Chapter 73: Tree Hill Cemetery

Tuesday, January 3rd, Morning

The sun was approaching the highest point in its trip through the hazy sky. He parked his truck on the side of the road and looked up through the windshield. The sun was out, but it was atypically shining very weak. Lowering his head, he removed his sunglasses and put them on the dashboard.

Huck got out of his pickup and closed the door behind him. Slowly, he walked away from the curb and out among the headstones. The cemetery was multi-denominational so there was not a single religion represented here. He looked around and read the family names on them. A disturbing number had the last name Murphy on them. Many of them were old and pre-dated the twentieth century, and Huck noted several needed to be cleaned. But not today, when the weather broke.

Huck was descended from the Murphy family, and they had started burying their members here soon after the Civil War, when they closed the family plot, on the old Tree Hill Plantation. Huck would occasionally ride up there on his ATV and check the graves out and would have people mow the lawn there, but the family plot was incredibly old, and he wasn't even sure how many people were buried up there anymore. In his game warden duties, he would keep an eye out on another burial ground on the land. That plot would tell the darker story of the Murphy Family and the plot of land he lived on, and his sister owned. He made sure he maintained that second plot of land and told no one about it, those burials needed their peace. Even though every so often Kelly would send someone to see them, and he would bring them up there, and let them have time alone there.

Huck noted another name that was common in this area of the cemetery, Kelly. The family that was his Mom's family, and they had a long history with The Murphy's. In fact, his Mom was the last of The Kelly's, and that was why his sister was named Kelly. As Huck walked through the stones, he came to the newest headstone, this one had the name Burke on it.

Huck dropped down to one knee and brushed off the few leaves that had landed on the headstone. He checked the footstone marker and noted it wasn't overgrown. Looking over the names, he sighed. Cade Burke, and Darcey Burke, his parents. Huck was but a toddler when his Mom died, cancer, she was diagnosed, when she was pregnant with Kelly and forgone treatment to carry Kelly to term, she started treatment but by then it was too late.

Nodding Huck looked at the other name, Cade Burke. His dad, who alone raised him, and his sisters. He also oversaw the Murphy inheritance that Kelly got. Since it was his mom's and she chose Kelly over Bobbi-Lee and himself. Kelly had smoothed over things, by allowing Chase to build Tree Hill Hall, and Bobbi-Lee had lifetime usage of anything on the land. Huck sighed, but what he really felt like he missed out on was his dad, advising him through his twenties and the early years of marriage and fatherhood, as Cade died just after Huck got out of college and before he married and had his second daughter.

Huck never felt his dad's presence here at his final resting place. Maybe he was haunting some firehouse somewhere. But this spot was all his mom.

"Hey Mom, Dad, it's me, Huck," he said, adding his dad out of politeness, "Sorry, Mom, James," he chuckled, saying his rarely used and largely disliked birth name, "You should see your grandkids, they're getting so big," he chuckled again thinking about Brett being over six feet tall, "Brett, wow, she's a tall girl and getting ready for college. She's going to Notre Dame, Dad, another religious school," he added again, quite sure his dad wasn't there, as he just felt his mom's spirit, "My three other girls are getting big as well, none of them are redheads though, all brunettes. You should see your grandson, Col, wow, I feel for him, and understand, being the only boy in the house."

"Seriously, Dad," Huck said, hoping to bring the feeling of his dad's presence here, "I'm having some issues at work, and some of the property."

"Let me start with work. Your old Lieutenant, Simone Lowell, is my shift chief now, and she wants me to tank the captain's exam. I'm not sure if I want to, Dad. I like being on the rescue, and I like my crew. I'm just not sure I want to head back to an engine, or even one of the truck companies. Dad, I never even saw myself as a Lieutenant."

"I know, I'm overthinking this. So, you want to hear about the property troubles? Well, Kelly has been trying to get a hold of Holden Kilpatrick, yes, they're doing the usual dodge. So, she sent me up there to check on him. It's not good, Dad. Holden's a drop-dead drunk, he's alive, probably just barely. What's worse is his daughters are still young."

"Yes, it's not my problem, but well I do feel for those girls."

"I understand, and yes I'll check in on Carson as well."

