Chapter 2
~Chapter 2~
AJ's body was flown back to Florida so that he could be buried in the family plot, next to his twin sisters who died at birth.
"I've lost everything," said Denise numbly as she stared at his fresh grave.
"No. No you haven't," said Elaine Scott, Denise's best friend since high school. They've always been there for each other when they needed someone to talk to. Denise definitely needed someone at this time. "You've still got us."
"Thank you, but…it's not the same. I've lost all my children. Why? Haven't I been a good mother in God's eyes? I don't deserve to be happy?"
"Oh, Denise, I can't explain. Only God knows. But I know that you were a great mother to AJ. He has said it several times himself. You were the best thing in his life."
"And he was the best thing in mine. Now he's gone forever. I have nothing to live for anymore."
"Denise, you have a lot to live for! I know you're hurting. You will be for a long time. Probably for the rest of your life, but life goes on. Come on, let's go."
She put her arm around Denise's shoulders and they walked out of the cemetery together. Elaine drove her to her house and stayed there with her for moral support. She fixed herself and Denise a cup of tea. They sipped quietly until Denise started getting up.
"Excuse me," she said then started walking upstairs.
"If you need anything just say so," said Elaine.
"Thank you."
A few minutes later, Elaine heard a big crash and screaming coming from upstairs. She quickly went to see what happened.
"Denise?! Denise, are you alright?! What happened?! Where are you?!"
She followed the wailing and found Denise on the floor in AJ's room, crying. The mirror had been broken and a chair oveturned.
"It's all my fault!" she screamed. "If only I hadn't suggested going to Romania! If only I didn't let him go help the girl! If only I went with him, my baby would still be alive!"
"No, Denise. This wasn't your fault at all!"
"Yes it was! I made a mistake! I shouldn't have let him go! I made one fuckin' mistake and it cost him his life!"
"No! You don't know what your saying! It's not---"
"You don't know! You weren't there! You weren't the one worrying what could've happened! You weren't the one who found her only twenty-one years of joy and love dead! You weren't the the one who held her lifeless child in her arms for the last time!"
"Denise." She embraced her and tried consoling her. "Everything's going to be alright."
"It's all my fault," she continued to whimper, "Why? Why did this happen? AJ never hurt anyone! He was always so kind and sincere! He didn't deserve to die! Not like that! Not that horrible slow and painful death! Oh God, if only I knew who or what had done it! I'd make them feel pain! I'd make them feel what I'm feeling right now, if I could! But no one knows. No one knows what I'm feeling."
"Shhh, it's ok. It's ok. We'll help you through this."
"No. No, I'll never get through this. My baby's gone. He's gone forever and he's never coming back."
Chp 3
Chp 1
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