Life after Death

Chapter Seventeen

Third-Person POV

Land of the Living, Stonebridge Memorial Chapel (Nine days after Hezekiah's execution)...

"Hezekiah was a son that really never felt right in his skin," Jeffrey Chamblee said sadly as he faced the crowd of mourners (his wife and surviving children, the Coleman family, and selected friends) who were in attendance of the planned and private memorial service, a fancy urn that held his son's remains standing on a lone platform next to his senior-year school picture. "He expected very little in life, yet never truly felt at home with his own flesh and blood. Adelle and I did everything we could to make him feel comfortable, but I guess it's never enough for him. Sometimes I wondered what was on his mind when he pulled the trigger."

"Has he looked in the mirror lately? The answer's right in front of him," Franklin Coleman, Democratic state senator, muttered sotto voce to his wife, who didn't look too happy herself.

"Shh," Andrew said to his father, glaring at the older man.

"He was respectful, dutiful in his classwork, and always making sure that the family name never got tarnished in any way possible," Jeffrey went on as he paced around the chapel as if he was a preacher. "My wife and I knew that he never caused any problems, yet we failed to see that he was hurting himself by keeping his emotions in. Maybe it was because that he wasn't truly my son after my wife's tragedy with the rape charges long ago. Maybe he thought that what he did at school wasn't enough for my approval. Or maybe he was still suffering from the loss of his school friend despite me and everyone else telling him that Dalton was nothing but bad news. In either case, his suicide is something that I can never forgive. He was only hurting himself because he could've at least come to me or his mother to seek help."

"And I wonder why he didn't," Mrs. Coleman muttered loud enough for a few onlookers to hear

"Mom," Andrew admonished quietly, his harsh voice laced with exasperation. "You're making an embarrassment out of yourself."

"She's speaking the truth, boy," Mr. Coleman rebutted.

"Franklin and Dorothy? I assume that you both have something to say," Mr. Chamblee said, his eyes narrowed in silts as he glared his future son-in-law's parents down.

Mr. Coleman stood up and walked up to the podium. "Yeah," he replied as he squared his shoulders. "Yes, my wife and I do. And this is what I really think of you, Jeffrey Chamblee."

POW!

Everyone gasped in horror as the Chamblee patriarch stumbled from the senator's right hook. "What is the meaning odf this?!"

"It's all of this bologna that you're spouting out about your late son," Mr. Coleman spat angrily. "My wife and I know that you don't give two fucking shits about Hezekiah all because he was seen as a thorn in your sides, someone who doesn't fulfill your high standards of your American dreams. Your wife hated him because he resembled the rapist and you agreed with her when she suggested leaving in the care of your former maids and servants if not for him being sent to Europe so you and your brood can live it up. I may not know him very well like I should have, but even I knew that he was a good kid with no bad intentions. He did right by you and stayed out of the way, just like you said. Yet you never showed him any love like you do with your daughters and sons. Hell, my son might as well be a part of your family since you see him as the son that you wished Hezekiah was."

"We did love Hezekiah," Adelle lied smoothly. "He just couldn't handle his emotions properly."

"And I wonder why," Dorothy snidely shot back. "Your husband's standards became too much for him and he felt like he was in the wrong for everything. He kept it all to himself until you thought he wasn't enough no matter what he did."