Forlot: Thunder Will Come Down - Book Twenty-Seven

Chapter Forty-Two

Lean Share escorted me and my children home and stayed with us until the sky was purple. She was gone by the time that North had woken me. North was on his knees on the bed and shook me. He said my name over and over and added that it was an emergency. I forced myself to sit up and looked at him. I wondered if the emergency had to do with my husband's soul.

"What is it, North? What is the emergency?"

"Daddy."

I gulped and grasped the fabric of my nightgown. "What...what about him?"

"Daddy has not returned from wherever. Has he gone missing?"

I scooped him up and carefully set him in my lap. "He is not missing. If he were, there would be signs hanging all over Forlot. They would have his picture and full name and the number to contact us in case that he was found."

"Then why have we not seen him for the last few days? And why is my mommy not living with us anymore? She has not given birth yet."

I hesitated before saying, "It is best that you know now so you will understand the type of person that your biological mom truly is."

"Are you still holding a grudge against Mommy, Cindy? Mommy is not a perfect mother like you, but that does not give you the right to spit out lies about her."

I took my hand into his. "What makes you think that I am perfect? Nobody is perfect, not even your dad, and I am far from perfect. What makes me the better character is that I own up to my mistakes and try to be good towards others. Your father acted the same way. He would apologize almost immediately and try to make the situation better than it was before."

By the look on his face, North seemed invested in what I said. "Mommy never put it that way. She taught me how to hide items when we went shopping and paid restaurant bills with positive messages."

I was so appalled at what he stated that my mouth hung open. My cousin did lie to me when we were in the toy store. She claimed that she was a changed soul. She has not changed one bit. I pulled North closer to me and explained that his mother was using him. She could care less about his health and future and used him for her own selfishness.

"Your mom is a liar and a thief," I said. "Does she feed you? Tuck you into bed and read you bedtime stories?"

Poor North covered his eyes with his hands and cried. "She does not even let me have toys."

"Shh." I rocked him. "I can take you and your sisters and brother to the toy shop later today."

He sniffed and tilted up his head to me. "You would do that? I am not your son."

"You are my husband's son, so I consider you to be my son."

He sniffed some more and wiped his nose. "B-but we are not biologically related."

"We do not have to be biologically related to be a family. Cal, Tamara, Alex, and I are not related by blood, but that does not stop us from loving one another. Family does not come from blood or status or color or beauty." I gently poked his chest where his heart is. "Family comes from the heart that is loyal to the Lord."

North wrapped his little arms around my neck. "I love you...Mommy."

I could not hold back tears. It was the first time that he called me Mommy. "I love you too...honey."

"You did not answer my question, Mommy."

"Oh?"

"Where is Daddy?"

An hour later, the children and I were at the kitchen table and eating breakfast. Well, I was eating. Cal, North, Tamara, and Alex refused to eat their cereal and were crying. I was not in the mood to prepare waffles or pancakes and fixed something simple instead. But they were not crying because of the cereal. They found out that their father was dead.

You see, Cal and North were old enough to learn about and understand death. If I kept the fact that Caleb was dead from them, they would continue bickering where he was and why he was not with his family. North was the first to discover the truth. He was heartbroken that the man whom he referred to as Daddy was out of his reach. I specifically told North to not tell Cal or his sisters. I would be the one to break the news to them.

I asked Cal why he was upset, and he said that his brother told him that their daddy was dead. North choked on his tears and argued that Cal saw him sobbing and asked what was the matter. He added that he also confessed to the babies.

"I am sorry. But what did you want me to do? Lie?"

I was not mad at him. This was a difficult challenge for us all. We were all in this together. What they did not know was that this obstacle would come to a close sooner than expected. Caleb would return to us.

Lean explained to me and Kara that there was only one way to stop Caleb's soul from murdering and grant him peace. It needed to return to Caleb's body. It and the flesh had to be one again. I would have my husband, and the kids would have their dad. Lean would be attending the funeral as well and protect us and our friends and family in case that the soul did any funny business.

Mom and Dad picked the five of us up and drove us to the funeral. The funeral was being held at the courthouse, and the casket would be open until he was buried.

No. Until Caleb was reunited with his soul.