Always - Sequel to Stay Together For The Kids

Police.

The kitchen bench is cold, but I refuse to move.

"Get up!" A smack to my head and my mothers voice emits a groan from me.

"You're the devil, woman." I mutter, bringing my head up slowly from the bench. I blink my eyes open to try and focus on my surroundings. The kitchen bench is the same as I remember as when I had decided it looked like a good napping spot. Except Mum is standing next to me, Ruby on her hips and a stern look on her face.

"I prefer for you to call me by my name." She says, raising her eyebrows at me.

"Fine. Lucifer." I shrug, receiving a scowl from Mum.

I have slept the past three days in a row. Not a continous sleep, but more a 'If I move from this bed it's very likely a homicide will happen', type of sleep. It had a been a rough couple of days.

"I don't even know why I'm awake at this hour." I complain for the second time this morning, pulling the kettle up in a dramatic motion and pouring my coffee.

"You used to be such a morning person." Mum mutters, sitting down at the kitchen table.

"I used to be married too, remember?" I snap back, sitting down at the kitchen table too.

Mum frowns but I know she won't say anything. She can't fight against me when I mention Michael.

"So what are we going to do today?" Mum says lightly, trying to change the subject.

"Solve world hunger. Build habitats for the homeless. Rule the world." I mutter, under my breath.

"I was thinking we could go see Calum." Mum says loudly, trying to ignore my obvious bitterness.

I shake my head. "If Calum wanted to talk to any of us, he would of called by now. Even just a text." I say. I hadn't heard from Calum since the day he had left. It was only a couple days ago, but after seeing him every second of the day, it had become as a bit of a shock to the senses. Mum was under the impression that his leave was the reason for my cocoon of unhappiness. It was a contributing factor, but I wasn't going to tell her anytime soon the real reason, that I had fallen asleep with my dead husband.

Mum cocks her head to the side in the way people do when they're feeling sorry for me. "He's hurting too, you know?" She says softly.

"I don't want to talk about it, Mum." I say quickly.

Mum looks worried, but the only way she knows how to show it is in a stern manner. "Lily, you're going to have to talk sometime."

No, I don't. I'll become a mime or something if it means I don't have to talk about my feelings. I look over to Ruby, who is half asleep in Mum's arms. Like mother, like daughter I guess.

"Lily-" Mum starts, but before she can finish, a knock on the door interrupts her.

I stand up quickly, giving her a triumphant look, knowing that I had gotten out of this lecture.

I lurch open the door, exhausted and frustrated. But I somehow immediatley awaken as I see a police officer on my door step. A hint of deja vu sweeps in and I push it away.

"Lily Clifford?" The officer asks. He is a man of a big stature, tall and wide. He has a kind face, but masked with beard stubble.

I nod. "Can I help you?" I ask, opening the door to let him in.

The officer takes a step inside, then turns to offer his hand. "Officer Mason. We haven't met before, but I was apart of the team for your husband's murder." He explains.

I take his hand, and shake it. "Oh." Is all I can really say back to that.

Mum stands up quickly, and walks over to me, Ruby still in her arms. She looks to me to ask if I need her there. My pleading eyes obviously work because she turns back to the officer. "Would you like a cup of coffee?" She asks pleasantly. I sigh in relief. I couldn't do this part by myself.

The officer shakes his head. "I'm fine, thanks. I won't be staying long."

"Is everything ok?" I ask, as Mum sets Ruby down next to the toy box, then walks back over to me.

The officer nods, but I know he's lieing. For a cop he's a pretty shitty liar.

"I needed to talk to Lily, ask her a few questions about Mr. Clifford." He says swiftly. grabbing his belt and taking a deep breath as he did. Obviously talking to a widow was uncomfortable for him. I hope he realised that I was at the point that I didn't care anymore. There was nothing new he could say that would throw me off guard.

"That's fine." I nod. I mean, when I had seen him, I expected it was something over Michael.

The officer nods and smiles gratefully. "Do you know where he was the day before he passed?" He asks, pulling out a notepad and a pen that been placed in his pocket readily.

"At court. We both were." I frown. That one was obvious. We had court documents to prove that.

"And the day before that?" He asks, his pen poised.

I shake my head. "No. I hadn't spoken to him in a while." I say quietly, my voice drifting off. I had been trying not think of the days leading up to his death.

"Do you know anyone who would of seen him?" He presses for information.

I shake my head again. "I only found out he was staying at a hotel the night before he-" I falter before I say the word 'died'. "The night before he passed." I clear my throat. "We weren't on speaking terms."

"Did you seen anyone who was in contact with Michael?" He frowns.

I frown too. It's an odd question, and I'm not quite sure what he means by it. "I saw Calum about two weeks before the court date. I'm pretty sure Calum was friends with Michael at the time."

The police officer nods, taking it all in, writing it all down.

"Can you tell me why you're asking me these things?" I say bluntlly.

The officer looks up at me sharply. He sighs slightly, putting away his pen and paper. "We're just looking into anything that could of attributed to his death."

Mum and I exchange a glance and both of us shift uncomfortably.

"What are you trying to say?" Mum asks.

"It's become an investigation." The police officer says softly.

"Do you think someone murdered Michael?" I say, raising my eyebrows.

His hesitation is all the answer I need.

I shake my head. "No, no." I say. "No one hated Michael. He had a lot of problems but people never hated him."

The police officer smiles sadly. "As someone with a lot of empathy for this situation, I want to agree with you. But as an officer, I have to look at all the options."

I nod. I do understand, somewhat. But no one knew Michael like I did, Michael even said so himself.

"Well, if you find out anything please let us know." Mum says, softly, rubbing my back a bit as I stand silently.

"Straight away." The police officer promises. With a small nod, he turns out the door and leaves us all in a stunned silence.

"Wow." Mum breathes, turning to sit down.

"I know." I shake my head. "This is just too much." I say, sitting down next to her.

Mum looks to the side to me, watching me look at Ruby, frowning at both Mum and I. She's probably wondering what's going on.

"Lily." Mum starts. I turn my head to look at her. "No matter what happens with this, don't let it change your memory of Michael." She says softly.

"Why would it?" I frown.

"He loved you. Even if it was an overdose, or a suicide or even in someone else's hands. He still loved you."

"I know, Mum." I say confidently. I do know. And even though the idea of someone killing Michael seems crazy, I'd like to believe he loved me enough not to take those drugs willingly that day. Maybe then I would know that I wasn't the reason he was gone.