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He doesn’t believe us. He doesn’t believe that our father was drunk. Again. Like he always is.
He doesn’t believe that we couldn’t get him out of his car or that Reed had to forcefully break the window to stop my dear, sweet father from killing himself slowly from the carbon monoxide poisoning seeping through the garage.
And he especially doesn’t believe that glass just randomly sliced open my father’s throat, spraying me with blood as I caught him and then foolishly thought to remove the glass and press the wound.
It’s a lot of coincidence.
But I know first hand that life is full of tragic coincidences.
I force a sob and the tears come surprisingly easy as I gasp loudly for a heap of air that I don’t really need right now. Landon untangles our hands, pulling me closer to his chest. I thrust sobs from my lips in muffled cries against his nice dress shirt. It’s likely ruined form the blood clinging to my skin.
“Daddy’s gone,” I cry, letting the raspy words come out as loudly as I can manage. Loudly enough I know the officer hears me.
“It’s alright.” Landon soothes, his big hand pushing down my hair in long strokes down my scalp to my back.
The quiet crunch of rocks underfoot has me peeking up from the sanctuary of Landon’s arms. Another police officer. One who looks all too familiar. He pats his friend’s arm who has hit us with question after question.
“I’ll take it from here,” he says with a grim smile.
Officer Rowens doesn’t move an inch, but watches carefully. The new cop extends his hand to Knox.
“Knox Reyes. I’m Officer Michelson. I am… was, a friend of your father’s.”
Knox doesn’t move. He eyes the man’s outstretched hand as if it is poison until Officer Michelson drops it back to his side.
“It seems you’ve just inherited an awful lot.” The officer gestures to the house and staff waiting.
Knox feigns offence, his palm rising to press to his chest. “You think I care about the money and this waste of space mansion when my father has just passed away?”
Officer Michelson raises a brow. “No, I’m sure you will manage his business and affairs justly when the time arises.” He pauses. “Should a time such as that come about I’ll be around.”
It’s a hinting phrase that makes me want to pull back from the officer. It’s as though he might pull us all right back in to the chaos we just escaped.
Officer Rowens sets down his pen, pocketing his notebook with a shake of his head. The whole atmosphere around us has shifted.
“Come down to the station tomorrow morning. All of you,” Office Rowens says sternly.
Knox nods but I can see he’s already plotting something in the glint of his eyes.
He always is.
Epilogue
One year later.
Knox
Her laughter rings out in a happiness that consumes me entirely. A fuzzy feeling I never let myself enjoy before. Now I indulge in it. Beg to bathe in her joy daily.
Together Reed, Landon, and I are content to have her feel this way for the rest of our lives. We share. We’ve shared our messy pasts and we’ll share our future.
Violet only brought the future to life for us.
Jealousy is there between us from time to time. But it’s quiet for the most part. A deeper more meaningful relationship. Not that the ugly feeling doesn’t rise up, it does, we are human after all. It’s just easier to stifle when she smiles like that. Glows. Really, she glows.
Snow falls lazily over the busy streets in a small dusting. Wind funnels between the tall buildings blowing at us in challenge. Dee walks backwards, her books held tightly to her chest with one hand while the other draws a line against a black railing in the snow.
“I can’t wait for there to be enough snow that they call off classes for a day.”
