I wrote a fictional story for my daughter during the time of separation for our family. Over the winter that year, I was allowed a weekly phone call; which eventually consisted of hours of video chatting — including; mostly absolute nonsense and filter-switching, but enjoyable nonetheless. I read each chapter to Anna (age 8) over a period of some weeks. This is that story…
– For my daughter; Anna Estelle; Be someone’s hope.
- 🔊 40: “A Life Worth Living,” Chapter 1
- 🔊 41: “A Life Worth Living,” Chapter 2
- 🔊 45: “A Life Worth Living,” Chapter 3
- 🔊 49: “A Life Worth Living,” Chapter 4
Chapter 5 – The Delivery
My mom wasn’t going to buy me a new backpack, so I had to explain to her the story about Sandy and what had happened to her and then she graciously agreed to help me buy my friend a new one.
Sandy, Lexi, nor Mrs. Grishom were at school the following day. In fact, everyone looked at me real funny the entire next few days when I carried a backpack on each shoulder — I was carrying Sandy’s as well as mine — hoping to give it to her as a gift with the note I had written, hidden inside; in her journal. But I didn’t see any of them for the rest of the week.
Over those days — riding to school with my dad — I learned that Mr. Derringer no longer worked for Derringer Construction – which was his own company — and that my dad now ran the company! He was responsible for hiring a whole new crew of employees! He told me that Mrs. Grishom too, lost the teaching job at my school and that the family was “in a big load of trouble” because of it all.
This made me think of Lexi. That’s probably why she blew up — I reasoned — that’s why she left school. I could not help but wonder how she would be affected by all this.
The whole town was whispering and gossiping. Wednesday night, when I went to game night at the library, they were all talking about some fires that happened throughout the town. It was something to do with my dad’s new job — Lexi’s dad’s old job.
My parents didn’t let me watch the news, so I tried really hard to listen when the adults talked. But when the Cold Cat Ladies group showed up at the library (especially Danny Domeeno’s mom), the librarian kept shushing them and even sent them into their own ‘study room’ so he could shut the door.
I heard Mrs. Stoughton say that Derringer Construction was under investigation for using cheap supplies, or something.
“Whoa.” Casey Stoughton, a girl from my class exhaled, “four people died in those fires last weekend,” she repeated, just before the librarian closed the study room door.
Monday morning, before school, there was a knock on our front door.
“Dad!” I yelled, unnecessarily, as he ran down the stairs.
“Ah, your fellow carpooler,” he said, as he turned the lock and opened the door. “It’s your friend, Chelss,” he turned to me, then back to the guest outside the door.
“Lexi, right?”
Lexi stood beside her aunt on the front porch, looking as happy as a drowned rat.
“Thanks Josh,” her aunt whimpered a bit, quietly, “what a miserable turn of events, huh?”
“Hi Lexi, are you okay?” I asked, a little later, sitting quietly on the couch waiting to leave.
She took a long time to respond.
“My parents are going to jail.” She stated it as a fact.
“What? Why?!”
“They said my mom lied.” she sobbed, “They both lost their jobs!”
But she cried so hard that all I could do was put my hand on her shoulder.
We sat there — for what seemed like forever — in silence; Lexi was still softly weeping but trying to hide it.
On our way to school, we wound through the neighborhood and picked up Angie.
Angie and I never really talked. She’s okay, but today it was awkward because Lexi didn’t say much to her either. When she got in, there were no funny looks, no rude jokes about anyone, nothing more than a soft “hey” and turned back to the window. It was quiet, really quiet.
Then, we pulled up to the front of Sandy’s house…
Sandy climbed in behind my dad, at his suggestion, and he got out to open the door for her.
Lexi had to slide to the middle.
“You guys want some music?” my dad asked, trying to ease the moment.
“Police are still investigating three neighborhood fires that claimed the lives of four young adults this…”
The news blurted, before my dad changed the radio station.
“Gosh, can’t get away from that can we?” He nudged an elbow into my shoulder.
“You left your stuff at school, Sandy.” I pressed, gently. “I brought it home with me.”
She smiled.
“My mom got you a new backpack… It’s Minnie mouse…” I tried to encourage her. I handed her the bag.
“I put all your stuff in it.” I said, as she took it from me.
“Oh, thank you, Chelsea.” She softly smiled, like she was embarrassed to need one, but she took it, graciously, anyway.
“Did you know the voices of Mickey and Minnie got married in real life?” She said, almost excitedly. “I’ve missed my notebook. I need to write that down,” her hand reaching into her backpack, pulling out her notebook, the note falling into her lap.
She picked it up, unfolded the paper and read it quietly.
Then she smiled, looked up to me, tears welling in her eyes, and without words, let me know she understood.
Just then the song on the radio ended.
“Some crazy happenings unfolding this week folks,” chimed the DJ, “The towns favorite, — the Derringer family — will be in court next week for — get this –actual murder, folks!”
It came out so fast. By the time my dad turned the radio off, Lexi had begun sobbing.
Sandy turned to look at Lexi,
“Your mom and dad…” Thinking intently, as she spoke.
“Your parents… killed my sister…” she stated, almost as quickly as she methodically, pieced together the details.
Angie’s jaw dropped.
Lexi’s sobbing turned into a wailing, as my dad parked the car in front of the school. No one in the car moved a muscle.
– God Exists –
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