“Oh, absolutely,” she replies, her face lighting up. “But I must admit, it doesn’t quite compare to my mother’s stew.” She rocks back and forth on her chair, momentarily lost in thought.
“So, my dear, how long have you been working here?” she asks, her voice gentle and warm. I smile and reply, “I don’t actually work here. I’ve come to see you.”
Her expression softens a bit as she nods in understanding. “Oh, that’s nice,” she says, her tone now relaxed.
“I have met someone,” I begin to say, my voice filling with excitement. “She is very important to me.” She leans forward slightly. “That’s lovely,” she says, her voice tinged with nostalgia. “It’s good to have someone you care about.” She then starts rocking back and forth.
“Her name is Tessie. She is so beautiful,” I say.
“Who is Tessie? Does she work here too, dear?”
I simply respond with a gentle smile.
I hear a knock on the door. I turn around in my chair and see a nurse enter with a smile. “It’s lunchtime, Miss Greenman,” she says, warmly and friendly. I put my hand on top of my mother’s. I try to hold back my tears as I know it’s time for me to leave her side for a while. “I will see you soon,” I say to her, my voice shaking slightly. “Why are you crying?” she asks, looking at my eyes with concern. “It’s a long story,” I reply, trying to hide the pain in my voice. “I understand,” she says, giving me a comforting pat on the shoulder. “Well, it was lovely to meet you, young man.”
I rush out of the room so she doesn’t see me in pain. Every time my mother doesn’t know who I am, a piece of me dies inside.
As I step out of the care home, tears stream down my face uncontrollably. My heart aches every time I see my mother in that condition. I quickly get into my truck, trying to escape the overwhelming emotions that engulfed me. I reach for a cigarette from the pack lying on the passenger seat and light it up, hoping the nicotine will provide some relief from the pain that’s tearing me apart inside.
MIKE
Approaching the grave with a heavy heart, I notice that the flowers in the vase have withered away. I carefully remove them and replace them with fresh, vibrant flowers. I kneel down and start pulling out the weeds that have grown around the grave, ensuring that every last one is gone. As I finish my task, I look at the headstone and softly say, “Hello, Hope.” It’s a small gesture, but it makes me feel like I’m still connected to my sister.
Leaning against the side of the grave, I take a deep breath and pause for a moment before speaking. “I hope you’re doing well,” I say softly, directing my words toward the peaceful resting place. “It’s been some time since I last visited, but you’ve been on my mind.” The cool breeze whispers through the trees and rustles the leaves, creating a serene atmosphere around me.
“I feel silly admitting it, but I’m eagerly looking forward to seeing your smiling face again. Sometimes I wonder, do you remain the same age as when you left this world or do you get to grow up and experience new things in heaven?”
Suddenly, a burst of movement catches my eye. A beautiful robin flies down from a tree and leaps onto the gravestone. Its feathers are vibrant and its movements are graceful as it pauses to look at me with curious eyes. For a moment, I am captivated by the sight, feeling a sense of awe and wonder. Then, a thought occurs to me. “Is that a sign, Hope?” I ask, glancing up at the sky and grinning.
The tiny robin perches atop it and it seems to be looking at me with curious eyes, as if it could sense my grief. I can’t help but whisper, “You were taken too soon, Hope. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.”
The robin chirps melodiously and then takes flight, its wings flapping gracefully. I can’t help but scoff and shake my head in amusement. “I’ll take that as a goodbye, then,” I mutter, chuckling softly as I watch the bird disappear into the sky.
I whisper softly, “Hope, you’ll always be in my heart. I just wish I had protected you. I know you watch down on me each day. You must judge me for what I do to people. However, I will protect Tessie. I’ll do it right this time.” The words escape my lips, heavy with regret and sorrow.
If only I could turn back time and undo what had been done. But I can’t. All I have now is the memory of Hope, etched forever in my heart.
I can’t help but feel a surge of emotion. Memories of the past come flooding back and I reach into my wallet. My fingers brush against a small lock of Hope’s beautiful, red hair that I’ve carefully preserved. It’s a cherished keepsake that I carry with me everywhere I go.
I close my eyes and whisper, “I love you, Hope,” pressing my lips to my fingers and then gently placing them on the cold, hard surface of the gravestone. The sun casts a warm, orange glow over the cemetery, adding to the somber yet peaceful atmosphere.
