Still Dunno

Chapter 8 - The Way It Is

Jamey's POV

I pulled into the driveway of the house I grew up in. Turning off the car, I sat there, staring at the home. I'd had a great childhood here. So many memories came flooding back of Janis, Joslyn, and him. All the time, they had the whole family over. When Chris, Pat, Josh, and Mary would stay the night. Aunt Sabrina always argued with Mom about having them all stay, but Mom loved it. Especially when we were younger and Dad went on tour.

All the holidays, and the Christmases, Uncle Tristan would dress up like Santa Claus. I never knew how they conned him into being Santa, but we all loved it. That may be why Tristan did it every year. It was the one time a year he didn't have to be a hard ass.

Things changed as we got older.

Things always change. It's a constant thing, and you can do nothing about it.

Things really changed when the girls got attacked. I thought it might get better once Janis started talking, but then Mom died, and it got worse.

I remember that night like it was yesterday. I saw Mom and Dad leave, and the next thing I knew, Ross, Aunt Rydel, Aunt Sabrina, Grandma, and Grandpa were all talking at once. They tried to make us hurry, shoving us all into different cars.

I rode to the hospital with Ross and Rocky. There was an eery feeling and silence.

When we got to the hospital, only immediate family could visit Mom at first.

Dad met us in the hall. That was the last time he left Mom's side until she died.

He leads us back to Mom's room. I was shocked to see her lying there motionless. She was so pale. Joslyn started crying immediately. I tried to comfort her as best as I could. Janis sat in the chair on the other side of Mom's bed, opposite Dad's.

Everyone was allowed in, eventually. Uncle Tristan and Uncle Zack came in first. They didn't say anything. Next, Uncle Zack came in with Aunt Sabrina, Chris, Pat, Josh, and Mary. Mary and Aunt Sabrina were crying. Then Rocky, Ross, Aunt Rydel, and Uncle Ryland came in, and finally, Grandma and Grandpa.

Grandma offered to take us home with her. Dad was ready to say okay, but Janis refused. Something in her voice changed Dad's mind. I know it was anger now.

Mom held on for three days but wasn't conscious. Her heart was weak, her disease flared up, and she had a heart attack. Her organs started to shut down, and that was it.

I was surprised to see Uncle Zack, Tristan, Aunt Rydel, Ross, and Rocky in the waiting room after Mom died.

The funeral went by in a blur, and then all hell broke loose.

Joslyn came home the night of the funeral drunk. Dad started yelling at her. Janis started yelling at him, and she said it. "You killed Mom."

The color drained from Dad's face. He shook his head no, and Janis said, "You killed her, and now you will live without her and me." And she left.

Ross called later, saying Janis was at his place and going to spend the night. She never came back home. Eventually, she moved into the pool house at Ross' and stayed there.

It was only a short time after we graduated that I moved out. I couldn't stand being in that house anymore. The place that used to be so alive and full of love was dying, and I was afraid if I stayed there, I'd die too.

All Dad did was sit on the couch and stare off into space. Joslyn drank more and more, and that caused all kinds of fights ending with dad screaming and Joslyn sobbing, saying you don't love me and running to her room.

A year and a half after Mom died, Ross started construction at his house for a hall. It sat right between the main house and the pool house. When it was finished, he opened it up for musicians to come and play once a week.