"Yes, Mom, I'll bring the kids for a visit."

"Take care, and I'll stop by soon," Huck said, stood up and dusted off his pants. He looked around and stretched a bit. Eleven years of crawling down hallways on the fire department had taken a toll on his knees and back. Not to mention all those years of basketball, baseball, and football. Finally, he turned and walked over to the truly newest headstone. This one said Murphy on it.

Carson Murphy

Beloved Son, Brother, Uncle, and Hero.

Huck read it to himself and noted the dates that he passed roughly four years ago. Where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday he last visited Carson in the hospital. Carson Murphy was the last connection to his mom and her family. He was Darcey Burke's great uncle and was his Dad's mentor on the fire department. Huck shook his head, he was always full of life, even in his older and especially in his last days. In fact, he was so full of life, when death came for him, it took him in his sleep. Leave it to Carson to flirt with the young nurses, go to sleep, and forget to wake up. He is greatly missed at the assisted living home he once lived.

Huck brushed off Carson's headstone and nodded.

"Aye Boyo, why are you so down?" Huck said, imitating Carson's manner of speech, "I'm the one in a grave."

Huck laughed, "Well Carson, I'm just having a tough bunch of choices to make at home and at work. Also, seeing my oldest heading off to college soon. What was it like when you saw us grown-up?"

Slow Huck reached into his pocket and pulled out a flask. He opened the cap and took what Carson would call a wee nip. After a minute, in which he allowed the whiskey to warm him a bit, Huck looked at Carson's headstone.

"I didn't forget about you," Huck said and poured out the flask on Carson's grave. He took a deep breath and closed the flask. After putting it away, he turned to head back to the pickup.

That's when he saw a slightly above average height blonde woman standing there. The wind was carrying a bit of her stray blonde locks in its embraces. Their eyes met and Huck smiled.

"You almost surprised me," Huck said.

"I didn't mean to," she said.

"What brings you out here on a day like this?" Huck asked.

"I could ask you the same thing," she said.

Huck smiled, "But I asked first," he said, "But I'm a gentleman and will answer the lady's question first."

"Thank you," she said, with a chuckle.

"You're welcome," Huck said, "I was visiting my parents and Carson. I just needed to talk and work something out."

She chuckled and then smiled, "I was doing the same thing, just with my Babushka," she said.

"Kat, refresh my memory on why you call her Babushka, I thought it was a head covering," Huck said.

She shook her head, "It's that, but it also means grandmother, and she was after all Russian," Katrina "Kat" Jared, nee Hartmann, said.

Huck nodded, "Look at us talking to stones," he said.

Kat shrugged, "Does it help you? I know it helps me," she said.

Huck nodded, "A little," he said, "That's probably all that matters."

"Exactly," Kat said, "Do you miss them?"

Huck nodded, "Of course, every day, even though I think I never mourned Carson too well," he said.

"Too well?" Kat asked.

"It was a bad year," Huck said, matter-of-factly.

Kat nodded, this time, "Tell me about it," she said, "I don't think anyone had a good year that year."

"I don't think so either," Huck said, "People have referred it as Annus Horribilis."

"Yes, the horrible year," Kat said, "My Babushka put it this way, Uzhasnyy god."

"Sounds as good as anything," Huck said.

"How are the kids?" Kat asked.

"All five are doing good," Huck said, "Thanks for asking, how is your daughter?"

"You're welcome, and she's doing well, thank you," Kat said.

"How long are you in town for?" Huck asked.

Kat smiled, "We're heading back out next Saturday," she said.

"Is my brother-in-law driving you crazy, yet?" Huck asked.

Kat shook her head, "No, Tucker's been good, if anything he's lovesick for my sister," she said.

"God, who is better for who?" Huck asked.

Kat chuckled, "I don't know, but they do seem to care for each other," she said.

Huck checked his watch, "Got to go, Chase will hang me if I'm late for lunch," he said.

Kat smiled, "I know the feeling," she said.

"Will you be at the game tonight?" Huck asked.

Kat shook her head, "No, but I'll listen to it," she said.

Huck smiled, "Well, have a lovely day," he said and started to his truck.

"You too, Huck," Kat said, smiled and headed towards her car.