Page 106 of Blade

As the minister began the service, I sat there numb. She was gone. Unlike Micah, she wouldn’t be coming back. Tears streamed down my face, and I reached for Michael’s hand.

I needed to hold on to someone, and my mother was not an option.

I felt Micah’s hands on my shoulders, and I cried harder.

He leaned over and whispered in my ear, “I’ve got you now, baby. I’m here, and I’m never leaving you again.”

Despite how angry I was at him, I lifted my other hand and placed it over his on my shoulder. I grabbed onto hiswords and held on to them as tight as I was holding his hand, hoping I could keep them and him.

King was right. I’d have to talk to him at some point. I just wasn’t ready yet. One thing at a time. I needed to get through Grams’ funeral and my mother being here first.

I couldn’t concentrate on anything else until then.

When I heard the minister say, “Amen,” I realized the funeral was over. I needed to make it through a few more hours than I could crawl into bed and stay there for a bit and hide away. I walked over to the casket and noticed the cut King laid on Grams’ casket. It read ‘Property of the Silver Shadows’ and I couldn’t stop the laugh that cut through the silence.

I turned to look at King. “She would have loved this. I’ll make sure it goes into the casket with her.”

“Rebecca, that is not going in there.” My mother scoffed.

“Oh, it sure is. She would want it, and she will have it.”

Before she could say more, Micah walked up behind me.

I knew it was him by the buzzing in my body. A familiar feeling that I thought I lost a decade ago.

“Hello, Mrs. Sawyer.”

“Hello, Micah,” my mother scorned.

I looked between the two of them.

“You knew?” I asked, and my mother had the decency to look guilty. “How long have you known?”

Before she could answer, Sheriff O’Rourke walked up, joining our small group.

“I am so sorry for your lo— Connie?”

My mother looked up at the sheriff wide-eyed.

“Declan? What are you doing here?”

“I’m the sheriff here in Diamond Creek. Quite a step up from a lowly beat cop, huh?” the sheriff said with contempt.

Looking between my mother and the sheriff, I asked, “Sheriff, how do you know my mother?”

He looked at me, confused. He turned to my mother, then back to me, searching my face for something. He focused on my mother and an anger like I had never seen enveloped his face.

“You fucking bitch!” He growled, taking a step forward.

My mother stepped back into her husband as Blade got between them, holding the Sheriff back.

“King!” Blade called out.

King came running. Seeing Blade trying to hold his brother back, he asked, “What the fuck is going on, big brother?”

I stood there and wondered the same thing.

The sheriff looked at King, seething.

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