Untypical

Part II

When we get to the police station, it's really hard for me to get out of the car. I was, and this is not an exaggeration, frozen in fear. There were lots of thoughts bubbling around my head, including why this would happen. "Come on, get out." I climb out of the car in complete silence, not even making eye contact with the officer.
     We walk into the police station. It's a small building with only one room, the front desk, three chairs, and an end table stacked with magazines. Just like a doctor's office. "Stay here." Officer Rob signals a stop sign with his hand while he's walking towards he desk. I look around and see two people waiting in line to talk to the person behind the desk. Rob and the person at the desk talk in a hushed whisper. I squint to see if I can see the name tag. Kaitlynn. Her name is Kaitlynn.
They both look at me. A few more seconds of whispering and Rob nods and starts walking toward me. "Come with me." He says. I follow him to the single room in the back. "Whoa, is there you guys study evidence and cases?" "Mind your own business." He snaps back. Sheesh, why couldn't I have gotten a different officer?
I look toward the corner we are walking to and see a big black bag zipped all the way up. Great. It's where my dad's body is being stored. Officer Rob walks over to the bag and unzips it right as I turn my head away. I didn't want to look but I also wanted to look. I turned my head to the bag and quickly glance at it. I see lots of bloody wounds including a gash on his forehead. The bleeding has obviously stopped because he's dead.
    I see him laying there and I want nothing in the world but to be able to talk to him and have the old days back. I feel my eyes start to tear up so I quickly look away. Rob zips the bag and tells me to follow him to the front desk. I eagerly follow, thankful that I can finally leave. As we walk to the front door, all the past memories flood my brain, leaving me no choice but to cry.
    By the time we reach the front door I'm sobbing, soaking wet in tears. I see Rob glance back to me. He waits for me to catch up and gives me a pat on the back. The only thing I can do is smile and dry my tears. And, at that moment, I realize that maybe the world is not so big after all.

7
     We walk out to the car. "Do you need me to take you to your grandparents house? You're not old enough to live by yourself." "Please." I said. So, we take a left at the stop sign. "What's the address?" I think for a moment. I finally respond, "314, Apricot Drive." It was about a ten minute drive from where we currently were. But, because I didn't have my phone or anything to do, it was going to be the most boring ten minutes of my life.
     I stare out the window until we turn onto Apricot Drive. "It's going to be the big brick house on your right. There are lots of trees in the yard and a silver Honda." I strain my neck so I can see out the windshield. Apparently I'm not supposed to sit in the front unless I'm his assistant. I don't like sitting in the back, especially in a police car because it makes me look like a criminal. I need a sign that says, 'I promise you I'm only riding with him because my dad just died' but I don't.
       We turn into the driveway and I immediately open my door. The officer waves and drives off. Wow. Real nice. I walk up the path and knock in my grandparents' door. "Oh, hi Kat, how're you?" I muster up a smile. "Good." "Please, come in." She motions me inside. "Just in time. I just made a fresh batch of cookies. Now tell me, where is your wonderful father?" She smiles. I hesitate, "Yah, about that..." I stare down at the ground. My grandma's smile fades. "What, what's wrong?" She takes her hand and lifts my chin, forcing me to look at her. "Um, did you realize that I showed up in a police car? That's because... because...," I take a deep breath, "he died in a car accident this morning. The officer that came to my house and told me was the one that dropped me off here." I He lump in my throat forming but I know that I need to stay strong for my grandma. It doesn't help, though, because she starts sobbing and I have no choice but to try and comfort her.
      Ten minutes later I have her calmed down enough that it's just some sniffling. I see the pile of tissues on the end table and say, "wow, we must've gone through a whole box of tissues." As I smile. My grandma gives a weak laugh and looks at the table. "Wow," She says, and we both start laughing. "Now, how 'bout those cookies?" I ask. "Oh yah, in the kitchen." We get up and walk into the kitchen. I see a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, the chocolate chips all gooey. I take a bite. "Mmm, just how I like them." My grandma smiles and takes two off the plate. She bites into one and walks over to the door. "Gary, the cookies are ready!" She yells to my grandpa who is doing some yard work.
"Oh, we have a visitor!" My grandpa had just walked in the door and saw me. "Yah." I say, really solemnly. My grandpa gets a concerned look on his face. "Is, everything alright?" He practically whispers it. My grandma looks at him. "Yah, about that. We need to talk." She gestures for him to follow her. She starts walking and I follow her into the living room.
"Please, sit down. Katherine, do you want to tell him or me?" I point at her. "Ok then. If I can keep from crying." "What're you talking about?" By this time apparently my grandpa doesn't find it appropriate to keep eating his cookie so he sits it on the coffee table. "Dylan died this morning." My grandpa looks from my grandma to me and back to my grandma again. I tried to see what he was feeling but I couldn't. Just a blank stare. "This isn't some prank, is it?" He looks back and forth at the two of us again. "No. It's the real deal." Grandma and I exchange glances. My grandpa gets up and almost runs to their room. My grandma does her best to run up to him as I just sit there like a bump on a log. Why can't I do something instead of just sitting here? I'm so lazy.
     I'm still sitting on the couch when I hear the door to their room close. I sneak over to try and hear what they're saying, but all I can hear is hushed whispers. Nothing. I knock in the door. "You can come in." It sounded obvious, like I was always welcome. I stick my hands in my pockets. "Um, would you mind dropping me off at my house?" It was a strange and kind of illegal command, but I didn't care. "Oh, you need to get your clothes?" "No, I want to live over there. I know it's illegal but no one will ever know. And besides, I can come over here whenever I want." My grandma shifts to where she's sitting on the left side of my grandpa. "Sure." "Thanks." I smile and walk out of the room. Shortly thereafter, my grandparents do the same thing.

     When we get out to the car, I'm in the back-if it's not obvious. "So how long until school starts?" I had almost completely forgotten about school, and the date comes rushing back to me. "Monday." It was Friday. That was literally two days. "Oh wow. Do you already have everything? Do we need to take you shopping? We don't mind." My grandparents are so nice. "No, I'm good. I've got this handled." We pull into the drive way. My grandparents get out is the car. After hugs and some kisses, we say our goodbyes. "Remember, we're always available. If you need anything or are scared or lonely, don't hesitate to call us or come over. Love you." "I know. Love you too." I wave bye and walk up to the house. My house.