Finding a Way to You (Book One of The Finding Series, going through revision)

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

~Jamie~

It’s been thirty minutes since Becca left and I can do is sit here in horror. ‘Her dad killed Mattie?’ I plead with God. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

I know she didn’t come right out and say he did, but that is what she meant right? That he killed him?

Silence.  Is he punishing me or something? I put my head in my hands, and let out a sigh. I almost miss it, but it’s soft—His voice.

‘Jamie. Son. You have to be patient. For I know what I am doing, let Me work.’

Suddenly peace covers me, and tears begin running down my cheeks.

I burry my face in my hands. “God, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have doubted you. I know this will all make sense soon. You have the glory Lord in all things.”

Time passes and nurses check on me every hour, seeing if I am well enough to go home in the morning.

My mind wanders back to Becca. I know its past midnight, but I want to see if she made home okay. I know she probably did, but I have to check.

I scoot over closer to the side of my bed and grab my cell off the brown side table. Before I can dial her number, my dad rushes in the room. His eyes wide and cast with fear—worry. Only one thought comes to mind. Mom.

“Dad? What is it?” My eyes grow wide. Seeing the sad look cross his face, I know something is wrong with my mother.

He comes and sits beside me. Takes my hand in his and holds it. The tension in the room is thick, and you can feel the pain.

My father sighs. “Well son. This isn’t easy to say, but a neighbor found your mom.” He stops. Doesn’t say anything else. I know what he means.

“Dr. Meadows said the chemo isn’t working anymore. He has given her a few days; hours even. She is downstairs in the ER, if you want to see her.”

I sit there. It’s all I can do. I knew this was coming, but I didn’t think it would be this soon. My dad leans over and wipes a tear; I didn’t know was falling, off my face. My dad’s face turns solemn. “Look son, it will be fine. You know it will. She’ll be up there with Mattie.”

I sigh. “I know dad. I know. I just thought we had longer. I thought they gave her a year? God, why is this happening?” I burry my head in my hands, the IV attached to my wrist getting in the way.

He scoots close to me. Wrapping an arm around me he says, “I know son, but look we will get through this. Hear me?” I lean into his touch, and wrap my arms around him.

“Jamie I’m sorry for how I have been acting these past months. Me drinking haven’t been the smartest thing, and God has been dealing with me about it. It wasn’t your fault Mattie died. It was the person who hit him. Not your fault. And I should have never blamed you for it.” I stare at my father, the man who has been verbally abusive to me for a while. “I’m sorry too, dad. But look Becca told me something interesting. It’s about Mattie’s death.”

My dad jerks his head to me. “What? How does she know?”

“After I came out of the coma, we were talking and I told her about Mattie. She got all freaked out when I told her what car hit him, and jumped up and said she knew who killed him, and that she needed to talk to her dad.”

My dad’s face hardens. “Dad what is it?” He shakes his head. “Jamie you need to go talk to your mother. She can tell you what I can’t” I nod. That is all I can do. I stand up and my father wheels a chair in from outside, and he wheels me towards the ER, where my mother lays.

*******************

Looking at my mother, my heart sinks. Her body is sunken in; you can see her bones perfectly.  Her hair is matted with sweat on her brow, her eyes hollow; lifeless.

I stand up from my wheelchair and slowly make my way to my mom’s death bed. “Hey Ma.” I say, taking her frail hand in mine. Her eyes flutter open. A small smile appears on her face.

“Jamie.” She speaks softly. “Son. Why aren’t you in your room?” Her breathing is labored. Gasping for breath, she motions for my dad to come over. “Can you hand me that water on the stand?” Her words come out barely audible. My dad nods, and grabs the blue water tumbler and hands it to my mom. She vigorously drinks and when she speaks this time, she isn’t as hoarse.

“Jamie. You should be resting. I am fine, just on the way to see your brother.” Tears well up in my eyes at what she says. “Jamie, son. Don’t cry.” She lifts her hand, and places it under my chin, making me look at her.

“Son. I am going to a better place. You don’t have to worry. I’ll be in Jesus’ arms. I won’t be in pain either. Be happy for me son. Be happy that I will no longer be suffering.” Her soft solemn smile makes the tears I have been holding back, come to surface.

My dad walks over, and takes her hand. “Honey, tell Jamie what you did after Mattie died.” My mom looks from me to my dad, and then sighs deeply.

“After Mattie was killed, I hired a PI to do more research. The police had closed the case because they said the person in charge of the case had disappeared, and all the former evidence vanished. So they had no suspects, no evidence. Nothing.” She pushes a stray hair away from her face and continued.  

“So your father and I hired a man named John Simmons. He looked into Mattie’s death more and found three possible suspects. The top one was named Tami Lawson.” My breath catches in my throat.  Why does that name sound familiar?

“It didn’t really mean anything to us at first, but when you started dating Becca, and I saw that her last name was Lawson, I dug more.

“I found out that, Tami Lawson is Becca’s mother. And Mattie’s death isn’t the only one she was a suspect for. She had a sister named Maggie.” My dad steps forward and continues for my mom.

“Maggie committed suicide. Or she supposedly did. Tami was found at the scene covered in her blood. She slit her wrists, but the funny thing is that the toxic report shows that she had some unknown substance in her bloodstream.

“But the coroner in charge of her case, disappeared. And a few weeks later a large sum of money was put in a bank account in his name, but no one heard from him again.”

I am struggling with all this. This news. The secrets. “So you think Becca’s mom did it? What are you trying to tell me?” I walk closer to my mom, and she rests her hand on my cheek.

Her eyes barely open. “Son. I just want you to be careful. Don’t trust her. I love Becca, but honey I don’t trust her mother.” Her breathing grows shallow, and I know at any minute, my mother will no longer be on earth; but rejoicing in Heaven with Mattie.

“Son. Danny. I love you both.” And with that, her eyes close, and the flat-line monitor informs us that she has passed.