Chapter 5

Misere Mei


Jennifer, Jamie and Laurie all watched as the casket of Jimmy Lloyd was lowered into the cold, hard October earth. Tears silently made their way down each of the ladies cheeks, and each wrapped an arm around the other. Jimmy was dead, killed in a head on collision on the way to Jamie's 4th birthday party.

Laurie pulled them away from the depressing site and began to walk with them to the car when Jamie snapped away, off to her father's grave, which she began to climb into. Laurie and Jennifer both screamed out and ran after her, Jennifer reached and tried to grab her sister's hand.

"Jamie! Get out of there! Are you crazy?" She cried, reaching further, her little sister halfway down.

"No! I want my daddy!" Jamie cried lowering herself more.

Jennifer burst into tears again. "Jamie! Daddy's dead, he's not coming back, he can't, you know that!"

Jamie froze as her feet touched the mahogany casket and her lip quivered as she fought back tears. "Jenni?"

"Yeah?" Jennifer responded, taking her hand and with Laurie's help pulling her out.

"Is Daddy in Heaven?"

Jennifer nodded. "You bet punkin. He's watching over us with all of the angels."

They all walked away, both Laurie and Jennifer keeping a tight hold on Jamie. Christianity was still new to the little girls, but it held meaning to them, this way was more comforting, their father still existed this way.


"What do you girls wanna do?" Laurie asked, her hands in her pockets a week later, Halloween. They never went trick-or-treating, Laurie hated going out on Halloween, and the little girls understood.

"Dunno," Jamie said softly. "Can we make a jack-o-lantern?"

"Sure." Laurie said with a shrug. John came running down the stairs (best as he could for three years old) followed by his father. He was dressed as a baseball player, and had a pillowcase in his little hand.

"Hey Laur? I'm taking Johnny out. Be back in about an hour." Tom called.

"Ok." Laurie replied, in the kitchen. "Come on in here girls, I'm ready for you."

They did so, and were silent throughout the whole pumpkin carving. While fixing the candle Laurie gazed at them and smiled softly. "Oh girls I know it's tough. Sometimes when I think really hard I can remember when my real Mommy and Daddy died, and I always missed them. I was four then. And trust me, it's going to be ok."

Jamie's lower lip jutted out. "Maybe, but it hurts Mommy."

Her face fell from the light, supportive gaze to a more piteous expression, she swept both up for a hug. "You're safe with Mommy, I'm here to protect you."


Ampilus lava me ab intiquitate mea:

et a peccato meo munda me.

It was 1986, two years after their father's death, now Jennifer and Jamie Lloyd were burying their mother, Laurie Strode, alongside John and Tom Tate. Tears poured silently down the little girl's cheeks, out of all the people there only Jennifer, John and Tom knew Laurie wasn't in that casket, but it hurt anyway. They'd received threats, and Laurie couldn't stay any more, she was leaving Haddonfield without them because they didn't want to really bury her.

Jennifer held her younger sister, by their choice they were not going to stay with the Tate's, but with the Carruthers. Rachel and her parents stood nearby, and once the minister finished and the casket was lowered, Rachel led them off, her arms around their shoulders.

"C'mon, things are going to be fine. It's gonna be ok."

"Mommy..." Jamie murmured as she looked back at the hold, which was now being filled.

"Shhh, come on James." Jennifer said softly.


Short, but with a point. R&R


SA