Page 6 of Lies in Promises
I guess now that Thomas Lane is gone, the title goes to me.
I don’t want it.
I don’t want any of it.
But I don’t tell him that.
Instead, I just look up at the man who is now the closest thing I have to a father and shake my head.
“I don’t think I will ever be okay.” A fresh set of tears start flowing, and a wave of emotion taking over. “Why did they have to die? Why couldn’t it have been me? Why did they have to leave me here to raise Bennett while not knowing how to tie my tie? Who’s going to do it now?” A sob that sounds more like a scream escapes from my mouth, and I do nothing to stop it.
I’m so lost, I don’t feel Henry pull me to my feet and wrap his arms around me until I’m in his embrace. For the first time in a week, I seek comfort in someone else. I hug Henry as tightly as I can, wishing it were my father.
“I will help you, my boy, with the tie and with your brother. I will help you in every way I can. I promise you. I will help you until you no longer need me.”
He’s the closest thing Bennett and I have to a parent now. I have a feeling I will always need him.
I want to tell him that, but I don’t. I don’t voice the words that may make me seem weak. Henry is a military man. I can’t be weak around him. I need to be strong. I need to show him I possess strength even when I’m seconds away from falling apart. But even though I don’t voice the words, I hug him as tightly as I possibly can to convey everything I can’t say.
Eventually, we pull apart, and for the first time, I see Henry cry. I didn’t see them when Sergeant Nolan came to the house, and I haven’t seen them in the days since.
Looking at him now, I know without a doubt that I’m not the only one holding in emotions.
“Let me handle this tie for you. Your brother and the car are waiting.” Henry takes the silky material from me and starts doing the task I was so used to my mother doing.
I guess I have to learn to do it myself.
Once my tie is in place in a perfect knot, I give Henry a set of words I mean with everything I am.
“Thank you, Henry,” I say through the lump in my throat. What I’m feeling right now can’t be conveyed with a simple thank you, but it’s all I can muster.
“Of course, sir. Of course.” He places a hand on my shoulder and squeezes tightly, almost to the point of pain, but I take it.
Because it’s something other than sadness.
After taking a deep breath and composing myself as best I can, I follow Henry down to the first floor.
It’s time to go bury my parents.
As I walk out of the house, my brother’s hand in mine, I know their deaths are something I will never be able to recover from.
No matter how hard I try.
CHAPTER 3
BENNETT
It’s raining today, and unlike last time, I’m not wishing for it to stop.
The bad things have already happened, so what more can come?
My parents are dead. I will never see them again. Nothing can be as bad as that.
It can rain all it wants today. I don’t care anymore.
Today, we were supposed to go to the amusement park.
We were going to ride all the fast rides, and I was going to uphold my deal with my mom and go on the carousel with her. She didn’t know that I wanted to ride it too—it always made her smile. I was going to ride it a million times, even if she only agreed to one fast ride with me, all because it would have made her happy.
