Chapter 3
1996
The day before the decade dance, McGee sits at home, in the house he shares with his best friends. Robbie is at a lecture, Zara's asleep upstairs after a difficult day at work and Emily is at the library, attending a class. The phone rings and McGee rushes to answer it so it doesn't wake Zara.
"Hello?" He says.
"Hello, I'm Nurse Kent from the Bethesda Naval Hospital. I was hoping to speak to Miss Emmeline Garrett?" The woman on the other end asks.
"I'm sorry she's at the library. My name is Timothy McGee I'm her boyfriend. Is anything the matter?"
"Oh, I see. Well I'm afraid I have to inform her of a death, Mr McGee. Her mother, I'm afraid. Mrs Rosemarie Garrett."
McGee looks stunned, he swallows before speaking. " I'll tell her when she gets back… Thank you for taking the time to call, Nurse Kent."
"I'm sorry for her loss, be sure to pass that on. I'll need her or another family member to come down and fill out some forms for me."
"Will do. I'm afraid her brothers and her father are on deployment on active duty and her sister is too young. I'll bring her when she feels up to it." McGee says.
"Certainly, thank you, Mr McGee."
"No problem. Goodbye." The line disconnects. McGee replaces the receiver and sinks into the armchair beside the phone.
About half an hour later, Emily returns.
"Tim?" She calls as she shuts the door behind her.
"In here." He says and Emily appears in the doorway to the living room.
"Hello, you." She says and stands on tiptoe to kiss him as he stands to greet her. He reacts slowly and she pulls away. "What's wrong?"
"The hospital called."
"Is mom okay?" She asks concerned. Rosemarie Garrett has been in hospital, slowly dying of breast cancer.
"Em, I'm sorry. She's gone." He watches, arms around her, as Emily's face contorts in pain and she collapses on the cream carpet, crying wrapped in McGee's arms. Poor McGee does his best to comfort her, knowing nothing ever will.