Better Together (Patrick Kane)

27| Numb

Danielle

"What's that face for" I ask as Patrick and I watch tape. He was making the same face as when Sharpy put jello in his skate and he stuck his foot in there. So, not good.

It was the end of August and we were getting ready for the season to get kicked off. Training camp was right around the corner and there was a lot to do.

"I thought I looked so good this game" he laughs and I roll my eyes.

"You always think you look good" I tease and he pouts. I give him a kiss so he would shut up and it works. The power of a girlfriend.

The doorbell rings and the house falls silent. It rings again and I groan loudly.

"I guess I'll get it" I say.

"I'm getting us some water then" he announces pausing the tape. I could use a brain break.

We trot upstairs and I head to the door. I open it before Stan comes up behind me and we both stop where we were.

There stood a police officer with a American flag in his hand and a sad expression on his face. My hand shoots to my mouth as the tears start to fall. I have feared this exact moment my whole entire life, and it was happening.

"Is this the Bowman residence" he asks and Stan sighs.

"Yes" he says quietly.

"Its with a heavy heart that I inform you that Sergeant Major David Bowman is DOA from his mission. He was the best solider out there at any given moment and fought with great courage every time, it is a loss not only to your family but to this country.

Major David and his men were on a mission to find and disarm bombs in Syria and save the common people before his car was bombed. We were not able to recover his body so we cannot say he is alive or dead, but there were no other survivors from the car crash. We believe his body was taken by the people who placed the bomb in there and is not alive. I'm sorry" he say handing me the flag. I take it in my arms and see all his badges and honors he has earned. They barely fit on the flag. I couldn't comprehend anything at that point. I was completely numb.

I quickly hand my uncle the flag and he looks at me with tears staining his face. He goes to say something but I couldn't hear him over my entire world crashing down around me. I went completely mute as I feel my heart being shred into millions of tiny pieces.

I quickly run out the door and down the street. I had no idea where I was going, but I was going. Each step I take the tears flow harder and my breath gets shorter. I ran harder and faster than I had ever ran before in my life. All I wanted was to wake up from his nightmare. For someone to shake me into a reality where both of my parents were here and none of this shit had to happen. But I couldn't have that. I couldn't have a Father's Day or Mother's Day, my kids won't be able to see their grandparents and I'm going to have to walk this world without my hero.

I stop running when I realize I had no clue where I was. I couldn't see past the tears but once they cleared up I was completely lost. I haven't been to this part of town before. I keep running until I find a little alleyway. I run in there and collapse to my knees.

I let out a scream as I realize the one thing I was most afraid of was coming true. I had lost him, he was gone and I will never see him again. I'll never hear him call me his Tiny Dancer or hear that laugh that always put a smile on my face. I'll never listen to him sing with that great voice he had. I can never have him hold me when I missed my mom or wanted to be with him. I'll never have his advice that had gotten me through the first twenty years of my life. All that died with him and I couldn't function.