The old truck's tires crunched the gravel beneath. The pathway was long and sullen, which in fact, sounded like Troy's life. Too long and too sullen.

The truck pulled into a parking spot, where the gravel was thick, and the crunching stopped. Troy twisted the key in the slot and pulled it out. He glanced over at Talon, who was in the front seat, since there were no back seats in the truck. Troy had felt a weird feeling in his stomach the entire car ride, but he couldn't show how nervous he was to Talon. It would make him scared, more scared than even Troy.

"Daddy, are we going to see mommy?" Talon innocently asked.

Troy looked out the windshield. The grass was greener here than anywhere else. No brown soil patches, no dead grass, no tree limbs, no leaves. Just green, freshly cut grass stretching far beyond the eye could see. A dark grey stone building erected about 500 feet to the left of the truck, which looked older than his own grandfather, stood as a landmark that nobody knew about until they had visited a second time. Large grey carved and polished rocks stood as silent sentinels, watching over their precious treasures buried beneath them deeply in a vault of 24 karat gold. A vault not even God himself could open. A vault that protected the precious treasures. Surrounding those rocks was a looming dark fence with pointed spikes that protected vandalistic teenagers from destroying the monuments.

"Yes Talon, we're going to see mommy." Troy looked over at his anxious and excited son.

He held Talon's hand as they entered the stone building. It was a monument itself, being built in 1798. It was beautifully marbled inside and had vaults made of silver lining the walls.

They approached the front desk, where an old man and an old women talked over their dinners.

The women looked up at Troy with a smile when he approached the desk. "How can I help you two fine gentlemen?"

"I'm looking for the grave site of Gabriella Montez."

The woman searched through the files. "Montez... Montez... Gabriella Montez... " She said to herself. "Do you have the date of death?"

"July 8th, 2008."

Talon looked up at Troy with a smile. "That's my birthday, daddy- "

"Talon, shush." Troy glanced down at him. "I'm fully aware of the day you were born."

The old woman pulled a file out and opened it, glancing over her reading glasses at Troy. "Lot G-15, right beside the red marked tree."

"Okay, thanks." Troy turned to leave.

"Wait, is that her son?" The old woman spoke. "I'm terribly sorry for your loss, sir, and your young son's."

Troy turned a little, looking at the woman. "Thank you."

"I just can't help but say sorry because my granddaughter died giving birth to her son."

But Gabriella didn't die giving birth...

"Oh, I'm sorry." Troy turned around the other way. "How is your great grandson?"

"He's ten now, and he's doing great. His father is out of the picture, so my son is raising him with his wife. He's into baseball."

"That's great... " Troy smiled. "The doctor gave Talon a shot and put him into shock. We all thought he was dead until two days later, they told us they switched his card with another dead baby's card on accident."

"That's horrible! Did you sue them?"

Troy grinned. "You bet. I sued their asses off."

The old woman smiled. "I'll let you two go. Good luck."

"Thank you." Troy turned around.

...

Troy spotted the red tag on the large maple tree. He was directly under the tree.

He spotted the small, dark, flat slate.

Gabriella Montez

June 18th, 1993 - July 8th, 2008

Trapped in a world with angels

Talon carried with him a few freshly picked flowers from Kay's garden.

"Go put the flowers beside mommy's stone." Troy let go of his hand.

Talon gently set the flowers beside the granite slate.

"Mommy, your rock is really pretty." Talon wiped the slate with his hand, brushing the grass blades and dirt away from it.

"It's been four years, Gabi." Troyset Talon in his lap as they both sat on the ground. "And I still miss you."

"I miss you too mommy."

"I show them pictures of you almost every day. I tell them stories about how silly and funny you were. I just wish they could hear your voice."

Talon picked at some grass below. "Can you come out so I can give you a hug and kiss? Please?"

"Tal, mommy can't give you a hug and a kiss. You know that."

"Why not? Why can't I see mommy?" Talon looked up at Troy. "Mommy's hiding under the ground, why can't she come up?"

"She just can't Talon."

"Why not?"

"Quit, okay? I told you that mommy can't come back."

"Why not? Tell me why!"

"Because she's dead, Talon! She's gone! She's in heaven with angels!"

"Why can't she come and see me? WHY!" Talon stood up. "You said we were going to see mommy and we're not!"

Troy grabbed Talon's shoulders. "MOMMY IS GONE! SHE CAN NEVER, EVER, EVER COME BACK! SOME ASSHOLE DECIDED TO END HER LIFE EARLY AND WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO SEE HER AGAIN!"

Both boys stood there, staring into eachother's eyes, which were wide. Troy was shedding tears, like Talon, but Troy was breathing heavily as the silence set in. Talon was shocked. He thought mommy was coming back, and she wasn't. She was never going to come back, and he had to live the rest of his life motherless.

"Talon, I'm sorry... " He pulled Talon into his arms and kissed his cheek. "I didn't mean to be mean, I'm just as upset as you as about mommy leaving... "

Talon cried hysterically. Troy allowed him to pour his tears on to his shoulder.

"Mommy is safe. She loves you more than anything in thewidely wide world. You are her baby boy and nothing is going to change that. She has to stay with the angels."

"I want mommy... " He sobbed. "I love mommy and I want her to come back... "

"I know you do." Troy kissed the side of his head. "Let's go back to grandma and grandpa's house. It's too sad here for you and I."

Troy picked Talon up and turned around.

Four years since she had died, and time heals no broken wounds.