Sunflower

Chapter 12

2 years ago continued...

Chris

I've been lying in Lucy's childhood bed with her, holding her while she cries herself to sleep for the fourth night in a row. Tomorrow is the day Tommy will be laid to rest and I know it will be harder for Lucy than anyone, even her parents. I've only been in the picture for the past three years, but I only needed a couple of weeks to figure out she was far more concerned about Tommy's well-being than either of her parents were.

I know she blames them for what happened; especially her father. And I will go on letting her blame him since the next person on the list of people to blame is herself. I won't let her feel responsible for this. It's not her fault Tommy wasn't being supervised properly. Which is why I hope her dad is eaten alive with guilt. He allowed his autistic son to wander off alone into the woods. It would've taken him at least half an hour to make it to the river, maybe longer. So in all that time, he never thought for a second to check on his son, who has special needs?

I already couldn't stand Frank Sunday long before the day he let his own son drown. The way he's always seemed so aloof to his wife and children...like he could care less if they were around or not. How could he feel that way about his own family?

I could never imagine a day where Lucy isn't my best friend on the planet. And I will love our kids, special needs or not, with everything in me. I will always be there, always be proud, protective and loving. Lucy nor our kids will ever have to wonder for a day in their lives if I love them. The answer will always be as clear as day, I'll make sure of it.

And that thought makes me hold her even tighter. It's hard not to think of our future together; We've been dating for three years. I love her more than anything or anyone, I trust her with my life and I know I could never live without her. That's all I need to know she's who I want to spend the rest of my life with.

Actually, I knew that a long time ago. The first time she told me she loved me. I knew then I'd never leave her side, and I haven't.

"Chris?" she whispers.

"Yeah?" I whisper back.

"Can we get out of here?"

"What do you mean?"

She sits up and looks down at me. "We don't have to go far. I just need to get out of here for a while..."

I sit up next to her and nod. "Of course, baby."

We get dressed and quietly creep downstairs and out to my car, which is parked out front. It's late, so I'm not sure where we're going, but that doesn't matter to me. I just want Lucy to feel better and I'd probably do anything to make sure she does.

I take her hand as we drive along, with no particular destination in mind. She hasn't said a word since we left, but she doesn't have to. I want her to deal with her grief in the best way for her. I'm just here in case she needs me.

"Turn left here," she says after a while.

I do as she says, taking a left that will lead us into the old business district. While this place used to be thriving about twenty years ago, now it's nothing more than a deserted block of buildings, reminding the people of Staten Island of what used to be.

"Stop," Lucy says, looking around.

I pull into an empty parking lot of what used to be First National Bank. I'm just about to ask why we're here, but Lucy gets out of the car. I follow her as she walks up to a huge mural that's painted on the side of one of the abandoned buildings.

Most of the paintings are just names with hearts and halos, memorializing lost loved ones. Some are paintings of mountains, the sea or sunsets. But they all come together to create a mixed masterpiece full of so much emotion, you can practically feel it.