Belgian Waffles Part 5 (Saying Goodbye)

I just stood there,
cold, tired, and in disbelief.

the amublance came,
they put mommy on something
Charlotte said was called a
"gurney" and rolled her outta
the house. i asked if they were
going to save her and the man
with the funny looking mustache
said, "there's nothing we can do
sweetheart. she was already
dead when we got here."

i went to danny's room, made sure
he was still asleep. he was.
i heard daddy's voice, he was screaming,
loud and again and again.
"Sarah, Baby, I'm sorry. No, just
lemme touch her, please. I'm sorry baby,
I'm sorry."
what was he sorry for?
sorry for making mommy cry all
of the time? sorry for not
keeping his promise about ice
cream? sorry for never being there
when we need him? what could he possibly
be sorry for?

Charlotte tugged my jammies, then
picked me up and gave me a long-tite
hug... i found comfort in her
bosom. sadened, confused, but not alone.
i escaped from her grasp,
ran down the stairs,
and tapped the man with the funny
mustache on his leg.
"what can i do for you little lady?"
"can i tell my mommy goodbye?"
"yes sweetheart, you sure can."
"goodbye mommy." i froze. stood there
watching them prop the gurney inside
the ambulance and waved.

Charlotte came to get me from
outside, she was crying. Her eyes
were red from the pain. We walked,
hand in hand, back into our house...
that would no longer be a home.

©Tremaine L. Loadholt





================
Gee thanks for the
©Ra