Oakbrook - The Portal

Fire

House Fire

A few days later, Sam asked, "Kate?" Hesitating as if she didn't want to speak the words aloud, "I think I should go and see my parents. Have you told them I'm back?"

Kate flinched. She'd been trying to think of the best way to bring the subject up and failed to broach it yet. She took Sam's hand between her own and held it tight.

"Sam." she began, uncertain of how to tell her. "There's no easy way to tell you this. They died just under a year ago. There was a fire at their house. I'm sorry." Kate's voice tailed off as Sam's face fell.

"How did the fire start?" Sam's voice was almost a whisper as she pulled her hand away. "What happened?" Kate filled her in with the rough details.

The house had been filled with smoke and flame by the time the neighbours had come home after a birthday party. The fire brigade arrived and extinguished the flames but when they pulled Sam's parents from the building they were already dead. The resulting investigation had revealed no evidence of foul play. It was thought a candle left burning had caused the fire. The neighbours had said that Sam's father was in the habit of leaving a candle burning in the belief that it might help some deity or other intervene and bring Sam home. But Kate didn't mention that part.

"My parents." Sam's voice cracked, "They're dead? Both of them?" Kate nodded. "I wasn't here. I didn't know. I wasn't there. I should have been here. Oh shit." She looked past Kate, staring into the horror, and her cheeks were glistening wet. Kate reached over to the kitchen table to find a small box of tissues. She pulled one free, thought for a split second and took the whole box. She put the box beside Sam and pressed the loose tissue into her hand.

"You had to deal with that too?" Sam asked, her face torn with pain and guilt. "You told Susan? You dealt with everything?" Kate nodded and smiled.

"Like I would have done if you'd been here." Kate held out her hands to Sam but was surprised when Sam pulled away. She laid a hand on Sam's arm instead. Sam gazed past her, refusing to meet Kate's eyes, lost in her own private pain.