TESSIE
Cain and I sit at the table, engaging in a thrilling blackjack game. As we finish the game, Cain flashes a smirk in my direction while he meticulously sorts the cards into a neat deck. “You play well, princess,” he remarks. I shrug my shoulders and reply, “Well, my dad was quite the gambler, so I picked up a few tricks.”
Mike and Nate make their way into the house. They both approach me and plant a gentle kiss on my cheek. They seem a little hesitant, perhaps even sad. Concerned, I ask them if everything is alright. Nate responds with a reassuring, “I’m fine, baby.” Meanwhile, Mike nods and flashes me a warm smile before inquiring about what I’m currently playing.
Cain is shuffling the deck, the sound of cards being rifled through fills the room. “We’re playing blackjack,” he announces, glancing up at Nate and Mike. “Wanna join? I will warn you, though, she’s good.”
The radio plays in the background, adding to the relaxed and casual atmosphere of the game.
Cain proposes that since there are more players now, we could play a game of poker. I respond by crossing my arms and confidently stating that I am also skilled at playing poker.
The radio’s upbeat music abruptly cuts off, replaced by the somber voice of the news anchor. “Breaking news just in: the body found in the car earlier this week has been identified as Celeste Dowers,” the anchor reports. “Police confirm that Dowers had left a charity event in an inebriated state and subsequently crashed her car into a tree.”
Startled, Nate springs up from his chair and rushes over to the radio, fumbling with the buttons in an effort to turn it off. Meanwhile, Cain and Mike stare at me with wide, shocked eyes. At first, I’m unsure of what’s happening, but the news sinks in.
“I’m confused,” I say, “I thought that the police arrested her.”
Nate struggles to articulate his words, his speech peppered with stutters. As I rise from my seat, it topples backward and crashes to the floor. “She was never taken into custody, was she?” I interrogate Cain, my voice laced with accusation. However, he avoids my gaze, refusing to meet my eyes. “You did something, didn’t you?” I erupt, directing my wrath toward the trio.
“You lied to me,” I say, barely above a whisper.
Mike abruptly stands up from his chair and grips my upper arms, but I quickly shrug him off. He looks at me with a serious expression and speaks, “Tessie, she tried to kill you. We couldn’t just let her get away with it.” Concerned, I ask him what happened, hoping for some clarity on the situation.
“When Cain gave us a call, we quickly got into Nate’s truck–” Mike explains. However, before he can finish, Nate interrupts him with a plea. “Baby, you have to believe us. It wasn’t intentional,” he says, tremblingly. Frustration and fear build inside me and I can’t hold it any longer. “Tell me everything, right now!” I shout at them, my voice echoing in the empty room.
Cain remains still and quiet, not uttering a single word. Mike breaks the silence and starts narrating the events that led to a terrible accident. According to him, Celeste was driving and they tried to flag her down. They intended to intimidate and frighten her, so they started tailgating her. Unfortunately, she lost control of her car, drove off the road, and crashed into a tree.
Cain abruptly stands up from his seat, his face contorted with anger. “She deserved it,” he exclaims vehemently. “She wanted to kill you, Tessie.” I feel emotion rising inside me as I respond, “You left her to die. She was a woman in love. She didn’t deserve to die.” Tears start to well up in my eyes as I struggle to contain my confusion.
Cain’s statement catches me off guard and leaves me feeling shocked. “She was lucky she killed herself; otherwise, I would have done it for her,” he says with a menacing tone. I can’t believe what I am hearing. I quickly respond, “You can’t kill everyone that hurts me!” My voice is loud and forceful, fueled by anger.
“You should feel honored that we kill anyone who harms you. Instead, you’re acting like a brat and showing no appreciation!” he shouts aggressively, his face red with anger as he confronts me.
A sudden realization hits me. I haven’t heard from my brother since we had a falling out. Panic sets in, rushing to the kitchen counter to grab my phone. My fingers fumble with the screen as I frantically try to dial his number, hoping he will answer. As I’m about to press the call button, “What are you doing?” Nate asks.
“I’m calling my brother to see if he’s still alive,” I explain, my voice shaking with worry.
