"You're up early," Mary said. Jamie dropped his school bag right next to the front door, his sports bag missing.
"Yeah," Jamie responded sitting at the table. "No breakfast today Mom, I'll just have Orange juice."
"That's fine." She placed the plate back down on the counter. "But you know Jamie... You don't have to go to school today, there's no rush you can take as much time as you want." She placed the glass of orange juice in front of him.
"I missed yesterday and I don't want to take to much time off and have to make up a lot." His responses were dry he wasn't all there and hasn't been for the last two days.
"Morning," Frank greeted.
"Here's your mug." Mary handed it to her husband.
"Thanks, honey." She kissed his wife.
"Are you ready Jamie?" Jamie walked off to get his bag. Mary and Frank gave others a concerned look. They heard the front door close.
"Don't worry, Danny will pick him up after school."
"I don't mind leaving early it's just, Mason giving him a ride every morning and it was his normal, This will be the first time since sophomore year that he and Mason hadn't left for school together. He's not hungry for anything he didn't even touch his juice." Mary looked over at the glass that had the same amount in it that she put down earlier.
"I told him he didn't have to go today…It's just too soon," Mary felt moisture forming in her eyes.
"I'll stay on stand by, if he wants to go home early just call me, I'll get him." He kissed his wife goodbye. The ride to school was just as Frank expected, quiet. He peeked over at Jamie periodically, he just sat staring out the window at the route him and his best friend have taken all school year. Frank pulled into the drop-off Zone.
"Have a great day Jamie, If you're not feeling well or if anything happens just call me and I'll come to get you." Jamie nodded. "I love you." Jamie's heart ached at those words.
"I love you dad, thanks for the ride." Frank waited till Jamie made it inside to pull off. Jamie's first period of the day, many kids in the class looked as devastated as expected, But all their eyes laid on Jamie when he walked in. Jamie knew it was coming, So he pulled his books out before the bell rung to make it seem like he was doing something, the bell rang and the morning announcements were not too far behind.
"Good morning, students." Principle Lehman greeted. "Uh… I'd like to do a little something different today. I'd like to have a moment of silence, in honor of senior Mason Reid, who we lost in a tragic accident. Grief counseling will be available in the guidance office, so please, please take advantage of it at any time. The door's always open…" Jamie did his best to block the rest out.
"Hey Coach, a word? come in and close the door."
"Yes, Principle Lehman?"
"Unless the boys come to you and want to play-"
"With all due respect sir, they can barely brush their teeth in the morning. They're not gonna come." Coach Troy countered.
"Then it's too soon.… You gotta think about their mental health." The principle reasoned.
"I'm holding practice tomorrow afternoon at 3:45. Do you want to shut me down? You know where I'll be." The coach walked out.
"Would you like Dessert?" The lunch lady noticed Jamie's empty lunch tray.
"A banana is good, thanks, Ms. Garcia." She watched the sad boy walk off, Jamie approached the table he sat at every day for the last three years, the table was empty missing his teammates and his best-friend, He stared at the very two seats that him and Mason should be occupying Jamie felt the emotions inside build up, he tossed the banana in the trash,
"Ja-" Eddie started but he was already out of the lunchroom. He pushed open the boy's bathroom door, running into a stall, his heart was heavy he's breathing heavy, he finally broke into sobs he did his best to control them and keep them silent. 'Maybe I should've taken mom's offer and stayed home' Jamie thought, tears pouring from his face.
Only had an hour and a half until he had to go home, practice was tomorrow after school but that was something he couldn't bring himself to do. He repeated what he had done earlier today in his first class 'Just stay occupied and keep writing.' and he did so. He felt eyes on him, Coach Troy, finished today lesson ten minutes ago, but he knew he was concerned probably wanted to speak with him but he didn't want to hear it. Jamie lifted his head and looked to the left side of the classroom, Mason seat was empty with a bouquet of flowers, on top of the desk, shivers ran down Jamie's spine.
"Hey," Eddie said softly noticing what Jamie was staring at.
"Hey," he replied in the same tone with a soft smile continuing to write. "Sorry I didn't call you back when you called this weekend, i- just.."
"It's okay. The project is due in nine weeks, 'we'll figure it out later.'" He chuckled something that he hasn't done in the past few days. Just as Jamie wanted the bell rang and he was ready to bolt out of school, Eddie caught up to him in the hallway.
"Hey, Jamie." Jamie spun around in the semi paced hallway. "I just wanted to say I'm so sorry for your loss-"
"Its everyone's loss." He interrupted not intending to be rude. "I appreciate it, Eddie, I'll see you later." He set off, leaving her standing in the hallway.
"Over here, kid." Jamie jumped in Danny's Jeep. Danny watched cautiously every movement his brother made. "How'd it go."
"Horrible," Jamie mumbled.
"What happened?" Jamie rolled his eyes
"What do you think? everyone watches me and feels bad for me and I just wish they'd stop, I already can't handle what's going on right now and them doing that is just over the top." Danny wasn't used to Jamie opening up to him like this, this was usually his and Joe's thing.
