You Are What You Eat (Book One)

Chapter 46

Marshall

Margret's passing out at work was about a month ago. It's early October now. Morgan was back in school and Mason was still on babysitting duties when Margret was at work. Her hours are much shorter and no longer require having to get up at 6am. The doctor has also put her on a regimen of medications. She's been doing well. At least from what I can see. She never wants to talk about it. Just treats it as if it's just there. Like allergies. Right now it was her day off. She was spending the day with the baby while Mason visited Jane at her collage. Charles and Beth were picking Mikey up and were watching him until I got home. Not wanting Margret overwhelmed with both little ones.

The higher ups spoke with me again and I told them I need more time. I haven't had much time to think about it with Margret's declining health and the new baby. They're giving me a year. Carol came into my office, smiling. "Dinner still on?" I smiled. "Of course. Margret hasn't seen you in so long. She misses you." "You guys have this big family. I don't want to intrude." "Nonsense. Be there at six." She nodded with a smile as I left my office going to my car.

I got my phone out, calling Margret but there was no answer. She must be away from her phone or Max is keeping her away from it. Morgan was at an after school thing so I won't expect her home till at least seven and Mason was visiting Jane at her collage for some event.

I parked in the garage, hearing Max crying even though the car and walls. It sounded terrified and lost. It was shrill and wailing and wasn't stopping. Oh god, did Margret faint while holding Max?

I rushed in, calling as I walked into the kitchen. "Margret?! Margret!" I went to call again until I saw it, stopping dead, unable to believe what was before my eyes.

Margret was here. And she was still and deathly pale. Sitting on the couch, a baby bottle fallen over in her lap and Max laying across her, wailing, wondering why he wasn't being fed, wondering why she stopped.

No...No no no no...

No.

It felt like an eternity standing in the entrance way from the kitchen to the living room. I snapped to attention, gasping and running over with shaking hands. "Margret! Margret! Wake up! Margret!" No matter how much I shook her she didn't. Her head lolled and her once bright green eyes were so utterly void and she was cool to the touch. I sucked in a breath, tears falling.

Suddenly I felt nauseous, running to the kitchen sink were I vomited up what was left of my lunch with Carol. I sobbed, gripping my hair, shaking my head. I mumbled to myself. "No. No no she's not dead. She can't be dead..." I looked back in, sucking in my breath. Max was still crying and I felt frozen. I had to do something. I can't leave my son like this. I broke through the haze and quickly grabbed Max who clung to me, crying. I just held him, crying with him. I think he knew what he lost.

I got my phone, pacing, shaking and...God what is happening? The 911 operator spoke. "911 what's your emergency?" I spoke as best I could but my voice was thick and cracking. "Please...I...I don't know what to do... My wife is dead...I came home from work and she was dead..." I sobbed into the phone, still holding Max who was whimpering but calmed from his wailing. "You found her dead?" "Yes. She's on the couch. She was feeding our son when she went." "We're sending someone to your location; can you stay on the line?" "Yeah." The sound of this woman's voice was calming me, I was able to speak clearly but inside felt like a thousand shards cutting into every part of me.

Sometime later a police cruiser and ambulance arrived outside my door. I hung up, saying good bye to the nice woman. A lump was still lodged in my throat when officers came in with paramedics. This was all a nightmare. It had to be. It was so surreal.