It Takes One to Raise One
Sequel to the incredibly long titled No One Takes Down Hit Girl But Hit Girl. Which I've almost finished a re-write of. Not that you'd have to go back to read it again; I haven't changed anything significant. Just cleaned it up. As before, Mindy is telling this story to someone, much as Dave does during the movies. I didn't want to write this chapter. But the story needs what it needs. I think you'll like it and as soon as I clear things up, we'll get back to the fun and even some action. Welcome and thank you for reading and reviewing. Title courtesy of Makokam.
I woke up the next morning feeling vaguely hung over. Kind of like I did when I'd drank half a bottle of Daddy's scotch. Bethany seemed to be in a similar state. We managed a breakfast of toast and milk. The idea of orange juice was frankly repulsive. Late last night I'd realized there was something Bethany and I needed to do today. Something I didn't even want to think about. And something that would probably fuck up what little cool Bethany had managed to achieve. We had to go, identify her mother's body, and make arrangement to take care of her.
I suppose we didn't HAVE to, but I knew that if we didn't, someday it would come back and haunt the poor girl. Bethany need to process this loss somehow or she'd go insane. So, I grabbed my fake ID and a big stack of bills. I figured we would need them.
I took Bethany to the coroner's office on my bike. I kind of hoped the thrill of the ride would help her to deal with the devastation this day would bring. It was one thing to see your mother die. To be rescued by a hero who made sure you had food to eat and clothes to wear. It was an entirely different thing to go back to say goodbye.
I'd already talked with Bethany about using a different last name and also saying that I was her mom if asked. I hoped this would be enough to get us out of the police building in one piece. I parked my motorcycle and walked into the office. We spoke with the police official in charge and gave a vague enough description of what we knew that they wouldn't somehow question us in how she died but wouldn't make us look at the wrong body. He accepted the story and told me that a person from the coroner's office would be with me in a minute. It didn't take very before we were ushered into a room that had very little in it except for a metal cart with a sheet draped over it. The mousy little coroner's assistant who had brought us in offered to keep Bethany in the hallway while I went through this. I said no, both because I didn't want to be separated from her and because I wasn't really the one who could identify her. So, then he brought out a beat up wooden box and helped Bethany to stand on it so that she could see. I choked up a little at the thought that not only did they have something for a child to stand on handy, but that it was almost worn out. Apparently Bethany's identification wasn't a rarity.
After a brief warning, the assistant turned back the sheet just enough to show the face. Bethany grabbed onto my arm and squeezed. I know she wanted to break down, but she stuck to the story. "Yes. That's Anna. My… friend's mom." Bethany said in a clear, sad voice.
The man nodded and put back the sheet. Then we went back to the office and I filled out the paperwork to get Bethany's mom released to a funeral home. While Anna had been murdered, the method (stabbing) was certainly clear and they'd already collected any other evidence that they needed. It wasn't too much trouble to get things set.
I'd offered to have her mom buried in a nice cemetery on the edge of the city but Bethany had been adamant that her mom be cremated. Not exactly the response I'd expected from a child of six, but what the fuck did I know about how she was supposed to be reacting? It took a few days and then they called us to come pick up the ashes.
This time, Dave came with us and we took the car. No cheap tricks to try to distract her from grief this time. Dave went inside and came back with the remains. Then we drove out of the city until we found a nice place on top of a hill. We got out and all walked together for while until Bethany decided we had found the right place. I checked the wind direction and then we got ready to scatter her mother's ashes.
I suppose it might sound callous to mention checking the wind, but trust me. If you ever scatter ashes you do not want to do it into the wind. It's disrespectful and just plain gross.
We'd all agreed to say a little something and Dave had agreed to go first. "Hi Anna." He said, trying to keep his voice clear. "I know you loved your little girl. You took such wonderful care of her and made her into an amazing person. My mom took care of me like that and I still remember what it felt like. I'll make sure that Bethany always feels that love and caring. I promise." He looked at me.
"Anna. I'm sorry you weren't one of the ones that I could save. I killed the bastard who did this to you but I don't know if that matters wherever you are now. And while I don't remember my mom at all, I do remember how much my Daddy and Marcus loved me." I glanced at Dave. "And I know how much Dave loves me. So, even with my messed up life, I also know what it is to be loved and cared about. I don't know if I'm ready for this, but I've done a lot of things I wasn't ready for. I…. We… Dave and me. We'll take care of Bethany for you. We'll be OK." Tears fell unheeded down Dave's face and he reached out to wrap his arm around me. Since I was already holding Bethany, this brought the three of us together. Bethany so far was tear free. We stood together for a long moment, and then she moved forward so that she could stand on her own.
"Mommy… Mommy, you know how much I love you. I miss you but I'm glad you're in a place where the bad men can't hit you anymore. Mommy, this is Hit Girl and Kick Ass. Mindy and Dave. They try to make the world a better place. And they love each other, like you loved me and Daddy should have. They'll teach me to be strong so that no one can ever hurt me. They'll take care of me now. I used to watch you worry and wish that there was something that I could do. I used to watch you cry when you thought I was asleep. You looked like the whole world was trying to squish you. Hit Girl offered a nice place to bury you, but I knew that wasn't what you would have wanted. You hated being trapped or underground. You wouldn't even take the subway. You always wanted to be outside and feel the wind. So, this is what I came up with. If it's OK, I'll visit you here sometimes. But now I'm going to try to be happy. Because that's what you always told me to do. And Mommy? It's OK for you to be happy too. "
She looked up at Dave and me. Grief had finally overwhelmed her. I pulled her back to stand with us as Dave opened the container and began to scatter the ashes so that they flew away on the wind. Bethany was trying to speak but was unable to get the words past the sobs. So I spoke for her.
"Goodbye Bethany's mommy. Be happy. Fly free."
