Home Sweet Girl

Chapter | Fifteen

Maryanne

It was him.

The moment I was awakened, my heart shattered into pieces.

Angeline was acting strange the whole time. Constantly touching me, asking me every minute if I was okay. Elaine sprinting to us paled faced. It was like all the blood was drained from her body. She had tears in her eyes as she fumbled over her words. Angeline was coaxing her to calm down because she notices the fear in my eyes. Neither of them could properly explain to me what was happening. Not until officers were rolling in our way. They asked us the go into a room to identify a body. Everything was happening so fast.

They almost didn't allow me to go in because it wasn't a place for children, but Elaine vouched for me. I was guided into a cold and gloomy room that had a toxic smell of mothballs. In front of us was a body covered in a white sheet. A woman in a lab coat removes it, unveiling a lifeless body that resembled my dad. From my point of view, he didn't look dead, just asleep. Elaine quickly confirms-sobbing with a hand over her mouth. The lady nods and covers the body back up. She explained that a bullet pierced his vital organs.

Why would anyone want to kill him?

I stood there like a statue confined in another world. I was scarcely calm. I didn't realize people standing on both sides of me. I was told they were there for precaution.

I was escorted out of the room and Angeline stands just outside with a worried look on her face. I can tell she was crying a little because her eye makeup was smudged. She looks me over then open her arms out to embrace me. I couldn't remember what she was whispering to me. I was numb. I felt myself being switched to another pair of arms. Most likey Elaine because her chest was vibrating while she swayed us back and forth. I looked up at her, then she placed a kiss to my forehead.

The same officer from earlier comes in voicing his sympathy. He tell us that the situation is being under investigation, "From what we know, he was shot then left for dead"

"Who would do that?" Angeline expressed

"I don't know, that why we are looking into it. I do I have a couple of question to ask if you don't mind".

"Yes sir," Elaine says.

He goes on to ask if my father was involved in any gangs or illegal business. It was hard for Elaine to answer in front of me so she excused herself and walked away with the officer.

All my life I wanted to believe that my daddy was pure. One day, he told me that no one is perfect even him. He showed me a tattoo stamped on his lower back, but never told me what it meant though.

Angeline continues to comfort me, asking me again if I was okay. I get it. She's really worried about me, especially how stoic I was being.

Elaine returns with a box of his belongings the hospital kept. She presented me with the last piece I'll have of him. She places the gold cross chain in my hands. I grip it tight.

-||-

Two days later I'm attending my dad's memorial service and we still don't know who killed him.

Angeline got us a hotel room next to hers. She also helped make arrangements for the service. The city offered to have him cremated. Angeline said I had an option to bury him, but it was a longer process and cost more. Even though she was willing to pay, I wanted to get it out the way as fast as possible because reality was starting to kick in.

Currently, I'm at the funeral home, sitting between Angeline and Elaine. A good amount of people show up, mostly complete strangers. They introduce themselves and mention knowing my father for a long time. Most were shocked when they found out he had a daughter.