"Who is this?"By now he was more than a little impatient, and kind of worried.
Finally, a response from the other person, "Craig? Is that you?" Craig racked his brain, trying to match the voice to a person. But the voice was so sad, it was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
He finally gave in, and answered the caller, "Yes, this is Craig. May I ask who is calling?"
Craig waited for the voice's name, but was completely shocked and mortified when instead came the words, "Craig, your mom has been in a serious accident."
Craig's eyes widened, and he finally matched the person to the voice, "Joey? Joey is that you? What do you mean she's been in a serious accident? Joey what happened? Is she hurt?"
It was so much for his twelve-year-old mind to take in, that he was alleviated when he heard Joey say, "No, she's not in any pain."
He let a sigh of relief, when all of a sudden, it hit him like a speeding bullet to the heart, "Joey, if she's not in any pain, then why are you crying?"His voice was very firm.
"Craig, is your dad at home with you?"Joey pleaded more than asked.
"No, he's at the hospital. Joey, I want to know NOW! Why are you crying if she's not hurt?! Is she. . .is she. . ."he couldn't even finish the sentence. But by the increase of sobs from Joey, he could tell that his worst fear had come true. His mother was dead, and there wasn't a thing he could do about it.
Craig hated this time of year. He wished somehow, that they could skip from summer straight to winter. Cut out all the autumn months. Cut out all the months filled with pain. Yet every year, they came. And every year, they were horrible.
He was certain that this year would be better. Actually, he was determined for this year to better. And it was, all because of Ashley. She was what was going to make this fall miraculous.
"Joey, I'm going to school!" Craig called down the hall as he handed Angie a piece of toast that popped out of the toaster, "Later Ang," He patted his little sister on the head, and maneuvered his way to the door through all of the toys on the ground.
He walked down the street toward the school. As he walked, he checked his watch to see if he'd have time to walk with Ashley to school. 7:30.* Good, I have enough time to get there, and make it to school without being late.* As he looked back up, he noticed he was at an intersection. He waited for the signal to cross the street, and while he waited, he saw a jeep run a red light, and almost collide with a small green car. Suddenly, the memories came flooding back.
It was 8:30 at night when the phone rang. Craig reached over the back of the tan leather couch to grab the cordless phone behind him, never once taking his eyes off the TV screen.
"Hello?"He answered groggily. Craig waited for a voice on the other end of the phone to reply, but when nothing came, he sat forward and repeated a little louder, "Hello?" Soon sobbing noises were audible on the other end. Craig reached for the TV remote and hit 'mute'.
"Who is this?"By now he was more than a little impatient, and kind of worried.
Finally, a response from the other person, "Craig? Is that you?" Craig racked his brain, trying to match the voice to a person. But the voice was so sad, it was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
He finally gave in, and answered the caller, "Yes, this is Craig. May I ask who is calling?"
Craig waited for the voice's name, but was completely shocked and mortified when instead came the words, "Craig, your mom has been in a serious accident."
Craig's eyes widened, and he finally matched the person to the voice, "Joey? Joey is that you? What do you mean she's been in a serious accident? Joey what happened? Is she hurt?"
It was so much for his twelve-year-old mind to take in, that he was alleviated when he heard Joey say, "No, she's not in any pain."
He let a sigh of relief, when all of a sudden, it hit him like a speeding bullet to the heart, "Joey, if she's not in any pain, then why are you crying?"His voice was very firm.
"Craig, is your dad at home with you?"Joey pleaded more than asked.
"No, he's at the hospital. Joey, I want to know NOW! Why are you crying if she's not hurt?! Is she. . .is she. . ."he couldn't even finish the sentence. But by the increase of sobs from Joey, he could tell that his worst fear had come true. His mother was dead, and there wasn't a thing he could do about it.