The Unbelievable Life of Lynn Carmina

Chapter 39: The End or The Beginning: Part 1

This is part 1 of the last chapter. I split it up to get it out there faster. It's unedited but I hope you enjoy it. Please comment and VOTE!!

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Chapter 39: The End or The Beginning: Part 1

Some days are almost impossible to get through, and on other days you rely on past experiences to guide you. It's true that I've tasted death many times in my life and I'd also been left alone to deal with the kids from time to time, but never in my life had I been forced to deal with death and my children's reactions to it, all alone.

I figured it would be the hardest thing I'd ever have to do, to tell my kids that their dad is dead, and to get them through the funeral and grieving process. It would be hard adjusting to life as a single parent and raising four wounded children on my own. I thought a lot things, but I was wrong about all of them. It wasn't just difficult, or the hardest thing to do. It was a monstrosity, a hell of a whole other kind.

After Mark died, Greg was huddled in a mass on the floor in the stairwell by the roof. He hadn't looked at anyone, responded to the officer's questions or spoken at all. He was practicaly catatonic, so one of the ER doctors checked him over and surmised that he was in shock and mostly likely suffered a mental break. He said Greg would return to normal after a few days to a week. The doctor gave me a prescription for some anti anxiety pills and sleeping pills, not only for myself but for Greg as well.

The incident was a big story and was all over the news within the hour. I hadn't the time or courage to tell the kids, let alone think or process all that had transpired. My mind was blank and I was on autopilot. I talked to the police for a long while and gave them a verbal statement , but they insisted that I be assessed by the doctor and then go through the formality of identifying the body. It was a gruesome and crueltask, but it was customary and I couldn't get around it. After that, I was supposed to come downtown to make a written statement .

There were a few things I had to take care of first and my priority at the moment was Greg and the kids. I knew I had to get the kids home and keep them sequestered until I could explain things to them properly. I first thought to call Vanessa to pick up Greg and watch the other kids for a while. But then I remembered that as his wife, she'd have to be at the hospital for Julien, so I contacted Shelly instead. After she promised to look after the children and feed them properly, she escorted Greg away from the scene through the back entrance to the hospital.

When that was taken care of, I set my sights on Julien. I loved him and he was probably dead because of me. I had to know how badly he was injured and if he even made it. I couldn't afford to think that way, I had to believe Jules was alive. I wandered around the hospital in a daze, but managed to find he doctor from the ER who checked us out. I asked him about Julien and see if he was still alive and how severe his injuries were.

"Are you a relative Mrs. Carmina. " The doctor inquired from behind the nurses' station where he was signing some patient charts.

"Well, not exactly. No I'm not, but we're very close friends." I explained frantically. I needed the information and they couldn't keep it from me after all I'd been through today.

"I'm sorry, but I can't answer your question. If you're not a family member, then I'm afraid you'll have to get this information from his family." The doctor stated respectfully, picking up a piece of paper and studying it for quite some time. I could see that it was difficult for him to turn down people who are desperate for information about their loved ones, but he did as a part of his job.

" Well its very complicated. Technically, I'm not his family but I'm sort of his girlfriend and well, his wife is one of my best friends. They're getting a divorce so Julien and I can be together and I'm having his baby for christ's sake. Can't you tell me anything?" I rambled on and spewed out facts of the situation in hopes that he'd somehow comply with my request.