Chapter 14

I woke up tangled on the couch with my sister and mom. I quickly recalled the night before and almost got sick. I couldn't believe it. My dad was gone. He would never return back from Kansas alive and well, only dead.

I stumbled to the bathroom. Careful not to wake my sister or mom and looked in the mirror. I looked terrible. My face was tear streaked and my hair was all messy. I was still in my clothes from the night before and they were all wrinkled and looked out of place.

I splashed some water on my face and brushed through my hair with my fingers. I still looked tired and upset, but I was cleaned up. I didn't care what I looked like based on the events that just took place.

I snuck into the backyard and climbed up the tree. I just sat and held back the tears that threatened my eyes once more.

I sat like that for a few more minutes and realized my mom and sister didn't know where I was and they were probably scared of me running out again like last night.

I hopped off the tree and trudged my way back into the house. I peeked into the living room and saw my mom and sister still asleep on the couch. I noticed their faces were just as tear stained as mine was and the sight made the tears stuck behind my eyes push even harder to escape.

I pinched myself and went into the kitchen. The least I could do for my mom was make her and my sister breakfast. I found some eggs and cooked them. I didn't feel like doing special orders and only did scrambled. I was positive they wouldn't complain.

I just finished the eggs when I heard shuffling don he living room. My mom came into the kitchen and gave me a slight smile.

"Morning mom." I mumbled and looked down at my plate.

"Morning sweetie. How you feeling?" She asked quietly.

"It hurts. What's the plan for today." I said and felt the tears burn my eyes again.

"I have to identify his, uh, body and then arrange the service." She said after a minute.

I felt myself chew on the bottom of my lip. I do stuff like that when I get nervous.

"I know it's hard baby, but it will get better." She said confidently.

"Are... Are we staying here?" I asked finally.

"What do you mean?" She asked and walked over to me at the table

"I mean. We moved here for his job and now his job..." I choked and couldn't continue.

"We have to stay here. The money will be tighter then ever now and their is more job choices for me here then Kansas." My mom said and rubbed my back.

"You're... Getting a job now?" I asked even though I knew she would have to.

"Yes baby, I am." She replied.

We sat in silence after that and she got some eggs to eat. Elizabeth walked in and joined our silent breakfast.

I volunteered to wash the dishes, mostly because I didn't want to have nothing to do. I didn't want to have time to think about everything.

My mom got dressed and was going to sort everything out with my dad.

"Come here girls. I'm going into town for a little bit. Please stay here and stay safe." She said. I knew she didn't want to leave us, but she didn't want us coming either.

"Bye mom, love you." Elizabeth and I said in unison and hugged my mom. She plopped kisses on our heads and left the house with one final look at us.

My sister immediately grabbed her coat and slipped on her shoes.

"Where are you going? Mom said to stay here." I asked quickly.

"I have to go find a job." She said and I knew she sounded slightly disgusted by the words she just said.

"But can't you wait a little while?" I asked, not wanting to be alone.

"No, I saw a help wanted sign at this restaurant the other day and I need to get the chance to apply as soon as possible." She explained.

"I should be back before mom." She added and left with a wave.

Dumbfounded and gave her a small wave goodbye back back. The door slammed and I was all alone again.

My mind quickly blinked in realization and I had a mini heart attack.

"Stan! Stand come here boy!" I called.

I hadn't seen Stan since yesterday and I was surprised because usually he was always by us.

When Stan didn't come I got even more worried.

"Stan?" I questioned and went down the hall towards the bedrooms.

I passed my parents room and did a double take. On my parents bed was Stan and he looked sad.

"Hey buddy. You look how I feel on the inside." I said and sat down the the edge of the bed with him.

He whimpered and buried his head in his paws.

"I know Stan. It's going to be real weird around here without dad huh?" I said and rubbed his head.

I took in my parents room and flinched when I saw my dad nightstand.

I walked over to the nightstand and looked at my dads stuff. He had his cologne, comb, and he had his famous picture of my mom and dad when she was sixteen and my dad was eighteen. My parents were true high school sweethearts.

The tears that had threatened my eyes all morning finally were too stubborn and wasn't given up so I did. I felt my hot tears roll down my face as I slowly picked up the picture of my mom and dad. I slid my hand over the cool glass of the frame and smiled.

I turned the frame over and opened it up. I took out the small picture and read the back.

"Love like this has no end."

A fresh set of tears made their way to my eyes as I read the words my dad wrote about my mom.

I placed the picture back in the frame and set down the frame. Stand moved over to my dads side of the bed and put his head on my lap. I gave him a watery smile and scratched his head and neck.

My dad was gone.

And he wasn't coming back.

/\/\/

Elizabeth did come back before my mom and she said she would here by tomorrow if she got the job at the restaurant.

We decided to make dinner for our mom. She still wasn't back from town, but Elizabeth said it was going to be a day long thing.

All we had were vegetables and some meat so my sister made meatloaf. She was way better at cooking then I would ever be.

We finished dinner and my mom still wasn't there.

"I don't want to eat without mom." I said.

"Me neither. Let's just keep it in he oven to stay warm." Elizabeth said.

I nodded and we waited for my mom. She came home a little while later and looked tired and beaten down. I couldn't have imagined what she had been through today.

"Hi mom." Liz greeted.

"Hello girls." She responded and collapsed at the table.

"We made dinner." I said.

"Thank you very much girls." She said and rubbed her head.

Elizabeth pulled the meatloaf and vegetables out of the oven and set the table.

We ate in silence for a little while and then my mom spoke up.

"Girls, the funeral is going to be Saturday. It's going to be in Tulsa because we don't have the gas money to get us and your father back home." She said slowly and checked our faces for a reaction afterwards.

"You mean he's not going to the cemetery we have everyone else in our family in at home?" I asked.

"I'm sorry. We don't have the money and I know your father would want us to focus on us right now." My mom said and looked into my eyes with her own tearful.

I swallowed and just nodded. I didn't want to upset my mom anymore, but I really would've thought we would send dad back home. It didn't seem far to him that his body gets stuck here in a Tulsa cemetery with no other bodies he knows.

"Tomorrow I'm going to apply for a few simple jobs that will help us get by." My mom said.

"I applied for a small job too." My sister added.

"Thank you sweetie."

I excused myself and washed my dishes. I didn't want to hear this talk anymore. If I stayed I would collapse down and cry again.

I coaxed Stan out of my parents room and into my own. I felt bad for making him move but I needed someone I could talk to and they wouldn't reply.

I put my head on Stan's enormous body and just thought about everything. I didn't want to but I had to.

"It's crazy how people can just leave." I said into the room.

"One minute your having the time of your life and the next you get the worse news of your life."

"Life's a fragile thing I guess."

"Ya. Life's. A. Mystery." I sighed and shut my eyes.