DISCONTINUED

Chapter 6

Whoever was at the door was either ridiculously bold or stupid or some combination of both, but apparently they weren't going away and as a result Mack wasn't about to stop barking either. His little high pitched "scream" was like tiny needles being driven into Garreth's temples. Eventually he slid out of bed and made his way downstairs. With any luck maybe he'd puke on whoever it was, or at least pass whatever illness he was suffering from on to them. Nothing could possibly be important enough to justify this level of persistence. He picked up Mack and opened the door, ready to vent at whoever he found on the other side of it.

"Mr. Garreth Timmons?" said the older of two somber faced police officers who were standing on his doorstep. The younger officer was young, really young, and she looked like she'd been crying. She wouldn't make eye contact with Garreth and he was immediately terrified.

Garreth nodded his head and mouthed the word "yes" but nothing came out.

"Mr. Timmons, there's been a car accident involving your wife Julia."

Garreth squeezed his eyes shut. No, Jules... please be ok.

"Wait, what did you say? A car accident? What do you mean? How is that even possible?" Driverless car technology had been perfected years ago and car accidents had become almost entirely a thing of the past.

"I'm sorry Mr. Timmons but we don't have a lot of answers yet. All we know is that your wife's car drove off the Knight Street bridge earlier today and..."

"The Knight Street bridge? What was she doing there? And how could her car drive off the bridge???"

"Mr. Timmons, again... we're sorry but we just don't know yet, but..."

"OK. OK. Well, where's Julia now? Where's my wife?" He looked past the officers hoping to maybe see her in their car, but it was empty. "Was she hurt? What hospital did they take her to?" He started to turn back inside, ready to put on some shoes and grab a coat so that he could go be with his poor wife as soon as possible.

"Mr. Timmons, unfortunately by the time help arrived it was too late. Your wife Julia... she didn't make it sir. Apparently she wasn't able to..."

"Wait...what? What are you saying?"

"Sir, your wife Julia... she drowned in the accident. She didn't make it. Mr. Timmons, your wife is no longer with us. I'm so sorry but Julia died in the accident."

Time slowed as Garreth processed the officer's words, desperately trying to make sense of them. He stared straight ahead, right past them, as if they weren't there. The older one was still talking but his voice was muffled and unintelligible to Garreth now.

Garreth lost his balance, leaning against the doorframe for support as one of the officers grabbed his arm to steady him. He closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. He'd heard their words and he understood them, but at the same time it was impossible for his brain to grasp what they actually meant. For right now. For tomorrow. For a week from now or a year from now. For him. And for Luna. He breathed in a ragged breath as his hand moved to cover his mouth and his eyes began to well up with tears.

"Thank you" said Garreth quietly as he stepped back into the house.

"Mr. Timmons, please... can we call someone..."

The officer's voice trailed off as Garreth closed the door.

He stood with his back against the wall. His legs buckled under him and Mack leapt from his arms as he slid down to the floor where he lay crumpled, his head pounding as he dry heaved until it felt as if he would tear his insides apart.

Mack approached him carrying something. A sock. One of Julia's socks. Julia's socks. What was he supposed to do with all of Julia's socks? Would Luna wear them? Should he give them away? Or should he just throw them all out?

His wife, his friend, his Julia. She was gone.

"Oh Jules..."

He sobbed as Mack whimpered and licked at his salty tears.