"Well if I'm going, to be honest with you, it's not going to stop, teenagers are going to be teenagers, their going to stare and gossip and do whatever they do, just keep your head high kid, it seems impossible now because the world is on fire but kid.." Danny took his eyes off the road to make eye contact with his little brother, his mom was right, he just wasn't all there, his blue eyes were just so empty. "I know I come down hard on you a lot and I'm sorry, you're a great kid and i need to give you credit of that, just know I'm here for you, don't ever hesitate to ask me anything or to talk or whatever it may be. Okay?" Danny pulled into the driveway of his childhood home.
"Okay," Jamie replied. "Thanks, Danny." Danny went in for a tight hug.
"You're a great kid." Danny Whispered. Tears welled in Jamie's eyes.
He took a deep breath before knocking, He hesitated the whole walk down the street to Mason's, Mason's car was parked in the driveway untouched, where he had left it,
"Mr. Reid." Jamie didn't really notice until now how much Mason looked like his father. "I have something—"
"Seventeen years, Jamie, you've never called me that. Not letting you start now." He held the door open inviting Jamie in, the whole walk through the living room, flooded Jamie's mind with memories. "Sit down, I'll get you a cup of lemonade."
"Did you get an idea of what you are going to do for your photography final? I think, I remember Mason saying—" Jamie felt the eagerness building up inside and he just exploded.
"I knew that Mas had the dirt bike and, I knew he was taking it to Anthony's." A large knot present in the back of his throat. "If I'd told you…" Jamie's eyes filled with tears.
"If." David placed the lemonade pitcher down "You wanna hear my list of If's?" David pulled up a chair close to Jamie. "If I wasn't so strict about driving at night maybe he'd would have driven his car... If I'd brought him to visit Anthony that night, maybe he'd have just gone to bed after the party. If I hadn't taken such a hard line on dirt bikes, I could've at least made sure he wore a helmet. So… There's no end to the If's." David placed his hand over Jamie's on the table in comfort.
"What are we gonna do, David?" Jamie wept.
The past week for Jamie had been horrible, he spent his lunch breaks in the library avoiding his teammates and anyone else who wanted to talk about what happened last week, but Eddie, Jamie could tell she was genuinely concerned but he avoided her too. The team missed their game thursday not a surprise, but today was saturday the day of Mason's wake, the feeling was all too unreal. Jamie came downstairs in a black suit.
"Hey Jamie," Erin Greeted.
"Hey sis." Jamie grabbed a water bottle from the fridge. His father, Joe and Danny stood in the living room in their dress blues talking among other.
"Dress blues? I thought that was for when cops die." Jamie interrupting whatever they were speaking about.
"It's for respect." Frank soft responded.
"Everyone ready?" When the Reagan's arrived to St. Luke's the chapel was packed, the two front rows was reserved for Mason's family, the Reagan's and the baseball team. Even the scouts that recruited Mason and Jamie were in attendance. Everyone walked to the close casket to say their goodbyes before the service began. Jamie was just a few people away and his heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest, 'He can't be in there.' Jamie thought, the light brown casket was surrounded by flowers and the photographs on top of the casket was Mason's senior yearbook photo, He was in a tux with his big goofy smile, to the left was the same number eight jersey framed jersey at the vigil a few days ago. Jamie laid a hand on top of the casket
"Our year." Tears fell from his eyes. He returned to his seat.
"Hey, Jamie." Kastin moved over so he could join the rest of the team in the row.
"Oh, guys, look who showed." Another teammate said sobbing whipping his eyes with a tissue. When the team turned around it was the a couple of players from Baker, the team they beat last year to win state.
"Sorry,. Condolences." The Baker High teens stammered, returning to their seats. a few rows ahead of them Jamie noticed a particular blonde in an black dress, sat next to an older man, her father Jamie assumed, she shot him a soft smile and he returned it.
"What great kids." Danny watched the whole Baker team thing unfold.
"Yeah, they shouldn't of had to go through this." Joe responded. The service continued beautifully as Frank and Danny were set to deliver a eulogy, after Mason's family spoke. Frank eulogy was powerful moving Mason's father David to tears.
"Mason was to good for this cruel world, every-time I seen that kid he always talked my ear off 'Hey Danny, still going to take me on that ride along?' the chapel chuckled. "He'd always ask me how I was and how i'm feeling, he was so young but he was caring. I met Mason at T-ball practice for my brother Jamie. My father and Mason's father David knew each other from college... Looking back now... who would've known their sons would have created this much of a bond ten plus years later. Wish I could've taken you on that ride along." Danny turned around to the casket.
"He wanted so much for us, he was the change he wanted to see in this world and we have to live the life that he wasn't able too, He lived more life in his seventeen years, than most do in a lifetime. Live Like Mason—" After Danny finished with the eulogy then came the burial. Jamie and the team tossed a rose down into the hole were they'd lower the casket.
"Eight forever."
TBC
A story of triumph! it'll pick up soon! I promise 3