Faultless

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

“Ramona, honey, time to get up,” my mom tried to soothe me awake again, but I still bolted up in bed.

            “Good morning,” she said with a smile.

            “Morning,” I said, still half asleep.

            “There’s something I have to tell you,” she said as she sat down on my bed next to me.

            “Okay,” I said, quietly.

            “Last night, Grace Howell, Maryn’s little sister, she died in her sleep.”

            “What?” I shrieked and I jumped out of bed, “How’s Maryn? Where is she? I have to go see her!”

            “Ramona,” she grabbed my hands before I could run out of the house, “Calm down. Put some clothes on and we’ll go over together. The grades of all the children in the Howell house are dismissed from school today.”

            “Okay,” I said in a panic, “Get out so I can get ready.” She left the room. I couldn’t believe this was happening. How many deaths would there be and why did it have to be the sister of my best friend? Maryn must be a mess. I threw on a pair of jeans and a shirt, ran a brush through my hair, and ran down the stairs.

            “Let’s go,” I said to my parents, “I’m ready.” More than anything I just wanted to be there for Maryn.

            “Okay,” my dad said as he grabbed the keys to the car. It was a long, silent ride to the Howell house. When we got there, Benson and his family were already there standing next to Arnold and his parents, Peter and Julie Dawson. All the kids from Dustin, Maryn’s little brother’s, grade were there too with their families. In the Howell family, Maryn was the oldest, Dustin in the middle, and Grace was the youngest.

            “Maryn,” I called out as I sprinted into the house, leaving my parents behind.

            “Ramona!” she ran to me with tears coming down her face. I had never seen Maryn so torn apart. She hadn’t touched her makeup and her bright blonde hair was thrown up into a messy bun. She was still in her pajama pants and t-shirt. As soon as she got to me I put my arms around her as she began to sob into my shoulder. After a few minutes of her crying on my shoulder and me trying to soothe her, she calmed down enough to lead us into a quiet room.

            “What happened?” I asked as we sat on the couch.

            “I don’t know,” she said as tears began to form in her eyes, “I went in to wake her up this morning and she wouldn’t wake up. After shaking her and calling out her name for a while, I realized she wasn’t breathing. I screamed at the top of my lungs and my parents came running in. They called the hospital, but by the time the emergency medical team got here they proclaimed it was too late and that she had died hours ago in her sleep.”

            “How could a little girl just die in her sleep?” I asked in disbelief. That wasn’t something normal.

            “I don’t know,” Maryn sobbed, “That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out. She was perfectly healthy. No medical conditions or anything. I just don’t see how it’s possible.”

            “I know, Mare,” I said, trying to soothe her, “It will be okay though.”

            “I loved her,” she cried, more tears making their way down her face, “I know we fought a lot, but I really did love her.” She put her head in her hands as she began to sob again. I moved my hand up and down her back trying to calm her down. Benson walked in quietly, sat down on the other side of her, and gave her a quick hug. I wanted to be angry at him. To get upset and tell him how unfair he was being. How if the situation was reversed I would get in so much trouble with him, but I didn’t have time to care. Not with my best friend falling apart.