Page 56 of Caged Heart
"Just some things about Mom. She hasn't called me back." I admitted out loud.
"And you're worried." He stated. It wasn't a question. It was a statement.
Before I could even answer, my phone rang, causing me to jump.
Mars didn't exactly look at me, but I knew he didn't miss that suddenly I was jumpier than before. Before the experience, I would never forget it.
"Hello?"
"Hello, is this Miss Carmen Barnes?"
"Yes, this is she. Who is calling, if I may ask?"
Before the person could respond, my heart began a pitter-patter that thundered through my chest and drummed in my ears so profoundly that I felt light-headed.
"This is Officer Salinski. I need you to come to the station. We believe we have your mother here?"
The drumming subsided for a second, and clarity returned to me.
"What happened? What did she do?"
Instantly, I stood, fighting the urge to go to her. To help her once more. My mother was becoming a repeat offender in whatever crime she was caught up in with Sarge, and I was sick of that shit.
"I'm so sorry to have to relay this message, but we found your number written in her hand when we found her."
"Found her where?"
"Under the Smithson highway bridge. We want to make sure we have the right person, so if you could please come in to identify that this is your mother's body," Officer Salinski paused for a moment before he continued. "I sincerely apologize for having to rela—."
I didn't hear anything after that. The ringing in my ear intensified, and I let go of my phone, faintly hearing it as it crashed to the floor. Everything else drowned out as the thundering and drumming returned in full force.
My mouth opened to take a normal breath, but when I inhaled deeply, I exhaled a sob so gut-wrenching it broke me. I realized I couldn't hear or feel anything until someone was behind me and had me in their arms while my mouth released cries I couldn't hear myself.
We were on the floor, and all I could grab hold of was the hem of my Fuschia skirt. My eyes burned, and my vision blurred at the tears that escaped my eyes, yet I couldn't hear myself crying, and I couldn't hear anything.
A sudden rush of hearing my father had died was the only thing I heard, and I slapped my hands over my ears as I rocked my knees. The person who held me rocked with me, yet they didn't let go. I felt safe but didn't feel … I couldn't feel the rest of me.
Chapter41
Ares
Carmen's mother is gone. The same mother who didn't give two shits about her is gone before she could tell her off, or I don't know, just express how she felt about being the adult in their dynamic.
When I got the call from Mars, I was busy talking to the extension of the Wolfgangs that were a bit different and would help us figure out how to navigate it all; Hiram and Valentin, or what I called him Bale.
His words came to mind once again, if you want to get rid of the sick fuck, you can't just do it from the outside in. Be smart, little Ares, and take up his position in the Wick to change things around since you and your brother can't fully destroy it from the outside.
At first, I didn't get it because that meant I was trying to be a part of something I hated. Letting it continue, I remembered that there were good parts of it, and the individual family represented where they lived.
The Wick wasn't created to be such a sick place, but it became that. I don't know what it was created for, but if I could change it, I would. I'd do it just so no one else felt like my brother and me.
"Miss Barnes?" An officer called out her name as we sat there in the station.
He looked at all of us who came with Carmen. It may seem ridiculous that our whole friend group was here with her, but we had to be, and it wouldn't be any other way.
"You all don't have to go with Miss Barnes. I just need her to confirm the body's identity." Officer Harrison reiterated that he didn't say that two minutes ago.
"Yes, and we're going with her," I stated, and all of us seemed to have a silent agreement.
