AUthors note : In memory of my grandma that died the 1st of August 2001, her birthday was the 18th.
But joy got quickly turned to sorrow when Calleigh's father died on the 1st of August. It was a sunny day and Calleigh were actually having the headache of a lifetime when her father called her to hear how his girl was doing. He had been ever so attentive after she had gotten pregnant. He also had also started to drink less or at least after what she knew.
It was around one when he called, she didn't see the caller ID so she simply answered, "Duquesne."
"Hey lamb-chop, how are you feeling?" he asked her.
"Uhm not to good to be honest, I'm having a terrible headache, but I can not take anything because of the little one," she answered.
"You sure you couldn't even take something mildly?" he asked not liking the thought of her being in pain as she sounded very ill.
"The doctor said I could, but it's not worth the risk," she answered with a sigh.
"Why don't you got home and try to rest for a little while and I'll come over to check on you later," he suggested.
"I would, only I really do not have time and I don't want to drive when I'm feeling like this," she said.
"I understand, and Horatio?" he asked. Snuck instead of sneak
"Out in the field, I'll just lay down in the break room until he gets back," she said.
"You sure I shouldn't have anyone come and get you, I mean I would, but I'm supposed to be in court," he said.
"No, no, I'm fine," she assured him before they said their goodbyes and hung up and she headed for the break room.
A couple of hours later she woke up feeling a little better, but still not great when she got another call, this time from her big brother Dave, she answered, but could quickly hear that something was wrong and asked, "Dave, what's the matter."
"Its dad, he's in the hospital," said Dave in a serious tone.
"Oh my Gosh, is he OK?" she asked on alert.
"Calleigh it's not good," said Dave.
"Dave, please tell me he's OK," she practically begged, her voice was shivering.
"I'm sorry, but I can't," he said.
"What, what happened?" she stuttered, terrified, trying to hold on to a little glimmer of hope.
"He got in the car under the influence and ran off the road, by the time anyone found him it was too late," Dave tried to explain as calm as possible.
"When?" she asked.
"About an hour ago," he said.
"But, but, I talked to him like two hours ago and he sounded fine, in fact…., are you sure he's…" She stopped thinking about what could have happened if she was in the car, still hoping.
"I'm sorry Babygirl," he said with a heavy sigh as the phone dropped out of her hand getting the aspect of what he was saying. Her father, he was gone and she had done nothing from preventing it from happening. If he had come there to pick her up instead of going into court she could have.
"Calleigh, what is wrong?" She head Horatio ask behind her as he had seen the phone drop and her face turn white as snow.
"Its daddy, he, he, he…." He voice shivered and as she started sinking he caught her, she didn't need to say more as he could already grasp it.
"Sweetheart, I am so sorry," he said holding her, now both on their knees on the floor.
"I didn't even get to say goodbye," she whimpered sadly feeling the little one moving restlessly inside her as she always did when her mother was upset.
Horatio didn't quite know what to say, so he found it best to stay quiet, just stroking his girlfriends back ever so gently.
"Please drive me to him, I need to…." She whispered tears slowly falling from her eyes.
"Of course sweetheart," he said and helped her up and in the direction of the car.
It was the 18th of August and Horatio and Calleigh were standing on Kenwall's grave remembering him on his birthday. It had been seventeen days since his death, fewer since his funeral, probably the hardest thing that Calleigh ever had to do.
Her whole family was there with them, Horatio by her side, gently holding her hand in his. They had walked in and seen him in his coffin before sitting down next to her mother and brothers. Horatio throughout the funeral looked at her, she was sitting there looking straight ahead looking at the minister, softly sobbing, yet she hadn't shed a tear.
She slowly walked up to say a few words, her belly that now was bigger showed quite a lot. Her hand was resting on it as she said, "Dear daddy, how could you leave us behind like that when I know you wanted to be here. I know you tried to change and you almost succeeded on it. What made you get behind that wheel when you should have known better? You were a good man, a great lawyer, and a great father that thought me most of what I know and I will always be grateful for that. I will cherish the good memories of you in the future for the time we had together. My only sorrow is that you never got to see your granddaughter, what is she going to do without you. Who is going to teach her what you thought me. I'm going to miss you and daddy; you will always be in my heart."
After saying these words she sat down besides her handsome holding his hand hardly as they heard the minister say the rest of what he had to say before they carried out the coffin.
Calleigh watched her brothers, Horatio, Jake and Ryan as they coffin slowly walked outside.
She had followed along with her mother and brother to the place where the coffin was lowered down in the ground. Silently the young blonde had watched it, feeling the little life moving a little inside her. Never before had she felt so in one with life and death at the same time. Never before had she felt so sad and still been able to feel joy deep inside her. It was a mix of emotions.
Her brother Dave looked over at his sister, she looked so extremely sad, yet she didn't cry, beside her was her boyfriend, her protector and inside her new life. Spite the situation he couldn't help but smile a little of her.
The wind slowly blew through her hair and made her shiver a little as she looked over at Dave, he was smiling at her, but only for a second, his cheeks grimy and his eyes filled with sadness like her own. She silently gave him a tiny smile before heading towards where the reception was held along with them.
Now thinking back Calleigh knew couldn't hold her tears back, she wished she had cried for her father a couple of weeks back, but she couldn't. Now she couldn't held it back any longer and let her tears flow, sinking down to the ground in front of the grave. Horatio sat down next to her, gently putting a hand on her shoulder so she turned to crawl into his arms letting him hold her as she continued to cry.
Feedback always welcome and very much appriciated :o)
