Shattered Heart Pieces

Part 6

Not all happiness lasts forever......

"Mom, I wanna go to the park!" Andy's voice screams through the house. Damn, for a seven year old, this girl has a mighty loud voice. Another Tom.

She lets out a small sigh. "Why did she call me first?" she mumbles in her sleepy state.

"And bring Dad with you!" she yells again. Red smiles in her sleep; guess she won't be alone this time.

She drags herself out of the bed, stretching and yawning. She thinks about calling Andy to come and get her instead, but she can't. Andy's out of town, so she's doomed. Jumping in the shower, she washes quickly, and slap her clothes on, nearly spilling the toothpaste in her mouth on her red cardigan and black t-shirt to match her black jeans. She walks into her bedroom towards Tom while putting on her red heels on, a small smile on her face. She marvels at his beautiful back, so golden and beautiful. She walks around, smiling bigger. Oh, he's going to the park with her and I; it's going to happen.

"NO!! NO!!! TOM!!" Red screams, horrified at the scene in front of her. Laying on his side, his eyes gouged out in front of his open mouth and bloody nose, is Tom. His head looks bashed in, a deep crack in his skull. His arms are covered in bruises and scratches, blue, red, and purple everywhere on his body. Through blurry eyes, she pull the covers aside, and reveal even more of a horrifying mess. A knife stuck out of his chest, a note attached. Releasing the knife, the bloody note falls to the bloody floor.

With shaky hands, she picks up the note, her face turning paler and paler as she read the words of the note: "Told you I would get you" Written in handwriting she's seen a thousand times before, she let the paper fall to the floor. Immediately, it is soaked in the blood of her husband's once again lifeless body. Not again, Lord, not again! She cried out, falling to her knees in the pool of blood as red as her shirt. How had she not heard this? Heard the killing of her husband right beside her?? She suddenly cursed herself for bring such a deep sleeper, the numbness invading her mind.

Only hours before were they at their spot, sitting on their bench watching the sun rise together. Only hours ago, they were holding hands and leaning unto each other, that horrible night all but forgotten as they stared at the awakening sky. Only hours ago, did they promise they were never going to leave each other, that the other was their life source, and that no power on Earth could separate them. But now, it was if this morning was but a dream.

"YOU DIED ONCE! YOU CAME BACK! DON'T LEAVE ME AGAIN, TOM PLEASE!! WAKE UP!!" she screamed. She heard footsteps at the door, and turned to see her daughter, as pale as a ghost, staring at her.

"Mommy, what's wrong with Daddy?" she asked in a small voice. Her tear ducts filling with fresh hot tears. Red stared numbly as Andy approached the bed, looking at the disastrous remains that was once her father. Red wrapped her arms around her quivering daughter, feeling the spills of her tears on her shirt as she too released hers. The pain was unbearable; the pain of seven years ago and now built up inside of her as if it was the lava and she was the volcano. Together the pain and sorrow of the females rose and blend together, their hearts shattering into tiny unfixable pieces. Two screams harmonized into one were let loose; windows shattered, and glass broke. The females cried their hearts out, screaming for her father and her love to come back.

The door once again was occupied and Andy and Kandy rushed in, taking in the lifeless beaten body, the bloody floor, and the two crying ladies in the midst of the blood pool. Andy and Red looked up in unison as Andy and Kandy rush over. Silent tears escaped her eyes as sorrow mirrored the ones in the females' eyes. She fell down beside them, hugging them close. Kandy once again stares at the body, like seven years ago, and suddenly it's like they were back to that night.

He stares intently at the body of her lover, and for a moment she thinks Kandy can raise him again. Hope raises in her, and she lights up just like a Christmas light. He turns to her as if he heard her thoughts.

"I can't do it anymore. I am so sorry. He's too far gone to bring him back. I'm so sorry, Red." He pulls her up for a hug, and she nods, numbly returning the hug as her parade rains down on her.

It can't be done.

He's too far gone.

He's gone.

There's no way.

These words run a marathon through her head, hitting her like an incoming train. She numbly stands, her heeled feet crunching the broken glass around them. Her bloody, clothed knees near almost give out as she releases her daughter. In a state of numbness, barely hearing the voices calling her name, she walks past the kitchen, where last night, all three of them were laughing and having fun with each other. Past the living room, where she and Tom snuggled together, watching a comedy. Past the hallway, where Tom had first discovered Red was the new addition to his household more than ten years ago. Out the door, the door where everything between Tom and Red first started, grabbing the keys to her car. When she got there, she stumbled onto the bench, tears running down her face. She cried softly, laying her head on her knees.

Suddenly, she felt a presence beside her, a faint one, but one she knew. She looked up and saw Andy sitting in Tom's spot on the bench, concern masking her beautiful features.

"Are you okay?" she asked. Red simply nodded, and Andy wrapped her arm around her, pulling her close. There they sat for hours, even after the sun had already set, silently watching the stars wink at them from thousands of miles away. It was early the next morning, after the sunrise, when they went back.

They found Kandy and Andy Jr. on the couch asleep. Kandy head was back, one leg in the sofa, one down. Lil' Andy had her head on his chest, her body laid across the couch, and her arms wrapped around Kandy's torso to keep her from falling off. "Aww," they whisper, taking a few pictures.

"They're gonna be great friends," Andy whispers.

"Best friends," Red corrects, laughing softly. They sit together on the sofa opposite the kids, and watch them, Red's head on Andy's shoulder. She sighed. "Hell has been a very big tornado these past seven years. I hope doesn't she grows up blaming me for the death of her father."

"She wouldn't do that. She's too sweet for that, justlike you. You can't put the blame on yourself, Red. You doing that will result in some decisions that will not only affect you, but affect the life of your daughter and everyone else around you. You hear me?" She feel Red nod againsther shoulder.