Page 2 of Here With Me
“No! I can’t kill myself, or my family won’t get my life insurance. This way, they’ll get all my benefits.”
“Ya can’t do this,” he begs. “What about Jase? And Mariah? They need you.”
“Trust me, they don’t. They can barely look at me.”
“This isn’t the way, man. Let me get ya some help.”
“I simply cannot exist in a world where my daughter doesn’t.” My voice cracks as a lump forms in my throat. “I’m the reason she’s gone.”
“It was a freak accident!” he repeats words he's told me dozens of times.
“Doesn’t matter! I shoulda protected her,” I shout. “Please! I need you to end this pain. A life for a life!”
“You need help. Talk to someone. Let me take ya someplace safe. Don’t go down this path.” He inches closer, but I step back.
“She’s not alive, and I shouldn’t be either.”
“I know you’re hurtin’, but this would bring more pain to your family.”
“Trust me, they don’t want me.”
“They’re hurtin’ too, man. Come with me, Fisher. I’ll take ya to a hospital.”
I shake my head fiercely. “If you won’t do it, I’ll find another way. I’ll stand in the middle of the town square with a gun and wait for an officer to shoot me.”
“So they can watch it play over and over on the local news? Goddammit, Fisher! Get in my fuckin’ truck. Please!” He tries to reach for me, but I back away.
“Do it for me now, privately, and no one else risks gettin’ hurt.”
I’m a selfish fuck. I’m putting Damien in the worst possible situation because I know he won’t risk innocent lives.
I raise my gun higher, and he freezes. “Take yours out.Now.”
After a stare down, he finally does.
“In the head, Damien.” I point the barrel to my temple. “Right after I shoot at you, do it. Don’t waste time.”
They’ll test my clothing for gunpowder residue to confirm I shot at him first and he was only firing at me in defense.
His jaw sets. “Fine.”
My heart races as I look my best friend in the eyes. They’re filled with anger and tension. He might hate me for this, but he loves me and my family enough to know they’d need my insurance money to pay off the house and expenses.
“Please tell Mariah to look underneath my seat in the truck. I taped a note there for her and Jase.”
Even though they hate me, I want them to know how much I love them and how sorry I am for ruining their lives by taking Lyla from them.
“This is gonna destroy them, Fisher. Are ya sure?”
I ignore his question and continue with my instructions. “Next, tell Mariah everythin’ she’ll need is in my fireproof safe in the shed. All the insurance and homeowner’s papers. And whatever she does, make sure she burns my letter after reading.”
I can’t risk the police finding it and questioning my death.
Then I aim my gun at something behind him and pull the trigger.
“Fuck,” he hisses when it whizzes past him.
“Do it!” I shout, keeping my gun raised.
